South Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 2801 Act Apprentice Posts

Short Information: South Central Railway (SCR) has issued Notification No. SCR/P-HQ/RRC/111/Act. App/2025-26 dated 11.03.2026 for engagement of 2,801 Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961 and Apprenticeship Rules, 1962. The application process is online only. The opening date/time is 12 March 2026 at 17:00 hrs and the closing date/time is 11 April 2026 at 23:59 hrs. This is a useful apprenticeship opportunity for eligible ITI candidates, but it must be understood correctly: the selection is for training, not for direct regular appointment, and the recruitment is restricted to candidates residing in specified districts under the jurisdiction of South Central Railway.

This rewritten entry is designed to give candidates a clear, user-friendly summary in the style job seekers expect, while keeping the content fact-based and cleaner than copied low-quality pages. The official notice makes several things very clear. First, eligibility is linked not only to education but also to district of residence. Second, trade-wise and community-wise vacancy breakup is fully published. Third, candidates must register online and also keep their RDAT / Apprenticeship India registration details ready. Fourth, the recruitment is merit-based and there is no written examination mentioned for this engagement. Finally, completion of apprenticeship does not guarantee regular railway employment.

Who can apply

This notification is not open to every candidate from every state. The official notice specifically says that online applications are invited from candidates residing in districts under the jurisdiction of South Central Railway. The eligible region list includes all districts of Telangana; all districts of Andhra Pradesh except Manyam, Srikakulam and Vijayanagaram; selected districts of Maharashtra such as Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad, Beed, Chandrapur, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Nasik, Parbhani, Washim and Yavatmal; selected districts of Karnataka such as Balki, Bellary, Belagavi, Bidar, Gulbarga, Kalaburagi, Raichur and Yadgir; Vellore district of Tamil Nadu; and Burhanpur and Khandwa districts of Madhya Pradesh. Candidates should not skip this domicile/residence condition because the notice treats it as a basic eligibility requirement.

On the education side, candidates should have passed 10th Class / Matriculation with minimum marks as prescribed in the notification and should also hold ITI in the relevant notified trade from NCVT/SCVT recognized institute. This is a trade-linked apprenticeship, so the trade and certificate matter directly. If a candidate applies in the wrong trade or uploads incorrect marks or certificates, the application can be rejected. The notice also stresses correct online entry of 10th and ITI marks.

Age limit and fee

The age condition generally followed in this notification is 15 to 24 years as on 11 April 2026, with relaxation for eligible reserved categories as per rules. Candidates should still read the age section of the notification carefully if they are claiming any concession. As for the application fee, the official notice prescribes a non-refundable fee of ₹100. No fee is required from SC/ST candidates, female and transgender candidates of all communities, and PwBD candidates. Payment is to be made online through net banking, debit card, credit card or SBI UPI as permitted by the portal.

Trades and number of slots

The strongest part of the official notice is the detailed vacancy breakup. The total 2,801 apprenticeship slots are spread across 13 trades. The largest share is in Electrician - 1,258, followed by Fitter - 539, AC Mechanic - 251, Welder - 202, COPA - 181, Diesel Mechanic - 105, Electronic Mechanic - 88, Machinist - 54, Industrial Electronics - 33, Painter - 32, MMTM - 24, Carpenter - 22 and Motor Mechanic Vehicle - 12. The notice also gives community breakup for each trade, which is very useful for building a proper database entry. That full updated table is provided below so that the user can check trade relevance quickly from the front-end UI.

Training will be imparted in multiple establishments under Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Personnel and Signal & Telecommunication departments. Units include workshops, divisions, sheds and training establishments across Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntakal, Guntur, Nanded, Tirupati, Lallaguda, Rayanapadu, Kazipet, Moula Ali and other SCR locations. Candidates must indicate their priority / preference for training units while applying. The official notice says these options are final, so candidates should choose carefully and select only the units notified for their trade.

Selection process and merit

This engagement is useful for candidates who want to avoid a conventional written exam. The notice treats this as a merit-based process. Public summaries of the official notification state that the merit is prepared from the average of 10th marks and ITI marks, and there is no written test or viva-voce. In practice, that means accuracy of marks entry and correctness of uploaded certificates become extremely important. Wrong entries in marks, trade details, community status or district eligibility can damage the candidature even before merit preparation.

The notice also explains that allocation to the opted railway establishments will be based on merit. In other words, selection is not only about being eligible for a trade; your merit position can affect which division or workshop you are finally allotted. Because the number of slots can increase or decrease based on administrative requirement, candidates should treat all preferences carefully and avoid leaving good options blank.

How to apply properly

The official process begins on the South Central Railway website / RRC-SCR page, and the active application portal is also available online for registration. The candidate needs a valid mobile number, active e-mail, Aadhaar details and district proof. After registration, the form requires personal details, educational details, upload of photograph and signature, selection of options for railway establishments, and fee payment where applicable. The notice also tells candidates to complete registration on Apprenticeship India / NAPS so that the generated registration number can be furnished in the application.

Required uploads include 10th marksheet, proof of date of birth, ITI consolidated marksheet or provisional national trade certificate indicating marks, NCVT/SCVT certificate, RDAT / NAPS registration form, category certificate where applicable, disability certificate for PwBD candidates, EWS certificate if claimed, medical certificate and Ex-Servicemen related certificate where applicable. Original documents must be produced later during verification if called. Candidates should therefore keep both scanned copies and originals ready.

Important caution for candidates

The notice clearly says that apprentices are governed by the Apprentices Act and that the railway administration’s obligation is limited to providing training only. There is no guarantee of employment after completion of apprenticeship. This point should be displayed clearly on a quality job page because many candidates wrongly assume that every railway apprentice intake leads automatically to regular appointment. It does not. Apprenticeship is valuable for skill-building, experience and future employability, but it should be understood honestly.

The notification also lists common rejection reasons such as wrong district eligibility, lack of prescribed 10th + ITI qualification, wrong date of birth, unclear photograph, wrong category claim or incorrect marks entry. Therefore, candidates should fill the form slowly and verify each entry before final submission. Once submitted, changes are generally not allowed.

Bottom line: South Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is a well-defined merit-based apprenticeship drive for 2,801 posts across 13 trades. Eligible ITI candidates from notified SCR jurisdiction districts can apply online from 12 March 2026 to 11 April 2026. The recruitment offers broad trade coverage and a large number of electrical and mechanical seats, but it is an apprenticeship engagement, not a promise of regular railway service.