Indian Railways Apprentice Recruitment: Since August 1963, the national transporter has been providing training to applicants in designated trades under the provisions of the Apprentices Act. These applicants, based on their academic qualifications, are taken as apprentices without any competition or selection. Though Indian Railways were obligated to provide training, according to a statement issued by the Railway Ministry, only those candidates who completed their training were being engaged as substitutes against level 1 posts, since the year 2004. Here are things to know about apprentice recruitment in Indian Railways:

  • According to the ministry, substitutes are temporary appointees who can be engaged to meet any exigencies as well as operational requirements. While benefits are given to such appointees, due to temporary railway servants, they are not entitled to be absorbed in permanent employment with Indian Railways without undergoing due process.
  • In view of Indian Railways’ ongoing transformation and with a view to bringing transparency, fairness, as well as objectivity in all railway recruitments, the national transporter centralized the process for all recruitments to level 1 in the year 2017, which would henceforth be conducted through a common nationwide CBT.
  • The Apprentices Act was amended in the year 2014 whereby section 22 of the Act provided that a policy shall be formulated by an employer for recruiting apprentices trained in its establishment. Pursuant to such amendment, a provision was made by Indian Railways to give preference to apprentices trained in railway establishments in open market recruitment to level 1 posts, to the extent of 20 per cent of the advertised posts.
  • While these apprentices along with other candidates appear for written test, they are given preference in railway appointment over others, subject to obtaining minimum qualifying marks as well as meeting medical standards.
  • Accordingly, as many as 12504 Level 1 posts out of 63202 advertised posts vide CEN 02/2018 were earmarked for such candidates in the first common recruitment that was held in the year 2018. Similarly, as many as 20734 Level 1 posts, out of 103769 advertised posts under CEN RRC 01/2019 have been earmarked for these apprentices. For this notification, Railway Recruitment is to be held.
  • According to the ministry, these apprentices are demanding for appointment in Indian Railways without undergoing the prescribed recruitment process, namely written test as well as physical efficiency test that all other candidates are required to undergo as per extant rules. This demand of apprentices, the ministry said, is not feasible for acceptance as it is violative of Constitutional provisions as well as Apex Court judgment in matters of public employment whereby any employment cannot be provided except through a process involving fair selection.