A government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) is one of the few places in Tamil Nadu where you are paid to learn. Government ITIs charge no tuition fee and pay every trainee a stipend of ₹750 a month, whatever their community or family income. Trainees also get a bus pass, two sets of uniform, shoes, a bicycle, textbooks and drawing instruments, according to the Department of Employment and Training.
Classes for 2026-27 began in August. Labour Welfare and Skill Development Minister Mohamed Parvez opened the year at the Government ITI in Guindy, DT Next reported. The department told DT Next that 95% of last year’s government ITI trainees found jobs. If you missed this year’s round, this guide explains how the next one works.
Who can join, and how seats are filled
The department’s admission page sets the age limit at 14 to 40, with no upper limit for women. Depending on the trade, you need to have passed Class 8, Class 10 or Class 12. Admission is on merit, based on your average marks in the qualifying school exam, and seats are split by community reservation:
| Category | Share of seats |
|---|---|
| Open competition | 31% |
| Backward Classes | 26.5% |
| BC (Muslim) | 3.5% |
| Most Backward Classes | 20% |
| Scheduled Castes | 15.12% |
| SC (Arunthathiyar) | 2.88% |
| Scheduled Tribes | 1% |
Within these, 30% of seats are kept for women and 5% for persons with disabilities. There are also seats for wards of ex-servicemen, orphans and state-level sportspersons. Government ITI seats are allotted through statewide online counselling. Some government-quota seats are in private ITIs, and the state pays those ITIs ₹16,500 per trainee for engineering trades and ₹13,000 for non-engineering trades.
There is also a second route. If seats remain after counselling, individual ITIs announce direct admission, usually in May and June. In 2026, the Chennai district administration published notices for Guindy, Women’s ITI Guindy, Thiruvanmiyur and Ambattur Women’s ITI, and the Guindy notice invited applications for five new trades. Women’s ITI Guindy took applications until 3 June 2026.
Trades on offer
DT Next reported that ITIs across the state offer 70 engineering and 34 non-engineering trades. The most popular are fitter, electrician, AC mechanic, welder and computer trades. The Chennai trade list also includes wireman, mechanical and civil draughtsman, motor vehicle mechanic, turner, machinist, plumber, refrigeration and air-conditioning technician, computer operator and programming assistant, and sewing technology. Most courses take one or two years.
When choosing a trade, think about where the jobs are. Around Chennai, there is steady demand for electricians and AC technicians in construction and services, and for fitters and machinists in the auto and manufacturing units at Sriperumbudur, Oragadam and Ambattur.
Government ITIs in and around Chennai
- Government ITI, Guindy (the nodal ITI for the district)
- Government ITI (Women), Guindy
- Government ITI, North Chennai
- Government ITI, Thiruvanmiyur
- Government ITI, R.K. Nagar
- Government ITI, Tiruvottiyur
- Government ITI for Women, Ambattur
Each offers a different set of trades and seats. Visit the institute or check the department’s site before you decide.
How many seats
DT Next put this year’s capacity at 132 government ITIs with 36,344 seats and 277 private ITIs with 26,388 seats. The department’s home page gives different figures, 102 government and 305 private ITIs, perhaps because it counts institutes differently. Either way, government seats are limited and the good trades fill first, so apply as soon as the round opens.
Choosing a trade and an institute
- Visit before counselling. Ask to see the workshop for the trade you want. Machines that work and enough of them matter more than the building.
- Ask about placements by trade. The 95% figure is for government ITIs across the state, and results differ from trade to trade.
- Check how far it is from home. The bus pass covers your daily trip, but a two-hour commute on top of practical sessions is tiring.
- Look at skill competitions. At the August event, five teams from government ITIs that won the state-level skill competition were given ₹50,000 each, DT Next reported. Institutes that do well in these competitions often have strong instructors.
After the course: apprenticeships
When you pass, you get a National Trade Certificate. You can then do an apprenticeship with a company, which usually lasts a year. The contract has to be registered online on the Apprenticeship India portal, and apprentices cannot write the final exam without it. Campus interviews are also held through the department’s Related Instruction Centres.
Quick answers
Is ITI free in Tamil Nadu?
In government ITIs, yes. There is no tuition fee, and trainees get ₹750 a month plus a free kit and bus pass.
When do ITI admissions open?
Online counselling usually happens in the months before classes start in August. Direct admission for leftover seats is announced in May and June.
Can women over 40 join?
Yes. There is no upper age limit for women.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Freebies for ITI trainees (Department of Employment and Training, Tamil Nadu)
- Admission details (Department of Employment and Training, Tamil Nadu)
- Department of Employment and Training home page
- Chennai ITIs and trades (Department of Employment and Training)
- Press releases, May 2026 ITI admissions (Chennai District Administration)
- Chennai ITI classes begin; 95% of trainees get jobs (DT Next)
