Port Blair, April 22: The Apprentices Act, 1961 was enacted with an objective to provide training to the apprentices in the industry by utilizing the facilities available therein. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), GoI is the administrative ministry responsible for the implementation of the Act for skill-based trade apprenticeship with the assistance of State/UT Governments.

Apprenticeship training is one of the most efficient way to develop skilled manpower for the industry by using training facilities available in the establishments without putting any extra burden on the exchequer to set up training infrastructure. The unemployed youth, after undergoing apprenticeship training can easily adapt to the industrial environment at the time of regular employment. The other advantages of apprenticeship training are that, it is one of the most important schemes in terms of quality of training, experiential learning and the enhanced employability that it provides and it also the most promising skills delivery vehicle in the industrial / training ecosystem of the country. It also extended structured and rigorous training programme which helps apprentices becomes skilled and stimulates apprentices a real chance to put skills into practice and helps them to gain confidence in a working environment.

The establishments can engage 2.5 to 15% apprentices of their overall sanctioned strength including contractual staff. A prescribed stipend has to be paid for engaged apprentices. However, the reimbursement of 25% of prescribed stipend, subject to a maximum of Rs. 1500/- per month per apprentice shall be paid by the Government of India (GoI) to all registered establishments who engage apprentices under “National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NPAS)’. The employers having 4 or more workers shall only be eligible to engage apprentices. However, it is mandatory for an establishment to engage apprentices, who have 30 or more number of workers as per the Apprenticeship Act.

As the GoI is promoting the said scheme in a large way, it shall be an obligatory to engage apprentices in every Department/Establishment, so as to provide a platform for unemployed youths for their gainful employment. In this  regard, a one day ‘Industry Drive and Apprenticeship Mela’ to be organized on April 26 from 9.30 am to 5 pm at  ITI, Dollygunj, ITI, Arong and VTI, Bakultala with a view to facilitate onboard of the MSMEs, Industries, PSUs, Govt. Departments, other eligible establishments and registration of aspirational candidates under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme. This Mela shall give a comprehensive knowledge session on National Apprenticeship Training Scheme for all the stakeholders alongwith new guidelines, increased understanding and clarity on the system, process, roles and structure of implementation helping stakeholders into their outreach and support and key recommendation to plug the gaps in portal, policy performance system to the industry.

All the establishments and aspirational candidates/students have been requested to register their names at GoI’s  weblink https://dgt.gov.in/appmelaapril22/ and participate in the ‘Industry Drive and Apprenticeship Mela’ on the above mentioned date and venues.