IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 500 Seats, Apply Online
PSU Apprenticeship • Indian Oil Corporation Limited
● Applications Open: November 6, 2026
● Around 500 Apprentice Seats — Pipelines Division
● Around 500 Apprentice Seats — Pipelines Division
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a Government of India Undertaking and a Fortune “Global 500” company, has released Advertisement No. PL/HR/ESTB/APPR (2026), dated November 6, 2026, for the engagement of around 500 Apprentices in its Pipelines Division under the Apprentices Act, 1961. The training seats are spread across five pipeline regions — Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern and South Eastern — and cover seven trades: Technician Apprentice (Mechanical, Electrical, and Telecommunication & Instrumentation), Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource and Accountant), Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices) and Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders). Online applications opened on November 6, 2026, and close on December 5, 2026. There is no written test and no interview: selection is through a Panel cum Merit List based on the percentage of marks in the essential qualification, followed by document verification and medical fitness. The apprenticeship lasts 12 months and is a training engagement, not a permanent job. Read this carefully before applying: the application is a two-portal process — register first on the NATS portal (for diploma and graduate trades) or the NAPS portal (for Data Entry Operator trades), and then complete Part-I and Part-II registration on the IOCL Pipelines portal at plapps.indianoilpipelines.in, both by December 5, 2026. The details in this post were checked against the official IOCL Apprenticeships page at iocl.com/apprenticeships, which lists “Engagement of Apprentices in Pipelines Division – 2026”, and against the text of the official notification PDF (Advertisement No. PL/HR/ESTB/APPR (2026), dated 06.11.2026) and the notification summaries published by New Free Job Alerts, BoldVoices, GovtJobsAlert and Sahisarkarijobs, which agree on the advertisement number, the dates, the region-wise seats, the age limit, the qualifications and the selection method. Candidates should confirm every detail in the official notification PDF on iocl.com before applying.
⏳ Application Window Closes In
Applications on both portals — NATS or NAPS, and the IOCL Pipelines portal — close on December 5, 2026. Complete both steps well before the last hour to avoid last-minute technical problems.
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IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Vacancy Details
Total: around 500 apprentice training seats across five pipeline regions — Western Region Pipelines has the highest allocation with 149 seats, followed by Eastern Region Pipelines with 116 and Northern Region Pipelines with 110.
| Region | State | Locations | 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 |
Vacancy note: the notification calls the 500 seats tentative, and they may change according to IOCL’s actual apprenticeship requirements. The notification gives the seats by region, State and location only — it does not give a trade-wise or category-wise break-up of the seats, and this post does not invent one. Reservation of seats for SC, ST, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), PwBD and EWS candidates is as per the applicable Government guidelines. Do not confuse this Pipelines Division recruitment with the separate apprentice recruitments of IOCL’s Refineries Division and Marketing Division, which are different notifications with different dates and websites.
IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026, Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released (Advt. No. PL/HR/ESTB/APPR (2026)) | November 6, 2026 |
| Online application starts (NATS / NAPS and IOCL Pipelines portal) | November 6, 2026 |
| Cut-off date for age, qualification and eligibility | November 30, 2026 |
| Last date to apply online (both portals) | December 5, 2026 |
| Panel cum Merit List publication | To be announced |
| Document verification and medical fitness | To be announced |
Date note: the notification names no merit-list, document-verification or joining date. Those dates will be notified separately through the official IOCL Apprenticeships page at iocl.com/apprenticeships — this post does not present any of them as fixed. The last date of December 5, 2026, covers registration on both the NATS or NAPS portal and the IOCL Pipelines portal.
Eligibility for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026
Qualification and age are counted as on November 30, 2026, the cut-off date for reckoning eligibility. The prescribed qualification must already have been passed on that date; candidates whose result is awaited on November 30, 2026, are not eligible. Candidates can apply for one Trade Code only.
🎓 Education (by Trade)
Technician Apprentice (Mechanical): three-year full-time Diploma in Mechanical or Automobile Engineering. Technician Apprentice (Electrical): three-year full-time Diploma in Electrical or Electrical & Electronics Engineering. Technician Apprentice (Telecommunication & Instrumentation): three-year full-time Diploma in Electronics & Communication, Electronics & Telecommunication, Electronics & Radio Communication, Instrumentation & Control, Instrumentation & Process Control, or Electronics Engineering. Lateral entry after Class-XII (Science) or ITI, admitted in the second year of the Diploma course, is accepted. Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource): full-time Bachelor degree (Graduation) from a Government-recognised Institute or University. Trade Apprentice (Accountant): full-time Bachelor degree in Commerce. Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices): minimum 12th pass, but below Graduate. Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders): minimum 12th pass, but below Graduate, plus a Skill Certificate in ‘Domestic Data Entry Operator’ for training of less than one year, issued by an awarding body recognised under the National Skill Qualifications Framework or another authority recognised by the Central Government.
🎂 Age Limit (as on November 30, 2026)
Minimum 18 years and maximum 24 years — candidates should have been born between November 30, 2002, and November 30, 2008. Relaxation in the upper age limit: 5 years for SC and ST candidates (against reserved positions), 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates (against reserved positions), and 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (irrespective of reservation of posts). PwBD candidates belonging to SC or ST get a further 5 years, and PwBD candidates belonging to OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) get a further 3 years.
💰 Stipend and Training Terms
The apprenticeship lasts 12 months from the date of engagement, under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the Apprentices Rules, 1992 and 2019, as amended. The monthly stipend is as prescribed under the Apprentices Act and the Corporation’s guidelines — the notification does not state a rupee figure for the stipend, and this post does not invent one; check the official notification for the applicable rate. During the apprenticeship, no other monetary or non-monetary benefit such as accommodation, HRA, conveyance or medical facility is admissible; apprentices arrange these themselves. On completion, the Corporation has no obligation to offer employment, and an apprentice cannot claim employment on that ground.
📋 Who Cannot Apply
Candidates whose qualification was acquired through part-time, correspondence or distance education; candidates with higher professional qualifications such as BE or B.Tech., MBA, CA, LLB, MCA or equivalent, or who are pursuing a higher qualification and will have completed it on or before joining; candidates who have already undergone apprenticeship training or are currently undergoing it under the Apprentices Act; candidates with training or job experience of one year or more after attaining the qualification; candidates who completed five years after acquiring the prescribed qualification as on November 30, 2026; and candidates applying for more than one Trade Code — such applications will be summarily rejected.
Marks note: the Graduate or Diploma qualification must be a regular full-time course in the relevant trade or discipline from a recognised University or Institute, with minimum 50% aggregate marks — 45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates considered against reserved positions. Reservation of seats is as per the applicable Government guidelines; 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. For OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), 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.
Application Fee
The notification does not mention any application fee for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026. No fee amount is stated in the official advertisement, and this post does not invent one. Candidates should check the official notification PDF on iocl.com and the IOCL Pipelines portal at plapps.indianoilpipelines.in before paying anything, and treat any demand for payment outside the official portals as fraud.
Selection Process
There is no written test and no 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. All applicants for a trade who meet the eligibility criteria are ranked in descending order of the percentage of marks (aggregate of all subjects of all years or semesters) in the essential qualification. Where CGPA, OGPA or a letter grade is awarded, the equivalent aggregate percentage must be entered in the application, and a certificate from the Board, University or Institute stating the equivalent percentage must be uploaded and produced at document verification, otherwise the candidature is not 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.
1. NATS / NAPS Registration (November 6 to December 5, 2026)
Register as an apprentice on the portal for your trade: NAPS (apprenticeshipindia.gov.in) for Data Entry Operator (Fresher Apprentices) and Domestic Data Entry Operator (Skill Certificate Holders); NATS (nats.education.gov.in) for the three Technician Apprentice trades and for Trade Apprentice (Assistant-Human Resource and Accountant). Apply for the opening using the Establishment ID of IOCL for your region, between November 6 and December 5, 2026.
2. IOCL Pipelines Portal Registration (November 6 to December 5, 2026)
Register on the Indian Oil Pipelines portal at plapps.indianoilpipelines.in using the same email ID and mobile number as on NAPS or NATS; both must stay valid for the whole apprenticeship period. In Part-I, enter basic details such as name and category and create a password; a registration number is sent to your email ID and SMS. In Part-II, upload a scanned colour photograph (20 to 50 kb, JPG) and signature in black ink (10 to 30 kb, JPG), enter educational qualification and experience details, and submit. Mention the NAPS or NATS registration or enrolment number in the IOCL Pipelines portal. Details cannot be changed after final submission.
3. Panel cum Merit List (date to be announced)
IOCL prepares the Panel cum Merit List on the percentage of marks in the essential qualification, as described above. No merit-list date has been announced; the list will be published on the IOCL website.
4. Document Verification and Medical Fitness (date to be announced)
Provisionally selected 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.
5. Offer of Engagement
Engagement is subject to medical fitness as per IndianOil’s pre-engagement standard. Mere application, document verification or empanelment gives no right of engagement, and seats may remain unfilled for unsuitability or insufficient candidates; the management’s decision is final.
Selection note: the merit-list and document-verification dates have not been announced. All corrigenda, addenda and updates will appear only on iocl.com/apprenticeships. Disputes fall under the sole jurisdiction of the courts at Kolkata (ERPL), Ahmedabad (WRPL), Chandigarh (NRPL), Chennai (SRPL) and Cuttack (SERPL).
Establishment IDs for NATS / NAPS Registration
Use the Establishment ID of your region when you apply on the NATS or NAPS portal. Diploma and graduate trades use NATS; Data Entry Operator trades use NAPS.
| 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 |
Documents Required at Document Verification
Bring the originals with a self-attested copy of each, plus a passport-size photograph. The Class 10 certificate or mark sheet from the Education Board is the proof of date of birth — no other document is accepted for date of birth.
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| Class 10 certificate / mark sheet | Proof of date of birth |
| Caste certificate | Latest caste certificate in the Government-prescribed proforma, issued by the Competent Authority, for reserved-category candidates |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate | Not more than 12 months old from November 30, 2026, in the Government of India proforma, stating the candidate is not in the creamy layer |
| Mark sheets | Semester-wise or year-wise mark sheets of ITI (NCVT / SCVT), HSC, Graduation or Diploma in Engineering |
| Final certificate | Final ITI (NCVT / SCVT) Certificate, HSC, Graduation or Diploma in Engineering from the Board, Authority or Institute |
| Bank and identity documents | First page of the bank passbook of an Aadhaar-seeded account, Aadhaar Card, PAN Card and a cancelled cheque leaf |
| Medical fitness certificate | Pre-engagement medical fitness certificate as per IndianOil’s standard |
Document note: 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. Incomplete applications, applications received by any other mode, applications not meeting eligibility, and applications received after the last date are treated as rejected. Canvassing of any kind disqualifies the candidate. Queries about the advertisement that are not already answered in it go to the regional email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected].
How to Apply for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026
1
Register on NATS or NAPS
Register as an apprentice on the portal for your trade — NAPS at apprenticeshipindia.gov.in for Data Entry Operator trades, or NATS at nats.education.gov.in for Technician Apprentice and Trade Apprentice trades — and apply for the opening using the Establishment ID of IOCL for your region, between November 6 and December 5, 2026.
2
Check your details on NATS / NAPS
Log in with your User ID or Email ID and check that your personal details, educational details, category and aggregate percentage show correctly. Corrections are made through the NAPS or NATS office. Note down your NAPS or NATS registration or enrolment number.
3
Register on the IOCL Pipelines portal
Open plapps.indianoilpipelines.in and register using the same email ID and mobile number as on NAPS or NATS. In Part-I, enter your basic details and create a password; a registration number is sent to your email ID and SMS. Log in again with it and your password.
4
Complete Part-II and upload documents
In Part-II, upload a scanned colour photograph (20 to 50 kb, JPG) and your signature in black ink (10 to 30 kb, JPG), enter your educational qualification and experience details, and mention your NAPS or NATS registration or enrolment number. This is the final submission and details cannot be changed afterwards.
5
Submit by December 5, 2026
Complete the application on the IOCL Pipelines portal by December 5, 2026. No other mode of application is accepted, and applications received after the last date are treated as rejected.
6
Take a printout
Take a printout of the filled-in online application and keep it safe for document verification. Watch iocl.com/apprenticeships for the Panel cum Merit List and all further updates.
Important Links
Apply online (IOCL Pipelines portal): plapps.indianoilpipelines.in
Official Apprenticeships page (updates and corrigenda): iocl.com/apprenticeships
Official notification PDF (Advertisement No. PL/HR/ESTB/APPR (2026)): IOCL Pipelines Division Apprentice Notice 2026 (PDF)
NATS portal (Technician and Trade Apprentice trades): nats.education.gov.in
NAPS portal (Data Entry Operator trades): apprenticeshipindia.gov.in
Official website: iocl.com
IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026, FAQs
How many seats are there in IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The notification invites applications for around 500 apprentices in the IOCL Pipelines Division, with the seats described as tentative. The region-wise break-up is Western Region Pipelines 149, Eastern Region Pipelines 116, Northern Region Pipelines 110, South Eastern Region Pipelines 79 and Southern Region Pipelines 46.
What is the last date to apply for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The last date for submission of the online application is December 5, 2026. Applications opened on November 6, 2026, and the same dates apply on the NATS or NAPS portal and on the IOCL Pipelines portal at plapps.indianoilpipelines.in.
What is the qualification for IOCL Pipelines 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, with a Skill Certificate in ‘Domestic Data Entry Operator’ for the Domestic Data Entry Operator trade. The qualification must already have been passed by November 30, 2026, with minimum 50% aggregate marks (45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates against reserved positions).
What is the age limit for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The age must be minimum 18 years and maximum 24 years as on November 30, 2026, so candidates should have been born between November 30, 2002, and November 30, 2008. The upper limit is relaxed by up to 5 years for SC and ST candidates, 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates and 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, with further relaxation for PwBD candidates belonging to SC, ST or OBC (Non-Creamy Layer).
Is there an application fee for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The notification does not mention any application fee. No fee amount is stated in the official advertisement, so candidates should check the official notification PDF on iocl.com and the IOCL Pipelines portal before paying anything.
What is the stipend for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice 2026?
The monthly stipend is as prescribed under the Apprentices Act, 1961, the Apprentices Rules and the Corporation’s guidelines. The notification does not state a rupee figure for the stipend, so this post does not quote one. No other benefit such as accommodation, HRA, conveyance or medical facility is admissible during the apprenticeship.
Is there a written test or interview for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice 2026?
No. The notification 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.
How do I apply for IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
First register and apply on NAPS (Data Entry Operator trades) or NATS (all other trades) using the Establishment ID of IOCL for your region. Then complete Part-I and Part-II registration on the IOCL Pipelines portal at plapps.indianoilpipelines.in, using the same email ID and mobile number, by December 5, 2026. Both steps are mandatory.
Is IOCL Pipelines Apprenticeship a permanent job?
No. 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, and an apprentice cannot claim employment on that ground.
Can I apply for more than one trade in IOCL Pipelines Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
No. A candidate can apply for one Trade Code only. Applications for more than one Trade Code will be summarily rejected.
Madhu Choudhary
Madhu Choudhary is a creative content and blog writer based in Rohtak, Haryana, with 14+ years of experience as a professional writer, including content for the education, health and IT sectors. At Jobriya, Madhu publishes government job updates, admit cards, results and exam schedules, checked against official sources before publishing, so readers get clear dates and direct official links.
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