RITES Limited has opened a major 281-seat apprenticeship programme for FY 2026–27 covering engineering graduates, non-engineering graduates, diploma holders and ITI pass-outs across multiple technical and business disciplines. The Navratna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railways issued Advertisement No. Pers./26-10/Apprentice/2026-27/01 dated 4 November 2026, while online applications begin on 5 November 2026 and close on 25 November 2026. The programme offers 168 Graduate Apprentice seats, 62 Diploma Apprentice seats and 51 ITI Trade Apprentice seats, with one year of training and monthly stipends varying by apprenticeship category. Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, IT, Architecture, Signal & Telecom, Chemical/Metallurgical, Finance and HR are among the notified streams. Selection is based on the percentage of marks in the essential qualification, with no written examination or interview. Candidates must complete the correct NATS or NAPS application and also submit the separate RITES document form; doing only one step is not sufficient. For candidates looking for a fresh railway-sector PSU apprenticeship with nationwide posting possibilities and a merit-based selection route, this is one of the stronger current openings.
RITES Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | RITES Limited |
| Organisation type | Navratna CPSE under Ministry of Railways |
| Advertisement | Pers./26-10/Apprentice/2026-27/01 |
| Notification date | 4 November 2026 |
| Total seats | 281 |
| Graduate Apprentice | 168 |
| Diploma Apprentice | 62 |
| ITI Trade Apprentice | 51 |
| Application starts | 5 November 2026 |
| Last date | 25 November 2026 |
| Training period | 1 year |
| Selection | Essential-qualification marks merit + document verification |
| Written exam/interview | No |
| Training location | Across India, as allotted by RITES |
Vacancy Details
| Apprenticeship category | Vacancies | Monthly stipend |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Apprentice – Engineering | 125 | ₹15,650 |
| Graduate Apprentice – Non-Engineering | 43 | ₹15,650 |
| Diploma Apprentice | 62 | ₹13,450 |
| Trade Apprentice – ITI | 51 | ₹10,560 |
| Total | 281 | — |
Graduate Engineering Seats
| Discipline | Seats |
|---|---|
| Civil | 40 |
| Architecture | 2 |
| Electrical | 26 |
| Signal & Telecom | 2 |
| Mechanical | 36 |
| Information Technology | 13 |
| Chemical / Metallurgical | 6 |
| Total | 125 |
Graduate Non-Engineering Seats
| Discipline | Seats |
|---|---|
| Finance | 21 |
| Human Resources | 22 |
| Total | 43 |
Diploma Seats
| Discipline | Seats |
|---|---|
| Civil | 12 |
| Electrical | 19 |
| Mechanical | 26 |
| Chemical / Metallurgical | 5 |
| Total | 62 |
ITI Trade Seats
| Trade group | Seats |
|---|---|
| Civil | 2 |
| Mechanical | 23 |
| Electrical | 23 |
| Other notified trades | 3 |
| Total | 51 |
The notification’s published reservation table has an arithmetic inconsistency in some category columns, so candidates should rely on the advertised 281-seat total and watch RITES for any corrigendum or clarification.
Eligibility and Educational Qualification
The basic qualification depends on the apprenticeship category:
- Graduate Engineering: full-time B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch in the relevant discipline.
- Graduate Non-Engineering: full-time B.A., BBA, B.Com, B.Sc or BCA in the notified stream.
- Diploma Apprentice: three-year full-time engineering diploma in the relevant discipline.
- ITI Trade Apprentice: full-time ITI qualification in the notified trade.
General/EWS candidates need 60% aggregate marks. SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwBD candidates need 50% when applying against the applicable reserved seats.
For degree and diploma categories, the final-semester result must not be dated earlier than 5 November 2021. Candidates awaiting the result of the essential qualification on 5 November 2026 are not eligible.
Age Limit
Applicants must have completed 18 years of age as on 5 November 2026. The notification does not specify a separate upper-age limit.
Use the Regal Naukri Age Calculator with 5 November 2026 as the cut-off date.
Stipend
| Category | Stipend |
|---|---|
| Graduate Apprentice | ₹15,650 per month |
| Diploma Apprentice | ₹13,450 per month |
| ITI Trade Apprentice | ₹10,560 per month |
Because these stipend amounts differ across categories, they should not be treated as one common salary range.
Application Fee
The advertisement does not state an application fee. Candidates should follow the official NATS/NAPS and RITES application instructions currently displayed during submission.
Selection Process
RITES will prepare the merit list from the percentage of marks obtained in the essential qualification. There is no written examination or interview.
If candidates have the same percentage, the older candidate is placed higher in merit. Shortlisted candidates are informed through email and/or the RITES website, followed by verification of original documents at joining.
Important Eligibility Restrictions
Candidates are not eligible if they:
- are still awaiting the essential qualification result on 5 November 2026;
- have not completed 18 years of age by the cut-off date;
- have already completed apprenticeship training;
- are currently undergoing apprenticeship training; or
- have one year or more of post-qualification training or job experience.
The one-year apprenticeship does not create a right to permanent employment with RITES.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement dated | 4 November 2026 |
| Applications open | 5 November 2026 |
| Last date for NATS/NAPS application | 25 November 2026 |
| Last date for RITES document form | 25 November 2026 |
| Eligibility cut-off | 5 November 2026 |
| Merit list / joining | To be communicated |
How to Apply for RITES Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Read the RITES Careers page and the current advertisement before selecting your apprenticeship category.
- Check your age on the cut-off date with the Age Calculator.
- Keep your qualification certificate, marksheets and category/PwBD documents ready using the Government Job Document Checklist.
- Graduate and Diploma candidates: register/apply for the RITES opportunity through the NATS portal.
- ITI candidates: register/apply for the RITES opportunity through the NAPS / Apprenticeship India portal.
- After the relevant NATS/NAPS application, complete the separate RITES Apprentice Application Form. Upload the prescribed documents as instructed; NATS/NAPS registration alone does not complete the RITES process.
- If an upload requires a specific photograph size, use the Photo Resizer only after reading the official file requirements.
- Complete both required application stages by 25 November 2026 and retain the submitted records.
- For a final application check, use the How to Apply for Government Jobs in India guide while treating the RITES advertisement and portals as final authority.
Documents to Keep Ready
- Essential degree / diploma / ITI certificate
- Semester/year-wise marksheets
- CGPA-to-percentage conversion proof where applicable
- Matriculation or other accepted date-of-birth record
- SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwBD certificate where applicable
- NATS or NAPS registration/application details
- Photograph and signature if requested
- Consolidated supporting PDF for the RITES document form
- Other documents specifically required by the current advertisement
Important Candidate Notes
- Apply for the apprenticeship category and discipline that exactly matches the essential qualification.
- Both the apprenticeship portal step and the RITES document form are mandatory.
- Degree/diploma candidates must satisfy the five-year qualification-result restriction.
- Applicants with one year or more of post-qualification training/work experience are not eligible.
- Final posting can be anywhere in India according to RITES requirements; preference does not guarantee placement.
- Apprenticeship is for one year and does not guarantee a regular RITES job.
- Watch the RITES Careers page for any corrigendum, particularly because the notified reservation table contains an arithmetic mismatch.
Important Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| RITES Careers | Official RITES Careers Page |
| Official advertisement | RITES Apprentice Advertisement 2026–27 |
| RITES document form | RITES Apprentice Application Form |
| Graduate/Diploma portal | NATS Portal |
| ITI portal | Apprenticeship India / NAPS |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many RITES Apprentice vacancies are available in 2026?
RITES has advertised 281 apprenticeship seats for FY 2026–27.
How are the 281 seats divided?
There are 168 Graduate Apprentice seats, 62 Diploma Apprentice seats and 51 ITI Trade Apprentice seats.
When is the last date to apply?
Both the applicable NATS/NAPS step and the separate RITES document submission should be completed by 25 November 2026.
Is there a written examination or interview?
No. Selection is based on the percentage of marks in the essential qualification, followed by document verification.
What is the minimum age?
Candidates must have completed 18 years as on 5 November 2026. No separate maximum age is stated in the advertisement.
What stipend does RITES offer?
Graduate Apprentices receive ₹15,650, Diploma Apprentices ₹13,450, and ITI Trade Apprentices ₹10,560 per month.
Can candidates who completed their degree before November 2021 apply?
For Degree and Diploma categories, the final result must not be earlier than 5 November 2021. The notification does not apply this five-year result restriction to ITI candidates.
Does apprenticeship guarantee a permanent RITES job?
No. The one-year apprenticeship does not create an obligation on RITES to offer regular employment.