Canara Bank, one of India’s leading public sector banks with its head office in Bengaluru and a global presence through over 9,800 branches, has officially invited applications for the Engagement of Graduate Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961 for the Financial Year 2025–26. This recruitment drive aims to provide hands-on banking training and apprenticeship opportunities to eligible Indian graduates across multiple states and Union Territories.
Eligible candidates must register on the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) portal before applying. Only candidates with 100% complete profiles on the portal are eligible to apply. Applications submitted through any other mode will not be accepted. This comprehensive guide provides full information about the program, including eligibility, important dates, training locations, reservation, stipend, and other key details.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration on Apprenticeship Portal | 22.09.2025 onwards |
| Online Application Opening | 23.09.2025 |
| Online Application Closing | 12.10.2025 (inclusive) |
Candidates are advised to complete their NATS portal registration before the application start date to ensure eligibility.
Training Seats & Distribution
Canara Bank has announced a total of 3,500 apprenticeship training seats for graduate candidates. Seats are allocated across all states and Union Territories in India. Each state has a set number of seats distributed among Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Weaker Section (EWS), and Unreserved (UR) categories, along with reservations for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).
A few examples of state-wise seat allocation include:
- Andhra Pradesh – 242 seats (SC: 38, ST: 16, OBC: 65, EWS: 24, UR: 99)
- Karnataka – 591 seats (SC: 94, ST: 41, OBC: 159, EWS: 59, UR: 238)
- Tamil Nadu – 394 seats (SC: 74, ST: 3, OBC: 106, EWS: 39, UR: 172)
- Uttar Pradesh – 410 seats (SC: 86, ST: 4, OBC: 110, EWS: 41, UR: 169)
- West Bengal – 150 seats (SC: 34, ST: 7, OBC: 33, EWS: 15, UR: 61)
Candidates are allowed to opt for training seats in only one state, though they can indicate district preferences within that state. The final allotment will be based on the bank’s administrative requirements and seat availability.
Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
- Minimum: 20 years
- Maximum: 28 years (as of 01.09.2025)
Relaxation of Upper Age Limit:
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 10 years |
| Widows, divorced or separated women | Up to 35 years (General/EWS), 38 years (OBC), 40 years (SC/ST) |
| Persons affected by 1984 riots | 5 years |
Note: Only one category of age relaxation is applicable along with SC/ST/OBC/PwBD limits. Candidates must provide valid certificates to claim age relaxation.
Educational Qualification
- Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
- Candidates must have passed graduation not earlier than 01.01.2022 and not later than 01.09.2025.
Local Language Knowledge
- Candidates who have studied the opted local language up to 10th or 12th standard are exempt from a local language test.
- Others will need to pass a local language test during document verification.
Other Eligibility Conditions
- Candidates must be medically fit.
- Candidates must not have undergone apprenticeship training with Canara Bank or any other organization previously.
- Candidates with more than one year of work experience after graduation are not eligible.
- Candidates must possess a valid caste/category certificate if applying under reserved categories.
Reservation Policy
Reservation for SC/ST/OBC/EWS and PwBD candidates will be provided as per the government guidelines.
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) Categories:
- VI (Visual Impairment) – Blindness and Low Vision
- HI (Hearing Impaired) – Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- OC/LD (Orthopedically Challenged / Locomotor Disability) – Includes Cerebral Palsy, Leprosy cured, Dwarfism, Muscular Dystrophy, Acid Attack victims, Spinal Deformity/Injury
- ID (Intellectual Disability) – Autism Spectrum Disorder, Specific Learning Disabilities, Mental Illness
- Multiple Disabilities – Any combination of the above
PwBD candidates must submit a valid certificate issued by a competent authority, and only candidates with irreversible benchmark disabilities will be eligible.
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
- Annual family income below ₹8 lakh, excluding those with significant property holdings.
- Candidates must provide an Income and Asset Certificate issued by a competent authority.
Training Details
Period of Apprenticeship
- 12 months (One Year)
Place of Training
- On-the-job training will be imparted at selected branches of Canara Bank as per the curriculum.
Profile
- Designation: Graduate Apprentice
- Apprentices will not be employees of the bank and will not receive regular employee benefits.
Contract of Apprenticeship
- Digital apprenticeship contracts will be issued via the NATS portal.
- Candidates must accept the contract to be engaged as an apprentice.
Stipend
- Total monthly stipend: ₹15,000
- Bank contribution: ₹10,500
- Government contribution: ₹4,500 (credited directly through DBT)
- No other allowances or benefits will be provided.
Working Hours & Leave
- Apprentices will follow clerical cadre working hours.
- Casual leave: 1 per month, totaling 12 per year.
- Leave cannot exceed 4 days at a time and cannot be carried over beyond the apprenticeship period.
- Bank-observed holidays apply.
Conduct and Discipline
- Misconduct may lead to termination of apprenticeship.
- Apprentices are prohibited from joining/forming union bodies.
Termination
- Apprenticeship contracts end at the conclusion of the training period.
- Contracts may be terminated early due to non-reporting, misconduct, or unsatisfactory performance after 7 days’ notice.
Certification
- NATS joint certification will be awarded on successful completion of training.
Application Fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC/ST/PwBD | NIL |
| All Others | ₹500 (including GST and intimation charges) |
Fees are non-refundable.
How to Apply
- Register and complete your profile on the NATS Portal.
- Ensure all personal, educational, and category details are 100% complete.
- Apply online on the Canara Bank Careers portal under “Engagement of Graduate Apprentices under Apprentices Act, 1961 for FY 2025–26”.
- Pay the applicable fees, if any.
- Keep necessary documents ready for verification during the selection process.
Documents Required:
- Graduation certificate and mark sheets
- Caste/Category certificate (if applicable)
- PwBD certificate (if applicable)
- EWS Income & Asset certificate (if applicable)
- Passport-sized photograph and ID proof
Candidates are advised to check the Canara Bank website regularly for updates and notifications.
Selection Process
- Verification of eligibility and application details.
- Document verification including certificates and local language test (if applicable).
- Merit-based selection according to available seats and reservations.
- Issuance of digital apprenticeship contract through NATS portal.
Note: Being selected as an apprentice does not guarantee employment in Canara Bank.
Important Instructions
- Apprenticeship is a training program only, not employment.
- Labour laws like PF, ESI, or bonus do not apply.
- Candidates with previous apprenticeship or one year of work experience are ineligible.
- Waitlists will be maintained state- and category-wise for one year.
