UGC New Portal: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS 2.0) portal i.e. nats.education.gov.in to provide access to apprenticeship opportunities. The NATS 2.0 (new portal) spans a duration of six months to one year. The portal will offer graduates, diploma students, and vocational certificate holders, practical ‘on-job training’ (OJT) based skilling opportunities to the candidates. 

According to the official notice, "Stipends for apprenticeships will be applicable as per rules and will be disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) via the portal. The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which emphasizes integrating vocational education with general education to facilitate vertical and horizontal mobility for students."