NSTL Visakhapatnam Apprentice Recruitment 2026 - 42 Posts
NSTL Visakhapatnam Apprentice Recruitment 2026 has opened online applications for 42 Graduate, Diploma and ITI apprentice slots under the Apprentices Act 1961. The training runs for one year, the stipend is paid as per Government norms, and the engagement happens through the NATS 2.0 and NAPS portals. Recent Graduate, Diploma and ITI pass-outs from 2023, 2024 or 2025 looking for a DRDO laboratory exposure should act before the 25 May 2026 cut-off.
Quick Glance
Posts 42 · Last date 25 May 2026 · Mode Online (NATS / NAPS) · Tenure 1 year · Stipend As per Govt norms
Overview
Organisation - Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), DRDO, Ministry of Defence
Post / Programme - Apprenticeship Training (Graduate / Technician / Technician Vocational)
Total Posts - 42
Advertisement Number - NSTL/APPRENTICESHIP/01/2026
Application Mode - Online via NATS 2.0 (B.E / B.Tech / Diploma) and NAPS portal (ITI), followed by email submission of Annexure-A
Tenure - 12 months
Job Location - Vigyan Nagar, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Category - Latest Job / Apprenticeship
Official Website - drdo.gov.in
Important Dates
Date | Event |
|---|---|
17 April 2026 | Advertisement signed by NSTL |
04 May 2026 | Notification published on DRDO vacancies portal |
04 May 2026 | Online application window opens |
25 May 2026 | Last date to submit application |
The PDF advertisement is dated 17 April 2026 and states the closing window as "15 days from the date of publication". The DRDO vacancy portal lists the same advertisement with publication date 04 May 2026 and end date 25 May 2026 - candidates should treat 25 May 2026 as the operative cut-off and confirm on the portal before submitting.
Application Fee
The notification does not levy any application fee on candidates applying for the apprenticeship. Candidates are advised to check the official notification for complete details before payment of any incidental charges during portal registration.
Age Limit
Minimum age - 18 years as on the closing date of application
Maximum age - Not specified in the notification
Eligibility
Indian Nationals only.
Candidates must hold a B.E / B.Tech, Diploma or ITI qualification in the listed disciplines from an Indian institution recognised by the appropriate statutory authority.
Education must have been completed in the years 2023, 2024 or 2025 as a regular candidate.
Candidates with post-graduate qualifications are not eligible.
Candidates who have already completed or are currently undergoing apprenticeship training under any organisation are not eligible.
Candidates with more than one year of work experience are not eligible.
B.E / B.Tech / Diploma applicants must be registered on the NATS 2.0 portal (nats.education.gov.in); ITI applicants must be registered on apprenticeshipindia.gov.in.
Vacancy Details
Stream | Disciplines | Posts |
|---|---|---|
Graduate Apprentice (B.Tech / B.E.) | Mechanical Engg., Computer Science Engg., Electronics & Communication Engg. (ECE), Electrical & Electronics Engg. (EEE) | 10 |
Technician Apprentice (Diploma) | Computer Science Engg., EEE, Mechanical Engg., Electronics & Instrumentation, DCCP | 10 |
Technician Vocational Apprentice (ITI) | Photographer / Digital Photographer, Electrician, Electronics, Fitter, Diesel / Motor Mechanic, COPA, Stenographer and Secretarial Asst | 22 |
Total | 42 |
Reservation for SC, ST and OBC categories applies as per the Apprentices Act 1961, Apprenticeship Rules 1992 and Apprenticeship (Amendment) Rules 2019. The figures shown are indicative and may change after the final assessment of eligible applications received.
Selection Process
Selection is made on the basis of Academic Merit, Written Test and / or Interview as required, subject to satisfactory verification of original documents. No TA / DA is paid for any stage of the selection process.
After provisional selection, credentials are verified prior to creation of the apprenticeship contract. Any deviation or non-conformity with the desired qualification leads to summary rejection.
Eligibility at a Glance
Check | Requirement | Can you apply? |
|---|---|---|
Nationality | Indian National | Yes if Indian |
Qualification year | Passed in 2023, 2024 or 2025 | Yes if pass-out year matches |
Highest qualification | B.E / B.Tech / Diploma / ITI | No if you hold a PG degree |
Prior apprenticeship | None completed or ongoing | No if already done elsewhere |
Work experience | Up to 1 year | No if more than 1 year |
Age (as on closing date) | 18 years and above | Yes if 18+ |
Portal registration | NATS 2.0 (Graduate / Diploma) or NAPS (ITI) | Mandatory before application |
How to Apply
Confirm you meet every eligibility condition listed in the advertisement before starting the application.
Register on the relevant portal - NATS 2.0 (nats.education.gov.in) for B.E / B.Tech and Diploma candidates, or apprenticeshipindia.gov.in for ITI candidates.
Download the application proforma (Annexure-A) from the official advertisement PDF.
Fill every field of Annexure-A correctly. Convert your qualifying-exam CGPA into percentage as per your university norms.
Attach scanned copies of all mandatory documents - educational certificates, photo ID, caste / EWS / PWD certificate (if applicable), Aadhaar, bank pass-book, medical fitness certificate, and two passport-size photographs.
Email the scanned, signed Annexure-A along with the documents to admin2.dept.nstl@gov.in on or before 25 May 2026.
Retain a signed printout of Annexure-A and the originals of all submitted documents - these must be produced at the time of joining at NSTL, Visakhapatnam.
Important Instructions
Applications are accepted in online mode only through the NATS / NAPS portal route, with the scanned Annexure-A emailed to admin2.dept.nstl@gov.in.
Marks must be entered in percentage; CGPA must be converted using the issuing university's conversion formula and will be re-verified during document verification.
Aadhaar-seeded bank account with DBT enabled is mandatory - the Government share of stipend is credited only to a DBT-linked account.
Selected candidates must produce a valid Police Verification Certificate from the place of last residence (at least past one year) or permanent address at the time of joining.
Suppression of facts at any stage of selection or training period leads to disqualification.
Engagement is strictly under the Apprentices Act 1961 and creates no obligation of employment after the training period.
No transport, hostel accommodation or quarter is provided during the training period.
Any canvassing on behalf of a candidate results in immediate cancellation of candidature.
In case of dispute, legal jurisdiction lies with the Honourable High Court at Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh.
Important Point
Treat 25 May 2026 as the firm last date - online applications received after this will not be accepted, and incomplete forms are rejected without intimation.
Recent (2023 / 2024 / 2025) pass-outs are eligible; older batches and PG-qualified candidates are excluded by design.
Stipend is paid as per current Government of India norms - the notification does not quote a fixed rupee amount, so confirm the prevailing rate at joining.
ITI trades use the NAPS portal (apprenticeshipindia.gov.in) while Graduate / Diploma trades use NATS 2.0 - registering on the wrong portal stalls the application.
Keep a Civil Assistant Surgeon-issued medical fitness certificate ready in advance; it is one of the mandatory joining documents.
Important Links
Official Notification (PDF): advtNSTL04052026.pdf
DRDO Vacancy Page: NSTL Apprenticeship 2026
The DRDO Vacancy Page above hosts everything you need for this recruitment as separate sections:
Advertisement Download - opens the full PDF notification with eligibility, vacancy split and Annexure-A format.
Vacancy Metadata Strip - shows Advertisement Number, Published Date, Start Date and End Date at a glance.
Schemes and Services / Industry Support tabs - sibling DRDO sections useful for related apprenticeship and industry-engagement notices.
Competitions and Awards / Products tabs - other DRDO outreach pages, helpful if you also track DRDO student programmes.
For application registration use the external portals: NATS 2.0 at nats.education.gov.in for Graduate and Diploma candidates, and apprenticeshipindia.gov.in for ITI candidates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for NSTL Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The DRDO portal lists the closing date as 25 May 2026. The PDF advertisement, dated 17 April 2026, defines the window as 15 days from publication, and the portal publication date is 04 May 2026 - so 25 May 2026 is the operative cut-off.
Who can apply for the NSTL apprenticeship 2026?
Indian nationals who hold a B.E / B.Tech, Diploma or ITI qualification in one of the listed disciplines and have passed in 2023, 2024 or 2025 as regular candidates. Applicants must be at least 18 years old on the closing date, must not hold a PG degree, must not have done or be doing apprenticeship elsewhere, and must not have more than one year of work experience.
How is the stipend paid and is there an application fee?
The notification states the stipend is paid as per Government of India norms and credited only to an Aadhaar-seeded, DBT-enabled bank account. The advertisement does not mention any application fee.
Where do I register before applying to NSTL?
Graduate and Diploma candidates must register on NATS 2.0 at nats.education.gov.in. ITI candidates must register on apprenticeshipindia.gov.in (NAPS). Registration on the correct portal is mandatory before emailing the Annexure-A to admin2.dept.nstl@gov.in.
How will candidates be selected?
Selection is based on Academic Merit, Written Test and Interview as required, followed by document verification. There is no obligation of employment at NSTL after completion of the one-year apprenticeship.
Source
Final Words
NSTL Visakhapatnam's 2026 apprenticeship intake is a clean one-year skill-building opportunity inside a frontline DRDO laboratory, and the recent-pass-out filter (2023 / 2024 / 2025) makes the field meaningfully narrower than open recruitment. Read the official notification end to end, register on the correct portal, and email a complete Annexure-A well before 25 May 2026 to avoid the last-day rush.
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