NCL Apprentice 2026 — 1,607 Seats, the Largest Coal PSU Apprenticeship Cycle This Year
Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a Coal India subsidiary headquartered at Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh), has notified 1,607 apprentice seats for 2026–27. This is one of the largest single-organisation apprenticeship notifications of 2026. The seats cover four categories — Graduate, Diploma, Trade (ITI), and Paramedical — and carry monthly stipends ranging from ₹9,600 to ₹13,700 depending on qualification level.
The Critical Condition: UP or MP Institution Only
This is the most important eligibility filter that many candidates miss. Your qualifying institution — the college or ITI where you completed your degree, diploma, or ITI — must be located in Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. If you completed your B.Tech from a college in Bihar, Rajasthan, or any other state, you are not eligible for NCL 2026 apprenticeship. Additionally, your qualification must have been passed after June 2022 — older completions are not accepted. Distance learning or correspondence courses are also not accepted — only full-time regular programmes qualify.
How to Apply — Two Different Portals
NCL uses government apprenticeship portals, not a direct NCL application form. Graduate, Diploma, and Paramedical apprentices must apply through nats.education.gov.in (National Apprenticeship Training Scheme, run by Ministry of Education). Trade/ITI apprentices must apply through apprenticeshipindia.gov.in (BOAT portal under Ministry of Skill Development). Apply on the correct portal for your category — cross-portal applications are not accepted. Application window: 1 June to 15 June 2026. There is no fee for any category.
Selection — Merit, No Written Exam
There is no written examination. NCL prepares a merit list based on marks in the qualifying examination. For Graduate Apprentices: merit is on B.E./B.Tech/BBA/B.Com/BCA percentage. For Diploma Apprentices: engineering diploma percentage. For Trade Apprentices: ITI marks + Class 10 marks (equal weightage likely). The tentative merit list is expected around 20 June 2026. Medical examination follows merit shortlisting — fitness standards follow Mines Rules 1955, which includes a chest measurement test for trades involving underground/mine-adjacent work.
Monthly Stipend — What You'll Earn During the Year
The stipends are set under the Apprentices Act and notified by NCL as follows: Graduate Apprentice ₹12,300/month, Diploma Apprentice ₹10,900/month, Trade Apprentice (standard trades) ₹10,560/month, Welder trade ₹9,600/month, Paramedical Degree ₹13,700/month, Paramedical Diploma ₹12,700/month. You're not a permanent employee during this period — it's a structured training programme — but the stipend covers expenses and the NCL experience adds real weight to future PSU applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My college is in UP but I'm from Bihar — am I eligible?
Yes, eligibility is based on where your institution is located, not your home state. If your B.Tech or ITI was from a college/institute physically located in UP or MP, you are eligible regardless of your domicile.
Q: Does NCL absorb apprentices into permanent jobs after 1 year?
NCL does not guarantee permanent absorption after apprenticeship. However, completing apprenticeship at an NCL site makes you eligible to apply for future NCL and Coal India Group vacancies, and the experience is specifically valued in mining-sector PSU recruitments including SECL, WCL, ECL, and BCCL.
Q: I graduated in 2021 — can I still apply?
No. The notification states that the qualifying degree/ITI must have been passed after June 2022. Candidates who completed their qualification before June 2022 are not eligible, regardless of age.