Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) has issued Notification No. IM&EE/MOF/E-1/C/676/2025-26 dated 21.08.2026 inviting online applications for the engagement of 20 Trade Apprentices in its Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department for the year 2025-2026, under the Apprenticeship Act, 1961. Placements are offered in five designated trades — Welder, Electrician, Fitter, Motor Mechanic and Electronics — each for a one-year training period, and candidates who have passed ITI in the relevant trade may apply. Applications are accepted only through the NAPS Apprenticeship India portal from 24.08.2026 to 23.09.2026.
Not specified in notification — shortlisted candidates will be called
Application Fee
Category
Fee
All categories
Not specified in notification — no application fee is mentioned for this engagement
Vacancy Details — Trade-wise Breakup
Sl. No.
Trade
Placements
Period of Training
Qualification Prescribed
Monthly Stipend (Rs.)
1
Welder
04
01 year
Passed ITI in the trade of Welder
8,344.60
2
Electrician
04
01 year
Passed ITI in the trade of Electrician
9,387.67
3
Fitter
04
01 year
Passed ITI in the trade of Fitter
9,387.67
4
Motor Mechanic
04
01 year
Passed ITI in the trade of Motor Mechanic (Motor Vehicle)
9,387.67
5
Electronics
04
01 year
Passed ITI in the trade of Electronics (Mechanic)
9,387.67
Total
20 (Total Twenty)
Reservation: Training placements for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes are reserved as per the rule of reservation, applied on the basis of the total number of placements, in terms of the Apprentices Act, 1961. A category-wise numerical breakup is not given in the notification.
Eligibility Criteria
Criterion
Detail
Educational Qualification
Must have passed ITI in the specific trade applied for — Welder, Electrician, Fitter, Motor Mechanic (Motor Vehicle) or Electronics (Mechanic)
Age Limit
Should have completed a minimum of 14 (fourteen) years of age as on 31.08.2026. The notification does not state an upper age limit. Check your age eligibility →
Nature of Engagement
Engagement as a Trade Apprentice under the Apprenticeship Act, 1961 (amended in 1973, 1986 and 2019) for the year 2025-2026 — this is apprenticeship training, not employment
Application Restriction
Applications are accepted only online through the NAPS portal, with the establishment selected as Visakhapatnam Port Authority and location as Andhra Pradesh
Not sure whether you meet the 14-year minimum age on 31.08.2026?
Enter your date of birth and 31.08.2026 as the cut-off date to see your exact age in years, months and days on that date. VPA has set no upper age limit for this apprenticeship, so the minimum is the only bar to clear.
Engagement of Trade Apprentices is made purely on the merit basis of the aggregate marks obtained by the candidate in ITI. No written examination or interview is mentioned in the notification, so the ITI mark sheet alone decides the merit position.
Stage 2 — Preference ratio
Preference is given to the children of VPA employees in the ratio of 4:1:1, i.e. 4 for VPA, 1 for CHD and 1 for Outsiders. Within the 4 reserved for children of port employees, a sub-ratio of 2:1:1 is followed for children of deceased employees / medically invalidated and superannuated employees / serving employees respectively.
Stage 3 — Certificate verification
Only candidates short-listed on the merit of marks secured in the qualifying examination are called for certificate verification. TA and DA will not be paid by VPA for attending verification, and no boarding or lodging expenses are admissible.
Stage 4 — Trade allotment
The trades are allotted to the selected candidates at the discretion of the Head of the Department.
Stipend and Benefits
Component
Detail
Monthly Stipend — Welder
Rs. 8,344.60 per month
Monthly Stipend — Electrician, Fitter, Motor Mechanic, Electronics
Rs. 9,387.67 per month
Training Period
01 year for every trade
Travel Expenses
TA and DA will not be paid by VPA for attending certificate verification
Boarding / Lodging
No boarding or lodging expenses are admissible
Employment After Training
VPA is not liable to provide any employment to candidates who apply, or on completion of their apprenticeship training in VPA
Log in to the registered account and open “Find an apprenticeship opportunity”, then click and search opportunity.
Select the opportunity (trade) you hold an ITI certificate in, and select the course type as designated.
Select the location as Andhra Pradesh and search for the establishment “Visakhapatnam Port Authority”.
Click “Apply” against the VPA opportunity on or before 23.09.2026, and keep a copy of the submitted application for your records.
Note: Applications are accepted only online through the NAPS portal — the notification prescribes no offline or postal route. For queries, VPA has given contact number 0891-2873262.
Photograph or signature rejected by the NAPS upload form?
NAPS apprentice registration asks for a passport-size photograph and a signature within a fixed pixel and KB range. Resize both to the exact size the form accepts before you start, so the application does not stall on the upload step near the 23.09.2026 deadline.
Essential — the aggregate ITI marks decide the merit position
10th class certificate
Date of birth proof for the 14-year minimum age as on 31.08.2026
Caste certificate (SC / ST / OBC)
If claiming reservation under the Apprentices Act, 1961
Government-issued photo ID proof
Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, Driving Licence or Passport
Certificate from the Section Officer
For children of deceased / medically invalidated / superannuated / serving VPA employees claiming preference — with specific remarks and the relevant date, failing which the claim is summarily rejected
The notification does not itemise a document checklist for the online application, so the list above is general guidance based on the eligibility and preference conditions it states. Candidates claiming VPA employee preference should note that the Section Officer’s certificate is explicitly required by the notification.
Applying for a trade you have not passed ITI in — the qualification is trade-specific, and the merit list is drawn from ITI marks in that same trade.
Selecting the wrong course type on NAPS — the course type must be set to designated and the location to Andhra Pradesh, or the VPA opportunity will not appear in the search.
Searching for the establishment by an old name — search exactly for “Visakhapatnam Port Authority”, not Visakhapatnam Port Trust.
Claiming VPA employee preference without the Section Officer’s certificate carrying specific remarks and the relevant date — the notification says such claims will be summarily rejected.
Assuming this is a job — VPA states plainly that it is not liable to provide employment during or after the one-year apprenticeship.
Travelling for certificate verification expecting reimbursement — no TA, DA, boarding or lodging is admissible.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the last date to apply for VPA Trade Apprentice 2026? The last date for applying online is 23.09.2026, with the application window having opened on 24.08.2026.
2. How many apprentice placements are on offer? There are 20 training placements in total — 04 each in Welder, Electrician, Fitter, Motor Mechanic and Electronics.
3. What qualification is required? Candidates must have passed ITI in the specific trade they are applying for.
4. What is the age limit for this apprenticeship? Candidates should have completed a minimum of 14 years of age as on 31.08.2026, and the notification states no upper age limit.
5. Is there any application fee? The notification does not mention any application fee for this engagement.
6. How much stipend will an apprentice get? Welder apprentices receive Rs. 8,344.60 per month and apprentices in the other four trades receive Rs. 9,387.67 per month.
7. How are candidates selected? Selection is purely on the merit of aggregate ITI marks, after which short-listed candidates are called for certificate verification and trades are allotted by the Head of the Department.
8. Does VPA give a job after the apprenticeship? No — VPA states that it is not liable to provide any employment to candidates who apply, or on completion of their apprenticeship training.
Disclaimer: The information above has been compiled from the official notification for the convenience of job seekers. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official website before applying.
