National Apprenticeship Mela | 23 Apr 2022

Why in News?

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has conducted a National Apprenticeship Mela.

• The National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 recognizes apprenticeship as a means to provide gainful employment to a skilled workforce with adequate compensation.
• Apprenticeship is a Skill Training program wherein a person is engaged by a company as an apprentice and gains classroom (theory) learning for a short period, followed by on-the-job (practical) training.

What is the National Apprenticeship Mela?

• The aim is to support the hiring of more than one lakh apprentices and assist employers in tapping the right talent and developing it further with training and providing practical skill sets.
• Applicants will get a monthly stipend as per the Government standards for developing new skills, an opportunity to earn while they learn.
• Individuals having a 5th–12th grade pass certificate, a skill training certificate, an ITI Diploma, or a graduate degree were eligible to participate in the PM Apprenticeship Mela.
• The candidates will get certificates, recognized by National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), increasing the chances of their employability after the training.
  • NCVET was notified by MSDE on 5th December 2018.

What are the Government Policies related to Apprenticeship?

• The Apprentices Act, 1961 was enacted with the objective of regulating the program of training of apprentices in the industry by utilizing the facilities available therein for imparting on-the-job training.
  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is the administrative ministry responsible for implementation of the Act.
• The government has brought comprehensive amendments in the Act in December 2014 to make it more attractive for both industry and youth.
  • Major changes introduced in the amendment are:
    • Replacing the outdated system of trade wise and unit wise regulation of apprentices with a band of 2.5% to 10% of the total workforce (including contractual workers), introduction of optional trades, removing stringent clauses like imprisonment & allowing industries to out-source basic training.
• National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme:
  • National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) was launched on19th August 2016 to promote apprenticeship training and increase the engagement of apprentices.
  • NAPS has replaced Apprentice Protsahan Yojna (APY).
  • The scheme has the following two components:
    • Reimbursement of 25% of prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs. 1500/- per month per apprentice by the Government of India to all employers who engage apprentices.
    • Reimbursement of cost of basic training ( upto a limit of Rs. 7500/- for a maximum of 500 hours/3 months) by the Government of India to Basic Training Providers (BTPs) in respect of apprentices who come directly for apprenticeship training without any formal training.

Source: PIB