Canara Bank Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 3,500 Seats, Last Date
Quick answer: Canara Bank is engaging 3,500 graduate apprentices for FY 2026-27. Graduates who passed between 1 January 2023 and 1 September 2026 and are aged 20 to 28 can apply online from 1 to 17 October 2026, after registering on the NATS portal. The 12-month training pays ₹16,650 a month. There is no written exam.
Key takeaways
Canara Bank has notified 3,500 graduate apprentice training seats across states and union territories, and online applications close on 17 October 2026.
Candidates must first complete a 100% profile on the NATS apprenticeship portal and then apply through the Canara Bank website using their NATS enrolment ID.
Selection is based on a state-wise merit list built from Class 12 or Diploma marks, followed by document verification, a local language test where needed and a medical check.
Apprentices receive ₹16,650 a month for 12 months, made up of ₹10,500 from the bank and ₹6,150 from the Government of India through DBT.
Apprentices are not bank employees, and Canara Bank has no obligation to offer regular jobs once training ends.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
The Canara Bank apprentice recruitment 2026 drive is open. The Bengaluru-headquartered public sector lender is filling 3,500 graduate apprentice training seats under the Apprentices Act, 1961, for the financial year 2026-27, according to its official advertisement dated 25 September 2026. Registration runs from 1 October to 17 October 2026, both days included, and there is no written test. Below is everything a fresher needs to check before applying: dates, eligibility, the stipend breakdown, state-wise seats, the two-portal application process and the eligibility rules that are easy to miss.
Canara Bank apprentice recruitment 2026: key details at a glance
In short, this is a one-year paid training programme for recent graduates, not a permanent bank job. The list below summarises the official notice.
Employer: Canara Bank (public sector bank, Head Office Bengaluru)
Position: Graduate Apprentice under the Apprentices Act, 1961
Training seats: 3,500 (provisional)
Application window: 1 October 2026 to 17 October 2026
Training period: 12 months
Monthly stipend: ₹16,650 (₹10,500 from the bank + ₹6,150 government share via DBT)
Age limit: 20 to 28 years as on 1 September 2026
Fee: Nil for SC/ST/PwBD; ₹500 for all others (incl. GST and intimation charges)
Selection: Merit on Class 12/Diploma marks, document verification, local language test (where applicable), medical fitness
Official website: canarabank.bank.in (Careers → Recruitment)
Who is eligible for the Canara Bank apprentice programme?
You are eligible if you hold a graduation degree in any discipline, completed it between 1 January 2023 and 1 September 2026, and were born between 2 September 1998 and 1 September 2006. All eligibility conditions are counted as on 1 September 2026.
Age relaxation
The upper age limit of 28 applies to General and EWS candidates. The notice allows these relaxations:
SC/ST: 5 years
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: 10 years
Widows, divorced women and women legally separated from their husbands who have not remarried: up to age 35 for General/EWS, 38 for OBC and 40 for SC/ST
Rules that can disqualify you
Several conditions sit deep inside the notice and are easy to miss:
You cannot apply if you have already completed, are currently doing, or had an apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act terminated due to your own fault, with Canara Bank or any other organisation.
Anyone with one year or more of training or job experience after graduating is not eligible.
Ex-servicemen cannot be engaged, and there is no reservation for them.
Your Class 12 or Diploma score must be at least 60% (55% for SC/ST/PwBD). Fractions are ignored, so 59.99% counts as below 60%.
How much is the Canara Bank apprentice stipend?
The stipend is ₹16,650 per month for the full 12 months. Canara Bank credits ₹10,500 to the apprentice's account each month, while the Government of India's share of ₹6,150 is paid directly through Direct Benefit Transfer.
No other allowances are payable, and pay is cut for any loss-of-pay days. Labour benefits such as PF, ESI and bonus do not apply to apprentices. On the plus side, you get 12 casual leaves a year (one earned after each completed month, and no more than four at a time), the bank's normal holidays, and a NATS joint certificate when the training ends.
How many seats are there in each state?
Seats are allotted state-wise, and you may choose only one state. Karnataka has the largest share, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The ten states with the most seats are listed below, with the local language tested in each.
Karnataka: 581 seats (local language: Kannada)
Uttar Pradesh: 409 seats (local language: Hindi/Urdu)
Tamil Nadu: 391 seats (local language: Tamil)
Andhra Pradesh: 247 seats (local language: Telugu/Urdu)
Kerala: 240 seats (local language: Malayalam)
Maharashtra: 205 seats (local language: Marathi)
West Bengal: 150 seats (local language: Bengali/Nepali)
Telangana: 134 seats (local language: Telugu/Urdu)
Bihar: 122 seats (local language: Hindi/Urdu)
Haryana: 114 seats (local language: Hindi/Punjabi)
Across India, the category split is 1,541 UR, 845 OBC, 553 SC, 335 EWS and 226 ST, with PwBD reservation applied horizontally within each state. Delhi has 93 seats, Gujarat 89 and Rajasthan 96. Smaller units such as Ladakh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu have one seat each. Inside your chosen state you rank districts by preference, but the bank allots seats by need and may place you in any district.
How to apply for Canara Bank apprentice recruitment 2026
Applying is a two-step process: register on the national apprenticeship portal first, then submit the bank's own form before 17 October 2026.
Complete your NATS profile. Register on nats.education.gov.in, finish 100% of your profile and note the enrolment number it generates.
Prepare your scans. You need a recent colour photograph (20–50 KB), a signature in black ink (10–20 KB), a left thumb impression (20–50 KB) and a handwritten declaration in English (50–100 KB), all in JPG/JPEG. Signatures and the declaration must not be in capital letters.
Open the bank's form. On canarabank.bank.in go to Careers, then Recruitment, then "Engagement of Graduate Apprentices in Canara Bank under Apprentices Act, 1961 for FY 2026-27", and choose "Click here for New Registration".
Fill in your details. Enter your NATS enrolment ID, your chosen state and district preferences, and your Class 12 or Diploma percentage. Your name must match your Class 10 certificate.
Pay and submit. Pay ₹500 online if applicable, click Final Submit, and save the e-receipt and application printout. No edits are allowed after submission.
If you do not receive the registration email and SMS, the notice says you should treat your application as not registered. Only your latest valid application is kept if you submit more than once.
What is the selection process, and is there an exam?
There is no written exam. The bank ranks applicants in a state-wise merit list using the percentage scored in Class 12 (HSC/10+2) or Diploma, not graduation marks. If two candidates tie, the older one ranks higher.
Shortlisted candidates then attend document verification, where the local language test is held. You are exempt from that test if your Class 10 or 12 mark sheet shows you studied the local language of the state you chose. Final engagement also depends on being declared medically fit. Successful candidates receive a digital apprenticeship contract on the NATS portal and must accept it within the deadline. The bank will keep a state- and category-wise wait list for one year from the result, or until the next engagement exercise, whichever is earlier.
Common mistakes to avoid
Applying to the bank's form without first finishing your NATS profile.
Entering your graduation percentage where the form asks for Class 12 or Diploma marks.
Uploading a signature or declaration written in block capitals.
Hiding post-graduation work experience of a year or more, which can lead to cancellation at any stage.
Waiting for 17 October, when heavy traffic can make the website hard to reach.
Beware of apprenticeship and job scams
Scam warning (general advice from Jobsiz): Genuine recruiters never ask for money for a "confirmed job", training seat or "joining kit", and never send government or bank offer letters from free email addresses. The only legitimate payment here is the official ₹500 application fee (nil for SC/ST/PwBD) paid through the bank's own online form. Apply only through canarabank.bank.in and nats.education.gov.in, and do not share your registration details with anyone.
What this means for you
For freshers who graduated recently, 3,500 seats spread across every state and union territory offer paid banking exposure at select branches without the pressure of an exam. Strong Class 12 marks are your biggest advantage. Treat it as training and a CV boost rather than a guaranteed route into a permanent bank post, and keep preparing for regular bank exams alongside it. Readers tracking other openings may also find our guides "NWR Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 2,008 Slots, How to Apply" and "How to Write a Resume With No Experience (2026)" useful.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date for Canara Bank apprentice recruitment 2026?
The last date to apply is 17 October 2026. The online window opened on 1 October 2026, and both dates are included. Apply early, because the bank warns that heavy traffic near the deadline can stop the website from loading.
Is there an exam for the Canara Bank apprentice post?
No. There is no written exam. Candidates are ranked in a state-wise merit list using their Class 12 or Diploma percentage, then called for document verification, a local language test where required and a medical check.
What is the Canara Bank apprentice stipend in 2026?
Apprentices receive ₹16,650 a month for 12 months. The bank pays ₹10,500 and the Government of India pays ₹6,150 directly through DBT. No other allowances are given.
Can final-year students apply for Canara Bank apprenticeship 2026?
Only if their degree was completed on or before 1 September 2026. The notice requires graduation between 1 January 2023 and 1 September 2026, and candidates must produce proof that the result was declared by that cut-off date.
Will Canara Bank give a permanent job after the apprenticeship?
No guarantee. The notice states that apprentices are not employees of the bank and that Canara Bank has no obligation to offer regular employment during or after the training.
Who is not eligible for the Canara Bank apprentice programme?
Candidates who have already done or are doing an apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, those with one year or more of work or training experience after graduating, and ex-servicemen are not eligible. Candidates outside the 20 to 28 age band, after any applicable relaxation, are also excluded.
Do I need to register on the NATS portal?
Yes. You must create and fully complete your profile on nats.education.gov.in before applying. Your NATS enrolment ID is required in the Canara Bank online form.
Sources
This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 4 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.