East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply for 1599 Act Apprentice Posts (ECoR)

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply for 1599 Act Apprentice Posts (ECoR)

The East Coast Railway (ECoR), through its Railway Recruitment Cell at Bhubaneswar (RRC/BBS), has issued a centralized notification inviting online applications for the engagement of Act Apprentices for the year 2026–27. A total of 1,599 apprenticeship slots are on offer across various trades under the Apprentices Act, 1961, spread over multiple divisions and workshops of East Coast Railway. Online applications open on 26 August 2026 (5:00 PM) and close on 15 September 2026 (5:00 PM). Selection is purely merit-based on Class 10 marks — there is no written test or interview.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Overview

This engagement is purely for training purposes under the Apprentices Act and does not guarantee any job or employment with the Railways after completion of training. Candidates should treat this strictly as a skill-training opportunity.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Important Dates

Candidates are advised by ECoR itself to apply well before the closing date, since the website tends to face heavy traffic close to the deadline.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Application Fee

Payment must be made online only, through the integrated payment gateway on the RRC/BBS website, using Debit Card, Credit Card, UPI, or Internet Banking. No fee changes are allowed once the online form is finalised.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Age Limit

Age is calculated as on the closing date, 15 September 2026:

Ex-Servicemen relaxation applies only when the candidate is applying for themselves — it is not extended to their children. Separate age-relaxation provisions also apply for children of Ex-Servicemen and children of serving Armed Forces personnel, based on their community category.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Vacancy Details (Category-wise)

Out of the total 1,599 slots, the category-wise break-up (as per the Grand Total in the official notification) is as follows:

Unit-wise distribution of slots:

The detailed trade-wise and category-wise vacancy break-up for each department (Mechanical, Electrical, Engineering, S&T, Medical, Personnel/Accounts/IT) is provided in Annexure ‘A’ of the official notification. Candidates should refer to it carefully before selecting their trade and unit preference, since the choice of Division/Workshop, once submitted, cannot be changed later.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Educational Qualification

Applicants must fulfil both the following as on the date of the notification (21 August 2026):

• General Qualification: Passed Matriculation (Class 10) under the 10+2 system with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks from a recognised Board.
• Technical Qualification: Hold an ITI certificate (National Trade Certificate/Provisional Certificate) in the relevant designated trade, affiliated with NCVT, as per the Apprentices Act, 1961.

Trade-specific additional requirements:

• Laboratory Technician (Pathology): Must be 12th pass with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, with a minimum of 50% marks in both Class 10 and Class 12.
• Secretarial Assistant (Stenography): Must hold a National Trade Certificate (NTC) approved by NCVT/SCVT.
• Computer Operator & Programming Assistant: Must have completed board-recognised basic IT-sector training (hardware repair/maintenance or computer networking) and hold an NTC approved by NCVT/SCVT.

Candidates whose SSC or ITI results are still awaited are not eligible to apply. Engineering graduates and diploma holders are also not eligible under this notification, as they fall under a separate apprenticeship scheme.

Designated Trades (25 total): Fitter, Welder, Turner, Machinist, Electrician, Carpenter, Painter (General), Mechanic (Diesel)(TMO), Secretarial Assistant (Stenography), Black Smith, Driller, Bridge Erector, Sheet Metal Worker, Electronics Mechanic, Wireman, Mechanic Refrigeration & AC, Plumber, Draftsman (Civil), Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Computer Operator & Programming Assistant, Laboratory Technician (Pathology), Sarang, Grinder, Mason, and Draftsman (Mechanic).

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Selection Process

Unlike most competitive exams, this recruitment has no written test and no interview. Selection works purely as follows:

1. A merit list is prepared separately for each unit, based solely on the percentage of marks obtained in Matriculation (Class 10), subject to a minimum of 50% aggregate.
2. The percentage is calculated using marks of all subjects, not the “best of five” method — optional and additional subjects are also included.
3. In case of a tie in marks, preference goes to the older candidate; if birth dates also match, the one who passed Matriculation earlier is preferred.
4. Shortlisted candidates (based on merit and trade/unit preference) are called for Document Verification (DV) at ECoR Headquarters, Bhubaneswar.
5. Final engagement is subject to successful DV and submission of a valid Medical Fitness Certificate.
6. A candidate is considered for only one Unit–Department–Trade combination — once selected against a higher preference, all lower preferences are automatically cancelled.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Salary / Stipend

Selected apprentices will be paid a monthly stipend at the rate prescribed by the Railway Board’s extant rules and directives (the exact stipend amount is notified separately and periodically revised, not fixed within this notification). No hostel accommodation is provided — apprentices must arrange their own stay during training.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Exam Pattern

There is no written examination or viva/interview in this recruitment. Selection is entirely based on the applicant’s Matriculation (Class 10) percentage, as explained in the Selection Process section above. Candidates should ensure their marks/CGPA are entered accurately in the online application, since any mismatch found during Document Verification against the original mark sheet leads to summary rejection.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : Documents Required

Candidates must upload clear scanned copies of the following at the time of application (and carry originals for DV):

• Recent colour photograph (3.5cm × 3.5cm, JPG/JPEG, 100 DPI, 20–70 KB, taken within the last 3 months, without cap/sunglasses)
• Scanned signature (3.5cm × 3.5cm, JPG/JPEG, 100 DPI, 20–30 KB)
• Matriculation (Class 10) mark sheet and pass certificate
• Date-of-birth proof (if not mentioned on the Matriculation certificate)
• Consolidated ITI mark sheet for all semesters, or Provisional National Trade Certificate
• National Trade Certificate (NCVT) or Provisional Trade Certificate (NCVT/SCVT)
• Caste Certificate (for SC/ST/OBC candidates, in the prescribed Central Government format)
• Income and Asset Certificate (for EWS candidates)
• Disability Certificate (for PwBD candidates)
• Discharge/Serving Certificate (for Ex-Servicemen quota candidates)
• Aadhaar Card (12-digit number, or 28-digit Enrolment ID if the card is not yet issued)
• Fee exemption certificate, wherever applicable

Certificates in languages other than English or Hindi must be submitted along with an attested translation.

East Coast Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 : How to Apply

The entire process is online, through the RRC/BBS portal:

1. Visit www.rrcbbs.org.in and register using a valid personal email ID and active mobile number.
2. Log in with your generated Registration Number and complete the application form — personal details, trade choice, Aadhaar number, Matriculation marks/CGPA, and one Division/Workshop preference.
3. Upload your photograph, signature, and all relevant scanned documents as per the specifications above.
4. Recheck all entries carefully — no edits are allowed once submitted.
5. Pay the application fee (₹100/-, if applicable) online via the integrated payment gateway. If the fee is deducted but the form fails to download due to connectivity issues, use the “Verify Payment” option to reconfirm status before attempting payment again.
6. After successful payment, download and print your application form for your records.