Railway ICF Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 - 1010 Posts Apply Online

Overview of ICF Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026

Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, under the Skill India Mission, has announced a significant recruitment drive for Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. This is a golden opportunity for candidates seeking apprenticeship training in designated trades, with a preference for applicants from Tamil Nadu.

A total of 1010 apprentice seats are available across various trades, catering to both Freshers and Ex-ITI candidates. Online applications opened on 8 August 2026 and close on 7 September 2026 at 17:30 hrs. Eligible candidates aged 15 to 24 years (depending on category) can apply online. This notification is purely for apprenticeship training and does not guarantee employment.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 8 August 2026
• Online Application Start Date: 8 August 2026, 09:30 hrs
• Online Application Last Date: 7 September 2026, 17:30 hrs
• Age Reckoning Date: 7 September 2026

Vacancy Details (Total: 1010 Posts)

The 1010 apprentice seats are distributed among Freshers and Ex-ITI candidates across the following trades:

Freshers - Trade-Wise Vacancies (Total: 330)

Ex-ITI - Trade-Wise Vacancies (Total: 680)

Note: MLT (Radiology & Pathology) has no Ex-ITI seats, and PASAA has no Freshers seats, as per the notification.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Candidates with higher qualifications than 10th/Matric/SSLC, such as Degree, Diploma, Engineering Degree, or Course Completed Act Apprentices, are not eligible to apply for Act Apprenticeship, except for MLT where the qualification is 12th/HSC.

Age Limit (as on 7 September 2026)

• ITI candidates: Must have completed 15 years and not completed 24 years of age.
• Non-ITI candidates: Must have completed 15 years and not completed 22 years of age.
• Upper Age Relaxation: 5 years for SC/ST candidates, 3 years for OBC candidates, and 10 years for Persons with Disability.

Other Eligibility Conditions

• Applicants must be resident and/or registered with a local Employment Exchange within Tamil Nadu, with registration date not beyond the application's last date, except wards of Railway employees.
• Wards of Railway employees must submit the Railway employee's Identity Card/Service Certificate (attested by a Gazetted Officer), along with UMID card and PPO copy as proof.
• Vacancies for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities are reserved trade-wise, subject to permissible disability categories and a minimum of 40% relevant disability; a disability certificate from the Central/State Government is required to claim this benefit.

Stipend Details

The prescribed minimum stipend increases by 10 percent during the second year of apprenticeship training.

Application Fee

• A processing fee of ₹100 plus applicable service charges (non-refundable) must be paid online.
• No application fee is required for SC, ST, PwBD, and Women candidates.

Selection Process

The merit list is prepared based on marks obtained in Std X. For COVID-pass candidates in Std X, proof of the IX std mark sheet or X std half-yearly mark sheet duly signed by the Principal will be considered. If two candidates have equal marks, the candidate with older age is preferred; if dates of birth are also the same, the candidate who passed Std X earlier is considered first.

Selected candidates must be physically fit as per the Apprentices Act, 1961 and Apprentices Rules, and must produce a Medical Certificate from a Government-authorised doctor (not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon) at Document Verification. Selected candidates must execute a contract of apprenticeship.

How to Apply for ICF Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026

1. Visit the ICF web portal at pb.icf.gov.in.
2. Read the notification thoroughly before filling the online application form.
3. Keep all relevant documents/certificates and a recent passport-size photograph (maximum 200 KB, jpg/jpeg format) ready before starting the form.
4. Fill in the required details and submit the application; a system-generated registration number will be issued as the individual Registration ID, with the date of birth (in ddmmyyyy format) as the password for the acknowledgement.
5. Pay the processing fee of ₹100 plus applicable service charges online (not applicable for SC/ST/PwBD/Women candidates).
6. Check all details carefully before clicking the submit button.
7. Generate and print the system acknowledgement after final submission; this printout is required at the time of Document Verification.

Candidates are not required to send any documents or the application form to ICF through Post, e-mail, FAX, or by hand. All communication from ICF will be sent only by SMS (from "PBICF") or email to the mobile number and e-mail ID mentioned in the application, so candidates should maintain the same contact details until selection is complete.

Important Instructions

• This notification is purely for apprenticeship training and not for employment; no employment is guaranteed to apprentices on completion of training.
• Imparting training at ICF confers no right to absorption in Railways after successful completion, as per the Apprenticeship Rules, 1991.
• Canvassing in any form will disqualify the candidature, and no correspondence will be entertained in this regard.
• If any declaration furnished by a candidate is found false, they will be disqualified or terminated at any stage of training without notice.
• Accommodation must be arranged at the candidate's own cost; ICF will not provide food or accommodation.
• Candidates selected for training will not be allowed to withdraw except for reasons beyond their control; those who wilfully remain absent are liable to refund the full training cost and stipend paid.