By Team INVC | INVC NEWS
Published: September 1, 2026 | 01:42 PM IST
CHENNAI, India | September 1, 2026 —
Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 has opened applications for 4,471 Act Apprentice training slots across workshops, divisions and units under Southern Railway, giving eligible Class 10, Class 12 and ITI-qualified candidates an opportunity to enter railway apprenticeship training.
The online application window opened on August 28 and will close at 5:00 PM on September 27, 2026. Of the total notified slots, 163 are reserved for Fresher-category apprentices and 4,308 are available for Ex-ITI candidates.
Candidates should note an important distinction before applying: the recruitment is for apprenticeship training under the Apprentices Act, 1961. Selection as an apprentice does not automatically provide permanent employment with Indian Railways after the training period ends.
Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 at a Glance
Total Apprentice Slots: 4,471
Fresher Category: 163
Ex-ITI Category: 4,308
Application Start Date: August 28, 2026
Last Date to Apply: September 27, 2026
Closing Time: 5:00 PM
Selection Method: Merit list
Written Examination: No
Tentative Document Verification Shortlist: October 15, 2026
Application Mode: Online
How the 4,471 Apprentice Slots Are Divided
Southern Railway has divided the vacancies between Freshers and candidates who have already completed the prescribed ITI qualification.
The Fresher category has 163 slots, covering training opportunities at units such as Carriage and Wagon Works in Perambur, Central Workshop at Ponmalai, Signal and Telecom Workshop at Podanur and Railway Hospital facilities.
The Ex-ITI category accounts for 4,308 slots, making it the largest part of the recruitment drive.
Major groups include:
- Carriage and Wagon Works and associated units — 1,528 slots
- Central Workshop, Ponmalai group — 1,292 slots
- Signal and Telecom Workshop, Podanur group — 1,488 slots
These slots cover several railway divisions, workshops and technical units within Southern Railway’s jurisdiction.
Who Can Apply for Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
Eligibility depends on the trade and whether the candidate is applying under the Fresher or Ex-ITI category.
For several Ex-ITI trades, including Fitter, Machinist, Motor Vehicle Mechanic, Turner, Diesel Mechanic, Carpenter, Painter, Welder, Wireman, Plumber and Draughtsman Civil, candidates generally need to have passed Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks and completed the relevant ITI trade.
Candidates must also possess the required NCVT or SCVT-recognized trade certification where applicable.
Educational conditions vary for certain specialized trades.
Electrician
Candidates should have passed Class 10 with the prescribed marks and Science as required, along with an ITI qualification in the relevant trade.
Electronics Mechanic
Candidates should have completed Class 10 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as prescribed and must hold the relevant ITI qualification and recognized trade certificate.
Secretarial Assistant and Stenographer
Candidates applying for these trades are generally required to have passed Class 12 along with the prescribed ITI qualification.
ICTSM
Candidates should have passed Class 10 and hold an ITI qualification in Information and Communication Technology System Maintenance.
COPA and PASAA
Applicants generally need Class 10 with the required aggregate marks and a National Trade Certificate in Computer Operator and Programming Assistant.
Medical Laboratory Technician
For MLT disciplines such as Radiology, Pathology and Cardiology, candidates must meet the prescribed Class 12 science-subject requirements.
Candidates should carefully match their educational qualifications with the specific trade before submitting an application.
What Is the Age Limit?
Age will be calculated with reference to the notification date, August 28, 2026.
Candidates must have completed at least 15 years of age.
For Fresher-category applicants, the normal upper age limit is 22 years.
For Ex-ITI and Medical Laboratory Technician categories, the upper age limit is generally 24 years.
Relaxation in the upper age limit is available for eligible reserved-category candidates:
- OBC-NCL candidates — 3 years
- SC and ST candidates — 5 years
- Persons with Benchmark Disabilities — 10 years
Candidates claiming age relaxation must be able to produce the required valid certificates during document verification.
Who May Not Be Eligible?
Applicants should not assume that possessing a higher technical qualification automatically makes them eligible.
Candidates who have already completed an Act Apprenticeship may be restricted under the notified conditions.
Similarly, certain engineering graduates, diploma holders or vocational qualification holders with prescribed previous training or work experience may not be eligible for these apprenticeship slots.
Ex-ITI applicants should already hold the required ITI qualification and trade certification when applying.
Candidates should therefore check their trade-specific eligibility carefully instead of relying only on the general Class 10 or ITI requirement.
Geographic Eligibility Is Important
The Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is linked to units falling under Southern Railway’s notified jurisdiction.
Candidates should pay particular attention to residence and jurisdiction requirements before applying.
The recruitment covers eligible areas associated with Southern Railway, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, along with specified districts in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka under the notified conditions.
Applicants outside the prescribed geographical jurisdiction should verify their eligibility before submitting the form.
How Much Stipend Will Apprentices Receive?
Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend during their apprenticeship training.
The notified stipend structure includes:
Fresher — Class 10 qualification: approximately ₹8,200 per month
Fresher — Class 12 qualification: approximately ₹9,600 per month
Ex-ITI candidates: approximately ₹9,600 per month
The applicable stipend may depend on the category, trade and stage of apprenticeship training.
Candidates should remember that this amount is a training stipend and not a regular railway employee salary.
Is There a Written Exam?
No written examination is currently prescribed for selecting candidates under this apprenticeship recruitment.
Selection will be based on a merit list prepared according to academic and technical marks.
How Will the Merit List Be Prepared?
Fresher Category
For Freshers, Class 10 marks will be used to prepare the merit list according to the prescribed conversion method.
Ex-ITI Category
For Ex-ITI candidates, both Class 10 and ITI marks will be considered.
The two components receive equal weight under the notified merit methodology, creating a combined merit score.
MLT Category
For Medical Laboratory Technician applicants, relevant Class 12 subject marks will form the basis of merit according to the prescribed rules.
What Is the Application Fee?
A processing fee of ₹100 applies to candidates in categories required to pay the fee.
The following candidates are exempt from the processing fee:
- SC candidates
- ST candidates
- Persons with Benchmark Disabilities
- Women candidates
Applicants who are required to pay the fee should complete payment through the prescribed online method before submitting the application.
When Will the Shortlist Be Released?
Southern Railway has indicated October 15, 2026 as the tentative date for publication of the shortlist for document verification.
The date is tentative and candidates should continue checking official Southern Railway recruitment updates after submitting their application.
Original documents, educational certificates, category certificates and other prescribed records may be checked during verification.
How to Apply
Candidates planning to participate in Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 should complete the application online before the September 27 deadline.
Applicants should:
- Complete online registration.
- Enter personal and educational details carefully.
- Select the appropriate Fresher or Ex-ITI category.
- Choose the relevant trade and unit according to eligibility.
- Upload the required photograph, signature and supporting documents.
- Pay the ₹100 processing fee if applicable.
- Review all details before final submission.
- Submit the application no later than 5:00 PM on September 27.
- Save or print the application acknowledgement for future reference.
Candidates should avoid waiting until the final hours because incorrect documents, payment problems or incomplete registration could prevent successful submission.
Apprenticeship Does Not Guarantee a Railway Job
Southern Railway is inviting candidates for Act Apprentice training, not direct appointment to a permanent railway post.
Completing apprenticeship training does not create an automatic right to permanent employment in Indian Railways.
Any future regular railway appointment will be governed by the recruitment rules applicable to the relevant post or recruitment exercise.
Why This Recruitment Could Draw Heavy Interest
Railway apprenticeship drives traditionally attract large numbers of applications because they offer young technical candidates practical training within one of India’s largest public-sector transport systems.
The 4,471-slot intake is particularly significant because the bulk of the opportunities are available to Ex-ITI candidates across numerous technical trades.
The absence of a written examination may also increase interest among candidates, since selection depends primarily on academic and ITI merit.
September 27 Is the Key Deadline
Candidates interested in the Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 have until September 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM to complete the online application process.
The recruitment offers 4,471 training opportunities, but eligibility varies by trade, educational qualification, age and geographical jurisdiction.
With selection based primarily on merit and no written examination, academic records and valid technical qualifications will play the central role in deciding who moves to the document-verification stage.
