New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at enhancing the employability of young Indians, Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan launched the National Apprenticeship and Training Scheme (NATS) 2.0 Portal. Alongside the portal launch, he announced the disbursement of ₹100 crore in stipends to apprentices through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. The initiative took place in a high-profile event in New Delhi, attended by leaders in education and industry.
The NATS 2.0 portal is designed to streamline the registration and application process for apprenticeships across various sectors, including IT/ITeS, manufacturing, and automobile. It serves as a dual platform where establishments can manage their apprenticeship vacancies and contracts efficiently. Pradhan highlighted that this portal will significantly democratise apprenticeship opportunities, bridge the existing skills gap, and make Indian youth future-ready.
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During the event, two panel discussions were held, focusing on the future of apprenticeships and the integration of degrees with apprenticeships, the collaboration between industry and higher education, and the utilisation of technology to enhance e-governance and the efficiency of DBT.
Eminent dignitaries such as K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of the Department of Higher Education; Prof. T G Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE; and Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of UGC, attended the event. The event also recognised top contributors to the apprenticeship ecosystem, including major corporations like Cognizant Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd., Infosys Ltd., and Tech Mahindra Pvt Ltd.
In his address, Pradhan stated, “The NATS Portal 2.0 is not just a technological upgrade but a strategic expansion of our apprenticeship frameworks to meet the dynamic needs of both industry and our youth.” He emphasised the importance of apprenticeships in today’s technology-driven age, not only for degree attainment but for building real-world competencies.
The NATS 2.0 portal, developed in-house by the Ministry of Education with support from AICTE and the Board of Apprenticeship Training, is touted as a one-stop solution for managing the complete lifecycle of apprenticeship activities. This includes everything from student registration, vacancy advertisement, and application processing to contract creation and stipend disbursal through DBT.
Pradhan also called upon educational institutions and industries to actively participate in this revamped apprenticeship scheme. “We aim to make apprenticeship a mass movement, integral to our education system,” he added, urging stakeholders to devise a comprehensive strategy to utilise India’s demographic dividend effectively.
The launch aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to mainstream vocational education and remove barriers between different streams of education, promoting a more integrated and flexible approach to learning and skill development.
The initiative marks a pivotal step towards fulfilling the government’s commitment to enhancing the skilling, employability, and economic potential of India’s youth.
