Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 4,471 Act Apprentice Vacancies

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Southern Railway has released Notification No. 01/2026 for the engagement of Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. A total of 4,471 Apprentice training slots are available across various divisions, workshops and units of Southern Railway.

Eligible candidates can apply online for the available trades through the official Southern Railway website. The online application process started on 28 August 2026, and the last date to submit applications is 27 September 2026 up to 5:00 PM.

Important: This recruitment is for apprenticeship training and not direct employment. There is no guarantee of employment after completion of the apprenticeship training.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Highlights

The notification provides 163 slots under the Fresher category and 4,308 slots under the Ex-ITI category, making a total of 4,471 apprenticeship slots.

Southern Railway Apprentice Vacancy 2026

Fresher Category – 163 Vacancies

The Fresher category includes trades such as:

• Fitter
• Welder
• Painter
• Medical Laboratory Technician – Radiology
• Medical Laboratory Technician – Pathology
• Medical Laboratory Technician – Cardiology

The notification lists 163 Fresher apprenticeship slots across the specified Southern Railway units.

Ex-ITI Category – 4,308 Vacancies

The Ex-ITI category has 4,308 slots across various Southern Railway divisions and workshops.

Major trades include:

• Fitter
• Welder (Gas & Electric)
• Painter
• Mechanic Motor Vehicle (MMV)
• Mechanic Machine Tool Maintenance (MMTM)
• COPA
• PASAA
• Electrician
• Electronics Mechanic
• Diesel Mechanic
• Carpenter
• Turner
• Machinist
• Wireman
• Draughtsman (Civil)
• Plumber
• Gas Cutter
• Structural Welder
• Mechanic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
• Instrument Mechanic
• Advance Welder
• ICTSM
• Stenographer (English) & Secretarial Assistant
• Medical Laboratory Technician and other notified trades

The vacancies are distributed among locations including Perambur, Ponmalai, Chennai Division, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Palakkad, Salem, Podanur/Coimbatore and Trivandrum, among others.

Note: The vacancies mentioned in the notification are tentative and may be subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Fresher Category

For Fitter, Painter and Welder, candidates must have passed 10th Class with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks under the 10+2 system of education or its equivalent.

For Medical Laboratory Technician – Radiology, Pathology and Cardiology, candidates must have passed 12th Class with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks, with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as subjects.

Ex-ITI Category

Candidates applying under the Ex-ITI category must generally have:

• Passed 10th Class with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.
• Passed ITI in the relevant trade from a Government-recognized ITI.
• Possess the relevant certificate issued by NCVT or SCVT.

The notification specifies separate qualification requirements for trades such as Electrician, Electronics Mechanic, Secretarial Assistant & Stenographer, ICTSM and COPA/PASSA.

Important: The minimum 50% marks requirement in 10th is not applicable to SC/ST/PwBD candidates. Candidates who already have certain qualifying training or work experience of one year or more after obtaining the relevant qualification may not be eligible under the Act Apprentice Rules, as specified in the notification.

Age Limit

The age limit is calculated as on the date of notification.

• Minimum age: 15 years
• Maximum age for Freshers: Below 22 years
• Maximum age for Ex-ITI: Below 22 years
• Maximum age for MLT: Below 24 years

Age relaxation is applicable as follows:

• OBC-NCL: 3 years
• SC/ST: 5 years
• PwBD: 10 years

Additional relaxation is applicable to PwBD candidates belonging to OBC-NCL and SC/ST categories as specified in the notification.

Training Period

The apprenticeship training period varies according to the category and trade.

Fresher Category

• Welder: 1 year 3 months
• Fitter & Painter: 2 years
• Medical Laboratory Technician: 1 year 3 months

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

Stipend

Selected apprentices will receive the following prescribed stipend:

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

Selection Process

The selection of eligible candidates will be based on a merit list.

Fresher Category

For Freshers, marks obtained in Matriculation will be converted to a total of 200 marks, subject to the prescribed minimum percentage requirement.

Ex-ITI Category

For Ex-ITI candidates:

• Matriculation marks are converted to 100 marks.
• ITI marks are converted to 100 marks.
• Both are combined to a total of 200 marks.
• Equal weightage is given to Matriculation and ITI marks.

Tie-Breaking

If 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.

The tentative date for publishing the shortlisted candidates for Document Verification is 15 October 2026.

Application Fee – Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026

The processing fee is ₹100, which is non-refundable.

The fee is to be paid through online mode.

No fee is required for:

• SC candidates
• ST candidates
• PwBD candidates
• Women candidates

Candidates should take a printout of the acknowledgement generated by the system and preserve it for submission during Document Verification.

Who Can Apply?

Candidates residing within the geographical jurisdiction specified by Southern Railway are eligible to apply.

The notification includes:

• Entire Tamil Nadu
• Entire Union Territory of Puducherry
• Entire Kerala
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Lakshadweep
• SPSR Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh
• Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka

Only candidates residing in the specified geographical areas are eligible to apply.

Medical Fitness

Candidates must satisfy the prescribed physical fitness standards under the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992.

A medical certificate in the prescribed format must be produced during Document Verification. The certificate should be signed by a Government-authorized doctor of the required rank, as specified in the notification.

How to Apply for Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026?

Eligible candidates can apply online by following these steps:

1. Visit the Southern Railway official website.
2. Go to News & Updates.
3. Open Personnel Branch Information.
4. Find Act Apprentices Notification-01/2026.
5. Read the notification carefully.
6. Complete the online application form with accurate details.
7. Select the applicable trade/unit according to eligibility.
8. Upload/enter the required details as instructed.
9. Pay the applicable processing fee online.
10. Submit the application before the deadline.
11. Download and print the acknowledgement for future reference.

The notification states that official communications, including notifications and lists relating to eligibility, selection and Document Verification, will be published through the specified Southern Railway link.

Important Dates – Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026

The application deadline specified in the notification is 27 September 2026 at 5:00 PM.

Important Instructions

Candidates should carefully note the following:

• This is an apprenticeship training opportunity and not a direct employment recruitment.
• There is no guarantee of employment after completion of training.
• Selected candidates have to execute an apprenticeship contract.
• Ex-ITI candidates must possess the relevant ITI qualification at the time of applying.
• Candidates are responsible for arranging their own accommodation and other facilities.
• Only qualifications obtained through recognized Boards/Institutes will be considered.
• False declarations can lead to disqualification or termination.
• Candidates must follow the rules and regulations of the Railway Administration.

Important Note About Employment

Southern Railway clearly states that this notification is for apprenticeship training and not employment. Completion of apprenticeship does not guarantee a Railway job.

However, the notification states that 20% of vacancies in certain Level-1 direct recruitment through RRCs may be filled giving preference to Course Completed Act Apprentices (CCAAs) trained in railway establishments and possessing the National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC).

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is a major apprenticeship opportunity for eligible 10th pass, 12th pass and ITI candidates. With 4,471 apprenticeship slots available across various trades and railway units, candidates who meet the prescribed eligibility conditions can submit their applications before 27 September 2026, 5:00 PM.

Applicants are advised to read the complete official notification carefully and verify their trade, qualification, age, residential eligibility and category requirements before submitting the application.

Official Website

Southern Railway:
www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in

Notification: Southern Railway Act Apprentices Notification No. 01/2026

Application Last Date: 27 September 2026 – 5:00 PM