Campus Times | Lucknow 

Southern Railway has opened applications for 4,471 apprentice positions under its Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27 drive, offering an opportunity for eligible candidates to begin their career in the railway sector. The recruitment is aimed at filling apprentice vacancies across various trades and categories.

The online application process is currently underway, and candidates can submit their forms until September 27, 2026. Interested applicants are required to complete the registration and application process through the official Southern Railway recruitment portal.

Who can apply?

The minimum educational qualification varies depending on the trade and category of apprenticeship. Candidates with Class 10, Class 12 or ITI qualifications can apply for the relevant positions, subject to fulfilling the prescribed trade-wise eligibility conditions.

Applicants must generally be at least 15 years old. The upper age limit is 22 or 24 years, depending on the apprenticeship category. Candidates belonging to reserved categories will be eligible for age relaxation as per applicable government rules.

Application fee

Candidates belonging to the General, OBC and EWS categories are required to pay an application fee of Rs 100.

Applicants from SC, ST and PwBD categories, along with female candidates from all categories, are exempt from payment of the application fee.

How to apply?

Eligible candidates can complete the application process online by following these steps:

Visit the official Southern Railway website.

Open the Act Apprentice 2026-27 recruitment section.

Complete the registration process by entering the required personal and educational details.

Log in using the registration credentials and fill in the remaining information.

Upload the required documents and pay the application fee, wherever applicable.

Review the application carefully before submitting it.

Download and retain a copy of the completed application form for future reference.

No Written Exam or Interview

One of the key features of the recruitment process is that no written examination or interview will be conducted for selection.

Candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of their prescribed educational qualifications and other applicable criteria. Shortlisted applicants will subsequently be called for document verification. Candidates who successfully clear the verification process will be considered for engagement against the available apprentice slots.

Stipend details

Selected apprentices will receive a monthly stipend according to their qualification and category. As per the recruitment details, the stipend is expected to be:

Rs 8,200 per month for eligible freshers.

Rs 9,600 per month for freshers with Class 12 qualification.

Rs 9,600 per month for eligible ex-ITI candidates.

Candidates should carefully check the official notification for trade-wise eligibility, vacancy distribution, document requirements and other conditions before submitting their applications.

Important date

The last date to submit the online application is September 27, 2026. Candidates are advised not to wait until the deadline and should complete the registration process well in advance to avoid last-minute technical issues.

The Southern Railway apprentice recruitment can be particularly useful for candidates who have completed Class 10 or ITI and are looking to gain industry-oriented training and practical experience in the railway ecosystem.