SECR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 marks one of the most significant railway apprenticeship drives in the central India region this year, with the South East Central Railway zone announcing multiple Act Apprentice vacancies across its three operational divisions Bilaspur, Nagpur, and Raipur offering school and ITI-qualified youth a structured one-year paid training opportunity directly within the Indian Railways ecosystem under the statutory framework of the Apprentices Act, 1961.
The recruitment targets candidates who hold an ITI certificate in relevant trades or a Class 10 (Matriculation) pass with adequate marks, depending on the trade and division requirements. Not publicly disclosed in the summary title alone is the exact total number of vacancies reports suggest the figure runs into several hundred posts across all three SECR divisions combined, consistent with SECR’s previous apprenticeship cycles.
What Is an Act Apprentice — A Quick Clarification
Before applying, candidates should clearly understand what an Act Apprentice posting means. An Act Apprentice is not a permanent government job — it is a statutory training engagement under the Apprentices Act, 1961, lasting typically one year, during which the trainee receives a monthly stipend and hands-on technical training inside a railway workshop or production unit. After successful completion, trainees receive an Apprenticeship Certificate from the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) — a qualification that holds value for future government and private sector employment, including Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) and Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC) examinations where ITI-equivalent experience strengthens the application. Act Apprentices do not receive permanent employment, job security, or pension benefits as a direct result of completing the apprenticeship — though some former apprentices do subsequently clear competitive exams for regular railway posts.
Division-Wise Vacancy Breakdown
SECR has advertised Act Apprentice vacancies separately for each of its three divisions. Reports suggest the overall vacancy distribution covers multiple ITI trades:
| Division | Headquarters | Trades Covered |
| Bilaspur Division | Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh | Fitter, Electrician, Welder, Diesel Mechanic, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter, and others |
| Nagpur Division | Nagpur, Maharashtra | Reports suggest similar trade coverage as Bilaspur |
| Raipur Division | Raipur, Chhattisgarh | Reports suggest similar trade coverage as Bilaspur |
Not publicly disclosed in the title alone is the exact vacancy count per trade per division — candidates should download the official SECR Apprentice 2026 notification PDF from secr.indianrailways.gov.in to confirm the post-wise and division-wise vacancy figures before applying.
Eligibility Criteria — Age, Qualification and Trade
SECR has set the following general eligibility parameters for the 2026 apprenticeship recruitment, consistent with standard Indian Railways apprenticeship norms under the Apprentices Act:
Age Limit:
- Minimum Age: 15 years
- Maximum Age: 24 years
- Age Relaxation: 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), 5 years for SC/ST candidates, and 10 years for PwD candidates — as per Government of India norms
Educational Qualification:
- ITI Candidates: Pass in Class 10 (Matriculation) from a recognised board plus a National Trade Certificate (NTC) from an NCVT-recognised ITI in the relevant trade
- Matriculate Candidates (for designated trades only): Class 10 pass with Science and Mathematics from a recognised board — applicable for specific trades notified by SECR where ITI is not mandatory
Key Requirement: The ITI trade must correspond directly to the trade advertised by SECR for the specific division. Candidates applying with an unrelated trade certificate face automatic rejection during document verification.
Application Fee — Category-Wise Structure
The fee structure for SECR Apprentice 2026 follows standard Indian Railways apprenticeship recruitment norms:
| Category | Application Fee |
| UR / OBC / EWS | ₹100 |
| SC / ST / PwD / Women | Nil (Exempted) |
| Payment Mode | Online — Net Banking / UPI / Debit Card / Credit Card |
| Refundable? | Non-refundable |
Not publicly disclosed is whether the fee structure has been revised from SECR’s previous apprenticeship cycles — candidates should confirm the exact fee amount on the official portal before making payment.
How to Apply for SECR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Online
Applications must be submitted exclusively online through the South East Central Railway’s official recruitment portal. The step-by-step process is as follows:
- Visit the official SECR website at secr.indianrailways.gov.in
- Navigate to the “Recruitment” section and click the “Act Apprentice 2026” notification link
- Click “Apply Online” for the relevant division — Bilaspur, Nagpur, or Raipur
- New users must register with a valid email ID and active mobile number to generate login credentials
- Log in with the registered credentials and open the application form
- Fill in all mandatory fields — personal details, educational qualifications, ITI trade and NCVT certificate details, and category information
- Upload scanned copies of all required documents in the prescribed format and file size
- Pay the applicable application fee through the online payment gateway
- Review all details carefully before final submission
- Download and save the application confirmation with unique application number for future reference
Candidates wishing to apply for posts in more than one SECR division must submit separate applications for each division and pay the applicable fee separately for each submission.
Documents Required for Upload
Candidates must prepare the following documents in scanned format before starting the online application:
- Class 10 Marksheet and Certificate — from a recognised board
- ITI / NTC Certificate — NCVT-recognised, in the relevant trade
- Aadhaar Card — for identity and address verification
- Category Certificate — SC, ST, OBC, EWS certificate from a competent authority (if applicable)
- PwD Certificate — from a designated medical authority (if applicable)
- Passport-Size Photograph — recent, in the prescribed format
- Signature — scanned in the prescribed format
Not publicly disclosed is the exact file size limit and accepted formats for each uploaded document — candidates should check the portal’s upload specifications during the application process.
Selection Process — Merit-Based, No Written Exam
SECR Apprentice 2026 selection follows a merit-based process — there is no written competitive examination:
- Merit List Preparation: SECR prepares a division-wise, trade-wise merit list based on marks obtained in the Class 10 (Matriculation) examination
- ITI Marks Consideration: For ITI-qualified candidates, reports suggest SECR assigns equal or weighted consideration to both Class 10 and ITI marks depending on the trade and division
- Document Verification: Shortlisted candidates undergo physical document verification at the designated SECR office before the training engagement offer is issued
- Medical Examination: Candidates who clear document verification undergo a medical fitness examination as per Indian Railways health standards
Not publicly disclosed is the exact merit calculation formula for 2026 — specifically whether SECR assigns a 50:50 weightage to Class 10 and ITI marks or uses an alternative formula. Candidates should check this detail in the official notification PDF before comparing their merit position.
Stipend — Monthly Payment During Training
Act Apprentices at SECR receive a monthly stipend during the one-year training period as prescribed under the Apprentices Act:
| Year of Training | Monthly Stipend (Indicative) |
| First Year (ITI-qualified) | Reports suggest ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 per month |
| Matriculate Apprentices | Reports suggest ₹5,000 to ₹6,000 per month |
Not publicly disclosed is the exact 2026 stipend amount — SECR may revise stipend figures from previous cycles as per the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’s latest apprenticeship stipend revision orders. Candidates should confirm the exact current stipend in the official notification.
Important Dates — Act Now Before the Deadline
| Event | Date |
| Notification Release Date | 2026 (Reports suggest April–May 2026) |
| Online Application Start Date | As per official SECR notification |
| Last Date to Apply Online | Not publicly disclosed — check secr.indianrailways.gov.in |
| Document Verification | To be notified separately |
| Training Commencement | To be notified separately |
The exact last date to apply is not publicly disclosed in the title alone — candidates must visit secr.indianrailways.gov.in immediately to confirm the application deadline and avoid missing the window.
Official Contact Details
| Purpose | Details |
| Official Website | secr.indianrailways.gov.in |
| SECR Headquarters | South East Central Railway, G.E. Road, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh – 495004 |
| Helpline (Reports suggest) | 0775-2420061 |
| Apprenticeship Portal | apprenticeshipindia.org (for certificate tracking post-completion) |
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