APCOB Apprentices Recruitment 2026 — 25 Posts, Apply Online by 11 Aug

The Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Bank Ltd (APCOB), Vijayawada, has released its Apprentice Recruitment 2026 notification for 25 tentative training seats under the Apprentices Act, 1961, for Financial Year 2026-27. This APCOB Apprentice Recruitment 2026 spans four specialisation tracks — Agriculture (3 posts), Information Technology (3 posts), Legal (1 post), and General (18 posts) — making it a broad entry point into cooperative banking for graduates across engineering, agriculture, law, and commerce backgrounds, closing in just 3 days from this notification's release. Candidates must be Bachelor's degree holders in the relevant stream, aged 20 to 28 years as on 1 August 2026, and proficient in both Telugu and English reading and writing. Selection runs purely on a merit list prepared from SSC, 12th (Intermediate), and Graduation marks, weighted out of 30 total marks (10 each), with ties broken by candidate age in descending order — older candidates rank higher in the event of an exact percentage match. Selected candidates undergo a 1-year apprenticeship training under the Apprentices Act, drawing a total monthly stipend of Rs. 15,000 split between a Bank component (up to Rs. 10,500) and a Government component (up to Rs. 4,500) paid via Direct Benefit Transfer, but importantly, apprentices are not treated as Bank employees and there is no obligation on APCOB to offer employment after training completion. Online applications for APCOB Apprentice Recruitment 2026 opened on 2 August 2026 and close on 11 August 2026, requiring candidates to first register with a 100% complete profile on the NATS 2.0 portal (www.nats.education.gov.in) before applying through the APCOB website. Document Verification is tentatively scheduled for August 2026. Reservation follows APCOB's own category structure — OC, BC-A through BC-E, SC (Group I-III), ST, and EWS — with specific Government Orders governing EWS and SC sub-classification, and the BC-E category subject to pending litigation. Candidates should read the complete official notification PDF carefully before applying, since eligibility, reservation, and documentation requirements are detailed extensively and vary meaningfully by specialisation stream.

Agriculture stream: Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Agricultural Engineering, Pisciculture, or Agricultural Marketing and Cooperation from a recognised university/institute. Information Technology stream: Bachelor's degree in Electronics/Communication/Computer Science/Information Technology or its equivalent from a recognised university/institute. Legal stream: Bachelor's degree in Law/LLB or its equivalent from a recognised university/institute. General stream: Bachelor's degree in Banking, Commerce, or Accounting & Audit from a recognised university/institute. All candidates must have completed graduation with a valid passing certificate and must be proficient in reading and writing both Telugu and English.

• Minimum Age: 20 years, as on 1 August 2026
• Maximum Age: 28 years, as on 1 August 2026
• Eligible date of birth range: not earlier than 1 August 1998 and not later than 1 August 2004 (both dates inclusive)
• SC/ST candidates: 5 years age relaxation
• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates: 3 years age relaxation
• Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD): 10 years age relaxation

• Agriculture stream: Bachelor's in Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Agricultural Engineering, Pisciculture, or Agricultural Marketing and Cooperation
• Information Technology stream: Bachelor's in Electronics/Communication/Computer Science/Information Technology or equivalent
• Legal stream: Bachelor's in Law/LLB or equivalent
• General stream: Bachelor's in Banking, Commerce, or Accounting & Audit
• Age 20 to 28 years as on 1 August 2026 (born between 1 August 1998 and 1 August 2004), with 5 years relaxation for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC-NCL, and 10 years for PwBD
• Must be proficient in reading and writing both Telugu and English; candidates without a 10th/12th mark sheet showing the local language must clear a local language test at Document Verification
• Must not have previously undergone, terminated midway, or be currently pursuing apprenticeship training in any other organisation under the Apprentices Act, 1961
• Candidates with 1+ years of training or job experience after completing their qualifying degree are not eligible
• Must hold a 100% complete profile on the NATS apprenticeship portal to be eligible to apply
• Engagement is subject to being declared medically fit as per Bank requirements

Required Documents (for Document Verification): SSC, 12th, and Graduation mark sheets and passing certificates; proof of local language study where applicable; caste validity certificate where applicable; BC Non-Creamy-Layer certificate issued between 1 April 2026 and appointment date for BC candidates; Income and Asset Certificate issued on or after 1 April 2026 for EWS candidates; age relaxation certificate if claiming SC/ST/BC-NCL/PwBD relaxation; and a medical fitness certificate as required by the Bank. Important Instructions: this is an apprenticeship engagement under the Apprentices Act, 1961, not employment with the Bank, and there is no obligation on either side regarding future employment; no transport, hostel, or residential accommodation is provided during training; candidature is provisional and subject to document verification, and furnishing false information can lead to cancellation even after appointment; and APCOB reserves the right to allot selected candidates to any branch or head office within Andhra Pradesh.

The official notification does not specify an application fee for this recruitment.

• Total monthly stipend: Rs. 15,000, comprising a maximum Bank component of Rs. 10,500 and a maximum Government component of Rs. 4,500
• The Government share is paid directly via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT); the Bank pays its share after deducting the Government portion
• Apprentices are not entitled to any other allowances or benefits and are not treated as employees of the Bank

1. Visit the apprenticeship portal NATS 2.0 at www.nats.education.gov.in and register with a 100% complete profile
2. Note down your Enrolment ID generated on the NATS 2.0 portal for future correspondence, referring to the student manual if you face registration issues
3. Visit the official APCOB website at www.apcob.bank.in
4. Locate the online application link for Apprentice Recruitment 2026
5. Fill in the application form with accurate personal, academic, and category details
6. Upload the required documents and certificates as specified in the application form
7. Review the completed application carefully and submit it online between 2 August and 11 August 2026
8. Keep a printout or digital copy of the submitted application for future reference
9. Applications can be submitted only in online mode — no other mode of application is accepted
10. Watch for communication regarding Document Verification, tentatively scheduled for August 2026, sent by APCOB after the merit list is prepared