Graduate Apprenticeship Through NATS: How Bank and PSU Apprenticeships Work

A graduate apprenticeship is a one-year, paid, on-the-job training contract under the Apprentices Act, 1961, usually arranged through the government's NATS portal. For a fresh graduate, it can be a solid first step: you get a monthly stipend, real workplace experience and a recognised certificate. It isn't a permanent job, though, and the employer isn't obliged to hire you at the end. Apply if the experience will help your next move, not because you expect it to turn into a bank or PSU job.

Several large openings are live right now. Canara Bank is accepting applications from 1 to 17 October 2026 for 3,500 graduate apprentice training seats across the country. Other organisations, including DRDO and IIT Jodhpur, have also advertised graduate apprenticeships this month with their own deadlines. Here's how the process works and what to watch for, using the Canara Bank notification as a worked example.

Step one is always the NATS portal

Most graduate and diploma apprenticeships in India run through the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme portal at nats.education.gov.in. Canara Bank's notification, for example, says you must register on NATS first, and only candidates with a 100% complete NATS profile can apply. You then enter your NATS enrolment ID in the bank's own application form. The final apprenticeship contract is also issued digitally through the portal.

So even if you're not sure which apprenticeship you want, registering and completing your NATS profile now saves time. Keep your degree details, marksheets, Aadhaar and bank account ready. Make sure your name is spelled the same way across all of them, because mismatches cause problems at document verification.

What the Canara Bank notification actually says

Every notification is different, so read the one you're applying for in full. For Canara Bank's FY 2026-27 graduate apprentice engagement:

• Eligibility: a graduate degree in any discipline, passed between 1 January 2023 and 1 September 2026. Age 20 to 28 as on 1 September 2026, with the usual relaxations for reserved categories.
• Who can't apply: anyone who has already done, or is doing, an apprenticeship under the Act, and anyone with one year or more of job experience or training after graduation.
• Duration and stipend: 12 months, with a monthly stipend of ₹16,650. The bank pays ₹10,500, and the government's share of ₹6,150 is credited directly to the apprentice's bank account through DBT.
• Selection: a state-wise merit list based on 12th or diploma marks, with a minimum of 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD). After that come document verification, a local language test for those who didn't study the language in 10th or 12th, and a medical check.
• Application fee: ₹500 for most candidates, nil for SC/ST/PwBD.
• Leave: 12 casual leaves in the year, no other leave types.

Two things surprise people. First, the merit list uses 12th or diploma marks, not your graduation marks, so a strong degree won't compensate for a weak 12th result. Second, you can choose only one state, and the bank decides the district.

Is an apprenticeship worth it?

It depends on where you are. My honest view:

It's a good option if you're a recent graduate with no work experience, you're interested in banking, operations or the field the apprenticeship is in, and a year of structured work will strengthen your resume. Branch apprenticeships in particular teach customer handling, documentation and processes that carry over to many jobs in banking, insurance and financial services.

Think twice if you already have a job offer with a full salary, or if you're preparing seriously for a competitive exam and the apprenticeship would take most of your study time. Also remember the eligibility rule above: many notifications, including Canara Bank's, exclude anyone who has already done an apprenticeship under the Act, so use your one chance on something you actually want.

Don't count on absorption. Section 22 of the Apprentices Act says it isn't obligatory for the employer to offer a job to an apprentice who finishes training, and the apprentice doesn't have to accept one either. Some employers do hire apprentices, but that's their choice, not a promise. Plan your next step from about month nine.

Making the year count

An apprenticeship is only as useful as what you can show for it at the end. Keep a short record of the work you handled, the systems you used and anything you improved. Ask your supervisor early whether they'd be willing to act as a reference. When you apply for jobs afterwards, describe it as real work experience, with the duration and the type of work, not just "apprentice". Our guide on first jobs after B.Com, BBA or BA covers roles that suit people coming out of branch and back-office apprenticeships. If you're also weighing the PM Internship Scheme, see our PM Internship guide. It's a separate scheme with different rules.

Once your apprenticeship is coming to an end, browse finance and banking jobs on CareerCola, or engineering roles if your apprenticeship was technical.

Watch out for fake apprenticeship offers

Big notifications attract scammers. Apply only through the organisation's official website and the NATS portal. The official fee is paid inside the application process, not to a person on WhatsApp. Nobody can "guarantee" you a seat for a payment. Our guide to spotting fake job offers applies here too.

If you're eligible and the Canara Bank seats interest you, the window closes on 17 October 2026. Register on NATS first, read the full notification, and apply well before the last day, when sites tend to slow down.