SHREYAS Scheme 2026: Apprenticeship Embedded Degrees, NATS 2.0 & UGC AEDP
Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) was launched in 2019 to connect degree education with industry apprenticeships, employability skills and employment services. Its core idea-integrating apprenticeship into higher education-now continues through updated UGC apprenticeship-embedded degree guidelines and the NATS 2.0 platform.
Updated: 5 September 2026
What Was SHREYAS?
SHREYAS was launched on 27 February 2019 by the then Ministry of Human Resource Development to provide apprenticeship opportunities to general degree students and graduates and to make higher education more closely aligned with industry needs.
The programme brought together initiatives of the education, skill-development and labour ministries, including apprenticeship promotion, National Career Service and apprenticeship-embedded professional degree programmes.
Its central principle was simple: higher education should combine academic knowledge with practical industry experience and provide students a clearer pathway from graduation to employment.
Main Objectives of SHREYAS
- Improve student employability by adding employment relevance to higher education.
- Create a sustainable link between higher educational institutions and industry/service sectors.
- Provide skills that respond dynamically to labour-market demand.
- Establish an "earn while you learn" model.
- Help employers access trained and work-ready manpower.
- Connect students with Government employment and apprenticeship services.
- Promote industry exposure as an integral part of degree education.
Original Three SHREYAS Implementation Tracks
1. Add-on / Degree Apprenticeship
Students completing their degree were offered an opportunity to choose industry apprenticeship job roles identified through Sector Skill Councils. The original model envisaged short post-degree apprenticeship with basic sector training, stipend and skills certification.
2. Embedded Apprenticeship
Existing B.Voc and professional degree programmes could incorporate a compulsory apprenticeship semester or training period, combining academic, vocational and workplace learning.
3. National Career Service Linkage
SHREYAS also sought to connect higher educational institutions with the National Career Service so students without strong campus-placement infrastructure could access wider employment opportunities and soft-skills support.
Current UGC Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP) Guidelines, 2025
The University Grants Commission published updated Guidelines on Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP), 2025. These provide the current higher-education framework for integrating structured apprenticeship into undergraduate education.
The guidelines build on the same policy objective that SHREYAS promoted: making degree programmes more employment-oriented through closer university-industry collaboration and workplace learning.
UGC guidance also encourages institutions to keep curricula aligned with changing industry requirements and to introduce internship/apprenticeship-embedded programmes as part of institutional development.
NATS 2.0: Current Apprenticeship Platform for Graduates
The National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) is a Government of India programme operating under the Apprentices Act framework. The current NATS 2.0 portal provides structured on-the-job training opportunities generally ranging from six months to one year.
The current student workflow includes:
- student registration;
- profile completion;
- searching and applying for apprenticeship opportunities;
- application management;
- apprenticeship-contract creation;
- progress recording;
- completion of training; and
- download of the Certificate of Proficiency after successful completion.
Who Can Register on NATS 2.0?
The current NATS student-registration system covers eligible pass-outs in categories including:
- Graduate in Engineering / Technology;
- Graduate in General Stream;
- Graduate in Vocational programmes;
- Diploma in Engineering / Technology;
- Diploma in General Stream; and
- Diploma in Vocational programmes.
General bachelor-degree categories listed by the current portal include courses such as BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA and several other general and vocational graduate programmes, subject to live portal eligibility.
Documents and Registration on NATS 2.0
The current NATS student portal asks applicants to keep the following ready:
- Aadhaar card;
- valid personal e-mail ID;
- mobile number;
- passport-size photograph;
- Aadhaar-seeded bank-account details;
- qualifying degree or provisional certificate; and
- bank passbook or bank-account statement.
Registration Process
- Open the official NATS 2.0 portal.
- Select Student Registration.
- Complete mobile and e-mail OTP verification.
- Enter Aadhaar, education, institution and bank details.
- Upload the required documents.
- Complete and activate the student profile.
- Search for apprenticeship advertisements and apply online.
- Track applications and contract status through the portal.
Role of Higher Educational Institutions, Industry and Skill Bodies
Higher Educational Institutions
HEIs can integrate apprenticeship into degree curricula, identify industry partners, counsel students, map job roles and coordinate workplace learning with academic credit and assessment requirements.
Industry / Establishments
Employers provide workplace training, supervision and practical exposure and participate in the apprenticeship contract and assessment process under the applicable scheme framework.
Government Apprenticeship Bodies
NATS and the Boards of Apprenticeship Training / Board of Practical Training support registration, contracts, monitoring, DBT-linked processes and certification under the current apprenticeship framework.
What Happened to the Original SHREYAS Portal?
The original 2019 SHREYAS portal was designed to match HEI demand with industry apprenticeship supply. Current students should not rely on an old SHREYAS portal link for live apprenticeship opportunities.
For current apprenticeship registration and vacancies, the relevant live Government platform is NATS 2.0. Higher-education institutions should also follow current UGC AEDP guidance.
Stipend and Financial Support
The old SHREYAS launch material referred to a monthly stipend of about ₹6,000 and reimbursement of 25% of stipend under the then NAPS framework, subject to a cap of ₹1,500 per month, along with basic training support.
Those figures should now be treated as historical. Current stipend, reimbursement, DBT and establishment obligations depend on the applicable apprenticeship scheme, category and current Government rules at the time of engagement.
Key Points to Remember
- SHREYAS was launched in 2019 to integrate apprenticeship and employability into higher education.
- The original three tracks covered add-on apprenticeship, embedded apprenticeship and NCS linkage.
- UGC issued updated Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme Guidelines in 2025.
- NATS 2.0 is the current live platform for many graduate and diploma apprenticeship opportunities.
- General Stream graduates are included in current NATS registration categories.
- The old ₹6,000 stipend and 25% reimbursement figures are historical SHREYAS/NAPS parameters, not universal current rates.
- Students should use current NATS and UGC official resources rather than obsolete SHREYAS portal links.