Central Railway has opened applications for 2,861 Act Apprentice training slots, and for ITI pass candidates this is one of the biggest railway openings of the year. The Railway Recruitment Cell, Central Railway, issued Notification No. RRC/CR/AA/2026 on 3 November 2026, and the online application window is already live. Candidates can apply at www.rrccr.com till 5 pm on 2 December 2026, which leaves a little over three weeks to get the form in.
The slots are spread across five clusters of Central Railway. Mumbai takes the largest share by far, with 1,712 slots, followed by Bhusawal with 500, Pune with 271, Nagpur with 221 and Solapur with 157. The notification makes it clear that these numbers are provisional, so a cluster’s final count can move up or down depending on administrative requirements.
Who can apply
The eligibility bar is straightforward. Applicants must have passed Class 10 with at least 50 per cent aggregate marks, and they must hold an NCVT or SCVT certificate in the relevant ITI trade. The notification lists trades such as Fitter, Electrician and Welder, along with several other workshop trades, and the detailed trade-wise breakup for each cluster is given in the official notification on the RRC website.
The age limit is 15 to 24 years. Candidates who are currently undergoing apprenticeship training, or who have already completed one, should not apply. This is an apprenticeship engagement under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and it is not a regular railway job. Completing the training does not guarantee permanent employment in Indian Railways, a point the notification states plainly.
Stipend, fee and training period
Selected apprentices will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 9,600 during the one-year training period. The training takes place in Central Railway workshops and units across the five clusters, so candidates from Maharashtra and nearby states will find most of the postings within easy reach.
The application fee is Rs 100 for General, OBC and other non-exempt categories. Candidates from SC, ST, PwBD categories and women candidates do not have to pay any fee. Payment is made online along with the application form, and no offline or postal applications will be accepted.
How selection works
There is no written exam in this drive. Selection is merit-based, drawn from the marks in the qualifying examination, which means Class 10 and ITI scores decide the merit list. That makes this a good opening for candidates whose academic record is strong but who may not have the time or resources to prepare for a competitive written test.
Candidates should keep their documents ready before they start the form: Class 10 marksheet and certificate, ITI certificate and marksheet, a valid photo ID, a recent photograph and a signature in the prescribed format. The notification also asks for community and disability certificates wherever a candidate claims a concession, so it is worth checking the exact list on rrccr.com before applying.
How to apply
- Go to www.rrccr.com and open Notification No. RRC/CR/AA/2026.
- Read the notification fully, especially the trade-wise and cluster-wise vacancy tables.
- Register on the portal, fill in personal, education and trade details, and upload the required documents.
- Pay the fee of Rs 100 if applicable, and submit the form before 5 pm on 2 December 2026.
- Save the registration number and a printout of the submitted form for the document verification stage.
With 2,861 slots and a simple merit-based process, this is a practical opening for ITI pass youth looking to start a career in the railways. The form takes only a few minutes once the documents are ready, but the last date is firm, so candidates should not leave it for the final day when the portal tends to slow down.
FAQs
What is the last date to apply for Central Railway Apprentice 2026?
The last date is 2 December 2026, till 5 pm. Applications are accepted online only at www.rrccr.com.
How many apprentice slots has Central Railway announced?
A total of 2,861 Act Apprentice training slots across five clusters: Mumbai (1,712), Bhusawal (500), Pune (271), Nagpur (221) and Solapur (157).
What is the qualification for Central Railway Apprentice 2026?
Class 10 pass with at least 50 per cent marks, plus an NCVT or SCVT ITI certificate in the relevant trade.
What is the stipend for Central Railway apprentices?
Selected apprentices get Rs 9,600 per month during the one-year training period.
Is there a written exam for Central Railway Apprentice recruitment?
No. Selection is merit-based, on the marks in the qualifying examination, followed by document verification.
Candidates should verify trade-wise vacancies, eligibility, fee exemptions and other conditions in the official notification on rrccr.com, as the notification will prevail in case of any discrepancy.
