The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on April 23, 2026, notified regarding the enabling of Portal Features relating to Apprenticeship Engagement Cap 18% and Minimum Gap between Apprenticeship Trainings.
The following has been stated:
• It has issued detailed guidelines to streamline the termination of apprenticeship contracts under the Apprentices Act, 1961, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance. Termination marks the formal closure of the training engagement and may occur either upon completion of the training period or prematurely on justified grounds, with the
• Apprenticeship Adviser acting as a neutral authority to examine and approve such requests after considering objections from both parties. The guidelines classify termination into expiry-based and premature (mutual, voluntary, or involuntary), clearly defining valid grounds such as personal reasons, misconduct, absenteeism, or employer default, like non-payment of stipend or unsafe conditions.
• A structured digital process has been mandated, requiring all termination requests to be initiated through the Apprenticeship India Portal with proper documentation, advance notice of 14–28 days, and adherence to conditions such as restriction on requests when less than 45 days of training remain.
• The Adviser is required to process requests within 15–30 days, with escalation mechanisms for delays.
• The framework also defines the effective termination date, restricts backdated terminations (especially under schemes like NAPS), and incorporates automated verification, consent mechanisms, and issuance of termination orders through the portal.
• Additionally, it provides detailed documentation requirements and standard formats to ensure the legitimacy of termination requests.
[Notification no. - DGT-36/1/2021-AP]
