HPCL Graduate Apprentice 2026: 358 Seats, Rs 25,000 Stipend, Apply by 31 July

A ₹25,000 monthly stipend for a fresh engineering graduate, no exam, no interview, and a year inside a Maharatna oil company: that is HPCL’s Marketing Division apprentice offer this cycle. There are 358 training slots spread across 25 states and union territories, open to BE and BTech holders in four branches who finished their degree in September 2023 or later. The window is short, from 15 July to 31 July 2026, and it is training, not a job, which the notification says in as many words.

HPCL Graduate Apprentice 2026: Quick Facts

Training, Not a Job: HPCL’s Own Words

The notification settles this itself: “HPCL does not give any commitment/assurance on providing permanent/temporary employment to Apprentices on successful completion of Apprenticeship period.” So walk in with the right frame. What completing the year does give you, per the same notification, is a pair of concrete carry-overs in future HPCL recruitments only: age relaxation up to the apprenticeship period, and 5% grace marks in the computer-based test of a future HPCL recruitment. Those are real, but they are advantages for a later application, not a pathway into a post.

Where the 358 Slots Sit

The slots are distributed state-wise, and you choose exactly one state of training in the form. The bigger allocations: Maharashtra 64, Uttar Pradesh 37, Gujarat 32, Tamil Nadu 20, Telangana 19, Delhi 18, Rajasthan 17, Punjab 16 and Andhra Pradesh 15, with Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka and West Bengal at 14 each and the rest spread down to single seats. There is no domicile requirement; you may pick any state, but you will train at a location within the state you pick, and the choice is yours alone, so choose where you can genuinely live for a year. The notification calls the slot counts tentative and reserves the right to change or cancel them.

Who Is Eligible, and the Three-Year Degree Rule

• Branch: a full-time BE or BTech in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Instrumentation, from an institution recognised by AICTE, UGC or the Board of Technical Education.
• Recency: the degree must be completed on or after 1 September 2023. Anyone who finished earlier is not eligible, so the drive targets the 2023-2026 pass-out window.
• Marks: 60% aggregate across all semesters for UR and OBC-NC, 50% for SC, ST and PwBD, with no rounding: 59.99% counts as below 60%.
• Bars: a year or more of work experience disqualifies you, as does any previous or existing apprenticeship contract on the NATS portal with any organisation. HPCL checks this after joining, and a violation ends the apprenticeship without stipend.
• Registration precondition: only candidates registered and approved on the NATS 2.0 portal and by the Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT) are considered, so complete that registration before the HPCL form.

No Exam: Merit, Then a 1:5 Verification Call

There is no test and no interview anywhere in this selection. HPCL screens applications on the merit of your qualifying-exam percentage, branch-wise against the slots, and calls candidates for document verification at 5 times the slots, in merit order, by email. The final merit list is drawn from those who report for verification and are found suitable, and engagement follows in merit order once you accept the tri-partite apprenticeship contract on the NATS portal, submit a medical fitness certificate in the prescribed format and clear police verification. Strong academic marks are the entire game here.

The ₹25,000 Stipend, Split Two Ways

The stipend is a genuine standout for an apprenticeship: ₹25,000 a month, of which ₹20,500 comes from HPCL and ₹4,500 is paid directly by the Government of India under the DBT scheme. The notification adds that HPCL carries no obligation for housing or any other allowance beyond the fixed stipend, so budget the year on that number alone. For comparison, the PSU apprentice stipends we have covered recently run between ₹9,600 and ₹15,000 a month, which is why this drive deserves the attention of recent engineering graduates even with only 358 seats.

How to Apply in the Right Order

1. Register on the NATS 2.0 portal at nats.education.gov.in and get your profile approved, since only NATS-approved candidates are considered.
2. Go to jobs.hpcl.co.in, sign up as a new user and wait for your login credentials by email.
3. Fill the single application: engineering branch, personal details, your one state of training, qualification details, and uploads of photo and signature. One application only; multiple forms are rejected.
4. Preview, tick the declarations and final-submit before 31 July 2026. Save the HPCL application number from your confirmation email; no hard copy is to be sent.

This joins our PSU jobs coverage alongside the HPCL Junior Executive officer recruitment and the daily jobs feed.

Is It Worth a Year?

For a 2023-2026 engineering pass-out without a placement in hand, this is one of the better structured years available: ₹25,000 a month, Maharatna exposure in the marketing and infrastructure side of the oil business, and measurable advantages in future HPCL recruitment. The honest trade-offs are that it ends without a job commitment, the merit cut in popular states will run high with only 358 seats nationally, and the window closes fast on 31 July. If your percentage is strong, apply early and pick your state with care.

HPCL Graduate Apprentice 2026: Common Questions

Is the HPCL Graduate Apprentice a permanent job?

No. It is a one-year apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, and the notification states HPCL gives no commitment of permanent or temporary employment on completion. Ex-apprentices do get age relaxation and 5% grace marks in future HPCL recruitment tests.

What is the HPCL apprentice stipend?

₹25,000 per month: ₹20,500 paid by HPCL and ₹4,500 paid directly by the government under the DBT scheme. No housing or other allowance is provided.

Who can apply for HPCL Graduate Apprentice 2026?

Full-time BE/BTech holders in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Instrumentation who completed the degree on or after 1 September 2023, with 60% aggregate (50% for SC/ST/PwBD), aged 18 to 25 as on 31 July 2026, registered and approved on NATS 2.0.

Is there an exam for HPCL Graduate Apprentice?

No exam and no interview. Selection is by merit of qualifying-exam percentage, then document verification at a 1:5 ratio, a medical certificate and police verification.

What is the last date for HPCL Graduate Apprentice 2026?

31 July 2026 on the HPCL portal, with NATS 2.0 registration needed beforehand. The window opened on 15 July.

Can I choose where I train in HPCL Graduate Apprentice 2026?

You select exactly one state of training in the form, from the 25 states and UTs with slots, and HPCL places you at a location within that state. There is no domicile restriction on which state you pick.

✍️ Written & reviewed byLokesh Rathore

Lokesh Rathore is a content writer with over 4 years of experience covering Government Jobs, Sarkari Result, Admit Card and Sarkari Yojana. He turns complex official notifications into clear, accurate and easy-to-follow updates for job seekers across India - with every post cross-checked against official government sources.

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