Railway Recruitment Cell, Northern Railway has announced a major 4,651-slot Act Apprentice recruitment for training across its divisions, units and workshops under Notification RRC/NR/03/2026/Act Apprentice, dated 6 November 2026. The online application window is scheduled to open on 11 November 2026 and will remain available until 11 December 2026 at 11:59 PM. The recruitment covers six clusters—Lucknow, Delhi, Firozpur, Moradabad, Ambala and Jammu—with the largest allocation in Lucknow at 1,525 slots, followed by Delhi at 1,312 and Ambala at 979.
This is apprenticeship training under the Apprentices Act, not a regular Railway appointment. At a basic level, candidates must have passed Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks and must also hold the relevant NCVT/SCVT ITI trade qualification by the notification date. Selection is particularly straightforward: Northern Railway has stated that there will be no written test and no viva. Merit will be prepared by giving equal weight to the percentage obtained in Class 10 and ITI. Candidates should therefore choose only a cluster and unit where their own ITI trade has a notified slot. A wrong cluster or unit choice for the candidate's trade can lead to rejection, so Annexure-A should be checked carefully before final submission.
Recruitment Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting authority | Railway Recruitment Cell, Northern Railway |
| Notification | RRC/NR/03/2026/Act Apprentice |
| Notification date | 6 November 2026 |
| Engagement | Act Apprentice training |
| Total training slots | 4,651 |
| Application opens | 11 November 2026 |
| Last date | 11 December 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Expected merit display | February 2027 |
| Basic qualification | Class 10 with 50% + relevant NCVT/SCVT ITI |
| Selection | Merit from Class 10 and ITI marks |
| Written test / viva | None |
| Official notification | Read Northern Railway Apprentice Notification |
Cluster-wise Vacancy Details
| Cluster | Training slots |
|---|---|
| Lucknow (LKO) | 1,525 |
| Delhi (DLI) | 1,312 |
| Firozpur (FZR) | 740 |
| Moradabad (MB) | 63 |
| Ambala (UMB) | 979 |
| Jammu | 32 |
| Total | 4,651 |
Candidates must check Annexure-A in the notification for the exact unit and trade-wise slot distribution before choosing a cluster.
Eligibility / Educational Qualification
The basic educational requirement is Class 10 / Matriculation / SSC or equivalent with at least 50% aggregate marks, plus ITI in the relevant trade from NCVT or SCVT.
Both qualifications must already have been passed by 6 November 2026. Result-awaited candidates are not eligible.
Age Limit
Age is calculated as on 11 December 2026.
| Category | Age rule |
|---|---|
| Basic age | 15 to 24 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years upper-age relaxation |
| OBC | 3 years upper-age relaxation |
| PwBD | 10 years upper-age relaxation |
| Eligible Ex-Servicemen | Relaxation as specified in the notification |
Use the Age Calculator with 11 December 2026 as the cut-off date before applying.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC and other non-exempt candidates | ₹100 |
| SC / ST | No fee |
| PwBD | No fee |
| Women | No fee |
The fee is payable online through the application process.
Selection Process
Northern Railway has specifically stated that there will be no written examination and no viva.
Selection will proceed through screening and scrutiny of applications, preparation of merit using the average of the candidate's Class 10 percentage and ITI percentage with equal weight to both, cluster/trade/community-wise merit preparation, document verification and medical fitness.
Where two candidates have the same merit marks, the older candidate gets preference. If date of birth is also the same, the candidate who passed Matriculation earlier is considered first.
Merit Calculation
The merit score is based on equal weight to the qualifying marks from Class 10 and ITI.
Candidates can use the Percentage Calculator to check basic marks arithmetic, but the marks and conversion method accepted by Northern Railway must come from the official certificates and notification.
Training Period and Stipend
The notification states that the training period and stipend will be governed by the applicable extant apprenticeship rules. It does not publish one fixed stipend amount for all notified trades, so no single monthly figure should be assumed.
Completion of apprenticeship training does not create a right to permanent employment in Northern Railway.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification issued | 6 November 2026 |
| Online application opens | 11 November 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 11 December 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Expected merit display | February 2027 |
| Document verification | To be notified |
How to Apply for Northern Railway Apprentice Recruitment 2026
- Open the RRC Northern Railway recruitment website on or after 11 November 2026 and select the current Act Apprentice recruitment.
- Read the official apprentice notification and check Annexure-A before choosing your cluster, unit and ITI trade.
- Confirm your age using the Age Calculator.
- Use the Eligibility Pre-check only as a preparation aid after entering the exact Class 10, ITI and age conditions from the notice.
- Check Class 10 and ITI percentage arithmetic with the Percentage Calculator if needed.
- Complete only one application. Multiple applications can lead to rejection.
- Select only a cluster and unit where your ITI trade has a notified training slot.
- Enter academic, category and trade information carefully and upload the documents requested by the live application portal.
- Pay the ₹100 fee if you are not in an exempt category.
- Submit by 11 December 2026 at 11:59 PM and save the final form and payment proof.
For document preparation, review the Documents Required for Government Jobs guide.
Documents Required
Keep the following records ready where applicable:
- Class 10 / Matriculation certificate and marksheet;
- NCVT/SCVT ITI trade certificate and marksheet;
- date-of-birth proof;
- SC/ST/OBC certificate in the prescribed format where a benefit is claimed;
- PwBD certificate, where applicable;
- Ex-Servicemen or dependent certificate, where applicable;
- prescribed medical fitness certificate at the verification stage;
- application form and fee receipt.
The notification requires originals along with one set of self-attested photocopies at document verification.
Important Candidate Notes
- This is apprenticeship training, not regular Railway employment.
- One candidate should submit only one application.
- Apply only for a cluster/unit where your ITI trade has a notified training slot.
- The 4,651 slots are provisional and may increase or decrease according to administrative requirements.
- No written test or interview is part of the notified selection process.
- Merit depends on Class 10 and ITI marks, so marks entered in the application must match the original records.
Important Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| RRC Northern Railway | Open Official Recruitment Website |
| Official notification | Download Apprentice Notification |
| Age calculation | Age Calculator |
| Eligibility preparation | Eligibility Pre-check |
| Marks calculation | Percentage Calculator |
FAQ
How many Northern Railway apprentice slots are available in 2026?
Northern Railway has notified 4,651 Act Apprentice training slots across six clusters.
When will applications open?
Online applications are scheduled to open on 11 November 2026.
What is the last date to apply?
The application deadline is 11 December 2026 at 11:59 PM.
What is the basic qualification?
Candidates need Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks plus the relevant NCVT/SCVT ITI trade qualification.
Is there a written exam?
No. The official notification states that there will be no written test and no viva.
How will merit be prepared?
Merit is prepared by taking the average of the candidate's Class 10 percentage and ITI percentage with equal weight to both.
Which cluster has the most vacancies?
The Lucknow cluster has the highest allocation with 1,525 slots.
Does apprenticeship guarantee a permanent Railway job?
No. Completion of the apprenticeship does not create a right to permanent employment in Northern Railway.