{"id":14365,"date":"2026-07-13T10:29:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T04:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/?p=14365"},"modified":"2026-07-16T11:43:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T06:13:21","slug":"naps-vs-nats-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/","title":{"rendered":"NAPS vs NATS | Most Employers Are Using the Wrong Scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_78 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#What_Is_the_Difference_Between_NAPS_and_NATS\" >What Is the Difference Between NAPS and NATS?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#NAPS_%E2%80%93_National_Apprenticeship_Promotion_Scheme\" >NAPS &#8211; National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#What_NAPS_Covers\" >What NAPS Covers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#What_Employers_Get_Back_Under_NAPS\" >What Employers Get Back Under NAPS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Who_Should_Consider_NAPS\" >Who Should Consider NAPS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#NATS_%E2%80%93_National_Apprenticeship_Training_Scheme\" >NATS &#8211; National Apprenticeship Training Scheme<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#What_NATS_Covers\" >What NATS Covers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#What_Employers_Get_Back_Under_NATS\" >What Employers Get Back Under NATS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Who_Should_Consider_NATS\" >Who Should Consider NATS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Hidden_Financial_Case_No_One_Explains\" >Hidden Financial Case No One Explains<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Which_Scheme_Should_Your_Business_Use\" >Which Scheme Should Your Business Use?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Use_NAPS_if\" >Use NAPS if:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Use_NATS_if\" >Use NATS if:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#Use_both_if\" >Use both if:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/naps-vs-nats-scheme\/#_Wrapping_Up\" >\u00a0Wrapping Up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><!-- TankhaPay Blog \u2014 TL;DR Dropdown (NAPS vs NATS) --><\/p>\n<details style=\"border: 1px solid #DCE8F7; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; margin: 32px 0; max-width: 870px; font-family: inherit;\" open=\"\">\n<summary style=\"background: #004899; padding: 13px 20px; cursor: pointer; color: #ffffff; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.2px; text-transform: uppercase; list-style: none; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between;\">TL;DR<br \/>\n\u25bc<\/summary>\n<div style=\"display: table; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 20px; border-bottom: 1px solid #EFF4FB; background: #FFFFFF;\">\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; width: 30px; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<div style=\"width: 22px; height: 22px; background: #EFF6FF; color: #004899; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; border-radius: 50%; text-align: center; line-height: 22px;\">1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; padding-left: 10px;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0; font-size: 13px; color: #1a1a1a; line-height: 1.55;\"><em>NAPS vs NATS<\/em> is not a matter of preference \u2014 they are two <strong>distinct government schemes<\/strong> with different governing ministries, different candidate eligibility, different portals, and different financial structures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 20px; border-bottom: 1px solid #EFF4FB; background: #F7FAFF;\">\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; width: 30px; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<div style=\"width: 22px; height: 22px; background: #EFF6FF; color: #004899; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; border-radius: 50%; text-align: center; line-height: 22px;\">2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; padding-left: 10px;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0; font-size: 13px; color: #1a1a1a; line-height: 1.55;\"><strong>NAPS<\/strong> (Ministry of Skill Development) reimburses employers <strong>25% of the stipend paid, up to \u20b91,500 per apprentice per month<\/strong>. It covers ITI pass-outs, school leavers, freshers, and vocational candidates across all industries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 20px; border-bottom: 1px solid #EFF4FB; background: #FFFFFF;\">\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; width: 30px; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<div style=\"width: 22px; height: 22px; background: #EFF6FF; color: #004899; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; border-radius: 50%; text-align: center; line-height: 22px;\">3<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; padding-left: 10px;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0; font-size: 13px; color: #1a1a1a; line-height: 1.55;\"><strong>NATS<\/strong> (Ministry of Education) covers engineering graduates, diploma holders, and \u2014 <strong>from 2026 \u2014 general stream graduates<\/strong> including BA, BSc, and BCom. It is specifically for technically and academically qualified candidates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 20px; background: #F7FAFF;\">\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; width: 30px; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<div style=\"width: 22px; height: 22px; background: #EFF6FF; color: #004899; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; border-radius: 50%; text-align: center; line-height: 22px;\">4<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; padding-left: 10px;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0; font-size: 13px; color: #1a1a1a; line-height: 1.55;\">Both schemes <strong>exempt employers from EPF and ESI contributions<\/strong> for apprentices. For a 100-apprentice programme at \u20b910,000\/month stipend, that exemption alone saves <strong>\u20b918.3 lakh a year<\/strong> \u2014 before any government reimbursement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask most HR managers in India what the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">difference between NAPS and NATS<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is, and you will get one of two answers: a confused look or a confident but incorrect one. Most people assume NAPS is for manufacturing and NATS is for IT. Or that NATS is newer. Or that they are basically the same programme with different names.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None of that is accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>NAPS and NATS are governed by different ministries, operate on different portals, target different candidate profiles, and offer different financial structures. Using the wrong one means either enrolling candidates who do not qualify, missing government reimbursements you are legally entitled to, or both.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Smart manufacturing and engineering organizations in India have started using the NAPS program for bulk entry-level hiring and the NATS program for technical recruitment pipelines. These two programs do not contradict each other but rather complement each other.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<b><i>Yoma Business Solutions: NAPS vs NATS Employer Guide 2026<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide covers the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NAPS vs NATS comparison<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the employer&#8217;s perspective: what each scheme actually is, what the government pays you back, which roles go on which scheme, and what changed in 2026 that most existing comparisons have not caught up to.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_the_Difference_Between_NAPS_and_NATS\"><\/span>What Is the Difference Between NAPS and NATS?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NAPS (National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme) is a scheme under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship designed to promote apprenticeship training across all industries and candidate types, with direct stipend reimbursement to employers.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/nats\/\">National Apprenticeship Training Scheme<\/a> (NATS) is a program within the Ministry of Education meant to offer training to graduates and diploma holders, starting out by focusing on technical stream and now including general stream graduates as well since 2026.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The simplest rule of thumb: <\/span><b>if the candidate has an engineering degree or diploma, they go on NATS. If they are an ITI pass-out, school leaver, or non-technical fresher, they go on NAPS.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the two schemes are not mutually exclusive, and 2026 has blurred the boundary significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NAPS_%E2%80%93_National_Apprenticeship_Promotion_Scheme\"><\/span>NAPS &#8211; National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_NAPS_Covers\"><\/span>What NAPS Covers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NAPS is the broader of the two schemes. It covers the full spectrum of apprenticeship categories:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ITI pass-outs (trades designated under the program)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Freshers (optional trades)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vocational trainees for specific sectors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Candidates who have not done ITI but receive basic training<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This apprenticeship programme is run via apprenticeshipindia.gov.in and is regulated under the Apprentices Act, 1961, by MSDE.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training duration under NAPS typically runs from 6 months to 1 year for most engagement types.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Employers_Get_Back_Under_NAPS\"><\/span>What Employers Get Back Under NAPS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the part most Indian businesses are not fully using.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government reimburses <\/span><b>25% of the prescribed stipend<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> paid to each apprentice, up to a maximum of <\/span><b>\u20b91,500 per apprentice per month<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Additionally, for fresher or non-ITI candidates who require basic training before placement, the government reimburses basic training costs of up to \u20b97,500 per candidate (for 500 hours of training).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For an employer running 100 NAPS apprentices at a \u20b96,000 monthly stipend, the \u20b91,500\/month cap means a maximum reimbursement of \u20b918 lakh per year, before accounting for EPF and ESI savings on top.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Should_Consider_NAPS\"><\/span>Who Should Consider NAPS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NAPS is the right solution for most Indian companies, especially MSMEs. It works well for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manufacturing, logistics, and FMCG companies that require blue-collar workers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retail and hospitality companies that need to grow their entry-level workforce<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare companies and facilities management organizations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All companies that wish to rapidly build an entry-level pipeline [Link: contract staffing India]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NATS_%E2%80%93_National_Apprenticeship_Training_Scheme\"><\/span>NATS &#8211; National Apprenticeship Training Scheme<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_NATS_Covers\"><\/span>What NATS Covers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NATS is administered by the <\/span><b>Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through four regional boards in Chennai, Kolkata, Kanpur, and Mumbai. The portal is <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/nats.education.gov.in\"><b>nats.education.gov.in<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scheme was originally designed for engineering and technology graduates and diploma holders. But the 2026 update significantly broadened the eligible candidate pool.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>2026 Change:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> NATS now includes general stream graduates; BA, BSc, and BCom degree holders can now register for NATS apprenticeships. This means businesses in IT services, finance, analytics, and BPO operations can put non-engineering graduates on NATS for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Another 2026 change:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In addition to the above, another requirement for 2026 is that the APAAR ID is now compulsory for registration on NATS. Those who do not have an APAAR ID will not be able to register on NATS.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Employers_Get_Back_Under_NATS\"><\/span>What Employers Get Back Under NATS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government makes a contribution to pay for the stipend. Employers are advised to check the current contribution rates on the regional BOAT portal before registering apprentices because contribution levels are different depending on the region and type.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The training period according to the NATS framework is one year. The end result is a National Apprenticeship Certificate that is issued by the Government of India and is recognized as work experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Should_Consider_NATS\"><\/span>Who Should Consider NATS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NATS is suitable for firms which require a pipeline of technical manpower, namely the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firms which produce IT\/software requiring a supply of engineering\/diploma graduates<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firms which have manufacturing\/engineering divisions developing technical manpower at the junior levels<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infrastructure and energy businesses requiring formally trained technical apprentices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large enterprises that want structured, certified on-the-job training for their graduate intake<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- TankhaPay Blog \u2014 NAPS vs NATS Comparison Table | Custom HTML block --><\/p>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px; border: 1px solid #DCE8F7; margin: 32px 0;\">\n<div style=\"background: #EFF6FF; padding: 13px 18px; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0 0 3px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; color: #004899;\">NAPS vs NATS &#8211; Full Comparison for Indian Employers (2026)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow-x: auto;\">\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5;\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color: #004899; color: #ffffff; padding: 12px 16px; text-align: left; font-weight: 500; width: 26%;\" scope=\"col\">Parameter<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color: #004899; color: #ffffff; padding: 12px 16px; text-align: left; font-weight: 500; width: 37%;\" scope=\"col\">NAPS<\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color: #004899; color: #ffffff; padding: 12px 16px; text-align: left; font-weight: 500; width: 37%;\" scope=\"col\">NATS<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Full Name<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">National Apprenticeship Training Scheme<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f7faff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Governing Ministry<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">Ministry of Skill Development &amp; Entrepreneurship (MSDE)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">Ministry of Education (via BOAT)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Official Portal<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #004899; font-weight: 500; vertical-align: top;\">apprenticeshipindia.gov.in<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #004899; font-weight: 500; vertical-align: top;\">nats.education.gov.in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f7faff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Target Candidates<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">ITI pass-outs, school leavers, freshers, vocational trainees &#8211; all streams<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">Engineering graduates, diploma holders, BA\/BSc\/BCom graduates <span style=\"background: #208DFF; color: #fff; font-size: 9px; font-weight: bold; padding: 1px 6px; border-radius: 3px; margin-left: 4px; vertical-align: middle;\">New 2026<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Government Support<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\"><strong>25% stipend reimbursement<\/strong>, up to \u20b91,500\/month per apprentice + basic training cost up to \u20b97,500<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">Contribution toward stipend &#8211; verify current rate with regional BOAT at time of registration<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f7faff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Duration<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">6 months to 3 years (typically 1 year)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">Typically 1 year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCE8F7;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">2026 Update<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\">CAC recommended 36% stipend increase; broader MSME applicability<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #555555; vertical-align: top;\"><strong>Expanded to BA\/BSc\/BCom graduates<\/strong>; APAAR ID now mandatory for registration<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f7faff;\">\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; font-weight: 600; color: #0d1117; vertical-align: top;\">Best For<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #004899; font-weight: 600; vertical-align: top;\">MSMEs, blue-collar and shop-floor hiring, volume entry-level programmes<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 11px 16px; color: #208dff; font-weight: 600; vertical-align: top;\">Large enterprises, engineering and technical graduate pipelines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><b>EPF + ESI exemption (additional saving):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Apprentices under both NAPS and NATS are exempt from EPF and ESI contributions. For 100 apprentices at \u20b910,000\/month stipend, employers additionally save approximately \u20b918.3 lakh per year in EPF (12%) and ESI (3.25%) contributions. Combined with NAPS reimbursement, a 100-apprentice programme can return \u20b936 lakh or more annually compared to equivalent permanent headcount.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hidden_Financial_Case_No_One_Explains\"><\/span>Hidden Financial Case No One Explains<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NAPS vs NATS comparison<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> article explains the government reimbursement. Very few explain the EPF and ESI exemption, which, for most employers with large apprentice batches, delivers a larger financial benefit than the stipend reimbursement itself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Apprentices Act, 1961, establishments do not contribute to EPF and ESI for the registered apprentices. The apprentice does not fall under the coverage of EPFO or ESIC during the period of apprenticeship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a company which has 200 apprentices on NATS with a stipend of \u20b910,000 per month,<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saving towards EPF (Employer\u2019s share at 12%): \u20b92,40,000\/month<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saving towards ESI (Employer\u2019s share at 3.25%): \u20b965,000\/month<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total savings per month towards EPF &amp; ESI: \u20b93,05,000<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total annual saving on just EPF &amp; ESI: \u20b936.6 lacs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Scheme_Should_Your_Business_Use\"><\/span>Which Scheme Should Your Business Use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_NAPS_if\"><\/span>Use NAPS if:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The requirement in your recruitment process is ITI pass-outs, school dropouts, or vocational candidates<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your business is in manufacturing, logistics, retail, FMCG, healthcare, or hospitality sectors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your organization requires bulk hiring of entry-level employees with direct payment by government<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your MSME requires an effective option for permanent staffing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_NATS_if\"><\/span>Use NATS if:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You recruit engineering graduates, diploma candidates, or (starting 2026) BA\/BSc\/BCom graduates<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You require an organized process for technical training of your recruits<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your business involves IT, engineering, manufacturing (technical roles), infrastructure, or financial services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You seek formally certified apprentices who receive the Government of India NAC at the end of their program<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_both_if\"><\/span>Use both if:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You are a large enterprise with both technical and non-technical hiring needs at scale<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You run manufacturing operations that need NATS for your engineering graduate intake and NAPS for your shop-floor and trade trainee intake simultaneously<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_Wrapping_Up\"><\/span>\u00a0Wrapping Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the examples presented above, one thing is quite clear; NAPS and NATS are two different schemes altogether, and which one to opt for depends on your candidate profile and not the industry you operate in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While NAPS offers broadness to your candidate intake by providing an opportunity to recruit any candidate for any trade in any industry and get the government rebate right from Day 1, NATS offers depth to your recruitment through training.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most Indian businesses that have not built an apprenticeship programme yet are leaving government reimbursements unclaimed and paying full EPF and ESI on entry-level headcount that could be structured differently. For a complete walkthrough of the claims process, see our <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/nats-stipend-reimbursement-guide\/\">nats stipend reimbursement<\/a> guide.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/demo\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-14367 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639.webp\" alt=\"Not sure which scheme your business qualifies for ?\" width=\"1596\" height=\"232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639.webp 1596w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-300x44.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-1024x149.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-150x22.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-768x112.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-1536x223.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-878x128.webp 878w, https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Not-sure-which-scheme-your-business-qualifies-for-e1783918326639-870x126.webp 870w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1596px) 100vw, 1596px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TankhaPay&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tankhapay.com\/nats-apprenticeship\">NATS Apprenticeship Management<\/a> service handles every step of the NATS registration, compliance, and management process from portal registration and APAAR ID verification through stipend processing and NAC certificate tracking so your team does not manage the programme manually.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"tmnf_excerpt\">TL;DR \u25bc 1 NAPS vs NATS is not a matter of preference \u2014 they are two distinct government schemes wit\u2026<\/div>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":14366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[438,437,164],"class_list":["post-14365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nats","tag-naps","tag-naps-vs-nats-which-apprenticeship-scheme","tag-nats"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>NAPS vs NATS | Which Apprenticeship Scheme<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"NAPS and NATS are not the same thing. 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