Agartala, February 21, 2026: NITI Aayog in its February 2026 report, Revitalizing India’s Apprenticeship Ecosystem: Insights, Challenges, Recommendations and Best Practices, has highlighted both structural gaps and performance strengths in Tripura’s apprenticeship landscape under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS).

According to the report, Tripura’s share in the national apprenticeship ecosystem remains marginal. The state contributes only 0.09 per cent of the total Active Establishments (AEs) under NAPS in India. Out of 354 registered establishments (REs) in the state, only 46 are currently active, reflecting an AE-RE conversion rate of 12.99 per cent. This indicates limited industrial participation and weak establishment activation relative to national benchmarks.

In terms of apprentice engagement, Tripura has recorded 18,336 registrations under NAPS, but only 2,129 apprentices are currently engaged, accounting for just 0.06 per cent of the national total. The report categorizes Tripura among states with minimal engagement levels—contributing less than 0.1 per cent to the country’s total apprenticeship footprint—underscoring persistent challenges in industrial outreach, employer mobilization, and scheme penetration.

However, despite the low engagement volume, Tripura has demonstrated strong training outcomes. The state reports a completion rate of 69.0 per cent among engaged apprentices under NAPS, which is significantly higher than many larger states. The report interprets this as evidence of relatively effective training delivery mechanisms once apprentices are onboarded, suggesting quality over scale in the current implementation model.

Under NATS, Tripura’s performance has remained modest over the past five financial years. The state ranked 27th in FY 2020–21, improved to 24th in FY 2021–22, slipped to 25th in FY 2022–23, and again stood at 27th in both FY 2023–24 and FY 2024–25 in terms of apprentices engaged. The data reflects stagnation in higher-education-linked apprenticeship absorption.

The report notes that while India had over 51,000 active establishments under NAPS as of FY 2024–25, stark regional disparities persist, particularly in the Northeast. It emphasizes the need for targeted interventions in low-performing states, including cluster-based MSME engagement, enhanced stipend support, stronger District Skill Committees, and special incentives for North Eastern states.

For Tripura, the findings present a dual narrative—limited scale but comparatively strong completion efficiency. Policy observers suggest that if the state can expand industrial participation and increase active establishments while maintaining high completion standards, it could significantly improve its apprenticeship index standing in the coming years.

The NITI Aayog report calls for state-specific strategies, especially in smaller and special category states, to align apprenticeship growth with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and to unlock the demographic dividend through structured work-based learning.