Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026

The Office of the Chief Workshop Manager, Carriage & Wagon Works, Perambur (Southern Railway) has released Notification No. 01/2026 inviting online applications for engagement of Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. A total of 4471 apprentice seats are open across Fresher and Ex-ITI categories in trades such as Fitter, Welder, Electrician, Painter, COPA, Draughtsman (Civil), MLT and several others, spread across various Divisions, Workshops and Units of Southern Railway. Online applications open on 28 August 2026 and close on 27 September 2026 (till 5:00 PM). Only candidates residing within the specified geographical jurisdiction of Southern Railway are eligible to apply. Interested and eligible candidates can check the full eligibility criteria, trade-wise vacancy details, and application process below before applying.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Overview

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Important Dates

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Application Fee

Note: Candidates must download the fee acknowledgement/printout after submission, as it is required at the time of Document Verification.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Age Limit

As on the date of notification (28-08-2026):

• Minimum Age: 15 years
• Maximum Age: 22 years for Fresher category; 24 years for Ex-ITI and MLT category

Age Relaxation

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Vacancy Details (Category-Wise)

Fresher Category

Ex-ITI Category

Combined Grand Total

Trades Covered

Fitter, Welder (G&E), Painter, Electrician, Machinist, Turner, Diesel Mechanic, Carpenter, Wireman, Advance Welder, Plumber, Draughtsman (Civil), Instrument Mechanic, Mechanic R&AC, Gas Cutter, Structural Welder, MMTM, MMV, Electronics Mechanic, ICTSM, COPA/PASAA, Stenographer & Secretarial Assistant (SSA), and Medical Laboratory Technician (Radiology, Pathology, Cardiology).

Units Covered: Carriage & Wagon Works Perambur, Central Workshop Ponmalai, Signal & Telecommunication Workshop Podanur (Coimbatore), Railway Hospital Perambur, and various sections under Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Palakkad, Salem and Trivandrum Divisions.

(For the complete unit-wise and trade-wise breakup with PwBD sub-category vacancies, candidates should refer to the official notification on the Southern Railway website.)

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Eligible Locations

Only candidates residing within the following areas can apply:

1. Whole State of Tamil Nadu
2. Whole Union Territory of Puducherry
3. Whole State of Kerala
4. Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep
5. Only 2 districts of Andhra Pradesh – SPSR Nellore and Chittoor
6. Only 1 district of Karnataka – Dakshina Kannada

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Education Qualification

Fresher Category

Ex-ITI Category

Note: The 50% minimum marks condition in Class X is relaxed for SC/ST/PwBD candidates. Course Completed Act Apprentices, Engineering Graduates/Diploma holders, or candidates with 1+ year of relevant job experience after their qualification are NOT eligible to apply.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Selection Process

Selection is purely merit-based — there is no written examination. A Merit List is prepared as follows:

• Fresher Category: Marks scored in Class X (Matriculation) are converted out of 200. Minimum 50% aggregate in Matriculation is mandatory (relaxed for SC/ST/PwBD).
• Ex-ITI Category: Matriculation marks converted to 100 + ITI marks converted to 100 = Total out of 200 (equal weightage to both).
• MLT Category: Class XII marks (Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology) converted out of 200.

In case of a tie in marks, the older candidate is given preference; if the date of birth is also the same, the candidate who passed Matriculation earlier is preferred.

Shortlisted candidates will then undergo Document Verification and a Medical Examination as per the standards prescribed in Schedule-II of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Salary / Stipend

• Stipend increases by 10% in the 2nd year of training.
• Stipend increases by a further 15% in the 3rd year of training.

Important: This is an apprenticeship training stipend, not a regular salary. There is no guarantee of employment after completion of training.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Period of Training

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | Documents Required

• Class X / Class XII Mark Sheet & Certificate
• ITI Certificate & Mark Sheet (for Ex-ITI candidates), issued by NCVT/SCVT
• Original Transfer Certificate
• Caste Certificate (SC/ST) — as per prescribed format
• OBC-NCL Certificate + current-year Non-Creamy Layer Self-Declaration (for OBC candidates)
• EWS Income & Asset Certificate (if applicable)
• Disability Certificate from Competent Medical Authority (for PwBD candidates)
• Medical Fitness Certificate from a Government Authorized Doctor
• Residence/Domicile proof for the eligible jurisdiction
• Online Application printout & Fee payment acknowledgement
• Recent Passport-size Photographs

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 | How to Apply

1. Visit the official Southern Railway website: www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
2. Go to News & Updates → Personnel Branch Information
3. Find and click on the link for Notification No. 01/2026 – Engagement of Act Apprentices
4. Register using your basic details and create a login
5. Fill in the online application form carefully with education, category and personal details
6. Upload the required documents/photograph as per the specified format
7. Pay the online application fee (if applicable to your category)
8. Submit the form and download/print the confirmation page for future reference

Note: All further communication regarding shortlisting, document verification and selection will be published only on the above website link — no separate individual communication will be sent.