RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 4,471 Apprentice Slots, Eligibility and Stipend

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Southern Railway has released Notification No. 01/2026 for the engagement of Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. The notification was issued on August 28, 2026, and eligible candidates can submit their applications online from August 28 to September 27, 2026, till 5:00 PM.

The recruitment is for apprenticeship training in designated trades across various divisions, workshops and units under Southern Railway. The notification includes opportunities for both Freshers and Ex-ITI candidates, with a total of 4,471 slots—163 for the Fresher category and 4,308 for the Ex-ITI category.

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Highlights

The notification states that applications must be submitted online through the Southern Railway website under News & Updates → Personnel Branch Information. Official notifications, eligibility information and lists related to document verification and selection will also be published through the same link.

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Important Dates

The application window and tentative document-verification shortlist date are specified in the Southern Railway notification.

RRC SR Apprentice Vacancy 2026

Southern Railway has announced 4,471 apprentice slots. These are divided into the Fresher and Ex-ITI categories.

The vacancies are distributed across different Southern Railway units and trades, and the notification states that the indicated vacancies are tentative and subject to change. Reservations for SC, ST, OBC and PwBD candidates are provided as prescribed for the respective categories.

Major Trades Under RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment

The notification includes trades such as:

• Fitter

• Welder (G&E)

• Painter

• Electrician

• Mechanic R&AC

• Wireman

• Electronics Mechanic

• Diesel Mechanic

• Machinist

• Turner

• Carpenter

• Plumber

• Draughtsman (Civil)

• Gas Cutter

• Structural Welder

• MMTM

• COPA/PASAA

• Secretarial Assistant & Stenographer (English)

• ICTSM

• Medical Laboratory Technician in Radiology, Pathology and Cardiology

The Ex-ITI category has 4,308 slots, while the Fresher category has 163 slots.

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Notification PDF

Southern Railway has released the official Act Apprentices Notification No. 01/2026 for 4,471 apprentice slots. The notification contains complete details regarding vacancies, trades, eligibility criteria, age limit, stipend, application process, reservation, document verification and selection.

Candidates are advised to carefully read the official notification before applying to ensure that they fulfil the prescribed eligibility conditions.

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Notification PDF

RRC SR Apprentice 2026 Eligibility

Educational Qualification for Freshers

For the Fresher category, candidates applying for Fitter, Painter and Welder must have passed Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks under the 10+2 system or equivalent.

For Medical Laboratory Technician (Radiology, Pathology and Cardiology), candidates must have passed Class 12 with at least 50% marks, with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as subjects.

Educational Qualification for Ex-ITI Candidates

Candidates applying under the Ex-ITI category must have passed Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks and completed ITI in the relevant trade from a government-recognised ITI. They must also possess the relevant certificate issued by NCVT or SCVT.

For Electrician, Class 10 with Science as one of the subjects is required along with the relevant ITI qualification. Electronics Mechanic candidates require Class 10 with Science (Physics and Chemistry) and Mathematics, along with the relevant ITI course and certificate.

For Secretarial Assistant & Stenographer (English), candidates need Class 12 and the relevant ITI course. For ICTSM, Class 10 and the relevant ITI course are required. COPA/PASAA requires Class 10 with at least 50% marks and the prescribed National Trade Certificate in Computer Operator and Programming Assistant.

The notification clarifies that the 50% Class 10 requirement does not apply to SC/ST/PwBD candidates. It also states that candidates who have already completed Act Apprenticeship, or Engineering Graduates/Diploma holders or vocational certificate holders with one year or more of training or job experience after obtaining the qualification, are not eligible for engagement as trade apprentices under the stated rules.

RRC SR Apprentice Age Limit 2026

Candidates must have completed 15 years of age and should not have completed:

• 22 years for Freshers/Ex-ITI candidates

• 24 years for MLT candidates

Age relaxation is applicable as follows:

The age is calculated as on the date of notification.

Candidates claiming SC/ST or OBC reservation must produce the prescribed caste certificate during document verification. OBC candidates must also submit a valid current-year OBC-NCL certificate and the required self-declaration.

RRC SR Apprentice 2026 Training Duration

The training period varies according to the trade and category.

Fresher Category

For Ex-ITI candidates, rebate in the training duration will be provided according to Schedule-I of the Apprentices Rules, 1992, as amended from time to time.

RRC SR Apprentice 2026: Who Can Apply?

Only candidates residing within the specified geographical jurisdiction of Southern Railway are eligible to apply. The eligible areas include:

• Entire Tamil Nadu

• Entire Union Territory of Puducherry

• Entire Kerala

• Entire Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep

• SPSR Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh

• Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka

The notification specifically states that candidates residing in these areas alone are eligible to apply.

RRC SR Apprentice 2026 Medical Requirements

Candidates must satisfy the minimum physical fitness standards prescribed under Schedule-II of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992. A medical certificate in the prescribed format has to be produced during document verification.

The medical certificate must be signed by a Government-authorised Gazetted Doctor not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon of a Central or State Government Hospital.

RRC SR Apprentice 2026 PwBD Reservation

The notification provides 4% reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) across the prescribed categories. Candidates seeking PwBD reservation or relaxation must submit a disability certificate issued by the competent authority.

Candidates with benchmark disabilities must select the appropriate PwBD sub-category—LD, HI, VI or MD—while filling the application. The notification states that this sub-category cannot subsequently be changed.

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Apply Online

Eligible candidates can submit the RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 application form online through the official Southern Railway website. The application window opened on August 28, 2026, and the last date to submit the form is September 27, 2026, till 5:00 PM.

Apply Online for RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026

RRC SR Apprentice 2026 Application Process

Eligible candidates can apply online through the Southern Railway website. The notification directs applicants to visit the Southern Railway website and follow:

News & Updates → Personnel Branch Information

Candidates should submit their applications by the closing date and ensure that all details are complete and accurate.

After submitting the application, candidates should retain the acknowledgement printout for document verification.

RRC SR Apprentice 2026 Document Verification

Candidates shortlisted for document verification will have to produce the required original documents, including the original transfer certificate for completion of the qualifying examination—Class 10, Class 12 or ITI, as applicable.

Candidates claiming category-based reservation must produce the relevant certificates during document verification. PwBD candidates must also produce the disability certificate declared in their application.

The tentative date for publication of the shortlisted list for document verification is October 15, 2026.

RRC SR Apprentice Application Fee 2026

The processing fee is ₹100, which is non-refundable and must be paid online.

Candidates belonging to SC, ST, PwBD and Women categories are exempted from paying the processing fee. Applicants should also take a printout of the acknowledgement generated by the system, as it has to be submitted during document verification.

RRC SR Apprentice Stipend 2026

Selected apprentices will receive the following monthly stipend:

The notification further states that the prescribed minimum stipend will increase by 10% during the second year and by a further 15% during the third year.

RRC SR Apprentice Selection Process 2026

Selection will be based on a merit list prepared from the marks of eligible applicants.

For Freshers, matriculation marks will be converted to 200 marks, subject to the prescribed minimum requirement.

For Ex-ITI candidates, matriculation marks will be converted to 100 marks and ITI marks to another 100 marks. The combined score will therefore be calculated out of 200, with equal weightage to matriculation and ITI marks.

For MLT candidates, Higher Secondary marks with the prescribed subjects will be converted to 200 marks for preparation of the merit list.

In case two candidates obtain the same marks, the older candidate will be preferred. If their dates of birth are also the same, the candidate who passed the matriculation examination earlier will be considered.

RRC SR Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Important Instructions

The Southern Railway notification makes it clear that this recruitment is only for apprenticeship training and not direct employment. There is no guarantee of employment after completion of training, and the apprenticeship contract will terminate upon completion of training. However, the notification mentions preference for Course Completed Act Apprentices (CCAAs) trained in railway establishments and possessing a National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) in certain Level-1 direct recruitment vacancies.

Selected candidates are responsible for arranging their own accommodation and other facilities. Ex-ITI candidates must possess the relevant ITI qualification at the time of applying.

Candidates selected for training have to execute an apprenticeship contract before commencement of training. The notification also states that selected candidates generally cannot withdraw from training except for reasons beyond their control.