Quick Answer
Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations, including TNSTC Villupuram, Kumbakonam, Salem, Madurai and Tirunelveli, together with Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) Chennai and State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) Tamil Nadu, have invited online applications for 1,518 apprenticeship training slots for 2026-27.
The recruitment is open to eligible Graduate Engineering, Diploma Engineering and Non-Engineering Graduates from Tamil Nadu who passed the qualifying examination during 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or May 2026. Applications started on 28 July 2026 and close on 28 August 2026 through the official National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) portal.
Graduate Engineering and Non-Engineering apprentices receive ₹12,300 per month, while Diploma/Technician apprentices receive ₹10,900 per month. Training lasts one year. Selection is based on qualifying-examination marks followed by certificate verification; there is no written recruitment examination.
View Details & Important Dates
| View Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Organisations | TNSTC Regions, MTC Chennai and SETC Tamil Nadu |
| Training | Graduate, Technician/Diploma and Non-Engineering Graduate Apprentice |
| Total Training Slots | 1,518 |
| Graduate Engineering | 457 |
| Diploma / Technician | 438 |
| Non-Engineering Graduate | 623 |
| Application Start | 28 July 2026 |
| Last Date | 28 August 2026 |
| Shortlist | Second week of September 2026 |
| Certificate Verification | Fourth week of September 2026, tentatively |
| Training Duration | One Year |
| Graduate Stipend | ₹12,300 per month |
| Diploma Stipend | ₹10,900 per month |
| Selection | Academic merit + certificate verification |
| Application Mode | NATS online portal |
| State Eligibility | Candidates hailing from Tamil Nadu |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Starts | 28 July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 28 August 2026 |
| Shortlisted List | Second week of September 2026 |
| Certificate Verification | Fourth week of September 2026, tentatively |
| Training Period | One year |
Candidates should complete NATS registration and application well before the closing date. Shortlisted candidates are expected to receive further communication through their registered email ID.
TNSTC Apprentice Vacancy Details 2026
The official notification prints 1,518 apprenticeship training slots across three major categories.
| Apprentice Category | Official Printed Total |
|---|---|
| Graduate Apprentice – Engineering / Technology | 457 |
| Technician Apprentice – Diploma Engineering | 438 |
| Graduate Apprentice – Non-Engineering | 623 |
| Total | 1,518 |
Graduate Engineering Slots
The official Graduate Engineering section provides the following discipline totals:
| Discipline | Slots |
|---|---|
| Mechanical / Automobile Engineering | 360 |
| Civil Engineering | 26 |
| Electrical & Electronics Engineering | 41 |
| Computer Science / Information Technology | 30 |
| Total | 457 |
Important Vacancy Note
There is an internal numerical inconsistency in the Diploma/Technician table of the published notification when individual discipline and corporation rows are compared with the printed section total.
For Regal Career, the safest figure is the notification’s own printed category total:
Diploma / Technician Apprentice: 438 slots
Candidates should therefore check the exact corporation and discipline row in the official PDF before applying rather than relying on a simplified third-party vacancy table.
The participating organisations can also increase or decrease the number of training slots.
Eligibility Criteria
Graduate Apprentice – Engineering
Candidates should have a regular full-time Degree in Engineering or Technology with First Class in the relevant discipline from:
- a statutory university;
- an institution empowered to grant such degree by an Act of Parliament; or
- a recognised professional body whose graduate examination is treated as equivalent.
Technician / Diploma Apprentice
Candidates should possess a regular full-time Diploma in Engineering or Technology in the relevant discipline from a recognised State Board/Council of Technical Education, university or equivalent recognised institution.
Non-Engineering Graduate Apprentice
Candidates should possess a regular full-time degree in Arts, Science, Commerce or Humanities from a UGC-approved university or deemed university.
Examples include:
- BA
- BSc
- BCom
- BBA
- BBM
- BCA
- equivalent eligible general graduate degrees
Passing Year
Candidates should have passed their qualifying degree/diploma during:
2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or May 2026.
Tamil Nadu Requirement
The notification invites candidates hailing from Tamil Nadu.
Who Is Not Eligible?
Candidates are not eligible if they:
- have already undergone apprenticeship training under the Apprenticeship Act;
- are currently undergoing apprenticeship training; or
- have one year or more of relevant work experience.
Age Limit
The notification does not specify a separate numeric age range. It states that the age limit will be followed as per the applicable Apprenticeship Rules.
Candidates should therefore avoid relying on unofficial websites that publish an invented fixed age limit for this recruitment.
Stipend, Selection Process & Training
Monthly Stipend
| Apprentice Type | Monthly Stipend |
|---|---|
| Graduate Apprentice – Engineering | ₹12,300 |
| Graduate Apprentice – Non-Engineering | ₹12,300 |
| Technician / Diploma Apprentice | ₹10,900 |
The stipend is for apprenticeship training and should not be described as a regular government salary.
Selection Process
There is no written examination or interview mentioned in the official apprenticeship notification.
The process is:
- Online application through NATS
- Shortlisting based on percentage of marks in the prescribed qualifying examination
- Email intimation to shortlisted candidates
- Certificate verification
- Final apprenticeship engagement subject to eligibility
BOAT Southern Region handles the shortlisting process.
Certificate Verification
Certificate verification is tentatively scheduled for the fourth week of September 2026 at the TNSTC Trichy Region office.
No TA/DA, boarding or lodging expenses are admissible for attending certificate verification.
Training Period
The apprenticeship period is one year.
No Employment Guarantee
This is apprenticeship training, not a permanent TNSTC/MTC/SETC appointment.
The participating transport corporations have no obligation to provide employment after completion of the apprenticeship, and apprentices cannot claim employment as a right merely because they completed the training.
How to Apply & Documents to Prepare
How to Apply Through NATS
- Open the official NATS portal.
- If you have never enrolled before, choose Student Registration and complete the enrollment process.
- After successful registration, a unique 12-digit NATS Enrollment Number is generated.
- Existing old-portal users should reset their password using their registered email ID and complete migration to the current portal.
- Log in with the registered email ID and password.
- Open Apply Against Advertised Vacancies.
- Search for the applicable establishment:
- Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Villupuram Ltd
- TNSTC Kumbakonam
- TNSTC Salem
- TNSTC Madurai
- TNSTC Tirunelveli
- Metropolitan Transport Corporation Chennai Ltd
- State Express Transport Corporation Tamil Nadu Ltd
- Enter qualification and marks details carefully.
- If your institution awards CGPA, follow the marks-conversion instruction given in the notification/NATS portal.
- Submit the application before 28 August 2026.
- Confirm that your application status shows as applied and keep a copy of the details.
Documents to Keep Ready
Candidates should prepare:
- Class 10 certificate
- Class 12 certificate where relevant
- Degree / Diploma certificate
- Degree / Diploma marksheets
- Consolidated marksheet if available
- Tamil Nadu residence-related details
- NATS Enrollment Number
- Aadhaar / identity details required by the portal
- Valid bank-account details if requested by NATS
- Active email ID
- Active mobile number
- Category / reservation certificate where applicable
- Submitted NATS application details
Useful Regal Career Links
Use these tools while preparing and tracking the apprenticeship application.
| Regal Career Resource | Action |
|---|---|
| Latest Government Jobs | Click here to view |
| All Application Tools | Click here to view |
These links are included because they directly support the candidate’s application journey. They do not replace the official NATS eligibility rules.
Important Official Links
| Official Resource | Action |
|---|---|
| Official TNSTC/MTC/SETC Apprentice Notification PDF | Click here to view |
| Apply Online – NATS Portal | Click here to view |
| NATS Official Website | Click here to view |
| TNSTC Official Website | Click here to view |
| MTC Chennai Official Website | Click here to view |
Application Fee
The official TNSTC/MTC/SETC apprenticeship notification does not prescribe an application fee.
Candidates should apply only through the NATS portal and should not pay any individual or intermediary for selection or liaison.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacancies are available in TNSTC Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The official notification prints 1,518 apprenticeship training slots across Graduate Engineering, Diploma Engineering and Non-Engineering Graduate categories.
What is the last date to apply?
The last date is 28 August 2026.
When did online applications start?
Applications started on 28 July 2026.
What is the stipend?
Graduate Engineering and Non-Engineering Graduate apprentices receive ₹12,300 per month. Diploma/Technician apprentices receive ₹10,900 per month.
Is there a written examination?
No written examination is mentioned. Shortlisting is based on marks in the prescribed qualifying examination followed by certificate verification.
Who can apply?
Eligible Graduate Engineering, Diploma Engineering and Non-Engineering graduates who hail from Tamil Nadu and passed during the eligible years can apply, subject to the detailed notification.
Which passing years are eligible?
Candidates who passed during 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or May 2026 are covered by the notification.
Can candidates with previous apprenticeship experience apply?
Candidates who have already undergone apprenticeship training or are currently undergoing apprenticeship are not eligible.
Can candidates with one year of work experience apply?
Candidates having one year or more of work experience are not eligible according to the notification conditions.
Is there an application fee?
The official notification does not prescribe an application fee.
Does completing the apprenticeship guarantee a TNSTC job?
No. TNSTC, MTC and SETC have no obligation to offer employment after apprenticeship training.
Where can candidates apply?
Applications are submitted through the official NATS portal.
Official Source & Editorial Verification
Primary source used:
National Apprenticeship Training Scheme / Board of Apprenticeship Training (Southern Region) — TNSTC, MTC Chennai & SETC Tamil Nadu Apprentice Notification 2026-27.
The notification confirms:
- 1,518 printed total training slots
- 457 Graduate Engineering slots
- 438 Diploma/Technician printed slots
- 623 Non-Engineering Graduate slots
- application dates from 28 July to 28 August 2026
- one-year training
- ₹12,300 Graduate stipend
- ₹10,900 Diploma stipend
- Tamil Nadu eligibility
- eligible passing years
- shortlisting on qualifying marks
- certificate-verification schedule
- no guarantee of employment after apprenticeship
Because the published Diploma slot table contains an internal arithmetic inconsistency, Regal Career uses the official printed category total of 438 and advises readers to verify their exact corporation/discipline directly in the official PDF.
