South Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – For 2801 Posts
Posted By: Jiya
South Central Railway has initiated the Act Apprentices Engagement scheme for interested residents of particular districts. This is a gateway to the latest Indian Rail Recruitment across India. Interested candidates who meet the defined parameters may apply online until April 11, 2026. Please note the relevance to educational demands, age limits and other essential factors before moving forward. Candidates will be placed based on merit-cum-order, which will allow them to gain hands-on experience with the many railway units across India. In addition to developing valuable skills in high-demand fields, this is a chance to potentially secure long-term positions with the vast Indian Railways network, creating opportunities for growth in fields such as mechanical and electrical engineering.
About South Central Railway
South Central Railway is a significant zone of Indian Railways located in Secunderabad, which controls rail transportation in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. The zone was formed in 1966 and controls freight as well as passenger transportation services, including high-speed rail routes and electrification works. They also emphasizes skill development among its apprentices in engineering disciplines to provide prime Government Jobs for Engineers in India. It has a huge workforce of around 90,000 employees, contributing to the development of the country by connecting all industrial centers through rail routes to develop sustainable rail infrastructure in India.
Open Vacancies
For a concise view of openings under South Central Railway’s apprenticeship drive, refer to this restructured breakdown by trade and category. Slots total 2,801 with reservations for SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC (27%), EWS (10%) and UR, plus horizontal quotas for PwBD (4%) and ExSM (3%).
| Trade | SC (15%) | ST (7.5%) | OBC (27%) | EWS (10%) | UR | No. of Posts |
| AC Mechanic | 38 | 19 | 67 | 25 | 102 | 251 |
| Carpenter | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 22 |
| COPA | 27 | 14 | 49 | 18 | 73 | 181 |
| Diesel Mechanic | 16 | 8 | 28 | 10 | 43 | 105 |
| Electrician | 189 | 95 | 339 | 124 | 511 | 1,258 |
| Electronic Mechanic | 13 | 7 | 24 | 8 | 36 | 88 |
| Fitter | 81 | 40 | 146 | 53 | 219 | 539 |
| Industrial Electronics | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 33 |
| Machinist | 8 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 22 | 54 |
| MMTM | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 24 |
| Motor Mechanic | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 |
| Painter | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 13 | 32 |
| Welder | 30 | 15 | 55 | 20 | 82 | 202 |
| Total Posts | 421 | 211 | 756 | 274 | 1,139 | 2,801 |
Key Dates to Remember
- Online Application Start Date: March 12, 2026
- Online Application End Date: April 11, 2026
Qualification Criteria for South Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Educational Standard: Passed 10th class or equivalent with at least 50% aggregate marks from a recognized board, plus NCVT/SCVT-approved ITI certificate in the relevant trade, aligning with
- Railway ITI Trades. Trade-Specific ITI:
- AC Mechanic: ITI in Mechanic (R&AC)
- Carpenter: ITI Carpenter
- COPA: ITI in Computer Operator and Programming Assistant
- Diesel Mechanic: ITI Diesel Mechanic
- Electrician: ITI Electrician
- Electronic Mechanic: ITI Electronic Mechanic
- Fitter: ITI Fitter
- Industrial Electronics: ITI Industrial Electronics
- Machinist: ITI Machinist
- MMTM: ITI Mechanic Machine Tool Maintenance
- Motor Mechanic: ITI Mechanic Motor Vehicle
- Painter: ITI Painter
- Welder: ITI Welder
- Additional Notes: Qualifications must be held by application submission date. Engineering graduates/diploma holders ineligible. Wards of railway staff may apply directly.
Age Limitations (as of April 11, 2026)
- General (UR/EWS) age range starts from 15 years to 24 years for individuals born between April 11, 2002 and April 11, 2011.
- SC/ST age range extends to 29 years for individuals who were born between April 11, 1997 and April 11, 2011.
- OBC-NCL age range extends to 27 years for individuals who were born between April 11,1999 and April 11, 2011.
- PwBD has an age extension of 10 years for all categories which includes UR whose age range starts from 15 years to 34 years for individuals born between April 11, 1992 and April 11, 2011.
- Ex-Servicemen receive an age extension of 10 years which applies to their actual service time without any additional time for their dependents.
Application Fee Details
- Standard Fee: Rs. 100/- (non-refundable) for general category male candidates.
- Exemptions: No fee for SC/ST, female, transgender and PwBD applicants from all categories.
- Payment Methods: Applicants can make payments through online net banking which supports both SBI and other banks debit card and credit card payments and SBI UPI payments.
- Receipt Generation: E-receipt issued post-payment; print and retain for records.
Compensation Details
- Trainees receive their monthly stipends according to Central Apprenticeship Council standards which determine their payment based on their training trade and training year.
- The program establishes compensation rates through current government regulations which provide fair wages to participants throughout their twelve-month training period.
- The program provides no extra financial support which enables participants to develop their skills without receiving permanent salary compensation.
Screening and Final Selection for South Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Merit Calculation: We rank candidates based on the average percentage of marks they obtain in 10th class (minimum 50% aggregate) and ITI results with equal weightage, as per South Central Railway Notification, which offers a similar opportunity to TN govt. jobs based on skill-based recruitment.
- Tie-Breaking: We give preference to the older candidate. If dates match, we give preference to the candidate who passed 10th class earlier.
- No Assessments: The process excludes written tests or interviews.
- Reservations Applied: We reserve 4% for PwBD (horizontal reservation within categories: 1% each for VI, HI, LD, MD); we reserve 3% for ExSM/dependents (and adjust it within UR/SC/ST/OBC-NCL).
- Final Allocation: We base final allocation on merit and unit preferences; we consider slots tentative and subject to administrative requirements.
- Medical Check: Candidates must obtain a fitness certificate compulsorily from a gazetted officer.
Preparation of SCR Act Apprentices Selection: Best Books
- For ITI Trade Textbooks:
- “ITI Electrician Theory” by JB Gupta for basic knowledge.
- “Fitter Trade Theory” by NK Sharma for skill development.
- For 10th Refresher Guides:
- NCERT Class 10 Science and Mathematics for quick revision to improve marks.
- For Aptitude Builders:
- “Quantitative Aptitude” by RS Aggarwal to improve calculation speed for high merit averages.
- For General Awareness:
- “Railway Apprentices Guide” by Arihant for awareness on railway-related knowledge and trade information.
- For Practice Manuals:
- Official NCVT ITI workbooks for each trade to match the syllabus.
Benefits of Solving Previous Exam Papers
- The analysis of past merit lists together with example ITI assessments shows which scoring patterns candidates should use to select essential high-weightage subjects for their 10th grade and trade exams.
- The solution shows how people make mistakes when calculating percentages and it helps users gain confidence in tie-breaker situations and it creates an environment for validating results.
- The practice of using historical data leads to better accuracy results, which helps applicants achieve higher merit ranks and establishes their preferred unit selections during competitive evaluation.
Application Instructions for South Central Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Visit www.scr.indianrailways.gov.in, select About Us, then RRC SCR and click on the “Online Act Apprentice Application.“
- Download the notification, check your eligibility according to the specified districts and prepare your details for the SCR Apprenticeship 2025, using the Aadhaar/email/mobile options.
- Select your state/district, upload your residence proof and submit your contact details using OTPs.
- Enter your personal/community details, date of birth, educational details and unit preferences (you may select multiple options as per the availability of the trade).
- Color photo (JPEG, size < 1 MB, 100 DPI and front view); signature (size < 1 MB) and certificates/RDAT form (PDF, size < 2 MB).
- Fill the RDAT form at www.apprenticeshipindia.gov.in and select Electrician Training Vacancies.
- Pay the fee, if applicable and then submit your application.
- After submitting your application, alterations are not permitted.
FAQs
Candidates should have 10th class with 50% marks and NCVT/SCVT ITI qualification in relevant trades. Age group is 15-24 years. There is relaxation for SC/ST candidates by 5 years, OBC candidates by 3 years and candidates with disabilities and ex-servicemen by 10 years. Engineering graduates are not eligible.
You should visit the website www.scr.indianrailways.gov.in. Then go to the section of RRC-SCR. After that, register with your Aadhaar email/mobile. Then fill the application form, select your unit, upload the required documents and finally pay the application fee. You should complete the application process on or before April 11, 2026.
There are 2801 positions offered across 13 trades. The positions offered are: Electrician-1258, Fitter-539, Welder-202. There is a reservation of 15% for SC candidates, 27% for OBC candidates
Quick Access Links
| Official Notification | Download PDF |
| Official Website | www.scr.indianrailways.gov.in |
| Apply Online | www.scr.onlineregister.org.in |
Don’t Miss This: Browse All Telangana Government Job Vacancies – Stay Ahead with Aavedan.co
Category
Qualification
10th, Diploma, Graduation, ITI
Location
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana
Last date to apply
11 Apr, 2026
