Southern Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 4471 Posts

Southern Railway has released the Southern Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 notification for the engagement of 4,471 Act Apprentices in various trades and units under its jurisdiction. The recruitment includes 163 Fresher vacancies and 4,308 Ex-ITI vacancies.

Eligible candidates can submit the Southern Railway Apprentice online application form from 28 August 2026 to 27 September 2026 up to 5:00 PM. The apprenticeship engagement is being conducted under the Apprentices Act, 1961.

Candidates who have passed 10th/12th class and ITI in the prescribed trades can apply, subject to the post-wise qualification, age limit and geographical eligibility conditions.

Important: This recruitment is for apprenticeship training and not regular employment. Selection as an apprentice does not guarantee employment in Southern Railway after completion of training.

Candidates should submit the application well before the closing time to avoid last-minute technical or payment-related issues.

Southern Railway Apprentice Vacancy 2026

Southern Railway has announced a total of 4,471 Act Apprentice vacancies.

• Fresher Category – 163 Posts
• Ex-ITI Category – 4,308 Posts
• Total – 4,471 Posts

The apprenticeship opportunities are available across different workshops, divisions, hospitals and other units of Southern Railway.

Note: The detailed trade-wise and unit-wise vacancy distribution, including reservation categories, is available in the official notification. Candidates should check the notification for the exact vacancy applicable to their preferred trade and unit.

Southern Railway Apprentice 2026 Trades

Depending on the unit and category, apprenticeship opportunities are available in several trades, including:

• Fitter
• Welder
• Painter
• Electrician
• Machinist
• Turner
• Diesel Mechanic
• Carpenter
• Wireman
• Advanced Welder
• Plumber
• Draughtsman (Civil)
• Instrument Mechanic
• Mechanic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
• Gas Cutter
• MMTM
• Structural Welder
• Electronics Mechanic
• Secretarial Assistant
• Stenographer (English)
• ICTSM
• COPA/PASAA
• Medical Laboratory Technician

Candidates should select a trade/unit only after checking the detailed vacancy table in the notification.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Eligibility

• Eligibility differs between the Fresher and Ex-ITI categories. Candidates must satisfy the prescribed educational qualification as well as the geographical eligibility requirement.

Geographical Eligibility

Candidates must ordinarily reside within the geographical jurisdiction specified by Southern Railway.

• Entire Tamil Nadu
• Entire Puducherry
• Entire Kerala
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Lakshadweep
• SPSR Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh
• Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka

Candidates from areas outside the specified geographical jurisdiction should carefully verify the notification before applying.

Southern Railway Apprentice Qualification 2026

Fresher Category
For Fresher apprenticeship vacancies:

Fitter, Painter and Welder:

• Passed 10th Class
• Minimum 50% aggregate marks
• Qualification should be under the 10+2 system or equivalent

Medical Laboratory Technician:

• Passed 12th Class
• Minimum 50% aggregate marks
• Must have studied Physics, Chemistry and Biology

Ex-ITI Category
For most Ex-ITI trades, candidates must have:

• Passed 10th Class with at least 50% aggregate marks
• Passed ITI in the relevant trade
• Possess the prescribed NCVT/SCVT certificate

Additional subject requirements apply to certain trades.

Important Qualification Conditions

• The minimum 50% requirement in 10th does not apply to SC/ST/PwBD candidates, wherever specified.
• Ex-ITI candidates must possess the relevant ITI qualification at the time of applying.
• Candidates who have already undergone apprenticeship training may not be eligible.
• Engineering graduates/diploma holders and certain candidates having post-qualification training or work experience are not eligible where specifically excluded by the notification.
• Candidates should carefully check all trade-specific conditions before applying.

Additional combined relaxation may apply to eligible PwBD candidates according to their category.

The stipend is increased during subsequent years of apprenticeship according to the prescribed rules.

Important: The stipend is paid during apprenticeship training and should not be considered a regular Railway employee salary.

Southern Railway Apprentice Application Fee 2026

• The application processing fee is : ₹100
• The fee is non-refundable.

Fee Exemption

No application fee is required for:

• SC candidates
• ST candidates
• PwBD candidates
• Women candidates

The fee must be paid online through the prescribed payment method while submitting the application.

Southern Railway Apprentice Selection Process 2026

• There is no written examination or interview for selection under this apprenticeship recruitment.
• Selection will be made through a merit list prepared on the basis of marks obtained in the prescribed qualifying examinations.

Fresher Category

For Fresher candidates, the merit is prepared using Matriculation marks, converted to a total of 200 marks.

Ex-ITI Category

• 10th/Matriculation marks are converted to 100 marks
• ITI marks are converted to 100 marks
• Total merit is prepared out of 200 marks
• Equal weightage is given to Matriculation and ITI marks

MLT Category

For Medical Laboratory Technician candidates, the prescribed Higher Secondary marks in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology are considered for preparing the merit list.

Tie-Breaking Rule

If two or more candidates obtain the same marks:

• The older candidate is given preference.
• If the date of birth is also the same, the candidate who passed Matriculation earlier is preferred.

Southern Railway Apprentice 2026 Document Verification

Candidates shortlisted on the basis of merit will be called for Document Verification. Candidates should be prepared to produce original documents such as:

• 10th Class mark sheet and certificate
• 12th Class certificate, wherever applicable
• ITI certificate and mark sheets
• Date of birth proof
• Community/caste certificate
• OBC-NCL certificate, where applicable
• EWS certificate, where applicable
• PwBD certificate, where applicable
• Aadhaar/valid identity proof
• Residence/domicile-related documents, wherever required
• Other documents mentioned in the notification

Candidates must ensure that the information provided in the application matches their original documents.

Southern Railway Apprentice Medical Fitness

• Selected/shortlisted candidates must meet the prescribed physical fitness and medical standards under the Apprenticeship Rules.
• A medical certificate from a Government-authorized medical practitioner may be required at the document verification stage as prescribed by Southern Railway.
• Candidates who fail to meet the required medical standards may not be considered for apprenticeship engagement.

How to Apply for Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026

Candidates can apply online by following these steps:

1. Visit the official Southern Railway website.
2. Go to the News & Updates/Personnel Branch Information section.
3. Open the notification for Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026.
4. Read the complete notification carefully.
5. Check your trade, qualification, age and geographical eligibility.
6. Click on the online application link.
7. Complete the registration process.
8. Enter your personal and educational details.
9. Select the applicable trade/unit carefully.
10. Upload the required documents in the prescribed format.
11. Pay the application fee, if applicable.
12. Preview the application form and verify all details.
13. Submit the application before 27 September 2026 at 5:00 PM.
14. Download and save a copy of the submitted application for future reference.

Important: Candidates should not wait until the last day to submit the application.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Important Instructions

• This recruitment is strictly for apprenticeship training.
• Apprenticeship training does not create a right to regular employment in Southern Railway.
• Candidates must satisfy all eligibility conditions before applying.
• Ex-ITI candidates must possess the prescribed ITI qualification at the time of application.
• Candidates must produce original certificates during document verification.
• Candidates claiming reservation benefits must produce valid certificates.
• Candidates unable to substantiate their claims may have their candidature cancelled.
• False information or incorrect declarations may result in disqualification.
• Candidates are responsible for arranging their own accommodation during training.
• The number of vacancies is tentative and may be revised by Southern Railway.
• Candidates should regularly check the official Southern Railway website for updates.
• Candidates should carefully select their preferred trade/unit because eligibility and vacancies vary by unit.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Job/Training Location

The apprenticeship training will be conducted at various workshops, divisions, hospitals and units under Southern Railway.
The jurisdiction covers locations in:

• Tamil Nadu
• Kerala
• Puducherry
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Lakshadweep
• Specified districts of Andhra Pradesh
• Specified district of Karnataka

The exact training location depends on the trade and unit selected by the candidate.

Southern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – Important Links

Apply Online – Southern Railway Apprentice 2026 – Click Here

Southern Railway Apprentice Notification PDF – Click Here

Official Southern Railway Website – Click Here