NCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026
Apply Online for 1607 Vacancies Across Graduate, Diploma, ITI & Paramedical Trades
Critical Recruitment Overview
Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a prominent Mini Ratna Company and a subsidiary of Coal India Limited under the Ministry of Coal, has released an official notification (NCL/HRD/CETI/2026-27/168) for the engagement of 1607 Apprentice Trainees for the Financial Year 2026-2027.
This mega recruitment drive offers one-year apprenticeship training opportunities across various disciplines including Graduate, Diploma, ITI Trade, and Paramedical streams. The engagement is strictly governed by the Apprentice Act, 1961. Eligible Indian Nationals who have completed their respective qualifications from recognized institutes in Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh must apply online through the NATS or NAPS portals before the closing date of 15 June 2026.
1. Important Dates & Deadlines
Candidates must adhere strictly to the schedule for submitting their online applications through the designated government portals.
| NCL Apprentice Schedule 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Official Notification Publication Date: | 25 May 2026 |
| Start Date for Applying Online (NATS/NAPS): | 01 June 2026 |
| Last Date for Applying Online: | 15 June 2026 |
| Cut-off Date for Determining Age Eligibility: | 01 June 2026 |
| Expected Release of Merit List: | 20 June 2026 |
2. Vacancy Matrix & Monthly Stipend
NCL is filling a total of 1607 opportunities across four broad categories. The stipend for Graduates and Diplomas includes the Government of India's DBT share.
| Category / Discipline | Total Vacancies | Monthly Stipend |
|---|---|---|
| A. Graduate Apprentices | ||
| Bachelor of Electrical Engineering | 45 | ₹ 12,300/- |
| Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering | 43 | ₹ 12,300/- |
| Bachelor of Mining Engineering | 17 | ₹ 12,300/- |
| Bachelor of Civil Engineering | 16 | ₹ 12,300/- |
| Bachelor of Commerce | 58 | ₹ 12,300/- |
| Other Graduate Disciplines (CSE, IT, Electronics, BA, LLB, BCA) | 60 | ₹ 12,300/- |
| B. Diploma Apprentices | ||
| Diploma in Electrical Engineering | 72 | ₹ 10,900/- |
| Diploma in Mechanical Engineering | 67 | ₹ 10,900/- |
| Diploma in Civil Engineering | 56 | ₹ 10,900/- |
| Other Diploma Disciplines (Mining, Electronics, IT, Survey, etc.) | 94 | ₹ 10,900/- |
| C. Trade Apprentices (ITI) | ||
| ITI Fitter | 349 | ₹ 10,560/- |
| ITI Electrician | 244 | ₹ 10,560/- |
| ITI Welder | 110 | ₹ 9,600/- |
| Other ITI Trades (Turner, Machinist, COPA, Mechanic, etc.) | 203 | ₹ 10,560/- |
| D. Paramedical Disciplines | ||
| Diploma in General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM) | 60 | ₹ 12,700/- |
| Bachelor of Nursing | 30 | ₹ 13,700/- |
| Other Paramedical Roles (Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, X-Ray, etc.) | 62 | ₹ 12,700/- to ₹ 13,700/- |
| Grand Total Vacancies | 1607 Posts | |
3. General Eligibility & Age Criteria
Candidates must thoroughly verify their eligibility boundaries before applying to prevent subsequent rejection.
Geographical Constraint
- Only Indian Nationals who have passed their requisite qualification from a recognized Institute/University functional and operational in either Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh are eligible to apply.
Age Limit (As on 01/06/2026)
- Minimum Age: 18 Years
- Maximum Age: 26 Years (Candidates should have been born between 01/06/2000 and 01/06/2008).
- Age Relaxation: Upper age is relaxed by 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC (NCL), and up to 10 years for PwBD candidates (as per GOI norms).
Qualification Year Restriction
- Candidates should not have passed their Graduation, Diploma, or ITI course prior to June 2022.
- Candidates possessing higher qualifications over and above the prescribed ones, or those who have already undergone apprenticeship training elsewhere, are strictly ineligible.
- Part-time, Correspondence, or Distance Learning modes of qualification are not accepted.
4. Essential Educational Qualifications
All qualifications must be recognized by AICTE/UGC/BTE/NCVT/SCVT or the appropriate statutory authority.
- Graduate Apprentices: Requires a full-time Degree in the respective engineering or non-engineering discipline (e.g., B.E/B.Tech, B.Com, BA, LLB, BCA).
- Diploma Apprentices: Requires a full-time Diploma in the respective engineering or management discipline.
- ITI Trade Apprentices: Requires Matriculation (10th) along with an ITI Certificate in the respective trade, possessing a National or State Trade Certificate.
- Paramedical Apprentices: Requires a relevant Bachelor's Degree or Diploma (e.g., Nursing, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy) along with the respective state registration certificate.
5. Application Fee Details
Candidates registering for the apprenticeship training slots through the government portals are not required to pay any processing fees.
- Note: No application fee is mentioned in the official notification. Registration on the NATS and NAPS portals is free of charge.
6. Selection Methodology
The selection process is merit-based, completely omitting written examinations or personal interviews.
- For Graduate & Diploma Disciplines: The merit list will be drawn exclusively based on the marks/percentage scored in the qualifying degree/diploma examination as declared in the online application.
- For ITI Trades: The merit list will be calculated based on the average of passing percentages in Matriculation (10th) and the respective ITI Trade certificate.
- Candidates placed on the provisional merit list will be called for rigorous original document scrutiny before formal joining.
- A mandatory medical fitness test, conforming to the Mines Rules 1955 standards, must be cleared. The fitness certificate must be issued by a government medical officer not below the rank of an Assistant Civil Surgeon.
7. Step-by-Step Online Application Guide
Paper-based applications are not accepted. Candidates must utilize the dedicated national portals.
- Portal Enrollment:
- Candidates applying for Graduate and Diploma positions must register on the National Apprentice Training Scheme (NATS) portal at https://nats.education.gov.in.
- Candidates applying for ITI Trade positions must register on the National Apprentice Promotion Scheme (NAPS) portal at https://www.apprenticeshipindia.gov.in.
- Obtain ID: Complete the profile to generate a unique Enrolment ID/Registration Number.
- Apply Online: Use the generated ID to search and apply for the specific apprentice opportunities under Northern Coalfields Limited on the respective portal between 01 June 2026 and 15 June 2026.
- Accuracy Check: Ensure exact passing percentages (up to two decimal points) are entered. Any mismatch discovered during document scrutiny will lead to instant disqualification.
- Print Out: Save a soft copy and print the submitted online application for future reference during document verification.
8. Important Links
9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This comprehensive career alert has been organized strictly for informational and educational guidance reference by extracting parameters from the public notification NCL/HRD/CETI/2026-27/168 issued by Northern Coalfields Limited. All candidates are strictly instructed to read the full advertisement and verify format requirements on www.nclcil.in before submitting their online applications via the NATS or NAPS portals.
