National Insurance Company Limited has released a notification dated 4 November 2026 for the engagement of 200 Graduate Apprentices across 14 states under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme for 2026-27. Online applications are open from 4 November to 18 November 2026 through the NATS portal, nats.education.gov.in. Selected apprentices receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 15,000 during a 12-month training period.
This is apprenticeship training, not permanent employment. NICL clearly states that it has no obligation to offer regular employment during or after the training, and the contract ends after 12 months. Apprentices cannot claim permanent absorption on the basis of completing the programme. Candidates who understand that distinction, and who are fresh graduates looking for a year of structured experience in a public sector insurer, will find this a useful opportunity.
NICL Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Overview
The engagement is run under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme and the Apprentices Act, 1961, with the Board of Practical Training (Eastern Region) as the training authority. The NATS establishment ID for National Insurance Company Limited is EWBPNC096867, and applicants must apply specifically against the NICL opportunity. Creating a NATS student account alone is not sufficient. The official website of the company is nationalinsurance.nic.co.in, and the application portal is nats.education.gov.in.
The six-page notification contains the complete state-wise seat distribution, graduation requirements, age limits, category-wise relaxation, selection process, stipend, NATS registration instructions, document verification procedures and apprenticeship conditions. Candidates should read it before applying, because several eligibility exclusions in this notification are strict and easy to miss.
Vacancy Breakdown: State-Wise Seats
The 200 seats are distributed across 14 states. Assam has the highest allocation with 30 seats, followed by Gujarat with 22 seats, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan with 20 seats each, Uttar Pradesh with 14, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab with 12 each, and Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu with 10 seats each. The seats are provisional and may increase or decrease according to NICL’s requirements. The notification provides state-wise totals but does not announce separate district-wise or category-wise numerical allocations.
| State | Training Seats |
|---|---|
| Assam | 30 |
| Gujarat | 22 |
| Chhattisgarh | 20 |
| Rajasthan | 20 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 14 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 12 |
| Punjab | 12 |
| Jharkhand | 10 |
| Karnataka | 10 |
| Kerala | 10 |
| Maharashtra | 10 |
| Tamil Nadu | 10 |
| Uttarakhand | 10 |
| West Bengal | 10 |
| Total | 200 |
Candidates can apply for apprenticeship engagement in only one state. NICL reserves the right to allot selected candidates to any district within their chosen state based on administrative requirements, so applicants should select their state carefully before submitting the application. Training takes place at the NICL office allotted within the selected state.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification release date | 4 November 2026 |
| Online application start date | 4 November 2026 |
| Last date for online registration | 18 November 2026 |
| Age and qualification cut-off date | 1 April 2026 |
| Shortlisting date | Not announced |
| Document verification date | To be communicated by registered email |
| Apprenticeship commencement date | Not announced |
Application Fee
The official notification does not specify an application or examination fee. Candidates should complete their application through the official NATS portal and follow the instructions displayed there. They should not make payments to unverified recruitment agents or intermediaries. If the portal asks for any payment, candidates should verify it against the notification and the NATS listing before paying, and should never pay any person claiming to secure a seat.
Age Limit and Relaxation
The age limit is 21 to 30 years as on 1 April 2026, with applicable upper-age relaxation for eligible reserved categories. For General and EWS candidates, the eligible date-of-birth range runs from 1 April 1996 to 1 April 2005, with both dates inclusive. Relaxation is 5 years for SC and ST candidates, 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates, and 10 years for PwBD General and EWS candidates, 13 years for PwBD OBC candidates and 15 years for PwBD SC and ST candidates. The applicable relaxation is subject to Government of India guidelines and submission of valid supporting certificates.
Eligibility and Who Is Not Eligible
Candidates must have completed a regular, full-time graduation degree in any discipline from a university or institution recognised by AICTE, DOTE or UGC. They must have passed their qualifying examination and possessed their degree certificate by 1 April 2026. The notification includes graduation qualifications such as B.E., B.Tech., B.A., B.Sc., B.Com., BBA and BCA in its NATS application instructions, and candidates must satisfy the recognition, completion and other eligibility conditions. Applicants must also have a 100 percent complete NATS profile, and must enter their graduation percentage in the prescribed NATS profile field; applications without the percentage information will not be considered.
The exclusions are strict and deserve a careful read. Candidates holding a postgraduate degree, or who have completed an integrated postgraduate course, are expressly excluded, even if they also hold an eligible bachelor’s degree. Candidates who graduated from an institution not approved by AICTE, DOTE or UGC, as applicable, are excluded. Candidates who have previously undergone apprenticeship training with NICL or another organisation, candidates currently undergoing apprenticeship training, and candidates whose previous apprenticeship training was terminated midway are excluded. Candidates with one year or more of work experience in a government, public-sector or private organisation as on 1 April 2026 are not eligible, while those with less than one year of experience are not excluded by that particular condition but must satisfy all other prescribed requirements. Candidates without a fully completed NATS profile, and candidates who do not meet the prescribed age or graduation completion requirements, are also excluded. Distance-learning or part-time degrees should not be assumed eligible, because the notification specifically requires regular, full-time graduation.
Stipend and Training Conditions
Selected apprentices receive a fixed monthly stipend of Rs. 15,000 during the 12-month apprenticeship period. The stipend is made up of an NICL contribution of Rs. 8,850 and a government contribution of Rs. 6,150 credited directly to the apprentice’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer. This is an apprenticeship stipend, not a permanent employee salary, and apprentices are not entitled to other NICL employee allowances or benefits.
Apprentices are entitled to one day of leave for each month of training, credited at the beginning of the following month and subject to prior approval. Unused eligible leave may be carried forward, but a maximum of four days of leave may be taken at one time, and unused accumulated leave expires when the contract ends. Approved leave does not result in stipend deduction, while other absences may result in proportionate stipend deductions. Working hours follow standard NICL office hours, and an apprenticeship contract is mandatory.
Selection Process
There is no written examination and no interview prescribed in the advertisement. Selection is based on the percentage marks obtained in the qualifying graduation examination, followed by physical document verification. The process runs in six steps. First, candidates register and complete their NATS student profile. Second, eligible candidates apply for the National Insurance Company Limited apprenticeship opportunity. Third, the Board of Practical Training (Eastern Region) shortlists candidates using graduation percentage marks. Fourth, shortlisted candidates receive instructions through their registered email address, so applicants must keep their email accounts active throughout the engagement process. Fifth, shortlisted candidates appear in person at the designated NICL office with original certificates and self-attested copies. Sixth, final engagement is subject to eligibility verification, state-wise seat availability and approval of the apprenticeship contract in NATS.
NICL uses the percentage of marks obtained in the qualifying graduation examination, calculated up to two decimal places. Where the university awards CGPA, OGPA or GPA, the candidate must convert the score into a percentage using the official conversion formula prescribed by that university. If two or more candidates obtain the same graduation percentage, the older candidate receives preference in the merit list.
How to Apply Step by Step
- Visit the NATS portal at nats.education.gov.in and register as a student if you have not already done so.
- Complete your NATS profile to 100 percent, including your graduation percentage in the prescribed field, calculated up to two decimal places.
- Search for the establishment National Insurance Company Limited, establishment ID EWBPNC096867, and open its advertised Graduate Apprentice opportunity.
- Choose only one state for your application, and check that state carefully, because NICL may allot you to any district within that state.
- Submit your application against the NICL opportunity before 18 November 2026, and keep a record of the submission.
- Keep your registered email account active, and watch it for shortlisting and document verification instructions from NICL.
- Appear in person at the designated NICL office with original certificates and self-attested copies when called for document verification.
Candidates should not apply through any agent, and should not share login credentials with anyone. The only application route is the NATS portal, and the only company website to trust for this engagement is nationalinsurance.nic.co.in.
Important Links
Apply online through the NATS portal at nats.education.gov.in, establishment ID EWBPNC096867, before 18 November 2026. The official company website is nationalinsurance.nic.co.in. No deep login link is reproduced here, because NATS applications are session-based; candidates should reach the NICL opportunity through the official NATS portal. Candidates should also check the official notification, dated 4 November 2026, for the complete state-wise seat distribution and eligibility conditions before submitting.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many seats are there in NICL Apprentice Recruitment 2026? There are 200 Graduate Apprentice seats across 14 states, with Assam highest at 30 seats and Gujarat next at 22.
What is the last date to apply for NICL Apprentice 2026? Online applications close on 18 November 2026 through the NATS portal.
What is the stipend? Selected apprentices receive Rs. 15,000 per month for 12 months, comprising Rs. 8,850 from NICL and Rs. 6,150 from the government through Direct Benefit Transfer.
Can postgraduates apply? No. Candidates holding a postgraduate degree or a completed integrated postgraduate qualification are expressly excluded, even if they also hold an eligible bachelor’s degree.
Is there a written exam? No. Shortlisting is based on graduation percentage marks, followed by physical document verification.
Can I apply for more than one state? No. Candidates can apply for only one state, and NICL may allot them to any district within that state.
Is this a permanent job? No. This is a 12-month apprenticeship under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme. NICL has no obligation to offer regular employment during or after the training.
Is there an application fee? The notification does not specify an application or examination fee. Apply only through the official NATS portal and do not pay any unverified agent.