What is NAPS Scheme? Definition, Benefits & Eligibility

Success is not attained overnight. Apprenticeship has been a stepping stone to a bright future for many people out there. Every apprentice would have googled NAPS sometime or the other. This is because they have just graduated from college and are looking at apprenticeship opportunities in big companies.

The Government of India has realised this and came up with the NAPS scheme. But what is NAPS full form? We will look at this and more in this article, including the main features and benefits of NAPS scheme and how companies can become eligible for it.

We end with a note on how NAPS training can help a company and the role that HR consulting companies like Alp Consulting have to play in it.

What is the Full Form of NAPS?

NAPS stands for National Apprentice Promotion Scheme. It was instituted in August 2016 by the Government of India. The Government aims to provide financial incentives and technology to support the NAPS scheme and empower apprentices in India.

What are the Objectives of NAPS?

There are several objectives of the NAPS scheme. The primary objective is to promote apprenticeship in the country. It hopes to raise the figure of apprenticeship engagement from 2.3 lakh at its inception to 50 lakhs, promoting awareness of the goodness of apprenticeship and how it can transform the corporate landscape in India. The efforts seem to be paying off so far. As of July, 2022, the number of apprentices in India was about 13.8 lakh.

What are the Key Features of NAPS Scheme?

Through the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, The Government of India will promote apprenticeship by sharing costs of NAPS training with the employer. This will greatly boost the scope of apprenticeship in the country.

1. Covers all courses:

This scheme will, under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, cover all modular employment skills and courses made by the state and central governments.

2. Online portal:

The Government has created an online portal with self-service functionality for employers, training providers and apprentices.

3. Transparency of information

Applicants can use the online portal to know about the number of apprentice seats available and the vacancies in each company.

4. Can make individual enquiries

Applicants can also use the online portal to contact each company individually to enquire about apprenticeship.

5. Sending offer letters

Employers can use the portal to send out offer letters to the apprentices.

6. Monitor training progress

The official portal also helps monitor the apprenticeship training that is happening in each company registered under the NAPS scheme.

7. Payment from government

The government makes the payment through this online portal of up to 7500 in benefits to employers, and employers can raise claims for benefits too.

8. Sharing training cost

The government will share up to 1500 as training cost for the training of apprentices for each employer. There are two types of training that happens: Basic and On-the-job.

9. Authority involved

The NAPS scheme is implemented by the Directorate of Apprenticeship Training for central undertaking and establishment operating their business in at least four or more states.

10. Other stakeholders

For state public sector and private establishments, this scheme will be implemented by state apprenticeship advisors.

How is the NAPS Scheme Beneficial?

Apprentices swear by it, the Government is very supportive of it, and employers stand by it. NAPS is immensely popular because of the benefits it offers. NAPS is very beneficial to employers, apprentices, and the country in general. There are three main benefits to NAPS:

1. Over time, it will create a network of apprentices who will learn, grow and even empower others. This will create more skilled manpower in India.

2. This will also give more confidence to the apprentices undergoing training.

3. It will lead to a continuous learning and development environment in companies.

4. Startups and other smaller companies can recruit apprentices if they have even one capable and strong mentor in the company, saving money in the process.

Which businesses can implement NAPS scheme?

For businesses that have a headcount of more than 30, National apprentice promotion scheme is compulsory. The apprentice count must be a minimum of 2.5% to a maximum of 15% of the total headcount. 5% of the total will be skilled and certificate-holding apprentices.

What are the Benefits of Enrolling for NAPS Scheme as an Employer?

As an employer, there are a few main benefits for employers from enrolling for NAPS:

1. An environment of learning and continuous development will be built in the company.

2. Apprenticeship will save a lot of time and costs for the employer if they have people on board who can train the apprentice.

3. Employers will be paid a stipend of 1500 for NAPS training and management of the apprentices. If you are bootstrapped, you will appreciate this.

4. The government will reimburse an additional 7500 per apprentice, helping with the management of NAPS in the organization.

Eligibility and Requirements for Employers

So, as an employer, you may really want to implement the National Apprentice Promotion Scheme in your company, but do not know where to start. In this section, we discuss what basic eligibility any company must have to implement NAPS scheme.

The following are the requirements:

1. Must have an EPFO/ESIC/UDYOGAADHAR
2. Must have a TIN Number
3. Must be registered on the online portal
4. Must have an Aadhar-linked bank account

Finding the Right NAPS Training Agency

Since NAPS is mandatory now, companies of all sizes need to find a way of accommodating NAPS into their organizational structure. A training agency for NAPS must be familiar with how to make use of apprenticeship to further the business goals of the company. When the agency you are partnering with is aware of how to boost apprenticeship to achieve those goals, then you will actually benefit from NAPS.

Closing Words

Having survived the pandemic, companies of today are resilient. What will increase their resilience even more is the influx of younger people, not just apprentices, but people with hope and aspirations.

Our country’s law is built on aspiration too. Since it mandates that NAPS is compulsory in bigger organizations, the founders and managers of today are coming to terms with this requirement in innovative ways that will be beneficial for them and the country. Apprenticeship is on the rise in India, and thankfully so.

As a NAPS training company, Alp Consulting gives you the access to high quality candidates for apprenticeship and helps secure timely stipend reimbursement. Alp Also provides speedy training to applicants and registration on the online portal. Alp also offers both designated as well as optional trades to apprentices.

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