IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 500 Technician Apprentice, Trade Apprentice and Other Posts

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Pipelines Division), a Government of India Undertaking, has invited applications for around 500 apprentices across seven trades: Technician Apprentice (Mechanical, Electrical, Telecommunication & Instrumentation), Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource, Accountant), Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices) and Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders). The stipend is as prescribed under the Apprentices Act and the Corporation's guidelines, and the training lasts 12 months. Candidates apply on the NATS or NAPS portal and then on the Indian Oil Pipelines portal, from 6 November 2026 to 5 December 2026.

IOCL Recruitment 2026 Quick Facts

Particulars	Details
Establishment	Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Pipelines Division), a Government of India Undertaking
Advertisement No.	PL/HR/ESTB/APPR (2026), dated 06.11.2026
Seats	Around 500 (tentative)
Trades	Technician Apprentice (Mechanical), Technician Apprentice (Electrical), Technician Apprentice (Telecommunication & Instrumentation), Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource), Trade Apprentice (Accountant), Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices), Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders)
Stipend	As prescribed under Apprentices Act, 1961/1973, Apprentices Rules 1992/2019 and Corporation's guidelines
Training Period	12 months from the date of engagement
Who Can Apply	Eligible Indian Nationals with the qualification for the chosen trade
Age Limit	Minimum 18 years and maximum 24 years as on 30.11.2026
Apply At	NATS / NAPS portal, then https://plapps.indianoilpipelines.in/
Last Date	05.12.2026

The official notification does not specify the amount of the stipend or the application fee, and it does not give the number of seats trade by trade.

About the Pipelines Division

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) describes itself in the notice as the largest commercial enterprise in India and a Fortune "Global 500" company. Through its Pipelines Division it proposes to engage apprentices in technical and non-technical trades, as a measure of Skill Building Initiative for the Nation, under The Apprentices Act, 1961.

Seats by Region, State and Location

The notice calls the seats tentative. The total of 500 is the sum of the five regional totals (116 + 149 + 110 + 46 + 79).

Region	State	Location	Seats
ERPL	Assam	Bongaigaon, Guwahati	13
ERPL	Bihar	Barauni, Motihari, Muzaffarpur, Patna	25
ERPL	Jharkhand	Jassisdih	3
ERPL	Uttar Pradesh	Baitalpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mughalsarai, Prayagraj	30
ERPL	West Bengal	Asansol, Bolpur, Budge Budge, Durgapur, Haldia, Siligudi, Kalyani, Kolkata, Madarihat, Mourigram, Rajbandh	45
Eastern Region Pipelines: Total			116
WRPL	Gujarat	Ahmedabad, Dumad, Hazira, Jamnagar, Kandla, Koyali, Mundra, Radhanpur, Rajkot, Sidhpur, Songadh, Surendranagar, Vadinar, Viramgam	83
WRPL	Madhya Pradesh	Ratlam	5
WRPL	Maharashtra	Ahmednagar, Manmad, Solapur	13
WRPL	Rajasthan	Abu Road, Beawar, Chaksu, Chittorgarh, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kot, Rajola	48
Western Region Pipelines: Total			149
NRPL	Delhi	New Delhi	13
NRPL	Haryana	Ambala, Kohand, Panipat, Rewari	29
NRPL	Himachal Pradesh	Una	5
NRPL	Punjab	Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Nabha, Sangrur	21
NRPL	Rajasthan	Bharatpur	5
NRPL	Uttar Pradesh	Agra, Mathura, Meerut, Najibabad, Noida	32
NRPL	Uttarakhand	Roorkee	5
Northern Region Pipelines: Total			110
SRPL	Andhra Pradesh	Chittoor	3
SRPL	Karnataka	Bangalore	5
SRPL	Tamil Nadu	Asanur, Chengelpet, Chennai, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Sankari, Trichy	38
Southern Region Pipelines: Total			46
SERPL	Andhra Pradesh	Atchutapuram, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Vizag	14
SERPL	Chhattisgarh	Korba, Raipur	8
SERPL	Jharkhand	Khunti	3
SERPL	Odisha	Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur, Jatni, Jharsuguda, Paradip, Sambalpur	49
SERPL	Telangana	Hyderabad	5
South Eastern Region Pipelines: Total			79
Pipelines Division: Total			500

Who Can Apply

Applications are invited from eligible Indian Nationals. Candidates select their trade on the basis of their qualification at the time of application, and can apply for one Trade Code only.

Qualification

Trade	Qualification Required
Technician Apprentice (Mechanical)	Three years (or lateral entry after Class-XII (Sc)/ITI admitted in 2nd year of Diploma course) full time Diploma in Mechanical Engineering or Automobile Engineering.
Technician Apprentice (Electrical)	Three years (or lateral entry after Class-XII (Sc)/ITI admitted in 2nd year of Diploma course) full time Diploma in Electrical Engineering or Electrical & Electronics Engineering.
Technician Apprentice (Telecommunication & Instrumentation)	Three years (or lateral entry after Class-XII (Sc)/ITI admitted in 2nd year of Diploma course) full time Diploma in any of the disciplines of Engineering listed below the table, from a Govt. recognized Institute.
Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource)	Full Time Bachelor degree (Graduation) from a Govt. recognized Institute/University.
Trade Apprentice (Accountant)	Full Time Bachelor degree (Graduation) in Commerce from a Govt. recognized Institute/University.
Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices)	Minimum 12th Pass (but below Graduate).
Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders)	Minimum 12th Pass (but below Graduate), and a Skill Certificate of 'Domestic Data Entry Operator' for training of less than one year, issued by an awarding body recognized under National Skill Qualifications Framework or any other authority recognized by the Central Govt.

Disciplines accepted for Technician Apprentice (Telecommunication & Instrumentation):

• Electronics & Communication Engineering
• Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering
• Electronics & Radio Communication Engineering
• Instrumentation & Control Engineering
• Instrumentation & Process Control Engineering
• Electronics Engineering

• The qualification must already be passed on 30.11.2026, the date for reckoning eligibility. Candidates whose result is awaited on that date are not eligible.
• The Graduate/Diploma qualification must be a regular full-time course in the relevant trade/discipline from a recognized University/Institute, with minimum 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC/ST and PwBD candidates for the posts reserved for them).

The notice also lists the PwBD categories (minimum 40% disability) for which each trade is suitable. The disability certificate must be in terms of Rule 18(1) and 20 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017, in Form V, VI or VII.

Trade	Suitable disabilities
Technician Apprentice (Mechanical/Electrical/Telecommunication & Instrumentation)	Leprosy cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack victims; multiple disabilities from amongst these
Trade Apprentice (Accountant)	Hard of Hearing; Musculoskeletal (One Leg, Both Legs), Leprosy Cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack Victims; multiple disabilities from amongst these
Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource)	Low Vision; Hard of Hearing; Musculoskeletal (One Arm, One Leg, Both Legs, One Arm & One Leg), Leprosy Cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack Victims; multiple disabilities from amongst these
Data Entry Operator and Domestic Data Entry Operator	Hard of Hearing; Musculoskeletal (One Leg, Both Legs), Leprosy Cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack Victims; multiple disabilities from amongst these

Age

Minimum 18 years and maximum 24 years as on 30.11.2026, which is the date for reckoning any eligibility criteria. The upper age limit is relaxed as follows.

Category	Relaxation
SC/ST (against reserved positions)	Up to 5 years
OBC (NCL) (against reserved positions)	Up to 3 years
PwBD (irrespective of reservation of posts)	Up to 10 years
PwBD belonging to SC/ST	Further 5 years
PwBD-OBC (NCL)	Further 3 years

Who Cannot Apply

• Candidates whose qualification was acquired through part-time, correspondence or distance education.
• Candidates with higher professional qualifications such as BE/B.Tech., MBA, CA, LLB, MCA or equivalent, or pursuing a higher qualification and having completed it on or before joining apprenticeship training.
• Candidates who have undergone apprenticeship training earlier or are pursuing it under the Apprentices Act.
• Candidates with training and/or job experience of one year or more after attaining the qualification.
• Candidates who have completed five years after acquiring the prescribed qualification as on 30.11.2026.
• Candidates applying for more than one Trade Code; such applications will be summarily rejected.

Reservation

Reservation of seats to SC/ST/OBC (Non Creamy Layer)/PwBD/EWS candidates is as per the applicable Govt. guidelines. The minimum qualification marks are relaxed by 5% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates considered against reserved positions. If EWS seats in a trade cannot be filled from EWS candidates, they may be filled by unreserved category candidates on the basis of position in the Panel cum Merit List. SC/ST/OBC (NCL) candidates applying for an Unreserved seat are considered on the standards applicable to General category candidates. For OBC (NCL), the caste named in the certificate must be in the Central List of OBCs of the respective State, and the Non-Creamy Layer status must be valid on the cut-off date.

Candidates should refer to the official notification for the discipline-specific eligibility of each trade.

Stipend and Training Period

The apprenticeship lasts 12 months from the date of engagement. The monthly stipend is as prescribed under the Apprentices Act, 1961/1973, the Apprentices Rules 1992/2019 as amended from time to time, and the Corporation's guidelines. During the apprenticeship no other monetary or non-monetary benefit such as accommodation, HRA, conveyance or medical facility is admissible; apprentices arrange these themselves. The terms of engagement are governed by The Apprentices Act, 1961 and Rules 1992 as amended. On completion, the Corporation has no obligation to offer employment, and an apprentice cannot claim employment on that ground.

How to Apply for IOCL Recruitment 2026

Applying is a two-portal process. The NAPS/NATS application must come first, before registering on the Indian Oil Pipelines portal. No other mode of application is accepted.

1. Register as an apprentice on the portal for your trade: https://www.apprenticeshipindia.gov.in (NAPS) for Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices) and Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders); https://nats.education.gov.in/student_register.php (NATS) for the three Technician Apprentice trades and for Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource/Accountant).
2. Log in with your User ID/Email ID and apply for the opening with the Establishment ID of IOCL for your region, between 06.11.2026 and 05.12.2026. Check that your personal details, educational details, category and aggregate percentage show correctly; corrections are made through the NAPS/NATS office.
3. Register on the Indian Oil Pipelines portal https://plapps.indianoilpipelines.in/ using the same email ID and mobile number as on NAPS/NATS; both must stay valid for the whole apprenticeship period.
4. In Part-I, enter basic details such as name and category and create a password. A registration number is sent to your email ID/SMS; log in again with it and your password.
5. In Part-II, upload a scanned colour photograph (20-50 KB, JPG) and signature in black ink (10-30 KB, JPG), enter educational qualification and experience details, and submit. This is the final submission and details cannot be changed afterwards.
6. Mention the NAPS/NATS registration/enrolment number in the Indian Oil Pipelines portal, and complete this application by 05.12.2026.
7. Take a printout of the filled-in online application.

Region	Establishment ID for NATS	Establishment ID for NAPS
Eastern Region Pipelines (ERPL)	EWBKOC000079	E11181900005
Western Region Pipelines (WRPL)	WGJRAC000006	E11182400087
Northern Region Pipelines (NRPL)	NHRPPC000001	E12180600006
Southern Region Pipelines (SRPL)	STNCHC000040	E12183300008
South Eastern Region Pipelines (SERPL)	EORBBSC000001	E02252100002

The portal also hosts FAQs/How to apply options, and the disability certificate format, caste/tribe/EWS certificate formats and the pre-engagement medical guidelines are under its Downloads section.

Selection Process

Selection is by a Panel cum Merit List, followed by document verification and medical fitness. There is no written test or personal interview.

Panel cum Merit List

All applicants for a post who meet the eligibility criteria are ranked in descending order of the percentage of marks (aggregate of all subjects of all years/semesters) in the essential qualification for the trade applied. Where CGPA/OGPA or letter grade is awarded, the equivalent aggregate percentage must be entered in the application. A certificate from the Board/University/Institute stating the equivalent percentage must be uploaded and produced at document verification, otherwise candidature is not considered. If the Board does not follow a conversion formula, a certificate to that effect is needed, and the aggregate grade score of each semester/year divided by the number of semesters/years is considered. Ties go to the older candidate, and if the date of birth is also the same, to the higher Matriculation percentage. Candidates are shortlisted purely on the information furnished in the online portal.

Document Verification and Medical Fitness

The list of candidates provisionally selected for Document Verification and Medical Fitness will be published on the IOCL website. Candidates receive a link on their registered email to give their preference for the place of document verification and three preferences for the place of apprenticeship training in the applied State (wherever applicable). Allotment of the training place is based on merit. Originals are verified before joining, and an offer of engagement is issued only to candidates whose documents, including the medical fitness certificate, are in order.

Documents Required

At document verification, bring the originals with a self-attested copy of each, plus a passport size photograph and self-attested copies of certificates/mark sheets:

• Xth Standard/Matriculation certificate/mark sheet from the Education Board, as proof of date of birth (no other document is accepted for date of birth).
• Latest caste certificate in the Government prescribed proforma, issued by the Competent Authority, for reserved category candidates.
• For OBC-NCL: latest caste certificate not more than 12 months old from 30.11.2026, in the Govt. of India proforma, stating the candidate is not in the creamy layer.
• Semester-wise/year-wise mark sheets of ITI (NCVT/SCVT)/HSC/Graduation/Diploma in Engineering.
• Final ITI (NCVT/SCVT) Certificate/HSC/Graduation/Diploma in Engineering from the Board/Authority/Institute.
• First page of the Bank passbook of an Aadhaar seeded account, Aadhar Card, PAN Card and a cancelled cheque leaf.
• Pre-Engagement Medical Fitness Certificate.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Date of opening of online application	06.11.2026
Cut-off date for age, qualification and eligibility	30.11.2026
Last date of submission of online application	05.12.2026

Important Instructions

• Incomplete applications, those received by any other mode, those not meeting eligibility and those received after the last date are treated as rejected. Canvassing of any kind disqualifies the candidate.
• Candidature is provisional. Incorrect, false or suppressed information cancels candidature, and engagement is liable to be terminated if it is found after engagement.
• Engagement is subject to medical fitness as per IndianOil's pre-engagement standard. Persons with benchmark disabilities, except for the identified disability, must be within the normal range of all other physical standards.
• Only one mobile number and one email ID can be used per candidate, and the same ones cannot be used by another candidate for this notification.
• Suppression of information on possessing or pursuing a higher qualification makes a candidate ineligible at any stage, and engagement can be terminated at any time.
• Mere application, document verification or empanelment gives no right of engagement. Seats may remain unfilled for unsuitability or insufficient candidates, and the management's decision is final.
• Disputes fall under the sole jurisdiction of the courts at Kolkata (ERPL), Ahmedabad (WRPL), Chandigarh (NRPL), Chennai (SRPL) and Cuttack (SERPL).
• Queries relevant to the advertisement, and not already answered in it, go to the regional email: erplapprentice@indianoil.in, wrplapprentice@indianoil.in, nrplapprentice@indianoil.in, srplapprentice@indianoil.in or serplapprentice@indianoil.in.
• All corrigenda, addenda and updates will appear only on https://www.iocl.com/apprenticeships.

Official Links

Link	Details
Apply Online (NATS/NAPS and Indian Oil Pipelines portal)	Application window 06.11.2026 to 05.12.2026
IOCL Apprentice Official Notification PDF	Advertisement No. PL/HR/ESTB/APPR (2026)
IOCL Apprenticeships Official Website	Updates, corrigenda and future correspondence

IOCL Recruitment 2026 - FAQs

Q1. How many seats are there in IOCL Recruitment 2026?

The notice invites applications for around 500 apprentices in the IOCL Pipelines Division, with the seats described as tentative. The break-up is ERPL 116, WRPL 149, NRPL 110, SRPL 46 and SERPL 79.

Q2. What is the last date to apply for the IOCL apprentice posts?

The last date for submission of the online application is 5 December 2026. Applications opened on 6 November 2026, and the same dates apply on the NATS/NAPS portal and the Indian Oil Pipelines portal.

Q3. What is the qualification for IOCL apprentice 2026?

It depends on the trade: a full-time diploma in the listed engineering disciplines for Technician Apprentice, a full-time Bachelor degree for Trade Apprentice (Commerce for Accountant), and minimum 12th pass but below graduate for the Data Entry Operator posts. The qualification must be passed by 30.11.2026.

Q4. What is the age limit for the IOCL apprentice recruitment?

The age must be minimum 18 years and maximum 24 years as on 30.11.2026. The upper limit is relaxed by up to 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC (NCL) and 10 years for PwBD candidates.

Q5. How do I apply for IOCL Recruitment 2026?

First register and apply on NAPS (Data Entry Operator posts) or NATS (all other trades) using the IOCL Establishment ID of your region. Then complete Part-I and Part-II registration on https://plapps.indianoilpipelines.in/ by 05.12.2026.

Q6. Is there a written test or interview for the IOCL apprentice posts?

No. The notice says there shall be no written test or personal interview. Selection is by a Panel cum Merit List based on the percentage of marks in the essential qualification, followed by document verification and medical fitness.

Q7. How long is the IOCL apprenticeship and is it a permanent job?

The training lasts 12 months from the date of engagement under The Apprentices Act, 1961. It is not a permanent job: the Corporation has no obligation to offer employment after the apprenticeship.

Q8. Will IOCL apprentices get HRA or accommodation?

No. Apart from the monthly stipend, no other monetary or non-monetary benefit such as accommodation, HRA, conveyance or medical facility is admissible. Apprentices make their own arrangements.

Q9. Can I apply for more than one trade?

No. A candidate can apply for one Trade Code only, and applicants for more than one Trade Code will not be considered and their applications will be summarily rejected.