The notification mentions no written exam or interview for these 500 apprentice places at TNPDCL. The Board of Apprenticeship Training (Southern Region), based in Chennai, will shortlist candidates on the percentage of marks in their Diploma. You apply online on the NATS portal (the central government’s apprenticeship website) between 28.10.2026 and 28.11.2026, and only Diploma holders from Tamil Nadu can apply.
Certificate verification of shortlisted candidates
Fourth week of December 2026 (tentative)
Application Fee
The notification does not mention any application fee.
Vacancy Details
Discipline (Subject)
Training Places
Monthly Stipend
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
455
Rs. 10,900
Electronics and Communication Engineering
35
Rs. 10,900
Computer Engineering / Information Technology
10
Rs. 10,900
Total
500
Rs. 10,900
TNPDCL says it can increase or decrease the number of places, whatever the notification states. A category-wise breakup (SC, ST, OBC and so on) is not given.
Eligibility Criteria
Criterion
Detail
Educational Qualification
A regular, full-time Diploma in Engineering or Technology in the relevant branch. It must come from a State Board or Council of Technical Education, from a University, or from an institution that the State or Central Government recognises as equal.
Branches
Electrical and Electronics Engineering; Electronics and Communication Engineering; Computer Engineering or Information Technology
Year of Passing
2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or May 2026
Age Limit
Not stated. The notification only says the age limit follows the Apprenticeship Rules.
Domicile
You must hail from Tamil Nadu. The notification does not say what proof is needed.
Higher Qualifications
Candidates with higher qualifications (B.E., B.Tech. and above) are not required for these Diploma apprentice places.
Previous Training or Experience
You cannot apply if you have done or are doing NATS 2.0 or NAPS apprenticeship, or PMIS internship training, or if you have one year or more of work experience.
Physical Standards
As set in Clause 4 of the Apprenticeship Rules 1992, and any later changes. The notification gives no figures.
In short: you need a full-time Diploma in one of three engineering branches, passed between 2022 and May 2026, and you must be from Tamil Nadu. If you have already done an apprenticeship or have a year of work experience, you cannot apply.
Reservation
Category
Rule
SC / ST / OBC (NCL) / PwD
The reservation rules of the Apprentices Act apply. (SC and ST are Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, OBC (NCL) is Other Backward Classes, Non-Creamy Layer, and PwD is persons with disabilities.) You must give a certificate in the government standard format. Without it, you are treated as General category.
BC / MBC candidates claiming OBC (NCL)
Bring an OBC (NCL) certificate in the approved format from the issuing authority. An NCL certificate shows that your family is outside the creamy layer, the better-off part of OBC that gets no reservation.
Ward Quota
Up to 10% of places are kept for wards (sons and daughters) of regular, permanent employees of TNEB Limited, TNPDCL, TNPGCL, TNGECL and TANTRANSCO. This is a horizontal reservation, which means it cuts across all categories. Wards of contract, temporary, casual or retired employees are not eligible. If there are not enough wards, the empty places go to other candidates.
Who Should Apply
This is a one-year training with a stipend, not a regular job. TNPDCL says it has no duty to offer you a job when the training ends.
Your Diploma percentage is what the shortlist is based on, so the marks you enter on your NATS profile matter more than anything else.
Think about the travel cost. Shortlisted candidates must go to a TNPDCL office for certificate verification, and no travel allowance or boarding and lodging is paid.
If you are the ward of a regular TNPDCL or TNEB group employee, apply through your normal student login and bring the ward certificate to the verification. You do not need to post it anywhere.
Selection Process
Stage
Details
Stage 1 – Online application
Apply on the NATS portal between 28.10.2026 and 28.11.2026. Your Diploma percentage must be filled in on the portal.
Stage 2 – Shortlisting
BOAT (SR) makes the shortlist from the online application data, using the percentage of marks in your Diploma. No written test is mentioned. Shortlisted candidates are told by email on their registered email id. The list is due in the second week of December 2026. To see it, go to the bottom of the NATS home page, click Regional Events, then BOAT (Southern Region), then Apprenticeship News.
Stage 3 – Certificate verification
Shortlisted candidates go to a TNPDCL office, tentatively in the fourth week of December 2026. Ward quota candidates must also bring the ward certificate and a copy of a parent’s ID card.
After selection
One year of apprenticeship training with a monthly stipend of Rs. 10,900.
In short: no exam or interview is mentioned. Your Diploma percentage decides who is shortlisted, and the certificate check confirms that your documents match your application.
Salary and Benefits
Component
Detail
Training Period
One year, under the Apprenticeship (Amendment) Act 1973
Monthly Stipend
Rs. 10,900
Travel (TA/DA) for Verification
Not paid
Boarding and Lodging
Not provided
Job After Training
TNPDCL has no duty to offer you a job, and you cannot claim one because you finished the training.
A stipend is a fixed monthly payment during training, not a salary. Rs. 10,900 is the only amount the notification states, and it mentions no allowances.
How to Apply
Open nats.education.gov.in and click Student. New to NATS? Click Student Register and fill in the form. You will get a unique 12-digit enrolment number that starts with ATN.
Registered on the old portal (www.mhrdnats.gov.in)? Click Student login, then Forgot Password, and enter your registered email id to get an activation link and reset your password. Log in with the new password and complete the application form to get your 12-digit enrolment number.
Already enrolled on the new portal? Log in with your email id and password.
Under “Apply against advertised vacancies”, search for “TAMIL NADU POWER DISTRIBUTION CORPORATION LIMITED (TNPDCL)”.
Click Apply. The status should change to “applied”.
Note: fill in your Diploma percentage in the “% of marks” column on the portal. The notification says that without it, your candidature will not be considered. Ward students also apply through the student login.
Documents Required
Document
Format / Notes
Diploma Provisional Certificate or Consolidated Mark Sheet
Shows the percentage of marks you enter on the NATS portal.
Category certificate (SC / ST / OBC (NCL) / PwD)
In the government standard format. Without it, your claim is treated as General category.
Ward Certificate (Annexure A of the notification)
Only for the ward quota. Signed by the officer, with seal. Show it at certificate verification.
Parent’s ID card copy
Only for the ward quota. Show it at certificate verification.
The notification lists only these documents. Keep your other mark sheets and an ID proof ready as well; that is general advice, not from the notification.
Leaving the “% of marks” column empty. The notification says such candidates will not be considered.
Claiming SC, ST, OBC (NCL) or PwD reservation without a certificate in the government format. You will be counted as General category.
Bringing an ordinary OBC or community certificate when you claim OBC (NCL). You need the approved OBC (NCL) format.
Posting a copy of the ward certificate to BOAT or TNPDCL. The notification says it is not needed, and it is shown only at certificate verification.
Using touts or asking someone to put pressure on your behalf. The notification says canvassing disqualifies you, and the Board has not authorised any agent.
Missing your shortlist. It is published only on the NATS portal, and the notification advises students to check it daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for TNPDCL Apprentice 2026?
You can apply on the NATS portal until 28.11.2026, and applications opened on 28.10.2026.
How many apprentice places are there?
There are 500 places: 455 in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 35 in Electronics and Communication Engineering, and 10 in Computer Engineering or Information Technology.
Who can apply?
You need a regular, full-time Diploma in one of those branches, passed in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or May 2026, and you must hail from Tamil Nadu.
What is the age limit?
The notification gives no age numbers and only says the Apprenticeship Rules will be followed, so check the rules before you apply.
Where and how do I apply?
Apply only online on the NATS portal at nats.education.gov.in, by searching for TNPDCL under “Apply against advertised vacancies” after you log in.
How are candidates selected?
They are shortlisted on the percentage of marks in their Diploma and then go through certificate verification at a TNPDCL office, and the notification mentions no written exam.
How much is the stipend?
The stipend is Rs. 10,900 a month for the one-year training, and TNPDCL does not promise a job at the end.
Can someone who has already done an apprenticeship apply?
No, anyone who has done or is doing NATS 2.0 or NAPS apprenticeship or a PMIS internship, or who has one year or more of experience, cannot apply.
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.
