Railway Opportunity for 10th-Pass and ITI-Qualified Youth: Recruitment Begins for 4,471 Posts

RRC Southern Railway has initiated the application process for 4,471 apprentice positions across various trades. This recruitment drive covers candidates from both ‘Fresher’ and ‘Ex-ITI’ categories.

There is good news for youth who have passed the 10th standard and ITI exams and are awaiting an apprenticeship opportunity with the Railways. The Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), Southern Railway, has started accepting applications for 4,471 apprentice posts across various trades. Candidates from both Fresher and Ex-ITI categories are eligible for this recruitment. Online applications commenced on August 28, and candidates can apply until 5:00 PM on September 27.

Recruitment at Southern Railway

According to the notification issued by RRC Southern Railway, 4,471 vacant posts will be filled. Of these, 177 posts are reserved for the Fresher category, and 4,308 posts are for the Ex-ITI category. For the Fresher category, candidates who have passed the 10th standard can apply for trades such as Fitter, Painter, and Welder. Meanwhile, for posts related to Medical Lab Technician, candidates must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in the 12th standard. The Ex-ITI category includes numerous trades such as Fitter, Machinist, Motor Mechanic (Vehicle), Turner, Diesel Mechanic, Carpenter, Painter, Welder, Wireman, Plumber, Draftsman, Mechanic (R&AC), Electrician, Electronics Mechanic, and COPA/PASSA.

What are the educational qualification requirements?

Candidates in the Fresher category must have passed the 10th or 12th standard, depending on the specific qualification required for the trade. For trades based on the 10th standard, candidates must have passed the 10th-grade examination under the 10+2 system with a minimum of 50% marks. For Ex-ITI candidates, the requirements include passing the 10th standard with at least 50% marks, along with training from a recognized ITI in the relevant trade and possession of an NCVT/SCVT certificate. For the Electrician trade, having Science in the 10th standard is mandatory; for Electrician Mechanic, the requirement specifies Science subjects including Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. For COPA/PASSA, a National Trade Certificate in the relevant trade is required. The 50% marks requirement for the 10th standard does not apply to SC, ST, and PwBD candidates.

Age Limit for Recruitment

For the Railway Apprentice recruitment, the candidate’s age will be calculated as of August 28, 2026. The minimum age limit is 15 years. The maximum age is 22 years for ‘Fresher’ candidates, while it is 24 years for certain Ex-ITI and MLT category candidates. Candidates belonging to reserved categories will be granted age relaxation in accordance with the rules.

Selection Based on Merit, Not Examination

A key feature of this recruitment is that no written examination will be conducted; candidates will be selected based on merit. For ‘Fresher’ candidates, the merit list will be prepared based on marks obtained in the 10th standard. For Ex-ITI candidates, the merit list will be prepared by assigning equal weightage to the marks obtained in both the 10th standard and the ITI course. Subsequently, the documents of shortlisted candidates will be verified. The Railways has clarified that selection as an apprentice does not guarantee permanent employment with the Railways; this recruitment is specifically for apprenticeship training.

Stipend Details

Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend during the training period. ‘Fresher’ candidates who have passed the 10th standard will receive ₹8,200 per month, while ‘Fresher’ candidates who have passed the 12th standard and Ex-ITI candidates will receive ₹9,600 per month. There is also a provision to increase the stipend after the first year of training.

Application Fee

Candidates belonging to the General, EWS, and OBC categories are required to pay an application fee of ₹100. However, SC, ST, PwBD, and all female candidates are exempted from the application fee. Additionally, the deadline for the online application process for the Southern Railway Apprentice recruitment is set for 5:00 PM on September 27, 2026.