East Coast Railway Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 1,599 Posts

The Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), East Coast Railway, Bhubaneswar has issued the Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026–27 notification for 1,599 apprenticeship training slots. Eligible candidates with a Class 10 pass certificate and relevant ITI qualification can apply online through the official RRC Bhubaneswar website from 26 August 2026, 5:00 PM to 15 September 2026, 5:00 PM.

This is an apprenticeship engagement under the Apprentices Act, 1961—not a regular railway job appointment. Selection will be based entirely on academic merit in Class 10 marks, followed by document verification and medical fitness requirements; there will be no written examination or interview.

Recruitment overview

The 1,599 slots are available across the Carriage Repair Workshop at Mancheswar, Rayagada Division, Khurda Road Division, Sambalpur Division, and East Coast Railway Headquarters at Bhubaneswar. Candidates should choose their unit, department, and trade carefully, as selection considers both merit and the order of preferences entered in the application.

Vacancy details

The overall category-wise distribution of the 1,599 notified apprenticeship slots is shown below. PwBD and Ex-Servicemen figures are horizontal reservations included within the overall vacancy total.

The broad unit-wise availability is as follows:

Khurda Road Division has the largest number of vacancies, followed by Rayagada Division. Major designated trades include Fitter, Welder, Electrician, Wireman, Blacksmith, Carpenter, Plumber, Mason, Painter, Machinist, Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic Diesel, Computer Operator and Programming Assistant (COPA), Draftsman, Refrigeration and AC Mechanic, Laboratory Technician (Pathology), and other relevant ITI trades.

Eligibility criteria

Educational qualification

Applicants must have already acquired the required qualification on or before the notification date, 21 August 2026.

• Passed Class 10 / Matriculation under the 10+2 system from a recognized board with at least 50% aggregate marks.
• Possess an ITI certificate in the relevant notified trade, affiliated with NCVT or otherwise recognized as specified in the official notification.
• Candidates whose Class 10 or ITI results were awaited on the notification date are not eligible.
• Engineering degree holders and diploma holders are not eligible under this Act Apprentice notification, as they come under a separate apprenticeship framework.
• For Laboratory Technician (Pathology), candidates must have passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology and obtained at least 50% marks in both Class 10 and Class 12.
• For Secretarial Assistant/Stenography and COPA-related trades, candidates must possess the prescribed National Trade Certificate qualifications.

Age limit

Candidates must be between 15 and 24 years as on 15 September 2026.

• SC/ST candidates receive an upper-age relaxation of 5 years.
• OBC candidates receive an upper-age relaxation of 3 years.
• PwBD candidates receive an upper-age relaxation of 10 years.
• Ex-servicemen receive applicable relaxation according to the official rules.

Application fee and selection

The application fee is ₹100 for candidates who are required to pay it. SC, ST, PwBD, and women applicants are exempt from the fee. Payment must be made online through the integrated payment gateway using options such as UPI, debit card, credit card, or internet banking. The fee is non-refundable.

East Coast Railway will prepare unit-wise and trade-wise merit lists using the percentage of marks obtained in Class 10. All subjects shown in the Matriculation mark sheet—including optional, additional, or alternate subjects—will be considered. Candidates should not use a “best of five” calculation. In case of a tie, the older candidate will be ranked higher; if dates of birth are also the same, the candidate who passed Matriculation earlier will get preference.

Shortlisted candidates will be called for document verification. They must produce original certificates and a prescribed medical fitness certificate from an authorized government medical officer. No TA or DA will be provided for document verification.

How to apply online

1. Visit the official RRC Bhubaneswar website after the application link becomes active on 26 August 2026 at 5:00 PM.
2. Read the detailed notification and confirm that your Class 10, ITI trade, age, and category details meet the eligibility conditions.
3. Complete online registration using a valid personal mobile number and email address. Keep both active throughout the recruitment process.
4. Enter personal details exactly as they appear in the Matriculation certificate, including name, father’s name, and date of birth.
5. Select the relevant trade and choose one Division/Workshop based on available vacancies in your ITI trade.
6. Upload the required photograph, signature, Class 10 documents, ITI marksheets/certificate, and applicable reservation certificates.
7. Pay the application fee, if applicable, through the online payment gateway.
8. Review every entry carefully before final submission, as changes may not be permitted after fee payment.
9. Download and keep a printed copy of the completed application and registration number for future reference.

Candidates must also enter their Aadhaar number during registration. If the Aadhaar card has not been received after enrolment, the 28-digit Aadhaar Enrolment ID may be used, subject to producing the original Aadhaar card during document verification.

Documents to keep ready

Applicants should prepare clear, legible scanned copies of the following before applying:

• Recent colour passport-size photograph in the prescribed JPG/JPEG format.
• Scanned signature in the prescribed JPG/JPEG format.
• Class 10 marksheet and pass certificate.
• Date-of-birth certificate, if it is not mentioned on the Class 10 certificate.
• ITI consolidated marksheet and National Trade Certificate or provisional trade certificate.
• SC/ST/OBC certificate, where applicable.
• Valid OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued for 2026–27, along with the prescribed self-declaration.
• Valid EWS Income and Asset Certificate, where applicable.
• PwBD certificate, where applicable.
• Ex-servicemen or Armed Forces-related certificate, where applicable.

Applicants should apply only through the official RRC Bhubaneswar portal and avoid agents, unofficial websites, or individuals claiming to guarantee Railway selection. The notification clearly states that successful completion of apprenticeship training does not create an automatic right to regular Railway employment, although eligible Railway-trained apprentices holding the appropriate certificate may receive preference in certain future Level-1 direct recruitment vacancies, subject to applicable RRB/RRC rules.