If you are preparing for a government exam in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong or Siliguri, you probably know this feeling: the books are open, but the worry about money sits right beside them. Coaching fees, form fees, travel to the exam centre, a new set of notes. It adds up, and asking home for money every month gets heavy.
That is why I wrote this guide. Part-time jobs for aspirants are not a dream, and you do not need to give up your preparation to earn something. There are four official routes, and I have written each one below in plain words, with the figures the official pages state, so you can decide what fits your life.
Last updated: 20 October 2026.
Based on official information from labour.gov.in, myscheme.gov.in, vikaspedia.in and a PMIS summary hosted on aud.delhi.gov.in.
Quick answer: You can look at the NCS portal, a NAPS apprenticeship, the PM Internship Scheme or CSC registration. The PMIS summary lists ₹9,000 a month. The NAPS government share stops at ₹1,500 a month. Pay and hours differ by route, so confirm both before you join.
Why I am writing this, and who I am
I am Sandeep Khati. I studied B.Tech in Computer Science at Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College, worked as a Systems Engineer at TCS, and have been in digital publishing since 2011. My path was not a straight line, and in April 2025 I started India Job Alerts from scratch because I wanted one place where every notification is checked against the official source before it goes live.
Every week I read through government and PSU notifications for West Bengal, Sikkim and the rest of India. I also write about the Darjeeling hills at SearchDarjeeling. That is why one question keeps coming back to me: how can an aspirant earn something without losing precious study time?
I will not promise you a magic job here. What I can promise is that every figure below comes from an official page, and I will tell you clearly where the limits are.
The real problem for aspirants in the hills and North Bengal
In the hills, a government exam attempt can mean a long journey to Siliguri for coaching or a centre, a rented room, and a patchy internet connection when the monsoon hits. Many families also depend on tea gardens, tourism or small shops, where income comes in seasons and not every month.
So the question is not only “Can I study?” It is “Can I keep studying for another year without breaking my family’s budget?” The four routes below are built for exactly that question. If you are from this region, you can also keep an eye on our North Bengal job updates for local openings.
Four official part-time jobs for aspirants
1. National Career Service (NCS) portal
The Ministry of Labour and Employment runs the National Career Service. The labour.gov.in page lists job matching, career counselling, job notifications, vocational guidance, and information on skill courses and internships.
You can reach the service through the portal, Career Centres, Common Service Centres and post offices. The services.india.gov.in listing adds job fairs and a Career Centre search by state or district, so a candidate in Darjeeling or Siliguri can look for the nearest centre instead of travelling blindly.
Openings on the portal come from employers, so pay and hours follow each posting. For comparison, you can also browse current openings across India on our site.
2. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)
NAPS supports apprentices engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961, according to myscheme.gov.in. The Government of India shares 25% of the stipend, up to ₹1,500 a month per apprentice, as stated on vikaspedia.in.
The employer pays the stipend, and the government pays a share. This support applies only when the apprentice is 35 or younger at registration. It does not apply to apprentices placed with central or state government departments or public sector undertakings, public sector banks included.
Candidates and employers register on the apprenticeship portal. Current notices sit under our apprentice vacancy updates.
3. PM Internship Scheme (PMIS)
A 2026 PMIS summary hosted on aud.delhi.gov.in lists a monthly stipend of ₹9,000. The government pays ₹8,100 through direct benefit transfer, and the company pays ₹900. The internship runs for 6 to 9 months.
The same summary sets an age range of 18 to 25 years. It lists 10th pass, 12th pass, ITI, diploma and graduate candidates as eligible, subject to the scheme guidelines. Family income should generally be below ₹12 lakh a year.
Candidates apply on the PMIS portal, and we post updates under our internship notices.
4. Common Service Centre (CSC) registration
Common Service Centres are service points under the National e-Governance Plan. A Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) delivers government and private services from a CSC outlet, according to vikaspedia.in.
Registration as a CSC VLE needs a TEC certificate number, and the form includes an authentication step. The page states that registration is free and that you should not pay anybody for it. The helpline numbers are 011 4975 4923 and 011 4975 4924.
Which of these part-time jobs for aspirants suits you?
Think about your time first, and the stipend second.
- NCS portal: good if you want to compare many openings before choosing your hours.
- NAPS and PMIS: good if you are within the age limits and can commit to a fixed term. A fixed term gives a regular stipend, but also fixed working hours that you must fit around study time.
- CSC registration: good if you can run a small service point and arrange the TEC certificate first.
None of them removes the need for a study timetable. Write yours down before you sign up for anything.
This is the site’s own assessment, based on the official information above. It is not official guidance.
How to balance earning and studying
A government exam rewards steady effort over many months. Needing an income during that time is the sign of a practical plan. It says nothing about your ability to clear the exam.
- Fix your working hours before you start, and protect your best study hours.
- Use the stipend for exam fees, study material and travel, so you do not have to borrow.
- Keep your documents ready. Our guides on how to apply for a government job in 2026, category certificates and age relaxation rules can save you from last-minute trouble.
- If you are targeting state exams, see how to apply online in WBPSC step by step.
Setbacks happen in every attempt. With some steady income, you can sit the next exam with less fear of what the wait will cost you. Every month of preparation still counts, and every month of honest work adds to your savings and experience.
This is the site’s own assessment, based on the official information above. It is not official guidance.
Points to check before taking part-time jobs for aspirants
- NAPS stipend support needs an apprentice aged 35 or younger at registration, and excludes government departments and public sector undertakings.
- PMIS lists an age range of 18 to 25 years and a family income limit in its guidelines.
- CSC registration is free, and the official page warns against paying anybody.
- Never pay an agent or middleman for a government job, and apply only through official links.
The same rule applies to any offer that asks for a fee before work starts. Official pages for the four routes above carry no such fee, except the application fees a notice itself prints.
Also Read: How to Apply for a Government Job in 2026: Full Guide
Get instant updates
New notifications, internships and apprenticeship openings come out all the time, and some close within days. To avoid missing them, join our WhatsApp channel or our Telegram group. You will get alerts the moment we publish.
Important Links
| Details | Link |
|---|---|
| NCS portal | Open the National Career Service portal |
| NCS overview | Read NCS overview on labour.gov.in |
| NCS job search | Read NCS job search details on services.india.gov.in |
| NAPS scheme | Read NAPS scheme details on myscheme.gov.in |
| NAPS stipend terms | Read NAPS stipend support terms |
| Apprenticeship portal | Register on the apprenticeship portal |
| PMIS 2026 summary | Download PMIS 2026 summary PDF |
| PMIS portal | Apply on the PM Internship portal |
| CSC registration | Register as a CSC VLE |
| CSC steps | Read CSC registration steps on vikaspedia.in |
| More jobs | Latest government job updates |
FAQs
Which part-time jobs for aspirants have official pages?
The NCS portal, NAPS apprenticeships, the PM Internship Scheme and CSC registration all have official pages. Each lists its own eligibility, so read the relevant page before applying.
What is the age limit for NAPS stipend support?
Government stipend support under NAPS requires the apprentice to be 35 or younger at registration. The same pages exclude apprentices placed with central and state government departments and public sector undertakings from that support.
How much does the PM Internship Scheme pay?
The 2026 summary on aud.delhi.gov.in lists ₹9,000 a month, with ₹8,100 from the government and ₹900 from the company. The internship runs 6 to 9 months, and candidates must be 18 to 25 years old.
Have a question from the hills or the plains of North Bengal? Leave it in the comments, and I will try to point you to the right official page.
Written and verified by
Sandeep Khati
Founder and Editor, India Job Alerts
B.Tech in Computer Science from Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College (2010). Former Systems Engineer at TCS and in digital publishing since 2011. He started India Job Alerts in April 2025 to publish verified government and PSU job notifications for West Bengal, Sikkim and the rest of India. Every post is checked against the official notification before it goes live. Also writes about the Darjeeling hills at SearchDarjeeling.