The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has extended the Special Intervention for Promotion of Apprenticeship in the North-Eastern Region under the Prime Minister's National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS) for FY 2026–27. The initiative, to be implemented by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, builds on the successful pilot launched in May 2025 and aims to deepen apprenticeship penetration across all eight North-Eastern States.
For FY 2026–27, the government has set a higher target of 30,000 apprentices, representing a 15% increase over the pilot phase. The allocation includes 15,000 apprentices supported for opportunities outside the North-East (including Government Departments and PSUs) and another 15,000 apprentices engaged within the region, including within their domicile States. A financial outlay of ₹57.58 crore has been earmarked for the initiative, to be met through the North-Eastern Region component of PM-NAPS.
The extended intervention broadens the coverage of the additional financial incentive of ₹1,500 per month beyond the standard PM-NAPS support. While the pilot primarily supported apprentices moving outside their domicile State, the revised initiative now includes apprentices engaged within their home States in the North-East. The program will continue to focus on strengthening the apprenticeship ecosystem through workshops, awareness campaigns, employer engagement programmes, and collaboration with educational institutions and industry stakeholders.
The pilot initiative achieved significant results in its first year, facilitating the engagement of 23,470 apprentices against a target of 26,000 (90% achievement). Apprenticeship engagement in the region grew by 51%, increasing from 15,562 in FY 2024–25 to 23,470 in FY 2025–26. The initiative promoted mobility with 13,673 apprentices securing opportunities outside their domicile State while 9,797 apprentices were engaged within the North-East. Meghalaya recorded the highest increase at 95%, and women emerged as key beneficiaries with notable rises in female apprenticeship engagement. Employer participation expanded significantly, with government establishment engagement doubling and private sector participation showing substantial growth.