IOCL's Northeast Refineries — Bongaigaon and Guwahati
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) operates two refineries in Assam — Bongaigaon Refinery (BRPL) and Guwahati Refinery (GR). Bongaigaon Refinery, with a processing capacity of 2.35 MMTPA, processes Assam crude and produces LPG, petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and feedstocks for the petrochemical industry. Guwahati Refinery is one of India's oldest refineries (established 1962) with a capacity of 1 MMTPA, recently expanded and modernized. The 109 apprentice vacancies for 2026 across both these refineries are open to ITI certificate holders — and crucially, there is no written examination. Selection is purely on ITI merit marks, making this one of the most accessible refinery apprenticeships in the country.
No Exam — How Merit-Based Selection Works
Since there is no written test, your ITI percentage is everything. IOCL will publish a merit list based on marks in the ITI final examination (and sometimes Class 10 marks as a tiebreaker). The closer you are to 80%+ in your ITI, the better your chances. This also means that delayed applications hurt — the merit list fills quickly when applications are ranked purely on marks. Apply on the first day the portal opens. The trade-wise vacancies will be distributed across Fitter, Electrician, Welder, Electronic Mechanic, Instrument Mechanic, Turner, and similar workshop trades — check the official notification for exact trade-wise seat count for each refinery location.
Stipend During Apprenticeship and What It Offers
IOCL Apprentice stipend follows the National Apprenticeship Act rates — currently approximately ₹8,000–9,000 per month for Trade Apprentices. The 1-year apprenticeship at a petroleum refinery exposes you to distillation columns, catalytic cracking units, heat exchangers, pipelines, storage tanks, instrumentation control systems, and the maintenance procedures specific to oil refining. This is categorically different from an apprenticeship at a workshop or a manufacturing unit. The exposure in a refinery environment builds a technical vocabulary and practical skills that are directly valued in the petroleum, petrochemical, and gas industries — both in India and in IOCL's global recruitment when they hire permanent staff.
The Real Value: IOCL Hiring Pathway
IOCL regularly runs recruitment for Technician and Trade Apprentice (permanent) posts — and it consistently favors candidates who have already done an apprenticeship at an IOCL facility. The familiarity with refinery safety protocols (PTW systems, LOTO procedures, fire and gas detection), equipment nomenclature, and operational culture is something IOCL values in its permanent recruitment written exams and interviews. Additionally, IOCL apprenticeship certificate is recognized by other oil PSUs (HPCL, BPCL, ONGC) in their recruitment screening. The Northeast-based location is an added advantage for candidates from Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and the broader NE region who prefer a posting close to home.