SKILLED TRADES AND VOCATIONAL (NSQF)

CNC Machine Operator and Programmer

Set up and program computer-controlled machines that cut precise metal and plastic parts.

Class 10 Maths and Science helpful After Class 10 Private sector

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Seeing a rough metal block become a precise part you made yourself
Solving problems on the machine, like finding why a size is off
Working with your hands and with computer programs in the same job

It may not suit you if you dislike

Factory shifts, including nights, and standing for long hours
Noise, coolant, metal dust and the need to follow safety rules every time
Pay and status grow slowly; real programming skill takes years of practice

Class 11–12 subjects: Class 10 pass with Science and Mathematics (or a vocational subject in the same sector, or equivalent). Minimum age is 14 on the first day of the academic session. You do not need Class 12 to start.
First degree: No degree is needed. The main route is a 2-year ITI trade (Machinist or Advanced CNC Machining Technician), which ends in a National Trade Certificate from DGT. Some people then do a diploma or an apprenticeship.
Entrance exams: Most state ITIs admit students on merit, through an online form and counselling. Each year you sit trade tests and theory exams set under the national trade system (NCVT/DGT). The final trade test decides your certificate.
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Open to every streamClass 10 Maths and Science helpful.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Reading engineering drawings, choosing tools and work holding, setting zero points and offsets, and running the machine. Programmers write or edit part programs (G and M codes) or use CAM software, then simulate them before cutting. Operators also check finished parts for size and do basic machine care such as lubrication and checking oil levels.

A day in the work
You start by checking the drawing, the tool list and the material for the day's job. You set the tools, measure offsets and run a test cut or simulation before the real part. While the machine runs, you check parts with gauges and callipers and watch for tool wear or alarms. At the end of the shift you clean the machine, log the output and hand over notes to the next shift.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 8–10Build strong Maths and Science, since most ITI engineering trades ask for Class 10 with these subjects. Visit a nearby ITI or machine shop if you can, and ask to see a lathe or milling machine in use.
Step 2 · Class 10Apply through your state's ITI admission portal for a Machinist or Advanced CNC Machining Technician seat. Admission is usually by merit, then counselling. Check the state's own notice for the exact dates and fees.
Step 3 · 2 years at ITIComplete the 2-year course. It has about 2,400 hours of training plus 300 hours of on-the-job or group project work. You need at least 60% in the trade practical and formative assessment, and 33% in other subjects. On passing, you get the National Trade Certificate from DGT.
Step 4 · After ITIGet hands-on CNC experience through an apprenticeship or a job in a machine shop. An ITI pass-out may get a shorter apprenticeship period. Look for a short CNC programming or CAM course to add to your certificate.
Step 5 · Years 3–5Move from operating to setting up and programming complex jobs, such as 4-axis or 5-axis work. This usually takes years of shop-floor practice. Some people then move into supervision or quality control.

Ways in

ITI Machinist (2 years)The standard route after Class 10. It covers lathe, milling and basic CNC work and ends in an NTC from DGT.
ITI Advanced CNC Machining Technician (2 years)A more focused CNC trade, offered in some states. It goes deeper into CNC operation, programming and multi-axis work.
Short course after ITI or Class 10DGT lists a 240-hour Fundamentals of CNC Programming and Operation course. Entry is 10th passed and pursuing or completed a related ITI trade.
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering plus CNC certificateA 3-year polytechnic diploma gives broader engineering knowledge. It takes longer, and CNC skill is then added through a certificate or on the job.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12	2 years	Your school's fees	—	—
ITI Machinist or Advanced CNC Machining Technician (state ITI admission, merit and counselling)	2 years	Delhi Govt ITIs: ₹200 registration fee for new candidates, 2026–27. Tuition: check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	Female trainees exempt from tuition and exam fees from 2023–24 (DGT order). Maharashtra DBT: ₹500 per month stipend for CTS trainees in Govt ITIs (year not shown)
CTS trade test exams (NCVT/DGT) during ITI	Each year of ITI	CTS final exam fee at NSTI Agartala: ₹100 general, ₹25 SC/ST/PH. CBT exam fee: ₹213 per trainee. Check the notice for exam fees	Check the notice for exam fees	Female trainees exempt from exam fees from 2023–24 (DGT order dated 16.02.2023)
Short course: Fundamentals of CNC Programming and Operation (DGT, 240 hours, optional)	240 hours	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	—
Diploma route: 3-year Mechanical Engineering polytechnic diploma plus CNC certificate (alternative to ITI)	3 years	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	—
Apprenticeship or machine-shop job after ITI (hands-on CNC experience)	Shorter apprenticeship period for ITI pass-outs (duration not stated)	—	—	Not stated on the page. Paid job or apprenticeship; no pay figure given

Total timeAbout 2 years after Class 12 for ITI certificate, plus shop-floor experience

Total costGovernment ITI fees are low and vary by state and trade; only a ₹200 Delhi registration fee and exam fees of ₹100–₹213 are stated, so compare fee pages.

Good to knowFemale trainees are exempt from tuition and exam fees from 2023–24 onwards; ITI is a student course where the trainee pays fees, not paid job training.

Fees from: Delhi Government ITI admissions 2026 notice · Delhi Govt ITI fee structure 2026-27/28 page (official) · NSTI Agartala CTS courses and fees (DGT) · DGT AITT 2023 CTS circular, CBT fee ₹213 (NSTI Trivandrum, DGT) · NCVT guidelines for examination in ITIs (ncvtmis.gov.in) · Maharashtra DBT: ₹500/month stipend for CTS trainees in Govt ITI. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Early pay is modest and depends on the shop, the city and your skill on the machine. Operators who can set up, programme and troubleshoot complex jobs earn considerably more than those who only load and run parts.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~A CNC operator just presses a start button.~~

Fact: Most of the job is setup: choosing tools, setting offsets and zero points, and checking the first part. Good operators also read drawings, edit programs and fix faults.

For girls and students with disabilities

The Machinist trade lists persons with some disabilities (such as locomotor, hearing, low vision and other listed disabilities) as eligible. Check your state's ITI notice for any seat reservation.

Try it now

Class 7–9Ask your school science teacher or a nearby ITI for a short visit to a workshop. Watch how a lathe or milling machine is used and ask what the operator checks.
Class 10–12Read the DGT list of short-term courses to see what CNC training looks like, then try a free CNC simulator or basic G-code tutorial from a reliable source.Open link ↗
College or afterLook at the DGT Machinist curriculum to see the trade's practical and theory topics. Ask your ITI or local shop whether an apprenticeship seat is open.Open link ↗

Good to know

Shop-floor skill matters as much as the certificate. Employers often test you on a real machine and a drawing.
Programming needs good maths, reading drawings in 3D, and patience with small errors. Learn to check every program in simulation before running it.
Trade names, duration and fees differ by state. Check the official ITI notice in your state before you apply.

Sources: DGT: Machinist curriculum (CTS 2.0, NSQF Level 4) · DGT: Machinist apprenticeship curriculum · DGT: Fundamentals of CNC Programming and Operation (240-hour course) · DGT: Short Term Courses for ITIs · Telangana State ITI: trade list (Advanced CNC Machining Technician, Machinist) · Delhi Government ITI admissions 2026 notice