NELLORE: A total of 1,851 apprentices were engaged in Andhra Pradesh under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) during 2025-26, according to the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. In a written reply to a question raised by D Purandeswari, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said 1,175 technical apprentices and 676 non-technical apprentices were engaged in the State.
The Board of Apprenticeship Training (Southern Region), Chennai (BoAT-SR), handles the implementation of NATS in Andhra Pradesh. It is responsible for apprentice engagement, industry outreach and monitoring of the scheme.
Under NATS, the prescribed minimum monthly stipend is 12,300 for graduate apprentices and 10,900 for diploma apprentices. The Centre provides 50 per cent of the prescribed minimum stipend as support for a maximum period of one year. During 2025-26, the Centre reimbursed `75.69 lakh towards stipends to participating industries in Andhra Pradesh. The government said it had been transferring its share of the stipend directly to apprentices’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) from November 1, 2025.
Earlier, establishments paid the government’s share to apprentices and subsequently claimed reimbursement from the respective apprenticeship training boards after verification.
To expand apprenticeship opportunities for graduates from all streams, including non-technical degree holders, BoAT-SR has been conducting career guidance programmes, institutional visits, apprenticeship fairs and placement-officer sensitisation programmes.
The Centre also said it had signed 20 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with universities and colleges in Andhra Pradesh.