SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026: Overview and Quick Snapshot

This month’s most important central railway apprenticeship notification for ITI-qualified candidates in the Nagpur region comes from South East Central Railway (SECR), inviting applications for 1,079 trade apprentice slots across Nagpur Division and Motibagh Workshop for the year 2026-27. For candidates tracking the SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026 trade-wise vacancy ITI eligibility, the Electrician trade leads all allocations with 285 combined seats (267 Division + 18 Workshop), making it the single most available trade in this notification. Selection is purely merit-based on 10th and ITI marks – no written exam is conducted – which means candidates with strong academic scores have a direct advantage regardless of interview performance. Engineering graduates and diploma holders are explicitly not eligible under this notification.

Based on official Notification No. P/NGP/SAS/2024/16 issued by South East Central Railway, Nagpur. Verified: May 2026.

Quick Eligibility Check

Unique to this Railway apprenticeship: merit is calculated purely on 10th percentage and ITI marks in the relevant trade. Candidates from grading-based boards (Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, etc.) will have their SSC grades converted to midpoint percentages by SECR Nagpur’s own calculation method – not by a standard multiplier – so such candidates should verify their converted percentage before estimating their competitive rank.

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Important Dates

The apprenticeshipindia.gov.in portal is a government portal that can slow significantly in the final days of any Railway apprenticeship application window. Submit your application in the first week (19–25 May) to avoid data-entry errors caused by portal congestion.

Trade-Wise Vacancy Analysis

The full trade-wise breakdown for both units is provided below. Electrician dominates with 285 total seats across both units, followed by COPA (171) and Mechanic Diesel (124), making these three trades the most accessible by seat volume. Candidates with ITI in these three trades have meaningfully better odds than those in niche trades like Dental Laboratory Technician (1 seat) or Digital Photographer (2 seats).

OBC candidates hold the largest reserved category share with 294 combined slots (266 Division + 28 Workshop). With 1,079 total slots and an estimated 8,000–15,000 applicants typical for Railway trade apprenticeship at this scale, the effective competition ratio is approximately 1 in 8–14. However, since selection is trade-specific and merit-based, candidates in high-demand trades like Electrician face a ratio closer to 1 in 20–30 among qualified ITI holders, while niche trades like Dental Laboratory Technician (1 seat) carry extreme risk. Candidates with higher ITI marks in less-popular trades have strategically better selection odds.

Stipend and In-Hand Calculation

SECR provides no accommodation, transport allowance, daily allowance, or travel reimbursement to apprentices during training or for document verification. Candidates must arrange their own accommodation in Nagpur – a factor that significantly affects effective take-home for outstation applicants. The stipend is a training allowance, not a salary, and is not governed by 7th Pay Commission structures.

Application Fee

Application fee details are not mentioned in Notification No. P/NGP/SAS/2024/16. This is a Railway apprenticeship applied through the government NAPS portal (apprenticeshipindia.gov.in). Candidates are advised to check the portal at the time of application for any fee requirement from the Railway administration.

Age Limit

Age calculation example: a General/UR candidate born on 19 May 2002 turns exactly 24 on the cut-off date and is within the limit. A candidate born on 18 May 2002 is 24 years and 1 day – technically over the limit. OBC candidates born as early as 19 May 1999 are eligible. Age relaxation for OBC is subject to submission of the latest caste certificate in Central Government format; age relaxation for SC/ST is similarly conditional on a valid Central format caste certificate.

Eligibility Criteria

The most critical eligibility mistake for Railway Act Apprentice applications: entering any qualification other than 10th and ITI on the NAPS portal. The notification explicitly states that if these marks do not appear in the downloaded Excel file, the application will be automatically rejected – this is a system-level rejection with no manual override. Equivalent qualifications to 10th are accepted; candidates holding them must ensure they are from a recognised board. Candidates from grading-based SSC boards (AP, Kerala, etc.) should note that SECR Nagpur converts grades to marks using a midpoint method, not a standard multiplier.

Selection Process

Stage 1: Merit List Preparation

There is no written exam. Selection is entirely based on a merit list combining the percentage of marks in Matriculation (minimum 50% aggregate) and ITI marks in the specific trade applied for. This is a direct advantage for candidates with strong academic records – preparation effort translates directly into selection probability without exam uncertainty.

Stage 2: Document Verification

Shortlisted candidates are called for verification of all original certificates at SECR Nagpur’s Divisional Personnel Office, Kingsway, Nagpur-440001. No TA/DA is paid for attending. Failure to produce any original document cancels candidature immediately. Tie-breaking rule: older candidate is preferred; if dates of birth are also identical, the candidate who passed matriculation earlier is ranked higher.

Stage 3: Medical Fitness

Selected candidates must produce a medical certificate at the time of joining, signed by a Government-authorised Gazetted Doctor (not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon of a Central/State hospital) in the prescribed proforma under Apprenticeship Act 1961 and Rule 1992. No separate Railway medical board is convened for apprentices.

Your first 7 days after applying:

1. Save the registration number issued by the NAPS portal immediately – this is required for all future correspondence with SECR Nagpur.
2. Double-check that only 10th percentage and ITI marks appear under the qualification section of your submitted application – log back in to verify the downloaded Excel shows these fields populated.
3. Prepare your original documents: 10th marksheet, ITI NTC/Provisional Certificate, caste certificate in Central Government format (OBC/SC/ST), and a government-gazetted doctor’s medical certificate.
4. For grading-based board candidates (AP, Kerala), calculate your approximate midpoint-based percentage across all subjects treating each as out of 100 – this is how SECR will rank you.
5. If you are applying under EWS or Ex-Servicemen quota and the option is unavailable on the portal, apply under your actual category (UR/OBC/SC/ST) and physically send/submit the EWS/Ex-Servicemen certificate to the Divisional Personnel Office, Kingsway, Nagpur-440001.

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Exam Syllabus

How to Apply

1. Visit apprenticeshipindia.gov.in and register/login on the NAPS portal.
2. For Nagpur Division: search for Establishment Code E05202702695. For Motibagh Workshop: use Establishment Code E05202702494. You must choose one or the other – not both.
3. Fill in your 10th marks and ITI trade marks carefully in the qualification section. Do not enter any higher qualification – doing so will cause automatic rejection.
4. Select your preferred unit: Nagpur Division or Motibagh Workshop (cannot be changed after submission).
5. Upload all required documents as specified by the NAPS portal.
6. If applying under EWS or Ex-Servicemen quota and the option is not available on the portal, apply under your actual category and physically submit the relevant certificate to the Divisional Personnel Office, Kingsway, Nagpur-440001.
7. Note and save your registration number issued after submission.
8. Submit before 18 June 2026 at 23:59 hrs. No applications submitted after this time will be accepted under any circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the stipend for SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026?

As per the notification, stipend will be paid at Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) prescribed rates. Under current GoI guidelines for ITI-qualified Act Apprentices, this is typically ₹7,700–₹9,000 per month for the first year, depending on trade category. No DA, HRA, or accommodation is provided. Verify the exact current rate applicable to your trade from apprenticeshipindia.gov.in before applying.

What is the last date to apply for SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026?

The last date for online application is 18 June 2026 at 23:59 hrs via apprenticeshipindia.gov.in. The application window opened on 19 May 2026. Apply in the first week to avoid portal congestion on the final day.

How many total vacancies are there and which trade has the most seats?

There are 1,079 total slots – 977 in Nagpur Division and 102 in Motibagh Workshop. Electrician leads with 285 combined seats (267 + 18), followed by COPA with 171 seats (158 + 13) and Mechanic Diesel with 124 seats (Division only). Candidates with ITI in these three trades have the highest number of available seats.

Is there a written exam for SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026?

There is no written examination. Selection is entirely merit-based, using the percentage of marks in Matriculation (minimum 50%) combined with ITI marks in the applied trade. Candidates with stronger 10th and ITI scores have a direct advantage with no exam-day uncertainty.

What is the age limit for SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026?

The age limit is 15–24 years for General/UR candidates as on 19 May 2026. OBC candidates get +3 years (up to 27 years), SC/ST get +5 years (up to 29 years), and PwBD/Ex-Servicemen get +10 years (up to 34 years). Age relaxation for OBC and SC/ST is subject to submission of the latest caste certificate in Central Government format.

Can Engineering graduates or diploma holders apply for SECR Nagpur Apprentice 2026?

Engineering graduates and diploma holders are explicitly not eligible for this notification. They are governed by a separate apprenticeship scheme as stated in para 12.7 of the notification. Only candidates with 10th pass (min. 50%) and ITI National Trade Certificate in the relevant trade are eligible here.

Can I apply for both Nagpur Division and Motibagh Workshop?

Candidates must choose either Nagpur Division (Estt. Code: E05202702695) or Motibagh Workshop (Estt. Code: E05202702494) – not both. Once submitted, requests to change the division or unit will not be entertained under any circumstances as per para 12.9 of the notification.