PROGRESS OF THE NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP PROMOTION SCHEME (NAPS)

• NAPS is the flagship Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to promote on-the-job apprenticeship training under the Apprentices Act, 1961.
• Currently in its second phase (NAPS-2) since FY 2022-23, the scheme co-funds 25% of the prescribed stipend (capped at ₹1,500/month) via DBT to apprentices' bank accounts.
• High UPSC salience: intersects skilling, demographic dividend, employability and formalisation of labour — a recurrent GS-II/III theme.