Auto Body Repair and Painter

Straightening and filling dents, replacing or repairing panels, sanding and priming, colour matching, spraying base and clear coats, and finishing and polishing. Work happens in body shops, dealer workshops, insurance repair centres, or on your own.

A day in the work
The day usually starts with the job card, which lists which panels need work. In the morning you sand off old paint and apply body filler to a dented door, checking the surface with your hands and a light. After lunch you prime, mask windows and trim, and spray base and clear coats in a booth with a mask on. Before you leave, you check the colour in daylight against the car's paint code and note the parts and paint used for the bill.

1. Step 1 · Class 9–10Keep up with maths and drawing. Many students see the trade through a school visit or a short local workshop. You need to be at least 14 for most ITI trades.
2. Step 2 · After Class 10Apply to a government ITI for the one-year Mechanic Auto Body Painting trade, or the two-year Painter (General) trade, through your state's admission portal.
3. Step 3 · ITI course (1–2 years)Learn surface preparation, body fillers, corrosion protection, spray-gun use, masking, colour mixing and paint defects. The one-year course has 150 hours of on-the-job training each year, or a group project where no industry placement is available.
4. Step 4 · End of ITISit the NCVT trade test and receive the National Trade Certificate, which is recognised across India.
5. Step 5 · Optional, after ITITake an ASDC Repair Painter (Auto Body) Level 4 course with an authorised training partner, or work in a body shop to build experience. (reported — check with the official body)

• ITI Mechanic Auto Body Painting (one year)The shortest official route. It focuses on body repair and painting for vehicles.
• ITI Painter (General) (two years)A longer course. It covers painting for buildings, furniture and vehicles, with more theory and drawing.
• ASDC short course with a training partnerIndustry-linked courses run by partners approved by the Automotive Skills Development Council. Check the course details and certificate level before you join.

Fees from: Delhi Government ITI admission 2026, spot round notice · Registration guidelines and fee structure for online ITI admission 2026 (state government PDF). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Earnings depend a lot on skill, the type of shop, your city and whether you work for a dealer, a body shop or on your own, and early pay is usually modest while you build speed and a reputation.

The 2026 state guidelines exempt girls and persons with disabilities from the government component of ITI fees. I did not find a separate quota or reserved seat for this trade in the sources I checked.

• Class 7–9Ask a parent to take you to a local car body shop or a nearby ITI open day, and watch how old paint is removed and a dent is filled.
• Class 10–12Read the first-year sections of the Painter (General) curriculum to see what the training covers, including the drawing and safety work.Open link ↗
• College or afterFind your state's ITI admission portal and check which automotive and painting trades your nearest government ITI offers.Open link ↗

• Check that the ITI is affiliated with NCVT, or that your state's scheme is clearly stated, before you join. The NCVT trade certificate is the national recognition.
• Paint work means solvents, dust and fumes. Masks, gloves and proper ventilation are part of the training, and they are not optional on the job.
• A certificate shows you can do the work. Shop owners also judge you on speed, clean finish and how you deal with customers.