Southern Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 — 4,471 Posts, Apply Online by 27 Sep (Tamil Nadu)

Southern Railway (SR), through the Office of the Chief Workshop Manager, Carriage & Wagon Works, Perambur, has released Southern Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 under Notification No. 01/2026 (CPB/P1/98/Act/TP/Vol.XXI) for 4,471 Act Apprentice posts under the Apprentices Act, 1961, across various trades and units within its jurisdiction. Southern Railway Act Apprentice 2026 is a training engagement, not an employment offer — there is no guarantee of employment on completion of training, and vacancies are divided into two categories: Fresher (163 posts) and Ex-ITI (4,308 posts), spread across Carriage & Wagon Works Perambur, Central Workshop Ponmalai, Signal & Telecommunication Workshop Podanur, Railway Hospital Perambur, and multiple divisions of Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Palakkad, Salem, and Trivandrum. Only candidates residing within Southern Railway's specified geographical jurisdiction — the whole of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala, the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, SPSR Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh, and Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka — are eligible to apply. This recruitment spans five major training units — Carriage & Wagon Works Perambur, Central Workshop Ponmalai, Signal & Telecommunication Workshop Podanur, Railway Hospital Perambur, and multiple operating divisions (Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Palakkad, Salem, Trivandrum) — reflecting the scale of Southern Railway's workshop and maintenance infrastructure across South India. Selected Act Apprentices will undergo structured training under Fresher trades such as Fitter, Welder, Painter, and Medical Laboratory Technician (Radiology/Pathology/Cardiology), or under Ex-ITI trades spanning Machinist, Turner, Diesel Mechanic, Carpenter, Wireman, Electrician, Electronics Mechanic, Draughtsman-Civil, Instrument Mechanic, COPA/PASAA, and many others, gaining hands-on exposure to railway workshop operations. Southern Railway Act Apprentice 2026 selection is based purely on a Merit List — Fresher candidates are ranked on Matriculation marks converted to 200 (minimum 50% aggregate, relaxed for SC/ST/PwBD), Ex-ITI candidates on combined Matriculation and ITI marks (100 each, totalling 200), and MLT candidates on Higher Secondary Physics/Chemistry/Maths/Biology marks converted to 200 — with no written examination or interview. The stipend for Southern Railway Act Apprentice 2026 is ₹8,200 per month for Fresher-10th Std, and ₹9,600 per month for both Fresher-12th Std and Ex-ITI trainees, increasing by 10% in the second year and a further 15% in the third year of training. The Southern Railway Act Apprentice 2026 online application is open from 28 August 2026 to 27 September 2026, till 17:00 hours, through sr.indianrailways.gov.in. The last date to apply for Southern Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is 27 September 2026. Application fee is ₹100 (non-refundable), waived for SC/ST/PwBD/Women candidates. Candidates must read the complete official Southern Railway Act Apprentice 2026 notification PDF before applying, since qualification and trade-wise reservation vary considerably across the ~15 units covered by this recruitment.

Fresher Category: Fitter, Painter, and Welder trades require Passed 10th Class (minimum 50% aggregate) under the 10+2 system or equivalent. Medical Laboratory Technician (Radiology/Pathology/Cardiology) requires Passed 12th Class (minimum 50% aggregate) with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Ex-ITI Category: Most trades — Fitter, Machinist, MMV, Turner, Diesel Mechanic, Carpenter, Painter, Welder (G&E), Wireman, Advance Welder, Plumber, Draughtsman-Civil, Instrument Mechanic, Mechanic (R&AC), Gas Cutter, MMTM, Structural Welder — require Passed 10th Class (minimum 50%) plus an ITI course in the relevant trade with an NCVT/SCVT certificate. Electrician requires the same, with Science as a subject in 10th standard. Electronics Mechanic requires the same, with Science (Physics & Chemistry) and Mathematics. Secretarial Assistant & Stenographer (English) requires Passed 12th Class plus an ITI course with NCVT/SCVT certificate. ICTSM requires Passed 10th Class plus an ITI course with NCVT/SCVT certificate. COPA/PASAA requires Passed 10th Class (minimum 50%) plus a National Trade Certificate in Computer Operator and Programming Assistant. The minimum 50% requirement in 10th standard does not apply to SC/ST/PwBD candidates. Course Completed Act Apprentices (CCAAs), Engineering Graduates/Diploma holders, or Vocational Certificate holders with one year or more of training/job experience after these qualifications are NOT eligible to apply.

• As on the date of notification (28 August 2026): Minimum age 15 years completed
• Maximum age 22 years (Fresher/Ex-ITI); 24 years (MLT)
• Upper age relaxation: 3 years for OBC-(NCL), 5 years for SC/ST, 10 years for PwBD
• Combined relaxation for PwBD candidates: UR/EWS + PwBD = 10 years; OBC-(NCL) + PwBD = 13 years; SC/ST + PwBD = 15 years

• Only candidates residing within Southern Railway's specified geographical jurisdiction (whole of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala; Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep UTs; SPSR Nellore and Chittoor districts of AP; Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka) are eligible to apply
• Fresher trades (Fitter/Painter/Welder): Passed 10th Class, minimum 50% aggregate
• Fresher MLT (Radiology/Pathology/Cardiology): Passed 12th Class with Physics, Chemistry, Biology, minimum 50% aggregate
• Ex-ITI trades: Passed 10th Class (or 12th for Secretarial Assistant/Stenographer) plus a relevant NCVT/SCVT ITI certificate or National Trade Certificate
• Candidates must meet minimum standards of physical fitness under Schedule-II of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992, verified through a medical certificate from a Government-Authorized Doctor at document verification
• CCAAs, Engineering Graduates/Diploma holders, or Vocational Certificate holders with 1+ year of relevant training/job experience are NOT eligible
• This is purely apprenticeship training — no guarantee of employment on completion
• Departmental communication — notifications, document verification lists, and selection/eligibility results — will be posted only on the official website; candidates availing SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwBD benefits must produce the relevant certificate at document verification or be treated as UR
• Candidates are responsible for arranging their own accommodation during the training period, and false declarations will lead to disqualification or termination at any stage without notice

Processing fee of ₹100/- (non-refundable), payable online. No fee is required for SC/ST/PwBD/Women candidates.

• Fresher's — 10th Std: ₹8,200 per month
• Fresher's — 12th Std: ₹9,600 per month
• Ex-ITI: ₹9,600 per month
• Stipend increases by 10% in the second year of training, and a further 15% in the third year, over the prescribed minimum

1. Visit the official website www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
2. Navigate to News & Updates → Personnel Branch Information
3. Read the complete official notification carefully, including trade-wise and unit-wise eligibility, since requirements vary significantly across the ~15 units covered
4. Register on the online application portal with your basic personal details
5. Select the specific trade, unit, and category (Fresher or Ex-ITI) you are applying for
6. Fill in educational qualification, ITI details (if applicable), and personal information accurately
7. Upload the required documents, including photograph, signature, and educational/ITI certificates, in the prescribed format
8. Pay the applicable processing fee of ₹100 online, if not exempted under SC/ST/PwBD/Women categories
9. Complete the online application in all respects and submit it between 28 August 2026 and 27 September 2026, till 17:00 hours
10. Retain a copy of the submitted application for future reference, and check the official website for the tentative shortlist publication around 15 October 2026