New Delhi [India], July 30 : Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the National Apprenticeship and Training Scheme 2.0 Portal on Tuesday and disbursed Rs 100 crore stipends to apprentices through the Direct Benefit Transfer mode.
Speaking at the launch event, Pradhan stated that the NATS Portal 2.0 is a significant effort to democratise apprenticeships, bridge the skills gap, fulfil youth aspirations, and make them future-ready. He added that the portal will expand the reach of apprenticeship opportunities and facilitate the matchmaking of candidates and employers.
To ensure that the stipendiary benefits of NATS are delivered to the intended apprentices in a time-bound, efficient, and transparent manner, the Government of India has initiated the payment of its share of stipends directly to the apprentices' bank accounts through the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) mechanism in 2024. The aim is to extend the use of the DBT system to provide the Government's share of stipends to all beneficiaries of the scheme.
The scheme is facilitated by the NATS 2.0 portal, developed in-house by the Ministry of Education with the support of AICTE and BoATs/BoPT as a one-stop solution to manage the apprenticeship lifecycle activities such as student registration, advertisement of vacancies, student applications, contract creation, certification, reporting, and stipend disbursal through DBT.
It is utilised by students, industries, institutions, as well as implementing bodies like BoATs/BoPT. Initially used in pilot mode with ongoing enhancements, the portal is now fully functional and leveraged by the Ministry of Education to carry out the end-to-end DBT process.
Pradhan emphasised that in this technology-driven age, it is not only about attaining degrees but also building competencies. "Our course curriculum should focus on increasing employability skills," he added. The Minister highlighted that this year's budget also emphasises boosting skilling and employment.
Pradhan also appealed to all educational institutions and industries to join the NATS 2.0 portal. "We have to make apprenticeship a mass movement," he added.
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