Union Bank of India Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 1,865 Vacancies

Union Bank of India has opened applications for one of the largest apprenticeship drives in the public banking sector this year. With 1,865 seats spread across nearly every state and Union Territory, the 2026 notification offers graduates a structured, one-year on-the-job training program at branches throughout India.

If you're a graduate looking to gain real banking experience with a guaranteed stipend, here's everything you need to know.

Key Dates at a Glance

The official notification was signed on 28 April 2026 by the Chief General Manager (HR), Mumbai.

What This Apprenticeship Actually Is

Before applying, it's worth being clear about what's on offer. This is not a regular bank job. Under the Apprentices Act, 1961, Union Bank engages apprentices for a one-year on-the-job training program designed to build banking skills and improve employability. Important points:

• It is training, not employment. The Bank has no obligation to offer a regular job after the contract ends.
• Apprentices are classified as trainees, not workers. Labour laws covering PF, ESI, and bonus do not apply.
• Apprentices cannot join or form any union body.
• No hostel, transport, or residential accommodation is provided.

That said, the experience is valuable. Apprentices are trained on real banking practices, products, and processes, and at the end go through an assessment test to earn a Scorecard recognized certificate.

Vacancy Breakdown by State

The 1,865 seats are distributed across 32 states and Union Territories. The largest allocations are concentrated in a handful of states:

Smaller allocations cover Chhattisgarh (25), Punjab (21), Uttarakhand (10), Chandigarh (6), Goa (5), Sikkim (2), Jammu & Kashmir (2), and one-seat openings in Andaman & Nicobar, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, and Puducherry.

Across all states, the category split is: 823 UR, 289 SC, 131 ST, 447 OBC, and 175 EWS. Within these, 98 seats are horizontally reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities (28 HI, 35 OC, 23 VI, 12 ID).

Eligibility Criteria

Nationality: Indian citizens (with limited categories of eligible refugees and persons of Indian origin who hold a Government of India certificate of eligibility).

Age (as on 1 April 2026): Minimum 20 years, maximum 28 years. Upper-age relaxations:

• SC/ST: 5 years
• OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years
• PwBD: 10 years (UR/EWS), 13 years (OBC), 15 years (SC/ST)
• Widows, divorced women, and women legally separated who have not remarried: up to 35 (Gen/EWS), 38 (OBC), 40 (SC/ST)

Education: A graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized institution, with the result declared on or before Tradesman Recruitment 1 April 2026. There is also a recency rule — the graduation mark sheet must not be dated prior to 1 April 2022, meaning your degree should have been awarded within the last four years.

Local language: Candidates must be proficient (reading, writing, speaking, understanding) in one of the local languages of the state they apply for. For Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, that's Telugu; for Tamil Nadu, Tamil; for Karnataka, Kannada, and so on. Proof comes from your Class 10 or 12 mark sheet showing the language was studied; otherwise, you'll need to clear a local language test.

Disqualifiers worth noting:

• Candidates who have already completed apprenticeship training anywhere, or who have one year or more of post-graduation work experience, are not eligible.
• Anyone previously terminated from an apprenticeship for misconduct is not eligible.

Selection Process

Selection involves an online objective test of 100 questions over 60 minutes, with no negative marking. The five sections each carry 20 marks:

1. General/Financial Awareness
2. General English
3. Quantitative and Reasoning Aptitude
4. Computer or Subject Knowledge
5. Union Bank of India Products and Services

The fifth section is unique to this exam. The syllabus is limited to features, benefits, and eligibility criteria of five specific products: Saving Account, Current Account, Salary Accounts, Term Deposits, and Union Ease. The notification provides direct links to the relevant pages on unionbankofindia.bank.in — worth reviewing in detail before the exam.

Final selection then depends on meeting the cut-off, satisfactory govt jobs document verification, proof of local-language proficiency, and a medical fitness certificate from a registered General Physician. Calculators are not permitted in the exam.

Stipend and Posting

The stipend depends on the branch category where you are placed:

No other allowances are payable, and stipends are paid after each month with adjustments for any unauthorized absence.

During application, you can list five preferred districts within your chosen state — with your home district as the first preference. However, the Bank explicitly reserves the right to allot any district in the selected state based on administrative requirements. Annexure I of the notification lists every district where training will be conducted.

Apprentices get one casual leave per month (maximum four can be availed at one time), and daily training hours match those of the bank's clerical staff. No overtime is allowed.

Application Fees

Fees are non-refundable and inclusive of 18% GST:

Payment is online only — debit card, credit card, net banking, or UPI.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online only, through either of these portals:

• https://unionbankofindia.bank.in/recruitment.aspx
• https://beep.bfsissc.com/candidate_register/mkt

Hard copies should not be sent. Before starting, keep these ready in the specified formats (JPEG/PDF, each under 1 MB): Aadhaar (front and back), a valid email ID and active mobile number, passport-size photo, qualifying mark Bihar sheet or degree certificate, caste certificate (if applicable), PwBD certificate (if applicable), PAN card, and APAAR ID card.

Candidates must also register on the NATS (https://nats.education.gov.in) and NAPS (https://www.apprenticeshipindia.gov.in) portals to obtain the NATS Enrolment Number and NAPS Apprentice Code, both required during the application. Keep both login credentials safe — you'll be returning to these portals throughout the apprenticeship.

For APAAR ID issues, the help link is https://www.digilocker.gov.in.

A Few Practical Tips

A few small details in the notification are easy to miss but matter:

• Only one application per candidate. Multiple submissions result in only the last one being retained, with earlier fees forfeited.
• No data can be changed after final submission.
• Call letters are sent by email only — no hard copies. Keep your registered email and mobile number active until results are declared.
• The exam is conducted online, and you will need your own camera-enabled device (desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone) to take it.
• The same ID proof uploaded during registration must be displayed during the exam.

For queries, the official help addresses are apprentice@unionbankofindia.bank.in and info@bfsissc.com.

Should You Apply?

If you're a recent graduate (within the last four years) between 20 and 28, comfortable with the local language of your state, and looking for a year of structured banking experience with a steady stipend, this is one of the larger and more accessible recruitment drives this year. The trade-off is clear: it's training, not a job, and there's no guarantee of employment afterward. But for many candidates, the certificate, the experience, and a year inside a major public sector bank are exactly the launchpad they need for clerical, PO, and other banking exams down the line.

Applications close on 19 May 2026 — and with limited seats in many states, it's worth applying early rather than waiting for the last day.