Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 - Act Apprentice (Total 2,861 Posts)

Central Railway has invited online applications for 2,861 Act Apprentice training slots under the Apprentices Act, 1961. Eligible candidates with Matriculation and ITI qualifications can apply online through the Railway Recruitment Cell, Central Railway website. The online application window is open from 03/11/2026 to 02/12/2026.

Post Details

Important Dates

Application Fee

The application fee is non-refundable and must be paid online through the payment gateway using debit card, credit card, internet banking, UPI or wallet. Applicable transaction charges are payable by the candidate.

Age Limit

The candidate must be at least 15 years old and below 24 years of age as on 03/11/2026.

Age relaxation is available as follows:

• SC/ST candidates: 5 years in the upper age limit.
• OBC candidates: 3 years in the upper age limit.
• PwBD candidates: 10 years in the upper age limit.
• Ex-Servicemen: Up to 10 years, in addition to the period of military service and 3 years, subject to the conditions mentioned in the notification.

Vacancy Details

Central Railway has notified 2,861 Act Apprentice training slots across the Mumbai, Bhusawal, Pune, Nagpur and Solapur clusters, including Track Machine Organisation and Personnel Department units. PwBD and Ex-Servicemen slots are included within the total vacancies and are not additional to the notified total.

The major trades include Fitter, Welder, Carpenter, Painter, Tailor, Electrician, Machinist, Turner, Instrument Mechanic, Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic Diesel, Crane Driver, Motor Mechanic, Mason, Pipe Fitter, Blacksmith, Sheet Metal Worker, Computer Operator and Programming Assistant, Cable Jointer, Wireman, Mechanic Auto Electrical and Electronics, Mechanic-cum-Operator, Mechanic Communication Equipment Maintenance, Mechanic Radio and TV, Information and Communication Technology System Maintenance, Armature Coil Winder and Stenographer.

The exact trade-wise, unit-wise and category-wise distribution is provided in the official notification. Candidates must select only a cluster where training slots are available for their ITI trade. Training slots are provisional and may be increased or reduced according to Central Railway's administrative requirements.

Eligibility / Qualification

Candidates must fulfil the following educational requirements:

• Passed Matriculation/10th class or equivalent examination under the 10+2 system from a recognised board.
• Secured at least 50% aggregate marks in Matriculation.
• Possess a National Trade Certificate issued by NCVT in the relevant trade, or a provisional certificate issued by NCVT/SCVT.
• The ITI qualification must be in the trade relevant to the apprentice training slot for which the candidate applies.
• Engineering graduates and diploma holders are not eligible under this notification because a separate apprenticeship scheme applies to them.
• Candidates who are already undergoing or have completed apprenticeship training should not apply under this notification.

For Stenographer slots, candidates must possess ITI qualification in Stenographer with shorthand in English or Hindi. The training period for all notified trades is one year.

Candidates must calculate their Matriculation percentage on the basis of total marks obtained. Marks obtained in individual subjects or groups of subjects will not be considered separately. For ITI percentage, the average marks shown in the consolidated mark statement for all semesters of the relevant trade, or the marks shown in the provisional National Trade Certificate, will be considered.

Where a board awards letter grades instead of marks, the midpoint of the applicable grade range must be used. If an overall grade is not provided, the average of the midpoints of all subject-wise grades must be calculated. Any difference between the percentage entered by the candidate and the percentage calculated by RRC may result in immediate cancellation of candidature.

Selection Process

1. Preparation of a merit list based on applications received under this notification.
2. Merit calculation using the simple average of the Matriculation percentage and the percentage of marks obtained in the relevant ITI trade.
3. Preparation of separate merit lists according to cluster/unit, trade and community.
4. Selection in descending order of merit against the available training slots.
5. Document Verification by the concerned division or unit.
6. Medical fitness verification and submission of the prescribed medical certificate.
7. Execution of the Apprenticeship Training Contract before commencement of training.

There will be no written examination or interview. In case of a tie between candidates, the older candidate will be given preference. If the date of birth is also the same, the candidate who passed the Matriculation examination earlier will be preferred.

Candidates can select only one cluster and may indicate preferences for units within that cluster. More than one application is not permitted; all applications may be rejected if a candidate submits multiple applications.

Merit Calculation

The merit list will be prepared using the following formula:

Merit Percentage = (Matriculation Percentage + Relevant ITI Percentage) ÷ 2

The Matriculation percentage will be based on aggregate marks. For ITI, only the marks of all semesters in the relevant trade shown in the consolidated mark statement or provisional certificate will be considered.

Training Period and Stipend

Completion of apprenticeship training does not create any right to employment or absorption in Central Railway. The employer is not required to offer a job after completion of training, and the apprentice is also not required to accept employment with the employer.

Documents Required

Candidates should upload clear scanned copies of the following documents:

• Matriculation/10th standard marksheet or equivalent certificate.
• Date of birth proof, such as 10th certificate, marksheet or school leaving certificate.
• Consolidated ITI marksheet for all semesters of the relevant trade or provisional National Trade Certificate.
• NCVT National Trade Certificate or provisional NCVT/SCVT certificate.
• SC/ST caste certificate in the prescribed Central Government format, where applicable.
• OBC caste and Non-Creamy Layer certificate in the prescribed format, issued on or after 01/04/2026, where applicable.
• PwBD disability certificate, where applicable.
• Ex-Servicemen discharge certificate or service certificate, where applicable.
• Recent colour photograph.
• Scanned signature.

The photograph must be in JPG/JPEG format, approximately 3.5 cm × 3.5 cm, not more than three months old, scanned at 100 DPI and between 20 KB and 70 KB. The signature must be in JPG/JPEG format, scanned at 100 DPI and between 20 KB and 30 KB.

Candidates must produce all original documents at Document Verification. Documents issued in a language other than English or Hindi must be accompanied by an attested translation in English or Hindi.

Medical Fitness

Selected candidates must submit the prescribed Medical Fitness Certificate in the format given in Annexure VII at the time of Document Verification. The certificate must be issued by a Government-authorised doctor not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon (Gazetted) of a Central or State Government hospital.

The prescribed medical standards include:

• Minimum height of 137 cm.
• Minimum weight of 25.4 kg.
• Chest expansion of at least 3.8 cm.
• Fitness free from contagious or infectious disease and tuberculosis.
• Suitable standards of vision, hearing, skin, speech, alimentary, cardiovascular, respiratory, genito-urinary, skeletal, nervous and glandular systems.

A candidate who does not meet the prescribed height, weight or chest standards may still be considered if certified physically fit for the particular trade by a Medical Officer not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon (Gazetted), subject to the applicable rules.

PwBD Provisions

Candidates with locomotor disability or cerebral palsy having at least 40% disability, eligible hearing impairment, or visual impairment/low vision may apply for suitable trades as specified in the notification. A disability certificate issued by the competent Medical Board in the prescribed format must be uploaded and produced during Document Verification.

The notification specifies trade-wise suitability requirements for PwBD candidates for trades including Mechanic Diesel, Electrician, Welder, Machinist, Painter, Fitter, Carpenter, Electronics Mechanic, Turner, Sheet Metal Worker, Instrument Mechanic, Programming and Systems Administration Assistant, Stenographer, Engineering Fitter, Mechanic Refrigeration and AC, and Plumber/Pipe Fitter.

Other Important Conditions

• Candidates must possess Aadhaar. Applicants from Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam may use a valid voter ID, passport, driving licence or other valid government identity document where applicable.
• The candidate's name, father's name and date of birth must exactly match the Matriculation or equivalent certificate.
• A valid mobile number and email ID must be provided and kept active throughout the selection process.
• No physical copy of the application is required to be sent to RRC/CR.
• No change in application details is permitted after final submission and fee payment.
• No change of selected division or unit will be permitted after selection.
• No travel allowance or daily allowance will be paid for Document Verification.
• Canvassing, submission of false documents or concealment of facts will lead to cancellation of candidature.
• The decision of the Railway administration regarding eligibility, acceptance or rejection of applications and selection will be final.
• Apprentices must execute the apprenticeship contract before starting training. If a minor is selected, the contract must be executed by the guardian.
• For application or print-related technical problems, candidates may contact act.apprentice@rrccr.com.