Central Apprenticeship Council Hikes Stipend for Apprentices: A 30% Increase Announced, ETHRWorld
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New Delhi: The Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) chaired by Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Jayant Chaudhary on Monday decided to increase the minimum monthly stipend payable to apprentices under two schemes, from Rs 5,000-Rs 9,000 across five bands at present to Rs 6,800-Rs 12,300 once the proposed hike is notified.The revision of apprentice stipends is proposed to be automatically adjusted biennially based on changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), aligning with the salary increment cycle in July, officials said"We have two schemes. Under the PM-National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme ( PM-NAPS ) the government's contribution is Rs 1,500 or 25 per cent of the stipend amount whereas the government contributes 50 per cent of the stipend amount under National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS). The present stipend rates are from Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,000 under the five bands. This has now been increased to Rs 6,800 to Rs 12,300," an official told PTI.While the NAPS comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the NATS is implemented by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education."The highest band is Rs 9,000. We have proposed to increase it to Rs 12,300. There are five bands. For the lowest brand, the proposed increase is from Rs 5,000 to 6,800 and the highest was 9,000 to 12,300," said another official.Addressing the media after chairing the Central Apprenticeship Council meeting, the Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship informed regarding the decisions taken."The first thing is the stipend increase upwards of even 30 per cent in the various categories, stipend has been increased, which will provide a benefit to the industry and also the young people of our country. As you know, India is running the world's largest apprenticeship programme, and apprenticeship whether it's through national apprenticeship promotion scheme or it is through NAT scheme, which is done by the Higher Education Ministry, opens up a clear pathway for younger people to engage with industry and to become employable and get jobs," said the minister.He shared that another important issue which was deliberated upon was the capacity to do pure, online, blended apprenticeship programmes, specifically in some of the new domains like AI, green tech and other new sectors where there are new possibilities for employment."There was an idea that we can form working groups to look at and deliberate on various domains going forward," said Chaudhary.The 38th CAC meeting proposed to replace the existing list of industries (1987 code) with one aligned to NIC Code 2008 thereby expanding the scope of apprenticeship training to include emerging sectors like IT, software services, telecommunications, biotechnology, and renewable energy. Any future updates in the industrial classification will automatically reflect in the apprenticeship rules, said officials present in the meeting.Besides, a significant agenda item in the CAC meeting was the promotion of apprenticeship embedded education programmes, including the introduction of new definitions such as "Degree Apprenticeship", "Institution", "UGC", and "Contractual Staff", to align educational curricula with on-the-job training requirements.The Council also proposed enabling employers to deliver basic and practical training through online, virtual, or blended modes, ensuring flexibility in learning without compromising the quality or compliance with centrally-approved syllabi, officials said.Additionally, the meeting discussed the creation of regional boards at new locations to improve the administration and outreach of NATS and regulate the Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP), necessitating the insertion of a new clause in the apprenticeship rules, they added.The Council also emphasized on inclusivity by proposing the insertion of a definition for "Person with Benchmark Disability" in line with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act. It recommended that trades or subject fields specify their suitability for persons with benchmark disabilities and reserve training places accordingly, promoting equitable access and participation in apprenticeship training.The last CAC meeting was held in June 2021. Since then, India's apprenticeship landscape has evolved considerably with over 43.47 lakh apprentices engaged across 36 states and Union Territories, and active participation from more than 51,000 establishments, enhanced outreach across districts and social groups, and renewed alignment with futuristic sectors through PM-NAPS and NATS schemes.
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