Railway
RRB/RRC Apprentice Recruitment 2026
RRB/RRC Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is a merit-based recruitment with 12,000+ (aggregate across zones, e.g. Western Railway 5,349; NF Railway 6,777; NCR Prayagraj 1,853; SECR 1,644; Central Railway 51) vacancies — no written exam is conducted.
Railway Recruitment Cells (RRCs), Indian Railways (zone-wise)
Mode
Online
Level
10th Pass
Vacancies
12,000+ (aggregate across zones, e.g. Western Railway 5,349; NF Railway 6,777; NCR Prayagraj 1,853; SECR 1,644; Central Railway 51)
Fee
₹100 (General/OBC/EWS) in most zones; exempted for SC/ST/Female/PwBD candidates (fee varies slightly by zone)
Last updated: July 4, 2026
Key dates
Western Railway (RRC WR) — 5,349 posts
Applications closed 23 Mar 2026
SECR Raipur — 1,644 posts
Applications closed 04 Jun 2026
NCR Prayagraj — 1,853 posts
Applications open till 07 Aug 2026
NF Railway — 6,777 posts
Notification released; dates vary
Other Zones (ECR, SR, NR, SCR etc.)
Rolling notifications through 2026
Quick Summary
RRB/RRC Apprentice Recruitment 2026 fills Act Apprentice training slots for 10th pass plus ITI candidates across Indian Railways zones, engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961 rather than as regular employees. Each zonal Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC) — Western Railway (5,349 posts), NF Railway (6,777), NCR Prayagraj (1,853), SECR Raipur (1,644), Central Railway (51), and others — issues its own notification, vacancy count, and application window, together totalling over 12,000 posts notified in 2026. There is no written exam; selection is purely merit-based on average Matriculation and ITI marks. Age limit is 15-24 years (with category relaxation), and selected apprentices train for 1-2 years on a stipend of roughly Rs. 7,000-8,050 per month, with no guarantee of permanent railway employment afterward.
Eligibility
- 10th pass (Matriculation) with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks from a recognized board
- ITI certificate (or equivalent) in the relevant trade from an institute recognized by NCVT/SCVT
- Age limit: 15 to 24 years as on the notified cut-off date, which varies slightly by zone/RRC
- Age relaxation: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, 10 years for PwBD candidates
Syllabus
- No written examination is conducted
- Selection is based purely on a computerised merit list using average marks of Matriculation (10th) and ITI
- Document Verification to confirm marksheets, certificates, category, and age proof
- Medical fitness examination as per the trade applied for
Exam Pattern
- No CBT, written test, or interview — this is a training/apprenticeship engagement under the Apprentices Act, 1961, not a regular railway job
- Merit list prepared zone-wise by averaging normalised 10th and ITI marks
- Document Verification for shortlisted candidates as per merit and category-wise vacancy
- Selected candidates undergo trade-specific training (1 to 2 years depending on trade) and receive a monthly stipend, not a regular salary
Exam overview
RRB/RRC Apprentice Recruitment fills Act Apprentice training slots across Indian Railways zones for 10th pass candidates holding an ITI certificate in a relevant trade, engaging them under the Apprentices Act, 1961 rather than as regular railway employees. Each zonal Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC) — such as Western Railway, North Central Railway (Prayagraj), South East Central Railway (Raipur), Northeast Frontier Railway, and others — issues its own notification with its own vacancy count, application window, and trade list, making this a decentralised, rolling recruitment rather than a single centralised exam. Collectively, zones notified in 2026 have advertised over 12,000 apprentice posts, including 5,349 by Western Railway, 6,777 by NF Railway, 1,853 by NCR Prayagraj, and 1,644 by SECR Raipur.
Unlike almost every other Railway recruitment, there is no written examination, CBT, or interview — selection is purely merit-based on the average of a candidate’s Matriculation (10th) and ITI marks, making it especially attractive to ITI diploma holders who prefer certificate-based selection over competitive exams. Selected apprentices undergo structured on-the-job training for 1 to 2 years (depending on trade) and receive a monthly stipend of approximately Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 8,050, though completing the apprenticeship does not guarantee a regular railway job — many apprentices go on to apply for RRB Technician, Group D, or other posts using their railway training experience.
Preparation tip
Start with the syllabus topics listed above, then practice timed mock tests and revise previous year questions weekly.