HPCL Graduate Apprentice Trainee (Engineering) Recruitment 2026-27

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG), has announced the engagement of Graduate Apprentice Trainees (Engineering) for the year 2026-27. This is a prestigious opportunity for fresh engineering graduates to gain hands-on industrial experience within one of India’s largest Navratna PSUs.

HPCL operates an extensive pan-India network that includes Refineries, Zonal and Regional Offices, Pipeline Networks, Terminals, LPG Bottling Plants, Aviation Service Stations, and Inland Relay Depots. Selected apprentices will be trained within this vast infrastructure spread across 27 states and Union Territories.

This engagement is governed by the Apprentices Act, 1961, and covers four engineering disciplines — Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Instrumentation. With a monthly stipend of ₹25,000 and the added benefit of preferential treatment in future HPCL regular recruitment, this apprenticeship is a career-defining stepping stone for any engineering graduate looking to enter the core petroleum sector.

Organisation & Recruitment Overview

Here is a quick reference summary of the key details of the HPCL Graduate Apprentice Trainee notification. Go through every field carefully before starting your application.

It is important to understand that this is an apprenticeship engagement under the Apprentices Act — HPCL does not guarantee any permanent or temporary employment on completion of training. However, successfully completing the programme gives candidates a significant advantage in future HPCL recruitment processes, including age relaxation and bonus marks in the Computer Based Test (CBT).

Important Dates

The application window for HPCL Graduate Apprentice Trainee 2026-27 is short — just 14 days. Candidates must act immediately without delay.

Application Fee

There is no application fee mentioned in the official HPCL Graduate Apprentice notification for 2026-27. This recruitment is fee-free for all candidates, regardless of category. Candidates should be cautious of any third-party websites or agents asking for payment in connection with this apprenticeship — HPCL does not collect any fees directly or through intermediaries for this engagement.

Age Limit

The age eligibility is calculated as on the application closing date, i.e., 02 March 2026. Candidates must ensure they meet the age bracket for their respective category.

Age relaxation norms for SC/ST, OBC-NC, and PwBD candidates are as per the Government of India guidelines and the Apprentices Act, 1961. Candidates from OBC-Creamy Layer are treated as Unreserved and are not eligible for the 3-year relaxation — they must apply under the UR category and adhere to the 25-year maximum age limit.

Eligibility Criteria

Before applying, every candidate must carefully verify they meet all of the following conditions. Incomplete or ineligible applications will be rejected without any notice.

Training Slot Details – State-Wise Breakup

HPCL has announced training slots across 27 States and Union Territories of India. Candidates can select only one state of preference during the application. Training location within the selected state will be assigned by HPCL based on availability. Maharashtra has the highest number of slots at 114, making it the largest single training hub in this cycle.

Reservation policy for each state will follow the state-specific percentage norms applicable to that state. Candidates should apply for the state where they are most competitive, keeping their merit percentage and local reservation policy in mind. States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal offer a comparatively larger number of training slots.

Selection Process

HPCL follows a straightforward, merit-based selection process for Graduate Apprentice Trainees. There is no written examination for this apprenticeship engagement. Here is how candidates are screened and selected:

Stage 1 – Application Screening Based on Merit

All applications received through the HPCL portal are screened purely on the basis of the candidate’s aggregate percentage in their engineering degree. Candidates with higher marks rank higher in the merit list. Incomplete or ineligible applications are rejected without any notification to the candidate.

Stage 2 – Document Verification

Shortlisted candidates are called for document verification in a merit-to-slot ratio of 1:5 — meaning, for every 1 training slot, up to 5 candidates are called for verification. Shortlisted candidates will be informed via their registered email ID. No TA/DA (Travel Allowance or Daily Allowance) is provided for attending document verification.

Stage 3 – Final Engagement via NATS Portal

Candidates found eligible after document verification are selected in merit order. Final engagement happens when the selected candidate formally accepts the tri-partite apprenticeship contract on the NATS 2.0 website and submits a medical certificate in the prescribed format along with police verification documents.

Monthly Stipend

Selected Graduate Apprentice Trainees (Engineering) will receive a monthly stipend of ₹25,000/- during the one-year training period. The payment structure is as follows:

There is no housing assistance or any other allowance beyond the fixed monthly stipend. All selected candidates must have a valid bank account linked to Aadhaar for the DBT component of the stipend to be credited directly by the Government of India. This is a strong stipend for an apprenticeship, especially given that it comes with HPCL brand recognition, structured industrial training, and a meaningful advantage in future PSU recruitment processes.

How to Apply for HPCL Graduate Apprentice Trainee 2026

The application process involves two portals — the NATS 2.0 Portal (for national apprenticeship registration) and the HPCL Jobs Portal (for submitting the actual application). Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1 – Register on NATS 2.0 Portal

Before applying on the HPCL portal, make sure you are already registered and approved on the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS 2.0) portal managed by the Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT). Candidates not registered on NATS 2.0 will not be considered for engagement. Visit the NATS 2.0 portal and complete your registration if you have not done so already.

Step 2 – Register on HPCL Apprentice Portal

Go to the HPCL Apprentice Application portal and click on “Sign Up for New Registration.” Enter your name, email ID, and other required details. Upon registration, your login credentials (email ID and password) will be sent to your registered email by the HPCL Apprentice Team.

Step 3 – Log In and Fill Personal Details

Sign in using the credentials received on your email. Fill in your Personal Details carefully. All fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory. Once filled, click on “Validate Your Details” — correct any errors shown and then click “Save & Next.”

Step 4 – Fill Contact Details & Select State

Enter your correspondence and permanent address along with your active contact number. This is also the section where you select your preferred State of Training from the dropdown — you can only select one state. Choose carefully, as this selection cannot be changed after final submission.

Step 5 – Fill Qualification Details

Select your Engineering Branch from the dropdown as mentioned in the advertisement (Civil / Mechanical / Electrical / Instrumentation). Enter your degree percentage, university name, and other academic details. Make sure the percentage entered matches your original marksheet or university conversion certificate exactly.

Step 6 – Upload Photograph & Signature

Upload your recent passport-sized photograph and scanned signature as required. Ensure both images are clear and within the specified file size and format guidelines mentioned on the portal.

Step 7 – Preview, Declare & Final Submit

Use the Preview option to review all filled details before final submission. If corrections are needed, click on the relevant section or the Back button to edit. Once satisfied, read the declaration carefully, check the declaration boxes, and click “Final Submit.” After submission, you will receive a confirmation email with your HPCL Application Number — save this for future reference.

Important Instructions for Candidates

Expert Tips for HPCL Apprentice Application 2026

Tip 1 – Act on Day One of the Application Window

With only a 14-day application window (16 Feb to 02 March), there is no room for procrastination. Start your NATS 2.0 registration and HPCL portal registration on 16 February itself. Last-minute portal congestion is a real risk with PSU recruitment portals.

Tip 2 – Get Your NATS 2.0 Approval First

Registration on NATS 2.0 is a prerequisite — and approvals can sometimes take a few days. Do not wait until the last day to register on NATS. If you are not already on NATS 2.0, register immediately on the NATS portal and get your BOAT approval secured before the HPCL application deadline.

Tip 3 – Obtain a CGPA Conversion Certificate

If your degree was awarded in CGPA or GPA or letter grades, you must obtain an official percentage conversion certificate from your university or institute. Without this, your application may be rejected at document verification. Do not use any informal online converters — HPCL will verify against the university-issued document.

Tip 4 – Choose Your State of Training Wisely

You can only select one state, and the choice is final. Consider states where HPCL has a strong operational presence and where you have higher chances of selection based on local reservation policies and competition levels. Maharashtra (114 slots) and Andhra Pradesh (62 slots) have the most openings, but may also attract more applicants from those states.

Tip 5 – Use a Real, Long-Term Email ID

All communications — shortlisting, document verification call letter, engagement confirmation — come via email only. Use an email ID you actively check and that will remain valid for at least one year. Do not use a college-issued email ID that may be deactivated after graduation.

Tip 6 – Submit Only One Application

It is tempting to apply multiple times to increase your chances or correct a mistake — but HPCL’s system will detect and reject all multiple applications from the same candidate. If you make an error, use the Preview and Back functions before final submission. Once submitted, no changes are accepted.

Tip 7 – Understand the Long-Term Career Value

Even though this is not a permanent job, completing the HPCL apprenticeship builds your resume significantly, gives you a year of structured exposure in a world-class petroleum company, and — most importantly — gives you age relaxation and a 5% CBT score bonus when you later apply for regular HPCL officer-level positions. Think of this as your foot in the door of a premier PSU.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the HPCL Graduate Apprentice Trainee programme?

It is a one-year structured apprenticeship engagement offered by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for engineering graduates in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Instrumentation disciplines. It is governed by the Apprentices Act, 1961 and is conducted across multiple locations in India.

Q2. Is this a permanent government job?

No. This is an apprenticeship engagement, not a permanent or temporary employment. HPCL does not provide any assurance of permanent employment on completion of apprenticeship. However, successful completion gives candidates a meaningful advantage (age relaxation + CBT bonus marks) in future HPCL regular recruitment processes.

Q3. What is the monthly stipend for HPCL Graduate Apprentice Trainees?

The total monthly stipend is ₹25,000/- — of which ₹20,500/- is paid directly by HPCL and the remaining ₹4,500/- is transferred by the Government of India directly to the apprentice’s bank account via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme.

Q4. What is the minimum percentage required to apply?

Candidates from the Unreserved (UR) and OBC Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NC) categories must have a minimum of 60% aggregate marks across all semesters/years. Candidates from SC, ST, and PwBD categories (VH/HH/OH/MD) need a minimum of 50% aggregate marks. Note that 49.99% is treated as less than 50% — no rounding up is done.

Q5. Can I apply if I graduated before April 2023?

No. Only candidates who completed their Engineering Graduation on or after 01 April 2023 are eligible. Graduates who completed their degree before 01-04-2023 are explicitly not eligible for this apprenticeship training, regardless of marks or age.

Q6. Is NATS 2.0 registration mandatory before applying?

Yes, it is absolutely mandatory. Only candidates who are registered and approved on the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS 2.0) portal by the Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT) will be considered for selection. Candidates must complete this registration before applying on the HPCL portal.

Q7. Can I apply for more than one state or more than one engineering branch?

No. Each candidate can submit only one application and can select only one state of training preference. Multiple applications will be rejected outright. Similarly, you select one engineering branch as per your graduation discipline — you cannot apply for more than one branch.

Q8. I have work experience of 6 months. Am I eligible?

According to the official notification, candidates who have work experience of one year or more are not eligible. If your work experience is less than one year (e.g., 6 months), you may be eligible — but ensure your NATS 2.0 profile does not show any existing active apprenticeship contract with another organisation, as that would make you ineligible.

Q9. What documents do I need at the time of document verification?

While the final list will be communicated at the time of shortlisting, candidates should be ready with: engineering degree marksheets (all semesters), degree/provisional certificate, CGPA conversion certificate (if applicable), NATS 2.0 registration proof, age proof, category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NC/PwBD in prescribed format), valid ID proof (Aadhaar/PAN/Passport), and a recent passport-sized photograph. No TA/DA is paid for attending document verification.

Q10. What is the benefit of completing the HPCL apprenticeship for future HPCL recruitment?

Completing the HPCL Graduate Apprenticeship provides two advantages in future HPCL regular recruitment: first, age relaxation equivalent to the duration of the apprenticeship (up to one year); and second, an additional 5% of the marks secured in the Computer Based Test (CBT) is added as grace marks for the purpose of shortlisting. However, these benefits do not guarantee selection — they are relaxations/preferences within the competitive process.

Q11. What if I enter wrong information in the application form?

Furnishing wrong or false information will lead to immediate disqualification. If a discrepancy is found even after engagement — for example, if marks entered online do not match your physical marksheet — the apprenticeship training will be terminated without notice. HPCL will not be held responsible for consequences arising from incorrect information submitted by the candidate.

Q12. How will I be informed about shortlisting and further stages?

All communication from HPCL will be sent exclusively through your registered email ID. No hard copies or physical letters will be sent. It is your responsibility to keep the email ID and mobile number active and regularly check for updates. Also regularly monitor the NATS and HPCL portals for updates throughout the selection process.