TNSTC Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has released the TNSTC Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27 notification for apprenticeship training slots across multiple Tamil Nadu transport corporations. The recruitment is for Graduate Engineering, Diploma Engineering (Technician), and Non-Engineering Graduate apprentices under the Apprenticeship (Amendment) Act, 1973. Candidates who are hailing from Tamil Nadu and meet the qualifying-year criteria can apply online through the NATS portal.

A total of 1518 training slots have been announced across TNSTC (Villupuram, Kumbakonam, Salem, Madurai, Tirunelveli), the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), Chennai, and the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) Tamil Nadu Ltd. Online registration begins on 2026-07-28 and the last date to apply is 2026-08-28. Applications must be submitted online via the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) portal. Selection will be done through shortlisting based on marks in the relevant qualifying examination, followed by certificate verification for shortlisted candidates at the TNSTC, Trichy Region Office.

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

The recruitment offers 1518 training slots in three categories: Graduate Engineering, Diploma Engineering (Technician), and Non-Engineering Graduate apprentices. The table below provides the corporation-wise and discipline-wise breakup for each category.

Graduate in Engineering/Technology (B.E/B.Tech, First Class)

Diploma in Engineering (Technician)

Graduate in General (Arts/Science/Commerce/Humanities)

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

To apply for the TNSTC Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27, candidates must meet the minimum qualification requirement for the relevant apprentice category. For Graduate Apprentices (Category I), the candidate must have a Degree in Engineering or Technology (Regular/Full-time) with First Class, awarded by a Statutory University or an institution empowered by an Act of Parliament, or an equivalent professional body examination recognized by the State/Central Government. For Technician (Diploma) Apprentices (Category II), the candidate must hold a Diploma in Engineering or Technology (Regular/Full-time) from a State Council/Board of Technical Education, a University, or an equivalent recognized institution. For Non-Engineering Graduate Apprentices (Category III), the candidate must have a Degree in Arts/Science/Commerce/Humanities such as BA/B.Sc./B.Com/BBA/BBM/BCA, completed in Regular/Full-time mode from a UGC-approved Statutory/Deemed University.

Age Limit

The notification states that the age limit will be followed as per the Apprenticeship Rules. It also mentions that minimum physical standards will be as prescribed in Clause 4 of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992, along with amendments issued from time to time. No specific age number is provided in the notification text.

In addition to age and qualification, other eligibility conditions apply: candidates must be hailing from Tamil Nadu and must have passed the qualifying examination during 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, or May 2026. Candidates who have already undergone apprenticeship training under the Apprenticeship (Amendment) Act, 1973, or are currently undergoing such training, and candidates with one year or more of work experience, are not eligible to apply.

Application Fee

The provided notification text does not mention any application fee. If the official TNSTC/NATS notification PDF specifies a fee, it should be checked there before submitting the application.

How to Apply

1. Go to the NATS portal: https://nats.education.gov.in.
2. Choose the correct application flow based on your NATS enrollment status: Category A (already enrolled on the old portal), Category B (already enrolled on the new portal), or Category C (first-time enrollment).
3. Category A (old National Web Portal: www.mhrdnats.gov.in): On the NATS portal, click Student → Student Login → Forgot Password, enter your registered email ID, and use the activation link to reset your password.
4. Category A: Log in using your registered email ID and the new password, complete the application form, and generate a unique 12-digit Enrolment Number.
5. Category A: After enrolment/migration, log in again and under “Apply against advertised vacancies”, search for the relevant corporation name (for example: “TAMILNADU STATE TRANSPORT CORPORATION VILLUPURAM LTD”, “TNSTC KUMBAKONAM”, “TNSTC SALEM SALEM REGION”, “TAMILNADU STATE TRANSPORT CORPORATION MADURAI LTD MADURAI REGION”, “TAMIL NADU STATE TRANSPORT CORPORATION LTD TIRUNELVELI REGION”, “METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT CORPORATION CHENNAI LTD”, or “STATE EXPRESS TRANSPORT CORPORATION TN LTD”). Click Apply.
6. Category B (new portal: www.nats.education.gov.in): Log in with your registered email ID and password, then under “Apply against advertised vacancies”, search for and select the relevant corporation name and click Apply.
7. Category C (first-time enrolment): Click Student → Student Register on https://nats.education.gov.in and complete registration to generate a unique 12-digit Enrolment Number (ATN…).
8. Category C: After enrolment, log in with your email ID and password, search for the relevant corporation under “Apply against advertised vacancies”, and click Apply.
9. Category C: Upload the required provisional certificate or consolidated mark sheet for your qualification (B.E/B.Tech/Diploma/BA/B.Sc./B.Com/etc.) and enter the percentage of marks/CGPA×10 in the NATS portal. The notification states that candidature will not be considered if the percentage of marks is not furnished.
10. Submit the application online before 2026-08-28.

Salary & Pay Scale

Selection Process

The Board of Apprenticeship Training (Southern Region) prepares the shortlist based on the percentage of marks obtained in the basic prescribed qualification applicable to the respective discipline. Shortlisted candidates will be informed through their registered email ID. After shortlisting, candidates must appear for certificate verification at the TNSTC, Trichy Region Office. The notification also clarifies that no TA/DA will be paid for attending certificate verification and no boarding or lodging expenses will be admissible. It further states that after completion of the apprenticeship period, the TNSTC Regions, MTC, and SETC TN Ltd have no obligation to offer employment, and an apprentice cannot claim any right to employment on the grounds of having completed the apprenticeship.

If you meet the eligibility conditions and have passed your qualifying examination in the specified years, submit your application online on the NATS portal between 2026-07-28 and 2026-08-28.