The Railway Recruitment Cell, Northern Railway (RRC NR), Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, has released the official notification for the engagement of Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. A total of 4,651 apprentice training slots are available across the divisions, units and workshops of Northern Railway for the 2026-27 training year, under Notification No. RRC/NR/03/2026/Act Apprentice dated 6 November 2026.
Online applications open on 11 November 2026 and the last date to apply online is 11 December 2026 (11:59 PM). Candidates who have passed Class 10 with at least 50% marks and hold an ITI certificate in the notified trade can apply. There is no written examination and no interview — selection is purely on a merit list prepared from Class 10 and ITI marks.
This article covers the complete details of the RRC NR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 — important dates, cluster-wise vacancy details, eligibility, age limit, application fee, selection process, stipend and how to apply.
Recruitment Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Body | Railway Recruitment Cell, Northern Railway (RRC NR), Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi |
| Recruitment Name | Engagement of Act Apprentices 2026-27 |
| Notification Number | RRC/NR/03/2026/Act Apprentice dated 06/11/2026 |
| Total Training Slots | 4,651 (provisional) |
| Post Name | Act Apprentice (various ITI trades) |
| Training Year | 2026-27 |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Official Website | rrcnr.org |
| Selection Process | Merit list (no written test, no viva) |
| Merit List Expected | February 2027 |
The number of training slots is provisional and may increase or decrease depending on the actual need of the administration at the time of finalisation of selection. The slots include the PwBD and Ex-Servicemen quotas. Training in the Railway does not confer any right on the candidate for absorption in Railway service after successful completion of the apprenticeship.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Released | 6 November 2026 |
| Online Application Opens | 11 November 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 11 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Last Date to Pay Application Fee | 11 December 2026 |
| Merit List Expected | February 2027 |
Vacancy Details
The 4,651 training slots are spread across six clusters of Northern Railway. The cluster-wise and category-wise break-up, as given in Annexure-A of the official notification, is as follows:
| Cluster | UR | SC | ST | OBC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucknow (LKO) | 774 | 229 | 112 | 410 | 1,525 |
| Delhi (DLI) | 668 | 198 | 94 | 352 | 1,312 |
| Ambala (UMB) | 501 | 144 | 72 | 262 | 979 |
| Firozpur (FZR) | 442 | 169 | 12 | 117 | 740 |
| Moradabad (MB) | 32 | 9 | 6 | 16 | 63 |
| Jammu | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 32 |
| Total | 2,433 | 755 | 300 | 1,163 | 4,651 |
The largest number of slots is in the Lucknow cluster (1,525), followed by Delhi (1,312) and Ambala (979). Within each cluster, slots are further divided trade-wise and unit-wise across divisions and workshops — for example, the Lucknow Division alone has 504 slots, the Carriage Workshop at Alambagh (Lucknow) has 374 slots, and the Rolling Stock Workshops at Charbagh (Lucknow) have 333 and 225 slots. Candidates must check Annexure-A of the official notification and apply only for the cluster and unit where training slots for their own ITI trade are notified. Applying for a cluster or unit where slots for the candidate’s trade are not notified will make the application meaningless and it will be summarily rejected, with no refund of the application fee.
Trades notified include Fitter, Electrician, Welder (Gas and Electric), Carpenter, Machinist, Turner, Mechanic (Diesel), Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Electronics Mechanic, Stenographer (English and Hindi), Data Entry Operator, Computer Operator and Programming Assistant, Painter (General), Mason (Building Constructor), Blacksmith, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic, Wireman, Electrician (TRD), and other designated trades.
Eligibility Criteria
- Educational Qualification: The candidate must have passed SSC / Matriculation / 10th class examination or its equivalent (under the 10+2 examination system) with minimum 50% marks in aggregate from a recognised Board, and must have passed ITI in the relevant trade issued by NCVT / SCVT recognised by the Government of India.
- Cut-off for qualification: The candidate must have already passed the prescribed qualification on the date of issue of the notification, i.e. 6 November 2026. Candidates whose 10th or ITI result was awaited as on that date are not eligible to apply.
- Candidates should read the trade-wise details in Annexure-A carefully and select the cluster and unit where slots for their ITI trade are available.
Age Limit
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 15 years as on 11 December 2026 |
| Maximum Age | 24 years as on 11 December 2026 |
| Age Relaxation (SC / ST) | 5 years |
| Age Relaxation (OBC) | 3 years |
| Age Relaxation (Persons with Disability) | 10 years |
| Age Relaxation (Ex-Servicemen) | Up to 10 years, to the extent of service rendered in the Defence Forces plus 3 years, subject to a minimum of 6 months continuous service |
Candidates claiming reservation must produce the required certificates in the Central Government format at the time of document verification — caste certificate for SC/ST, caste certificate with Non-Creamy Layer certificate (valid for 2026-27, issued on or after 1 January 2026) for OBC, discharge certificate for Ex-Servicemen, and disability certificate from a competent Medical Board for PwBD candidates.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | Rs. 100 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Women | Nil (no fee) |
The application fee of Rs. 100 is non-refundable and must be paid through online mode only as part of the online application process. RRC NR does not accept the fee in cash, cheque, money order, IPO, demand draft or Central Recruitment Fee Stamps. Any transaction charges for online payment are to be borne by the candidate.
Stipend and Training
The period of training and the stipend are as per the extant rules applicable under the Apprentices Act, 1961 and the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992 (as amended from time to time). The official notification does not fix a separate monthly stipend figure, so candidates should rely on the extant Apprenticeship rules and the information given on the official website. A medical certificate in the prescribed format, signed by a Government-authorised doctor not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon of a Central or State hospital, must be produced at the time of document verification.
Selection Process
Selection of Act Apprentices is made on the basis of a merit list only. The procedure is:
- Screening and scrutiny of applications. There is no written test and no viva.
- Merit calculation: The merit list is prepared by taking the average of the percentage of marks obtained in Matriculation / SSC / 10th (with minimum 50% aggregate marks) and in the ITI examination, giving equal weightage to both.
- Tie-break: If two candidates have the same marks, the candidate with the older age is preferred. If the date of birth is also the same, the candidate who passed matriculation earlier is considered first.
- Final merit list: Prepared cluster-wise, trade-wise and community-wise, in descending order of percentage of marks, equal to the number of slots.
- Document verification: Candidates in the merit list are called for document verification. Any discrepancy between the marks entered in the online application and the original marksheet or certificate will lead to summary rejection of the candidature.
For Boards where a grading system is followed, RRC NR will take the midpoint of the range of grades for calculating the percentage of matriculation marks. For ITI marks, the average marks in the consolidated statement of marks for all semesters of the trade applied, as mentioned in the Provisional National Trade Certificate issued by NCVT/SCVT, will be reckoned.
How to Apply
- Visit the official website of the Railway Recruitment Cell, Northern Railway at rrcnr.org.
- Click on the link for “Engagement of Act Apprentice 2026-27 (Notice No. RRC/NR/03/2026)” and read the full notification, including Annexure-A.
- Check the trade-wise and unit-wise slots and select the cluster and unit where training slots for your ITI trade are notified.
- Register with your basic details and keep the required documents ready — 10th marksheet and certificate, ITI certificate and marksheets, ID proof, photograph and signature.
- Fill in the online application form carefully. One candidate can submit only one application — multiple applications will lead to rejection of all applications, with no refund of the fee. No change is allowed after final submission.
- Pay the application fee of Rs. 100 online (if applicable) and submit the form before 11 December 2026 (11:59 PM).
- Take a printout of the submitted application and the e-receipt of the fee payment for future reference.
- Candidates are advised to apply well before the closing date to avoid last-minute website load or login failures.
Important Links
| Link | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Website | https://rrcnr.org |
| Official Notification PDF | https://rrcnr.org/downloads/Notification_Act_Appretice_2026.pdf |
| Apply Online | https://rrcnr.org (link “Engagement of Act Apprentice” on the homepage) |
| Notification Number | RRC/NR/03/2026/Act Apprentice dated 06/11/2026 |
Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official RRC NR notification before applying, and to apply well before the last date to avoid last-minute technical issues.
FAQs
Q1. How many vacancies are there in the RRC NR Apprentice Recruitment 2026? A total of 4,651 Act Apprentice training slots are available across Northern Railway under Notification No. RRC/NR/03/2026/Act Apprentice dated 6 November 2026. The slots are provisional and may increase or decrease.
Q2. What is the last date to apply for RRC NR Apprentice 2026? The last date to apply online and pay the fee is 11 December 2026 (11:59 PM). Online applications open on 11 November 2026.
Q3. What is the qualification required for RRC NR Apprentice? Candidates must have passed Class 10 / Matriculation with minimum 50% marks in aggregate from a recognised Board and must have passed ITI in the relevant trade issued by NCVT/SCVT. Both results must have been declared on or before 6 November 2026.
Q4. What is the age limit for RRC NR Apprentice 2026? Candidates must have completed 15 years and must not have completed 24 years of age as on 11 December 2026. Age relaxation is 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, 10 years for PwBD and up to 10 years for Ex-Servicemen.
Q5. What is the application fee for RRC NR Apprentice? Rs. 100 for General, OBC and EWS candidates, payable online only. There is no fee for SC, ST, PwBD and women candidates. The fee is non-refundable.
Q6. Is there any exam for RRC NR Apprentice Recruitment 2026? No. There is no written test and no viva. Selection is purely on a merit list prepared from the average of the percentage of marks in Class 10 and ITI, with equal weightage to both.
Q7. When will the RRC NR Apprentice merit list be released? The merit list is expected to be displayed in February 2027 on the official website rrcnr.org.
Q8. Which clusters are covered in the RRC NR Apprentice Recruitment? Six clusters — Lucknow (1,525 slots), Delhi (1,312), Ambala (979), Firozpur (740), Moradabad (63) and Jammu (32) — covering divisions, workshops and units across Northern Railway.
Q9. Can I submit more than one application for RRC NR Apprentice? No. One candidate can submit only one application. If multiple applications are received, all of them will be summarily rejected and the application fee will not be refunded.