Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Maharatna Defence PSU behind the Tejas fighter and Dhruv helicopter, is rolling out its 2026-27 apprentice intake division by division — Barrackpore notified 62 seats in January 2026 (Advt. No. HR/TRG/2026/01/03), Bengaluru followed in February, and Hyderabad’s Avionics Division recently completed a 337-seat drive for ITI, Diploma and Graduate apprentices. Selection is purely merit-based with no written exam, so the real battle is fought on documents and timing. With Hyderabad joining slated for July 2026 and more divisions expected to notify, interested aspirants should track the official website closely.
HAL Apprentice & Technician Recruitment 2026 — Overview
| Recruiting Body | Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Maharatna CPSE, Ministry of Defence |
|---|---|
| Post Name | Technician (Diploma), Engineering Graduate, General Stream Graduate & ITI Trade Apprentices |
| Category | Government Jobs (Apprenticeship under Apprentices Act, 1961) |
| Total Vacancies | 62 (Barrackpore) + 337 (Hyderabad) notified so far; more divisions expected |
| Job Location | HAL Divisions — Barrackpore (Kolkata), Bengaluru, Hyderabad and others |
| Application Mode | NATS 2.0 registration + walk-in document verification (division-wise) |
| Official Website | hal-india.co.in |
Important Dates
Kindly note HAL runs no single all-India cycle; each division notifies separately. Verified 2026 dates so far:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Barrackpore notification released | 13 January 2026 |
| Barrackpore walk-in | 28–30 January 2026 (completed) |
| Bengaluru (TTI) walk-in | 23–25 February 2026 (completed) |
| Hyderabad Avionics walk-in (ITI, Diploma & Graduate) | Late May – 5 June 2026 (completed) |
| Hyderabad merit / shortlist | End of June 2026, per division notice |
| Hyderabad joining / reporting | 17 / 27 July 2026 (post-wise, as notified) |
| Written exam date | Not applicable — merit-based, no exam |
| Admit card | Not applicable — NATS printout carried instead |
| Next division notices (Nashik, Koraput, Lucknow, Korwa etc.) | Expected phase-wise through 2026-27 (tentative) |
Vacancy Details
Barrackpore’s notification listed 50 Technician (Diploma) seats — Mechanical 30, Electrical 6, Electronics/E&TC 5, Civil 4, Instrumentation 3, CSE/IT 2 — plus 9 Engineering Graduate seats (Mechanical 5, one each in Electronics, CSE/IT, Electrical, Instrumentation) and 3 General Stream Graduate seats (B.Com 1, B.Sc./BCA 2), totalling 62.
The Hyderabad Avionics drive (Advt. No. HAL/HD/TRG/2026-27/NATS/01 and its ITI counterpart) carried about 337 seats — roughly 205 ITI Trade Apprentices in trades like Fitter, Electronics Mechanic, Electrician, Machinist, Turner and Welder, plus 30 Diploma Technician, 68 Engineering Graduate and 34 General Stream Graduate seats. HAL can modify vacancy counts, so always read the division PDF.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
- Technician (Diploma) Apprentice: Full-time, regular Diploma in the respective engineering branch from a recognised State Board of Technical Education.
- Engineering Graduate Apprentice: B.E./B.Tech in the relevant discipline from a recognised university.
- General Stream Graduate Apprentice: B.Com, B.Sc. or BCA from a recognised university.
- ITI Trade Apprentice: 10th pass plus NCVT/SCVT certificate in the notified trade.
- Year of passing: Barrackpore restricted eligibility to 2021–2025 pass-outs; Bengaluru asked for qualifying on or after 01/04/2021. Freshers only — one or more years of work experience, or a prior/ongoing NATS contract, makes you ineligible.
Age Limit
For the Barrackpore 2026 notice, the band was 18 to 26 years as on 31/12/2025 for General/EWS candidates. For ITI trades the Apprentices Act prescribes a minimum of 14 years (18 for hazardous work), ceiling as per the division notice. Upper age relaxation for SC/ST/OBC(NCL)/PwBD is extended as per Government guidelines, and reservation for EWS, OBC(NCL), SC, ST and PwBD applies as per the Act and HAL rules.
Application Fee
There is no application fee for any category — General, OBC, EWS, SC, ST or PwBD. NATS registration and walk-in verification are completely free. If any website demands money for a HAL apprentice form, treat it as fraud.
Salary / Pay Scale (Stipend)
Apprentices draw a consolidated monthly stipend under the Apprentices Act, 1961 — training remuneration, not a pay-level salary. Verified figures: HAL Bengaluru’s 2026 notice offered Rs. 12,300 per month for graduates and Rs. 10,900 for diploma holders; the statutory floor is around Rs. 9,000 (graduates), Rs. 8,000 (diploma technicians) and Rs. 7,000–8,000 for ITI trades. Kindly note there is no HRA, TA/DA or PF; accommodation and travel are the candidate’s own responsibility. Confirm the exact division-wise stipend from the official notification.
Selection Process
Many portals mislead aspirants here: there is no written test and no interview. Selection is 100% merit-based on marks in the prescribed qualification. Stages: NATS registration, walk-in with originals, document verification, merit shortlisting, publication of the list on hal-india.co.in, then joining.
Exam Pattern & Syllabus Highlights
Since no exam is conducted, there is no syllabus to prepare. What decides your fate is the merit computation: for ITI drives, HAL divisions have typically weighted Class 10 marks around 70% and ITI marks 30%, while diploma and graduate seats are ranked on final aggregate percentage. Candidates with CGPA must produce the institute’s official conversion formula — without it, merit cannot be computed and candidature can be rejected at the venue itself. Ties are generally resolved by date of birth.
How to Apply Online
- Register as a “Student” on the NATS 2.0 portal (ITI trades: the apprenticeship portal, as specified) and note the system-generated registration number.
- Download your division’s apprentice notification PDF from the HAL careers page; confirm branch, year of passing and age eligibility.
- Print your NATS registration details; arrange originals plus one photocopy set of all certificates (list below).
- Report at the walk-in venue on your category’s date by 9:00 AM sharp — late arrival can cost you the seat.
- Complete document verification, then track the shortlist on hal-india.co.in.
Admit Card & Result
No admit card is issued because no examination is held; your NATS registration printout, Aadhaar and originals are your entry documents at the walk-in. The result comes as a merit-cum-shortlist PDF on the HAL website and division notice board — Hyderabad, for instance, published its shortlist at end-June 2026 with reporting in July 2026. Joining formalities (medical fitness, NATS contract registration) happen at the division. HAL does not send postal call letters, so keep checking the careers section.
Preparation Tips & Document Checklist
- Complete NATS 2.0 registration well before the walk-in — Aadhaar and bank verification can take 24–48 hours.
- Obtain your CGPA-to-percentage conversion certificate in advance; HAL notifications explicitly demand it.
- OBC candidates need a valid current-year Non-Creamy Layer certificate; EWS/SC/ST/PwBD certificates in the prescribed format.
- Checklist: Aadhaar, 10th/SSLC certificate (DOB proof), birth certificate if DOB is missing there, all mark sheets, provisional/final degree or diploma certificate, three passport photos, one photocopy set.
- Since merit is fixed, target divisions where your branch has more seats — Mechanical took 30 of Barrackpore’s 50 diploma seats.
- Reach early; some divisions (Bengaluru) process candidates first-come-first-served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any written exam for HAL Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
No. Selection is purely on merit in the qualifying examination; no written test or interview at any division.
I passed my diploma in 2020 — can I apply?
Generally no. The 2026 notices restricted eligibility to 2021–2025 pass-outs. Check your division’s exact cut-off.
What stipend will I receive during training?
As per the Apprentices Act — indicatively Rs. 10,900–12,300 per month at Bengaluru; other divisions pay statutory rates. Confirm from your notification.
Does the apprenticeship guarantee a HAL job afterwards?
No. The contract ends after one year with no obligation of employment, but the training certificate and aerospace exposure carry genuine weight in HAL’s own direct recruitments and other PSU openings.
Can I apply if I am already doing an apprenticeship elsewhere?
No. Candidates who have undergone, are undergoing, or are registered under a NATS contract elsewhere are ineligible.
Important Links
Official Website / Apply Online — hal-india.co.in
Disclaimer: This article is compiled from HAL’s official division notifications and reputable employment-news sources for information purposes only. Vacancies, dates, stipend and eligibility can be modified by HAL at its discretion. Candidates are strongly advised to verify every detail from the official notification PDF on hal-india.co.in before applying, and to beware of anyone demanding payment.