Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Yojana (MAY), Gujarat

What is Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Yojana?

Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Yojana (MAY) is a Gujarat state initiative under the Directorate of Employment and Training (DET), which sits in the Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department, Government of Gujarat. The scheme works on top of the national apprenticeship system created by the Apprentices Act, 1961, adding state stipend support so that establishments in Gujarat find it worthwhile to take on apprentices and young people find it worthwhile to spend a year or more in structured training rather than in casual work.

Apprenticeship in India has a specific legal meaning that is worth being precise about. An apprentice is not an employee and not an intern. An apprentice is engaged on a registered apprenticeship contract for a fixed duration in a designated or optional trade, receives a stipend rather than a salary, and on completion is assessed and given a certificate that employers across the country recognise. Gujarat's scheme does not change any of that; it changes the economics by sharing the stipend burden.

The Directorate of Employment and Training is the state apprenticeship authority. It runs the industrial training institutes, administers the Craftsman Training Scheme and the Dual System of Training, and holds the office of the Apprenticeship Adviser for the state. All apprenticeship registration, both of establishments and of candidates, happens on the national portal at apprenticeshipindia.gov.in, which DET links to directly from its own site.

Key features

• State stipend support added to the employer's statutory stipend.
• Administered by the Directorate of Employment and Training, Gujarat.
• Built on the Apprentices Act, 1961 framework.
• Registration for both candidate and establishment on apprenticeshipindia.gov.in.
• One registered contract per apprentice, for a fixed training period.
• Completion leads to a nationally recognised apprenticeship certificate.

On stipend amounts: the apprentice's stipend has a statutory minimum fixed under the Apprentices Act and its rules, varying by the apprentice's qualification level, and Gujarat's own share is fixed by the government resolution in force for the scheme. State scheme rates are revised by resolution from time to time. This guide does not quote a rupee figure, because an outdated number would cause a candidate or an employer to plan wrongly. Take the current state rate from the Directorate of Employment and Training at det.gujarat.gov.in or from the Apprenticeship Adviser's office.

Who is eligible for Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Yojana?

A candidate can apply if:

• You are a resident of Gujarat.
• You meet the minimum age for apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, which is 14 years generally and 18 years for trades involving hazardous industries.
• You hold the entry qualification for the trade. This may be Class 10, Class 12, an ITI National Trade Certificate, a diploma or a degree, depending on what the establishment has notified for the seat.
• You are medically fit for the trade concerned, where fitness is a stated requirement.
• You have an active bank account in your own name for the stipend.

An establishment can participate if:

• It is registered on apprenticeshipindia.gov.in with a valid establishment profile.
• It has declared its apprenticeship seats and the trades against them.
• It is willing to pay the stipend and register the contract, then claim the state share.

You cannot apply if:

• You are below the statutory minimum age for the trade.
• You do not meet the entry qualification the establishment has notified.
• You are already engaged as an apprentice elsewhere. An apprentice can hold only one registered contract at a time.
• You have already completed an apprenticeship in the same trade. The scheme is for first-time training, not repetition.
• You are not a Gujarat candidate and are looking for the state share. The national apprenticeship framework is open across India, but a state top-up is a Gujarat matter.
• You are seeking a job rather than training. An apprenticeship carries no guarantee of permanent employment with the establishment.

How to apply for Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Yojana

1. Create a candidate profile on the national apprenticeship portal at apprenticeshipindia.gov.in, using your Aadhaar number, mobile number and email address, and verify the OTP.
2. Complete the profile in full: educational qualifications, ITI trade certificate if you have one, district and preferred trades. Incomplete profiles do not surface in establishment searches, which is the most common reason a candidate never hears back.
3. Search and apply for apprenticeship openings advertised by establishments located in Gujarat, filtering by trade, district and qualification.
4. Attend the establishment's selection process — a short interview, a trade test, or both, depending on the employer.
5. Sign the apprenticeship contract generated on the portal once you are selected, and confirm that the establishment has registered it. An unregistered contract carries no legal or scheme benefit.
6. Give your bank account details to the establishment so that the stipend can be paid to you directly.
7. Complete the training period, maintain attendance, and sit the assessment at the end to obtain your apprenticeship certificate.

How does an establishment claim the state share?

1. Register the establishment on apprenticeshipindia.gov.in and complete the organisation profile.
2. Declare apprenticeship seats trade-wise, in line with the establishment's obligation under the Apprentices Act, 1961.
3. Engage the selected candidates and register each apprenticeship contract on the portal.
4. Pay the monthly stipend to each apprentice's bank account and keep the payment records.
5. File the claim for the state share with the Directorate of Employment and Training in the manner specified in the scheme resolution, attaching contract details and stipend payment proof.
6. Maintain apprenticeship records for inspection by the Apprenticeship Adviser's office.

Where do I get help with an apprenticeship in Gujarat?

• Directorate of Employment and Training, Gujarat; det.gujarat.gov.in, the state apprenticeship authority and the office to approach for the current state stipend rate and claim procedure.
• Apprenticeship Adviser, Gujarat, within DET, for contract registration and stipend disputes.
• District Employment Exchange or Model Career Centre, for help finding establishments engaging apprentices in your district.
• Your ITI's placement or apprenticeship cell, if you are an ITI trainee or pass-out. ITIs are the single most effective route into an apprenticeship seat in Gujarat.
• apprenticeshipindia.gov.in support, for portal registration and profile problems.
• Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department, labour.gujarat.gov.in, as the administrative department above DET.

What else does Gujarat run alongside this scheme?

The Directorate of Employment and Training lists several training schemes that sit next to apprenticeship, and candidates often benefit from knowing which one fits them:

• Craftsman Training Scheme, the long-form ITI trade training programme that produces the National Trade Certificate.
• Dual System of Training, where an ITI trainee splits time between the institute and an industry partner.
• Namo Kaushalya Laxmi Scheme, a Gujarat scheme in the skill development space.
• PM SETU, listed by DET among its training initiatives.

An ITI pass-out who then takes an apprenticeship has both a trade certificate and documented industry experience, which is the combination Gujarat's manufacturing and engineering employers hire from most often.

A caution on unverified figures

Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Yojana is administered through government resolutions rather than through a standalone public scheme portal, and stipend rates have been revised over the life of the scheme. Several unofficial websites quote specific monthly amounts by qualification level. Before you accept any such figure, confirm it with the Directorate of Employment and Training or the Apprenticeship Adviser's office, particularly if you are an employer budgeting for a claim. Registration on apprenticeshipindia.gov.in is free, no agent can place you in an apprenticeship seat for a fee, and no official will ask for your OTP or bank password.