Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a Maharatna PSU, has released the IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026 notification for engagement of 1,524 Trade and Technician Apprentices across its Bongaigaon, Gujarat, Mathura and Paradip refineries. The online window opened on 29 June 2026 and the last date to apply is 28 July 2026 (5:00 PM). With zero application fee and purely merit-based selection, this is one of the year’s biggest apprenticeship drives for ITI holders, diploma engineers, Class 12 pass candidates and graduates.
IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Overview
| Recruiting Body | Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Refineries Division |
|---|---|
| Post Name | Trade Apprentice and Technician Apprentice (11 trade/discipline codes) |
| Category | Government Jobs / Apprenticeship (PSU) |
| Total Vacancies | 1,524 |
| Job Location | Bongaigaon (Assam), Gujarat (Vadodara), Mathura (UP), Paradip (Odisha) |
| Application Mode | Online (NAPS/NATS registration + refinery-wise MS Form) |
| Official Website | iocl.com |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Released | 29 June 2026 |
| Application Start | 29 June 2026 (10:00 AM) |
| Last Date to Apply | 28 July 2026 (5:00 PM) |
| Exam Date | Not applicable – no written test this cycle; shortlist expected 5 August 2026 (tentative) |
| Admit Card | Not applicable; document verification 11 to 18 August 2026 (tentative) |
Kindly note the shortlist and DV dates are tentative; keep checking the official website for updates.
Vacancy Details
The 1,524 seats are spread across four refineries: Gujarat Refinery has the lion’s share with 647 seats, followed by Paradip with 582, Mathura with 151 and Bongaigaon with 144. Trade-wise, the biggest chunks are Attendant Operator (Chemical) with around 361 seats, Technician Apprentice (Chemical) with 286, Electrical with 211 and Mechanical with 176; the rest cover Instrumentation, Fitter, Boiler, Secretarial Assistant, Accountant and Data Entry Operator trades. The category-wise break-up is given in each unit’s advertisement PDF on iocl.com.
Do note that IOCL’s Pipelines Division runs separate apprentice cycles – the previous one (394 seats) closed in February 2026; fresh pipelines notifications appear on the same careers page.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
Qualifications differ by trade code, so interested aspirants must match their certificate to the specific code before applying:
- Attendant Operator (Chemical): 3-year B.Sc. with Physics, Maths and Chemistry or Industrial Chemistry.
- Fitter, Boiler and similar shop-floor trades: Class X/XII with ITI in the relevant trade.
- Technician Apprentices: 3-year full-time Diploma in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical or Instrumentation Engineering.
- Secretarial Assistant, Accountant, Data Entry Operator: Class XII or a 3-year B.A./B.Com./B.Sc., as applicable.
A minimum of 50% aggregate marks is required in the qualifying examination (45% for SC/ST and PwBD candidates against reserved seats), and the qualification must be a regular, full-time course from a recognised board or university.
Age Limit
Candidates must be 18 to 24 years as on 30 June 2026. Upper age relaxation applies as per Government of India rules: up to 27 years for OBC (NCL), 29 years for SC/ST, plus 10 additional years for PwBD candidates of the respective category.
Application Fee
There is no application fee for any category. IOCL never asks for money at any stage of apprentice engagement, so kindly stay away from touts or “guaranteed selection” agents.
Salary / Pay Scale (Stipend)
Apprentices are paid a monthly stipend under the Apprentices Act, 1961/1973 – this is a training engagement, not a regular pay-scale post. Trade Apprentices can expect roughly Rs 7,000 to Rs 9,000 per month, while diploma-holder Technician Apprentices receive around Rs 8,000 per month, shared between the government (through BOAT/NATS) and IOCL; the exact trade-wise stipend is as per the official notification. HRA and accommodation are not provided, but safety equipment and accident insurance are given, and the stipend is credited only to an Aadhaar-seeded bank account.
Selection Process
Selection is completely merit-based this cycle – no written examination, no interview. The stages are:
- Merit shortlisting on percentage of marks in the prescribed qualifying examination (aggregate of all semesters/years).
- Document verification (DV) at the respective refinery, tentatively from 11 to 18 August 2026.
- Pre-engagement medical fitness examination as per IOCL norms.
If two candidates have equal marks, the older candidate ranks higher, with matriculation marks as the next tie-breaker.
Exam Pattern & Syllabus Highlights
Since the Refineries Division 2026 cycle carries no written test, your “exam” is effectively the marksheet you already hold – the aggregate percentage in your ITI/diploma/degree decides your rank. Calculate your aggregate correctly (all semesters, not just the final year) and enter it exactly as per marksheets, since any mismatch at DV leads to rejection. For awareness, some IOCL divisions have used online written tests in earlier apprentice cycles – discipline questions plus aptitude, reasoning and basic English – so always read the specific advertisement first.
How to Apply Online
- Register on the NAPS portal (trade codes 101–103, 108–111) or the NATS portal (technician codes 104–107) and note your enrolment number.
- Visit the official IOCL website, open Careers, then Apprenticeships / “Engagement of Apprentices under Refineries Division”.
- Read the detailed advertisement PDF of your chosen refinery and confirm your trade code, qualification and age eligibility.
- Open the Microsoft Form link for that refinery and fill in your details – use the same email ID and mobile number as on NAPS/NATS, else your candidature can be rejected.
- Enter your marks carefully, keep documents ready as instructed, and submit before 28 July 2026, 5:00 PM.
- Save a screenshot of the submitted form and track the shortlist on the official website: iocl.com.
Admit Card & Result
As there is no written examination, no admit card will be issued for this recruitment. Instead, IOCL will publish a shortlist (merit list) of provisionally selected candidates on the official website, tentatively on 5 August 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be intimated by email/SMS and must appear for document verification at the concerned refinery between 11 and 18 August 2026 (tentative) with all original certificates; the final engagement list comes after DV and medical fitness. Kindly check your registered email (including spam folder) regularly during early August.
Preparation Tips & Document Checklist
Because merit is fixed by your existing marks, your real work lies in flawless paperwork – in past IOCL apprentice cycles, most rejections happened at DV, not at shortlisting. Keep these ready:
- Class X certificate (as date-of-birth proof) and marksheet.
- All semester/year marksheets plus the final pass certificate of your qualifying examination (ITI/Diploma/Degree/Class XII).
- Caste certificate (OBC-NCL in the latest financial year format) / EWS certificate / PwBD certificate, where applicable.
- Aadhaar card and an Aadhaar-seeded bank passbook – mandatory for stipend credit.
- Recent passport-size photographs and a valid personal email ID and mobile number.
Practical tips: register on NAPS/NATS early, as Aadhaar OTP failures are common near deadlines; double-check your trade code, since a wrong code means summary rejection; and do not wait for 28 July – portals face heavy closing-day traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
28 July 2026 up to 5:00 PM. Both NAPS/NATS registration and the refinery-wise MS Form must be completed by then.
Is there any written exam for IOCL Apprentice 2026?
No. Selection is purely on merit of qualifying-exam marks, followed by document verification and medical examination.
Is there any application fee?
No, the application is completely free for all categories.
Is NAPS/NATS registration compulsory?
Yes. Trade Apprentices register on NAPS and Technician Apprentices on NATS; the MS Form alone is not a valid application.
Will I get a permanent IOCL job after the apprenticeship?
No. IOCL is under no obligation to offer employment after training, though the refinery experience carries genuine weight in future PSU and private-sector recruitments.
Important Links
Official Website / Apply Online – IOCL
Disclaimer: The details above are compiled from the official IOCL notification and reputed employment news sources as on 1 July 2026. Vacancies, dates and eligibility may be revised through corrigenda; readers are strongly advised to verify every detail on the official website iocl.com before applying.