RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Southern Railway has released the Act Apprentice Notification 01/2026 for the engagement of 4471 Apprentices in various trades in divisions, workshops and units of Southern Railway. Online applications will start from 28.08.2026 to 27.09.2026 (till 5:00 PM) for eligible candidates. Fresher and Ex-ITI recruitment is in progress. Training will be given in different specified trades.
RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Overview
- Organization: Southern Railway
- Recruitment: Act Apprentice 2026
- Notification No.: 01/2026
- Total Vacancies: 4,471 (Freshers)
- Ex-ITI Category: 4,308
- Category: 163
- Application Mode: Online
- Training: Apprenticeship training under the Apprentices Act, 1961
- Categories: Fresher and Ex-ITI
- Selection: Merit List
- Training Locations: Various Southern Railway divisions, workshops, and units
- Official Website: Southern Railway
Also Read: East Coast Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 1,599 Apprentice Posts
Important Dates
| Online Application Starts | August 28, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | September 27, 2026, up to 5:00 PM |
RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Vacancy Details
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Fresher Category | 163 |
| Ex-ITI Category | 4,308 |
| Total | 4,471 |
The vacancies are in different trades and Southern Railway units. Major trades are Fitter, Welder, Electrician, Painter, Carpenter, Machinist, COPA, Diesel Mechanic, Turner, Wireman, Plumber, Draughtsman (Civil), Electronics Mechanic, MMTM, Structural Welder, Medical Laboratory Technician, etc.
RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
| Category | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| Fresher – Fitter, Painter & Welder | 10th Class with at least 50% aggregate marks |
| Fresher – Medical Laboratory Technician | 12th Class with at least 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology |
| Ex-ITI Trades | 10th Class with at least 50% marks and ITI in the relevant trade from a Government-recognized ITI |
| Ex-ITI – Electrician | 10th Class with at least 50% marks in Science and relevant ITI qualification |
| Ex-ITI – Electronics Mechanic | 10th Class with at least 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and relevant ITI |
| Secretarial Assistant/Stenographer | 12th Class and relevant ITI qualification |
| ICTSM | 10th Class and relevant ITI qualification |
| COPA/PASSA | 10th Class with at least 50% marks and National Trade Certificate in COPA |
The 50% requirement in Class 10 does not apply to SC/ST/PwBD candidates. Ex-ITI candidates must possess the relevant ITI qualification at the time of applying.
Age Limit
| Category | Age Requirement |
|---|---|
| Fresher | Minimum 15 years and below 22 years |
| Ex-ITI | Minimum 15 years and below 24 years |
| OBC-NCL Relaxation | 3 years |
| SC/ST Relaxation | 5 years |
| PwBD Relaxation | 10 years |
Training Duration
| Trade/Category | Training Period |
|---|---|
| Fresher – Welder | 1 Year 3 Months |
| Fresher – Fitter & Painter | 2 Years |
| Fresher – Medical Laboratory Technician | 1 Year 3 Months |
| Ex-ITI | Duration reduced as per Apprenticeship Rules |
RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Stipend
| Category | Monthly Stipend |
|---|---|
| Fresher – 10th Class | ₹8,200 |
| Fresher – 12th Class | ₹9,600 |
| Ex-ITI | ₹9,600 |
The prescribed minimum stipend increases by 10% during the second year and 15% during the third year of apprenticeship training.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General/Others | ₹100 |
| SC/ST, PwBD, Female Candidate | No Fee |
The ₹100 processing fee is non-refundable and must be paid online.
RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Selection Process
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Selection Basis | Merit List |
| Fresher | Class 10 marks converted to 200 marks |
| Ex-ITI | Class 10 marks + ITI marks, with equal weightage, totaling 200 marks |
| MLT | Higher Secondary marks converted to 200 marks |
| Tie-Breaking | Older candidate gets preference; if DOB is also the same, the candidate who passed Matriculation earlier is preferred |
Documents Required for RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Class 10 marks sheet/certificate
- Class 12 marks sheet/certificate, where applicable
- ITI certificate and marks details for Ex-ITI candidates
- National/State Trade Certificate, wherever applicable
- Transfer Certificate
- Caste certificate, if applicable
- OBC-NCL certificate and self-declaration, if applicable
- PwBD certificate, if applicable
- Medical certificate in the prescribed format
- Online application acknowledgement
The medical certificate must be issued by a Government-authorized doctor of the prescribed rank and produced during document verification.
How to Apply for RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Visit the Southern Railway official website.
- Go to News & Updates → Personnel Branch Information.
- Open Act Apprentice Notification 01/2026.
- Read the notification and check eligibility for the desired trade.
- Complete the online application form.
- Upload the required documents and enter the details carefully.
- Pay the applicable processing fee.
- Submit the application before September 27, 2026, up to 5:00 PM.
- Save and print the acknowledgement for future use.
Important Points
- This recruitment is only for apprenticeship training and not direct employment.
- There is no guarantee of a regular job after completion of training.
- Candidates must reside within the geographical jurisdiction specified by Southern Railway, including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, SPSR Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh, and Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka.
- Candidates who have already completed or are currently undergoing apprenticeship training are not eligible.
- Candidates with one year or more of relevant training/job experience after obtaining the qualification are not eligible.
- Selected candidates must arrange their own accommodation.
- No TA/DA will be provided for document verification.
- The vacancies mentioned in the notification are tentative and may change.
Important links
| RRC Southern Railway Website | Check here |
| RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Notification PDF | Check here |
| Apply Online link | Check here |
FAQs on RRC Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
What is the total number of vacancies?
Southern Railway has announced 4,471 Act Apprentice vacancies under Notification 01/2026.
What is the last date to apply?
The last date for online application is September 27, 2026, up to 5:00 PM.
What is the age limit?
Age Limit: The candidates should be between 15 years and 22 years of age for Freshers and 24 years of age for Ex-ITI candidates as on the date of notification of the advertisement. However, the age relaxation is applicable to reserved categories.
What is the monthly stipend?
The stipend is Rs. 8,200 for Fresher candidates with 10th qualification and Rs. 9,600 for 12th qualified freshers and Ex-ITI candidates.
What is the selection process?
Candidates will be selected on the basis of a merit list prepared from their academic and ITI marks, as applicable to their category.
