1. The Bottom Line (TL;DR)
Canara Bank, a premier Public Sector Bank headquartered in Bengaluru, has released the official notification for the Engagement of Graduate Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961 for FY 2026-27. A total of 3,500 training seats are available across all States and Union Territories in India.
Apprentices will receive a total monthly stipend of ₹16,650/- for an apprenticeship period of 12 months. Online registrations run from 1 October 2026 to 17 October 2026. Selection requires no written examination; candidates are ranked on a state-wise merit list prepared strictly on the basis of marks obtained in 12th Standard (10+2) or Diploma. Candidates must hold a 100% completed profile on the Ministry of Education National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) portal at https://nats.education.gov.in before submitting their application on the official Canara Bank recruitment page at https://canarabank.com.
| Key Parameter | Official Details |
|---|---|
| Recruitment Body | Canara Bank (A Government of India Undertaking) |
| Notification Reference | Engagement of Graduate Apprentices under Apprentices Act, 1961 (FY 2026-27) |
| Total Training Seats | 3,500 Seats across all States and Union Territories |
| Training Duration | 12 Months (1 Year On-the-Job Training) |
| Monthly Stipend | ₹16,650/- (₹10,500 paid by Canara Bank + ₹6,150 credited via Central Govt DBT) |
| Selection Mode | No Written Exam; 12th Std / Diploma Merit List + Local Language Test |
| Registration Window | 01.10.2026 to 17.10.2026 (both days inclusive) |
| Cut-off Date for Age & Qualification | 01.09.2026 |
| Application Fee | ₹500/- for General, OBC & EWS; NIL for SC, ST & PwBD |
| Official Portals | NATS Portal: nats.education.gov.in · Bank Portal: canarabank.com |
2. Strict Eligibility & “Hidden Traps”
While the minimum educational qualification is a bachelor’s degree, the Canara Bank Apprentice notification contains strict technical clauses that disqualify unwary candidates.
Age Criteria & Exact Date Bounds (As on 01.09.2026)
Candidates must be between 20 and 28 years of age computed as on 1 September 2026.
- Unreserved (General) & EWS: Must be born between 02.09.1998 and 01.09.2006 (both dates inclusive).
- OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3-year relaxation (Maximum age: 31 years; born on or after 02.09.1995).
- SC / ST Candidates: 5-year relaxation (Maximum age: 33 years; born on or after 02.09.1993).
- Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): 10-year relaxation (up to 38 years for UR, 41 for OBC, and 43 for SC/ST).
- Widows, Divorced Women & Legally Separated Women (Unmarried): Upper limit of 35 years for UR/EWS, 38 years for OBC, and 40 years for SC/ST.
Educational Qualification & The 2023–2026 Passing Window
Applicants must possess a recognized Graduation Degree in any discipline from a university recognized by the Government of India or UGC.
- The Passing Trap: Candidates must have passed their Graduation degree not earlier than 01.01.2023 and not later than 01.09.2026. Anyone who graduated prior to 1 January 2023 is strictly barred.
- Minimum 12th Standard Marks Threshold: The merit selection depends on 12th Standard (HSC/10+2) or Diploma marks. Candidates must have secured at least 60% aggregate marks (relaxed to 55% for SC, ST, and PwBD).
- No Rounding Permitted: The notification explicitly states that fractions of percentages will be ignored. A score of 59.99% will be treated as less than 60%, and 54.99% will be treated as less than 55%, resulting in immediate rejection.
Critical Disqualification Clauses
- Prior Job Experience Trap: Candidates with one or more years of job experience or formal training after graduation are ineligible.
- Prior Apprenticeship Ban: Anyone who has already undergone apprenticeship training in Canara Bank or any other public/private sector organization under the Apprentices Act, 1961, or who is currently undergoing training, cannot apply.
- One State Only: An applicant can apply for training seats in only one State. Applying for multiple states will lead to cancellation.
- Local Language Proficiency: Candidates must have studied the designated local language of the chosen State in their 10th or 12th Standard marksheet. Those without local language in their school certificate must qualify in a mandatory Local Language Test conducted during Document Verification.
3. Vacancy & Reservation Breakdown
The 3,500 training seats are allocated across 35 States and Union Territories. Below is the state-wise and category-wise seat distribution:
| State / Union Territory | Local Language | Total Seats | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | PwBD (HI/OC/VI/ID) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka | Kannada | 581 | 92 | 40 | 156 | 58 | 235 | 6 / 6 / 6 / 5 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Hindi / Urdu | 409 | 85 | 4 | 110 | 40 | 170 | 4 / 4 / 4 / 4 |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil | 391 | 74 | 3 | 105 | 39 | 170 | 4 / 4 / 4 / 3 |
| Andhra Pradesh | Telugu / Urdu | 247 | 39 | 17 | 66 | 24 | 101 | 2 / 2 / 3 / 2 |
| Kerala | Malayalam | 240 | 24 | 2 | 64 | 24 | 126 | 2 / 2 / 3 / 2 |
| Maharashtra | Marathi | 205 | 20 | 18 | 55 | 20 | 92 | 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 |
| West Bengal | Bengali / Nepali | 150 | 34 | 7 | 33 | 15 | 61 | 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 |
| Telangana | Telugu / Urdu | 134 | 21 | 9 | 36 | 13 | 55 | 1 / 1 / 2 / 1 |
| Bihar | Hindi / Urdu | 122 | 19 | 1 | 32 | 12 | 58 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 |
| Haryana | Hindi / Punjabi | 114 | 21 | 0 | 30 | 11 | 52 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Hindi | 110 | 16 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 45 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 |
| Odisha | Odia | 104 | 16 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 44 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 |
| Punjab | Punjabi / Hindi | 96 | 27 | 0 | 20 | 9 | 40 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 0 |
| Rajasthan | Hindi | 96 | 16 | 12 | 19 | 9 | 40 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 0 |
| Delhi (UT) | Hindi | 93 | 13 | 6 | 25 | 9 | 40 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 0 |
| Gujarat | Gujarati | 89 | 6 | 13 | 24 | 8 | 38 | 1 / 1 / 1 / 0 |
| Jharkhand | Hindi / Santhali | 74 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 32 | 1 / 0 / 1 / 0 |
| Uttarakhand | Hindi | 48 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 29 | 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 |
| Assam | Assamese / Bengali / Bodo | 42 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 |
| Chhattisgarh | Hindi | 39 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 |
| Goa | Konkani | 25 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 |
| Himachal Pradesh | Hindi | 23 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Urdu / Hindi | 16 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Tripura | Bengali / Kokborok | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Chandigarh (UT) | Hindi / Punjabi | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | English | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Meghalaya | English / Garo / Khasi | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Andaman & Nicobar | Hindi / English | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Lakshadweep (UT) | Malayalam | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Nagaland | English | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Pondicherry (UT) | Tamil | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Sikkim | Nepali / English | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Manipur | Manipuri / English | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Mizoram | Mizo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli | Gujarati | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Daman & Diu | Gujarati | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Ladakh (UT) | Urdu / Ladakhi / Bhoti | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 |
| Total All India | — | 3,500 | 553 | 226 | 845 | 335 | 1,541 | 32 / 30 / 39 / 24 |
4. Step-by-Step Portal Walkthrough
Applying for the Canara Bank Apprentice program requires a coordinated two-portal registration process. Follow these exact navigation steps:
Stage 1: Mandatory NATS 2.0 Registration
- Visit the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) portal at https://nats.education.gov.in.
- Click on Student Register / Login. If you do not have an existing student account, register using your active Aadhaar-linked mobile number and personal email.
- Fill in all personal, academic, and degree details.
- Upload your degree certificate, marksheets, photograph, and signature.
- Ensure your profile status shows 100% Completed. Download and record your unique NATS Student Enrollment ID.
Stage 2: Canara Bank Portal Application
- Go to the official Canara Bank website at https://canarabank.com.
- Navigate to Careers → Recruitment → Engagement of Graduate Apprentices in Canara Bank under Apprentices Act, 1961 for FY 2026-27.
- Click on “CLICK HERE FOR NEW REGISTRATION”.
- Enter your basic details and input your validated NATS Student Enrollment ID.
- The portal generates a provisional Registration Number and Password. Save these credentials.
- Select your chosen Single State and indicate district preferences in order of choice.
- Enter marks obtained in 12th Standard / Diploma accurately (all subjects, including languages and optionals).
Stage 3: Document Uploads & Technical File Constraints
All scanned digital files must strictly adhere to the technical parameters below:
| Document | Format | Dimensions | File Size Range | Pen / Background Specifics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport Photograph | JPG / JPEG | 200 × 230 px | 20 KB – 50 KB | Light/white background, relaxed face, no red-eye or caps |
| Signature | JPG / JPEG | 140 × 60 px | 10 KB – 20 KB | White paper with Black Ink Pen; NO CAPITAL LETTERS |
| Left Thumb Impression | JPG / JPEG | 240 × 240 px (200 DPI) | 20 KB – 50 KB | White paper with Black or Blue Ink |
| Handwritten Declaration | JPG / JPEG | 800 × 400 px (200 DPI) | 50 KB – 100 KB | Hand-written in English using Black Ink; NO BLOCK LETTERS |
Mandatory Handwritten Declaration Text
The declaration must be written in the candidate’s own handwriting on a white paper:
“I, [Name of Candidate], hereby declare that all the information submitted by me in the application form is correct, true and valid. I will present the supporting documents as and when required.”
Stage 4: Fee Payment & Final Printout
- Review your application using the “SAVE AND NEXT” review option. Check spelling against your SSC marksheet.
- Click on “COMPLETE REGISTRATION”.
- General, OBC, and EWS candidates must complete the online payment of ₹500/- via Debit Card, Credit Card, Internet Banking, or UPI. SC/ST/PwBD candidates submit without charge.
- Download and print the system-generated application form and e-fee receipt. Keep multiple hard copies for Document Verification.
5. Application Mistakes That Cause Rejection
During certificate scrutiny, Canara Bank summarily cancels candidatures for the following three common errors:
- Incorrect 12th Standard Marks Computation:
Because merit ranking is based on 12th/Diploma performance rather than degree marks, many candidates mistakenly input only best-of-four or core science/commerce subject marks. The bank requires the aggregate of all subjects in all semesters/years divided by the maximum aggregate marks. Inflating marks or excluding optional subjects will result in immediate disqualification at the verification desk when official marksheets do not match the form. - Handwritten Declaration Written in Capital Letters or by Someone Else:
The bank’s scanning instructions strictly state that any handwritten declaration written in block/capital letters or penned by another person will render the entire application invalid. It must be in running English handwriting and signed with black ink. - NATS Profile Incompleteness & Degree Date Discrepancies:
Submitting a Canara Bank form with an unverified or sub-100% NATS profile causes automatic cancellation. Furthermore, candidates whose provisional or final graduation certificate date is earlier than 01.01.2023 or later than 01.09.2026 will be disqualified on the spot.
6. Selection Process & Evaluation Method
There is no written competitive examination, CBT, or interview for the 2026-27 apprenticeship engagement. The selection architecture consists of three sequential stages:
[12th Std / Diploma Percentage Merit Ranking]
│
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[State-wise Shortlisting in Descending Order]
│
▼
[Document Verification & Local Language Test]
│
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[Medical Fitness & Digital Contract Execution on NATS]Detailed Merit & Evaluation Framework
- Merit List Compilation: State-wise merit lists are generated in descending order based on the candidate’s aggregate percentage in 12th Standard (HSC/10+2) or Diploma.
- Tie-Breaking Rule: If two or more candidates achieve identical 12th/Diploma percentages, ranking is decided by age in descending order (the candidate older in age receives the higher merit rank).
- Local Language Test:
- Candidates who produced a 10th or 12th standard marksheet showing that they studied the official local language of their applied state are exempt from this test.
- Candidates who did not study the local language in school must take and qualify in a basic reading, writing, and speaking test conducted during Document Verification. Failing this test disqualifies the applicant.
- Digital Apprenticeship Contract: Shortlisted candidates receive a digital contract via the NATS portal. Candidates must accept this contract within the stipulated deadline to commence their 12-month training.
- Waiting List Policy: A state-wise reserve waitlist will remain valid for one year from the declaration of results to fill dropouts and non-joining seats.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can an apprentice claim permanent clerical or officer employment in Canara Bank after completing 12 months?
No. Under the Apprentices Act, 1961, apprenticeship engagement is purely a temporary 12-month training contract. The bank is under no legal obligation to offer regular or permanent employment. Apprentices are not classified as bank employees and do not receive PF, ESI, bonus, or staff loans. Upon completion of training, candidates receive a joint proficiency certificate from NATS and Canara Bank.
How is the monthly stipend of ₹16,650 disbursed to apprentices?
The monthly stipend consists of two components: Canara Bank credits ₹10,500 directly into the apprentice’s savings bank account, while the Central Government contributes ₹6,150 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly into the candidate’s Aadhaar-seeded bank account under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme.
Are candidates with an engineering, science, or arts degree equally eligible?
Yes. A graduate degree in any discipline (B.A., B.Sc., B.Com., B.E., B.Tech., B.B.A., etc.) from any government-recognized university qualifies. However, graduation must have been completed between 1 January 2023 and 1 September 2026, and the candidate must have scored at least 60% in 12th/Diploma (55% for SC/ST/PwBD).
Can I apply for multiple states if I know multiple regional languages?
No. An applicant can register for only one state. The online portal rejects duplicate applications with the same NATS Enrollment ID, Aadhaar number, or mobile number. Choose the state where you have verified local language proficiency and meet the district preference requirements.
