NITI Aayog Calls For Overhaul Of Apprenticeship Ecosystem

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Feb 21 (KNN) Government think tank NITI Aayog has proposed a comprehensive revamp of India's apprenticeship ecosystem, calling for stronger industry participation, streamlined governance and improved support systems for apprentices.

In its report titled 'Revitalizing India's Apprenticeship Ecosystem: Insights, Challenges, Recommendations and Best Practices', it flagged weak industry–academia linkages, fragmented regulatory frameworks and inadequate institutional coordination as key constraints affecting the scalability and effectiveness of apprenticeship programmes.

Proposal for National Apprenticeship Mission
The report recommended the creation of a National Apprenticeship Mission (NAM) to serve as a unified platform consolidating various apprenticeship initiatives under a single gateway, the National Apprenticeship Portal (NAP).

Currently, apprenticeship programmes are administered by different ministries with varying norms and target groups. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) runs the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), launched in 2016, which shares part of the stipend burden with employers across multiple trades.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education administers the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS), offering structured on-the-job training to graduates and diploma holders, with the government reimbursing 50 percent of the stipend cost.

The proposed NAM would harmonise these initiatives to reduce confusion among employers and candidates. In the short term, the Aayog suggested forming a steering committee under MSDE and launching awareness campaigns. Over the long term, it recommended full integration of central and state apprenticeship schemes.

Bridging Education and Skilling
The report emphasised the need to make apprenticeships more aspirational by strengthening integration with formal education systems. It called for seamless pathways enabling mobility between skilling and education streams.

Additionally, it proposed an Apprenticeship Linked Incentive Scheme (ALIS) to provide financial incentives to both employers and apprentices, with special focus on Aspirational Districts, North East States and women participants.

Data Gaps and Participation Imbalance
Highlighting data for 2024–25, the report noted that while 1.31 million candidates registered for apprenticeships, only 9.85 lakh were engaged and just 2.51 lakh completed their training. It stressed the need to monitor drop-out rates between registration, engagement and completion to ensure quality outcomes.

The Aayog also observed a sharp imbalance in enterprise participation. Medium and large enterprises constitute less than 30 percent of active establishments but account for over 70 percent of apprenticeship engagement.

To widen participation, particularly among MSMEs, it recommended revising eligibility norms to include all establishments with 20 or more employees under the apprenticeship framework.

Addressing Gender and Regional Gaps
The report flagged a persistent gender gap, with male participants dominating both registrations and engagements. It called for targeted interventions to boost female participation and improve completion rates.

To address regional disparities, NITI Aayog proposed the introduction of an Apprenticeship Engagement Index (AEI), a real-time, publicly accessible dashboard ranking states and Union Territories based on engagement performance relative to youth population, industrial base and skilling infrastructure.

It also recommended forming District Skill Committees (DSCs) to align apprenticeship promotion with District Skill Development Plans (DSDPs), ensuring targets are tailored to local demographics and industry needs.

The recommendations, if implemented, are expected to expand apprenticeship coverage, improve quality and strengthen India's workforce readiness.

(KNN Bureau)

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