The Government has organized Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) across the country. So far five Melas have been organized till the month of November 2022 since its inception in June 2022. States/UTs have been advised to organize PMNAM every 2nd  Monday in 1/3 of total number of districts with the flexibility for choosing the district/location and the day of Mela based on local conditions/festivals, etc. so that all districts are covered once in a quarter, and four times in a year. The State/UT-wise list is at Annexure-I. The Mela has invoked interest amongst the stake holders including corporate companies. The State-wise list regarding establishments, candidates participated and apprenticeship contract generated is at Annexure-II.

The Government is striving to train 10 lakh youth per annum through apprenticeship training. Towards this PMNAM is being used as a platform for active participation of establishments and candidates.It also provides awareness to the youth on various opportunities existing across the participating establishments/industries.Thus, PMNAM helps to bring greater number of youth and establishments/industries into the apprenticeship fold.

Apprenticeship Melas create opportunities for apprenticeship for youth in the establishments / industries to bridge the skill gap by imparting on-the-job training and to make them industry-ready and employable.

PMNAM brings dynamic participation of establishments/companies and candidates and provides awareness to the youth on various opportunities existing across the participating companies. The thrust given by the Ministry towards apprenticeship training through reforms (facilitation and process simplifications), awareness workshops, continuous engagement with establishments / employers, apprenticeship Mela, and public reach out to create awareness about apprenticeship training among the students and the establishments are making positive impact. All these initiatives have led to increase in the number of apprentices from 2.90 lakh in 2020-21 to 5.8 lakh in 2021-22 and expenditure increased from Rs. 120 crore to Rs. 217 crore during the same period, and it is expected that it will lead to increase in number of apprentices engaged to reach 10 lakh in the current financial year.

(f)        Wide publicity to conduct the apprenticeship Mela is given through Government Media Channels like Press Information Bureau (PIB), Doordarshan, Community Radios, All India Radio, social media platforms like MyGov, print media, digital media (SMS), active State/district participation through ITIs at the local level, through leaflets, mobilizing schools and colleges, publicity drive by Regional Directorates of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (RDSDEs), Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT),Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), Third Party Aggregators (TPAs), and Local Industry Associations.

The Government is also organising 250 apprenticeship awareness workshops throughout the country to create awareness about apprenticeship among the students and the establishments / industries and to create opportunities for apprenticeship for youth.  This will lead to greater participation of establishments and candidates converting candidate’s applications / registrations into apprenticeship contracts.

1. Various reforms, including amendments in 2014 to the Apprentices Act, 1961 and the Rules in 2019 and launch of National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), have been carried out to facilitate the establishments to engage more number of apprentices. The reforms to the Apprentices Act, 1961 in 2014, and to the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992 in 2019 are:

• The apprentice intake band higher limit has been increased from 10% to 15%. This allows establishments to hire more apprentices.
• Mandatory staff strength of establishments (to engage apprentices) has been reduced to 30 from 40. This has brought in more establishments under the ambit of the Act.
• Optional engagement limit has been lowered to 4 from the existing 6. This will also lead to the increase in voluntary organisations for engaging apprentices.
• The stipend has been delinked from the minimum wages and now linked to the educational / skill qualification of candidate required for particular course / trade. This has removed the anomalies in stipend rates ensuring the stipend uniformity.
• Optional trades have been introduced which offer flexibility in the course design to the industries in the service sector.
• Apprenticeship-embedded degree courses are allowed.
• Non-engineering degree holders also can undergo training for upskilling.
• Provision for imprisonment for noncompliance of provisions of the Act is replaced by penalty.

2. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has taken many steps, in consultation with various stakeholders, to simplify the portal and the processes, and to revise the NAPS guidelines to bring increase in the number of establishments and apprentices. Eight Office Memorandums (OMs) were issued between December 2021 and November 2022, to simplify portal/apprenticeship processes and to make the process of apprenticeship engagement easier:

• The functionality of apprenticeship portal has been enhanced as per the user requirement,
• Guidelines on National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Basic Training Provider (BTP)have been revised to make the processes easier.
• The duration of Optional Trades courses has been revised (mostly one year).
• Industrial Training Institute (ITI) pass candidates are exempted from theory examination.
• All India Trade Test (AITT)for apprentices is being scheduled quarterly so that certificates are issued throughout the year to the candidates.
• Bigger establishments are allowed to provide basic training in their premises. 
• For ease of central jurisdiction establishments, it is allowed to selectone Regional Directorate of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (RDSDE)instead of many.
• No proof of payment to be uploaded by establishments, if payment is done via portal payment gateway, and
• Stipend support to establishments allowed if Basic Training (BT) and On-the-job training (OJT) is done in simultaneous mode.

3. Further Ministry is engaging with Central Public Sector Units (CPSUs) continuously and a virtual meet was held on 02-05-2022with the top management of  CPSUs to engage more apprentices and also encourage their contractors and the entire chain of dealers/ suppliers to engage apprentices. Also, CPSUs’ participation is being envisaged in the proposed 250 apprenticeship awareness workshops and in monthly apprenticeship Mela throughout the country.

Annexure-I

For UN-STARRED QUESTION NO: 708 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12-12-2022

State/UT wise number of Districts / Locations in each Mela

*Smaller States/UTs allowed to conduct the Mela once in three months.

Annexure-II

For UN-STARRED QUESTION NO: 708 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12-12-2022

Details of establishments, candidate participated, and contracts generated

*Establishments and Candidates participated is as per the Mela Day.

**Pan India data –Apprenticeship Contract tracked for 20 days after Mela day which may also include contracts generated out side PMNAM.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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MJPS