IOB Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 750 Posts for Graduates, Stipend up to Rs 15,500, Apply by 20 July

Indian Overseas Bank has opened 750 apprentice seats for graduates, and the application window opened today. It is a genuine paid opportunity with a monthly stipend, bank-branch experience and exposure to the banking sector, but it is important to say up front what it is not: it is not a permanent bank job, and finishing it guarantees no employment. IOB Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27 is open from 7 July to 20 July 2026, and here is everything worth knowing before you pay the fee.

IOB Apprentice 2026: The Essentials

Read This Before You Apply: It Is Not a Bank Job

The notification is unusually direct about this, and you should be too. An apprentice is engaged for training, not employed. The document states plainly that apprentices will not be treated as employees of Indian Overseas Bank, that the bank has no obligation to offer regular employment afterwards, and that the candidate has no right to claim a job on completion. So treat this as what it genuinely is: a paid, structured year inside a public-sector bank that builds real branch experience, adds a recognised line to your resume, and gives you time and income while you prepare for regular bank exams like IBPS and SBI. Anyone selling it as a “backdoor bank job” is misleading you.

Where the 750 Seats Are (Tamil Nadu Takes a Quarter)

IOB is headquartered in Chennai, and the seat distribution reflects that. The vacancies are allotted state-wise, and you may apply for only one state or union territory, so choosing where you apply is a real strategic decision:

Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi together hold about 60% of all seats. Since you can only apply for one state, weigh your local language ability and where you can realistically train, because both matter for selection.

Who Qualifies, and the Local-Language Condition

The eligibility is broad on qualification but has one condition many candidates overlook:

• Education: a degree in any discipline from a recognised university, with the result declared on or before 31 July 2026.
• Age: 20 to 28 years as on 1 July 2026 for general and EWS, with the usual relaxations (SC/ST 5 years, OBC 3 years, PwBD 10 years).
• Local language: you must be proficient in a local language of the state you apply for, that is, able to read, write, speak and understand it. This is tested at the document-verification stage. If you studied that language up to Class 10 or 12 and can show the marksheet, you are exempt from the language test.
• Bar: candidates with one year or more of work experience after graduation are not eligible, and there is no reservation for ex-servicemen.

The local-language rule is why applying to your home state usually makes sense: your school-level study of the language can exempt you from a test that outsiders must clear.

What You Will Actually Earn: ₹14,000 to ₹15,500

The stipend is fixed by branch location, not negotiable, and comes in three slabs: ₹15,500 at metro branches, ₹14,500 at urban branches, and ₹14,000 at semi-urban and rural branches. Part of this is a government subsidy of ₹6,150 credited directly to you, with the bank paying the balance. There are no other allowances or benefits beyond the stipend, and casual leave is limited to 12 days across the year. For a fresh graduate, a year of ₹14,000-plus while gaining bank experience and preparing for permanent exams is a reasonable deal, as long as you go in with the right expectation of what it pays.

The Online Test on 2 August

Selection starts with an online examination, ranked on merit:

• 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes, taken on your own camera-enabled device under remote proctoring.
• Four sections of 25 questions each: General and Financial Awareness, General English, Quantitative and Reasoning Aptitude, and Computer or Subject Knowledge.
• The qualifying percentage is set by the bank, with a 5% relaxation for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD candidates. The notification does not state a negative-marking rule, so check the detailed information handout before the exam.

Those who clear the online test face a local-language test (unless exempt), document verification and a medical fitness check before engagement.

Fee by Category, and Why It Splits by Gender

The fee is paid online and includes 18% GST, which is why the printed amounts look uneven. SC, ST and PwBD candidates pay ₹236. General, OBC and EWS women pay ₹708, and general, OBC and EWS men pay ₹944. Ignore any site listing a flat ₹800/600/400 structure; the official slabs are the base amounts of ₹200, ₹600 and ₹800 with GST added, giving the figures above. The fee is non-refundable, so confirm your eligibility and state choice before paying.

Applying Across NAPS, NATS and BEEP

1. Open the IOB careers page at iob.bank.in/Careers and find the apprentice engagement notice dated 6 July 2026.
2. Register on the government apprenticeship portals as required: NAPS (apprenticeshipindia.gov.in) and NATS (nats.education.gov.in).
3. Complete your application and fee payment through the BEEP portal (beep.bfsissc.com), operated by the BFSI Sector Skill Council, which handles this recruitment.
4. Select your one state or union territory carefully, since only one is allowed and it cannot be changed later.
5. Pay the fee by 22 July 2026 and keep your application and payment records. Exam date and admit-card details are intimated to fee-paid applicants.

This joins our wider banking jobs coverage and the daily jobs feed.

Should You Even Apply? An Honest Take

If you are a fresh graduate who wants income, real banking exposure and time to prepare for permanent bank exams, this is worth applying for, especially in a state where you know the local language and can exempt yourself from the language test. If you are expecting a guaranteed job at the end, walk away, because the notification promises none. The two firm dates are the application close on 20 July and the tentative exam on 2 August, so if you are in, do not leave the form to the last day.

IOB Apprentice 2026: Common Questions

Is the IOB Apprentice a permanent bank job?

No. It is a one-year apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, 1961. The bank states clearly that apprentices are not employees and that there is no obligation or right to permanent employment after the training ends.

What is the last date to apply for IOB Apprentice 2026?

20 July 2026 for the application, with fee payment allowed until 22 July 2026. The window opened on 7 July 2026.

How many IOB apprentice posts are there and where?

750 seats across states and union territories, with Tamil Nadu (200), Uttar Pradesh (110), Maharashtra (85) and Delhi (53) holding the largest shares. You may apply for only one state or UT.

What is the stipend?

₹15,500 per month at metro branches, ₹14,500 at urban branches and ₹14,000 at semi-urban and rural branches, including a direct government subsidy of ₹6,150.

What is the eligibility?

A graduate degree in any discipline with the result by 31 July 2026, age 20 to 28 as on 1 July 2026 with category relaxations, and proficiency in a local language of the state you apply for.

What is the selection process?

An online exam of 100 marks, then a local-language test (unless exempt through prior study), document verification and a medical fitness check.

✍️ 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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