UCO Bank Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 530 Vacancies, Eligibility, Exam Date & Apply Online
UCO Bank has opened 530 apprentice seats for graduates across 31 States and Union Territories. Registration closes on 29 October 2026. The online entrance exam follows on 7 November 2026 at 11 AM.
So who is this for? Recent graduates aged 20 to 28 who want a paid year inside a public sector bank. If that sounds like you, read on. We have covered eligibility, seats, fees, the exam and the two-step application in plain language.
One thing almost every other article skips: you won’t sit this exam at a test centre. You take it from home, on your own phone or laptop with a camera. More on that below.
UCO Bank Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
| Organisation | UCO Bank (Head Office, Kolkata) |
| Advertisement No. | HO/HRM/RECR/2026-27/COM-02 |
| Post | Apprentice (Apprentices Act, 1961) |
| Total seats | 530 (provisional) |
| How to apply | Online: NATS portal first, then BFSI SSC |
| Registration window | 14 to 29 October 2026 |
| Exam date | 7 November 2026, 11:00 AM |
| Exam mode | Online, taken from home |
| Training period | One year |
| Stipend | ₹16,650 a month |
| Official website | uco.bank.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| Notification released | 13 October 2026 |
| Registration opens | 14 October 2026 |
| Last date to register and pay the fee | 29 October 2026 |
| Exam link emailed by BFSI SSC | One day before the exam |
| Online entrance exam | 7 November 2026, 11:00 AM |
| Result and document verification | Not announced yet |
A word of advice here. The form isn’t a single page. You apply on one portal, then wait for an email that opens the second stage. Starting on 28 October is cutting it far too fine.
UCO Bank Apprentice Vacancy 2026
The 530 seats are split by State and by category. You can pick only one State or UT, ideally your home State. You must also know a local language of that State. Within the State, the bank can post you to any district.
Seats in Punjab, Chandigarh and nearby States
| State/UT | SC | ST | OBC (NCL) | EWS | UR | Total |
| Himachal Pradesh | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 25 |
| Punjab | 9 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 24 |
| Haryana | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 15 |
| New Delhi | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 13 |
| Uttarakhand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 |
| Chandigarh | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Chandigarh has just four seats, and three are unreserved. That’s tight. If you live in the tricity and are comfortable in Punjabi or Hindi, compare Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana before you choose. You can’t change the State later, and the language test is tied to the State you pick.
State-wise and category-wise vacancy (all India)
| State/UT | SC | ST | OBC (NCL) | EWS | UR | Total |
| West Bengal | 26 | 3 | 32 | 4 | 21 | 86 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 11 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 45 |
| Odisha | 10 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 41 |
| Rajasthan | 9 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 37 |
| Bihar | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 34 |
| Maharashtra | 4 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 32 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 27 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 25 |
| Assam | 1 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 24 |
| Punjab | 9 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 24 |
| Tamil Nadu | 6 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 21 |
| Gujarat | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 20 |
| Haryana | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 15 |
| New Delhi | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 13 |
| Jharkhand | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
| Karnataka | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| Kerala | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Chhattisgarh | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Telangana | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Uttarakhand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 |
| Tripura | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Chandigarh | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Manipur | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Goa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Meghalaya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Nagaland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Pondicherry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sikkim | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 106 | 49 | 147 | 23 | 205 | 530 |
Of these, 35 seats are kept for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: 25 OC, 9 HI, 1 VI and none for ID. The notification shows the PwBD split State by State.
Eligibility Criteria
Everything is checked as on 1 October 2026.
Educational qualification
Any graduate degree works, in any stream, from a university or institute recognised by the Government of India or its regulators. The catch is the date. Your graduation mark sheets and provisional or final degree certificate must be issued on or after 1 April 2022. A degree issued before that rules you out.
Got a CGPA instead of marks? You’ll enter it as a percentage, to two decimals. At verification you’ll need your university’s conversion rule in writing.
Age limit and relaxation
UR and EWS candidates must be 20 to 28 years old. By our reckoning, that’s a date of birth between 2 October 1998 and 1 October 2006. Please confirm this against the official notice.
| Category | Relaxation | Upper age limit |
| UR / EWS | None | 28 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years | 31 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years | 33 years |
| PwBD (UR/EWS) | 10 years | 38 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years | 41 years |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | 15 years | 43 years |
| Widows, divorced or legally separated women not remarried | Concession | 35 (UR/EWS), 38 (OBC), 40 (SC/ST) |
Who cannot apply
This is where a lot of applications fall apart. You are not eligible if:
- you have already done an apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, 1961, or are doing one now, with UCO Bank or anyone else;
- an earlier apprenticeship of yours was terminated;
- you have one year or more of work experience or training after graduating;
- you are an ex-serviceman or disabled ex-serviceman.
A quick example. Ten months in a job after your degree? Still eligible. Twelve months or more? Not eligible.
Nationality and local language
Indian citizens can apply. So can a few other groups named in the notification, such as subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, provided they hold a Government eligibility certificate.
You also need to read, write, speak and understand a local language of your chosen State or UT. A short language test is held at document verification. Studied that language in Class 10 or 12? Show the mark sheet and you skip the test.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
| SC / ST | ₹200 + GST |
| PwBD | ₹200 + GST |
| General / EWS / OBC (Female and Transgender) | ₹600 + GST |
| General / EWS / OBC (Male) | ₹800 + GST |
You pay online, through the link in the BFSI SSC email. No other mode is accepted. The fee isn’t refunded, even if you skip the exam. The notice doesn’t mention the GST rate, so check the final figure on the payment screen.
Stipend and Apprenticeship Duration
Apprentices get ₹16,650 a month for one year, counted from the day the apprenticeship contract is signed.
| Component | Monthly amount |
| Paid by UCO Bank | ₹10,500 |
| Government share through DBT | ₹6,150 |
| Total | ₹16,650 |
The Government share goes straight into your bank account and can change under Government rules. There are no other allowances.
Apprentice or employee? Know the difference
Let’s be honest about what this is. An apprentice is a trainee, not a bank employee. The notification spells it out:
- You have no right to a permanent job once the year ends, and the bank owes you none.
- PF, ESI and bonus don’t apply.
- No hostel, transport or housing is provided.
- Your daily hours match those of the bank’s clerical staff.
- Leave midway without a genuine reason beyond your control, and you may have to return the stipend and training cost.
So why do it? Because a year at a real branch teaches things no coaching class can: customer handling, account opening, KYC, digital banking, cash work. Interviewers for clerk and PO posts notice that.
UCO Bank Apprentice Exam Date 2026
The online entrance exam is on 7 November 2026 at 11:00 AM. BFSI Sector Skill Council of India (BFSI SSC) conducts it.
Here’s how it runs, as per the notification:
- A day before the exam, BFSI SSC emails the exam link and login to everyone who paid the fee.
- You take the test at home on a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone with a working camera.
- You hold up the Aadhaar card you uploaded on NATS so the camera can capture it.
- No one else may be near you during the test. Only PwBD candidates may have someone with them.
- The finer rules come in an Information Handout, sent by email.
The agency also compares answer patterns between candidates. If it looks like answers were shared, results can be cancelled. Sit alone, in a quiet room, with a charged device and steady internet.
Exam Pattern and Syllabus
| Section | Questions | Marks |
| General / Financial Awareness | 25 | 25 |
| General English | 25 | 25 |
| Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude | 25 | 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
- Time: 60 minutes for the whole paper.
- Language: English and Hindi.
- Negative marking: the notification says nothing about it. Wait for the Information Handout before you decide to guess.
- Sectional time limit or sectional cut-off: not mentioned.
- Qualifying marks: 40 out of 100 for General/EWS, and 35 for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD.
UCO Bank hasn’t released a topic-wise syllabus, only section names. From similar bank apprentice and clerk-level papers, these are the usual areas:
| Section | Topics to expect |
| General / Financial Awareness | Banking terms, RBI and monetary policy basics, Government schemes, last 4–6 months of current affairs |
| General English | Reading comprehension, error spotting, cloze test, fillers, para jumbles |
| Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | Puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogism, inequality, coding-decoding; computer basics, MS Office, internet terms |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Simplification, number series, data interpretation, percentage, ratio, profit and loss, interest |
Treat this table as guidance. It isn’t official.
Selection Process
- Online entrance exam run by BFSI SSC.
- Merit list, drawn up separately for each State and category, highest marks first. If two people tie at the cut-off, the older one ranks higher.
- Document verification and local-language test at an allotted centre. Travel is at your own cost.
- Medical fitness
- Joining, once you sign the Contract of Apprenticeship.
If some selected candidates don’t join, the bank may call people from a wait list.
How to Apply Online
There are two stages. Most rejected applicants simply never finish the second one.
Stage 1: NATS portal
- Open the NATS portal and click “Student Register/Login”.
- Register if you’re new. Upload your photo, signature, Aadhaar and graduation documents.
- Log in, find the UCO Bank apprenticeship listing and apply.
- Write down your NATS Enrolment ID. You’ll need it again and again.
Stage 2: BFSI SSC
- Keep an eye on your inbox (and spam folder) for a mail from info@bfsissc.com.
- Follow the link to bfsissc.com. Fill in your category, preferred districts and other details.
- Pay the exam fee online by 29 October 2026.
- Check everything twice. Once you hit Submit, nothing can be changed.
- Save the confirmation page and the payment receipt.
Your name, date of birth and other details must match exactly on NATS, on BFSI SSC and on your certificates. Even a small mismatch can cost you the seat. Questions can go to info@bfsissc.com.
Documents Required
For registration
- Graduation mark sheets and provisional or final degree certificate (issued on or after 1 April 2022)
- Proof of date of birth, such as the Class 10 certificate
- Aadhaar card
- A recent photograph and your signature
- A personal email ID and mobile number you actually check
For document verification, only if they apply to you
- SC/ST certificate in the Government of India format
- OBC-NCL certificate issued on or after 1 April 2026
- EWS Income and Asset Certificate valid for 2026–27
- PwBD certificate or UDID card
- Class 10 or 12 mark sheet showing the local language (to skip the language test)
- CGPA-to-percentage conversion certificate from your university
- Proof for widows, divorced or legally separated women claiming the age concession
Carry the originals along with a set of photocopies.
Preparation Tips for the UCO Bank Apprentice Exam
You have roughly two weeks after the deadline. That’s not the time to start new chapters. Work on speed and accuracy instead. With 100 questions in 60 minutes, you get about 36 seconds a question.
Section by section
- Financial Awareness: often the quickest marks in the paper. Revise banking terms, RBI rates and recent decisions, the big Government schemes and six months of banking news.
- English: do one reading comprehension and one cloze test every day. If a passage is too tough, leave it and move on.
- Reasoning and Computer: start with inequality, syllogism and coding-decoding. Computer questions on shortcuts, file types and networking take seconds.
- Quant: go for simplification and number series first. DI eats time, so only pick sets you can finish.
A 15-day plan before 7 November
| Days | What to do |
| 1–4 | Revise basics: banking awareness notes, arithmetic formulas, grammar rules |
| 5–9 | A full mock every other day; on the other days, sectional practice on weak areas |
| 10–13 | One full mock a day in exam conditions, on the device you’ll use; go through every mistake |
| 14 | Light revision of current affairs and formulas; test camera, internet and Aadhaar |
| 15 | Rest, check your email for the exam link, sleep early |
Mocks and exam-day habits
- Practise on the same phone or laptop you’ll use on 7 November. A small screen slows you down more than you’d think.
- Spend 30–40 minutes reviewing each mock. The review matters more than the score.
- Fix a section order, say Financial Awareness, then Reasoning, then English, then Quant, and stick to it.
- Keep your Aadhaar card, a charger and a backup internet option within reach.
Want a routine that works beyond this exam too? Our guide on complete bank exam preparation for 2026–27 lays one out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacancies are there in UCO Bank Apprentice Recruitment 2026? 530 provisional seats across 31 States and UTs. West Bengal has the most (86). Punjab has 24 and Chandigarh 4.
What is the last date to apply? 29 October 2026, for both registration and the BFSI SSC fee payment.
When is the UCO Bank Apprentice exam? 7 November 2026 at 11:00 AM, taken online from home on your own camera-enabled device.
Will there be an admit card? The notification doesn’t mention one. BFSI SSC emails the exam link and login a day before.
What qualification do I need? A graduate degree in any stream, with mark sheets and degree certificate issued on or after 1 April 2022.
What is the age limit? 20 to 28 years as on 1 October 2026 for UR/EWS, with relaxation for SC/ST, OBC-NCL, PwBD and some women candidates.
How much is the stipend? ₹16,650 a month: ₹10,500 from UCO Bank plus ₹6,150 from the Government through DBT.
Is there negative marking? The notification doesn’t say. Check the Information Handout from BFSI SSC before the exam.
Can I apply from any State? Yes, but for one State or UT only, ideally your home State, and you must know its local language.
Will I get a permanent job after the apprenticeship? No. The notification is clear that apprentices can’t claim a job and the bank isn’t bound to offer one. The experience does help in later bank exams, though.
Conclusion
These 530 seats are a good fit for recent graduates who want a paid year inside a public sector bank. Register on NATS, finish the BFSI SSC form and pay the fee before 29 October 2026. Then get ready for a 60-minute, 100-mark online test on 7 November, which you’ll take from home.
Go through the official notification before you submit, and keep checking uco.bank.in for any corrigendum. Thinking about a longer banking career? Have a look at the upcoming bank exams in 2026 and the IBPS RRB 2026 vacancies and selection process. And if you’re in the tricity and prefer classroom guidance, take a look at our bank exam coaching in Chandigarh.