Integral Coach Factory Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 1010 Act Apprentice Training Slots

Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai has issued Notification No. APP/01/2026-2027 for engagement of Act Apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961. The notification, dated August 8, 2026, invites eligible candidates to undergo apprenticeship training in designated trades at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

According to the official notification, online applications opened on August 8, 2026, at 9:30 AM and will remain available until September 7, 2026, up to 5:30 PM. Candidates are required to submit their applications through the ICF web portal.

The notification states that preference will be given to candidates from Tamil Nadu. It also specifies that the apprenticeship engagement is for training under the Apprentices Act, 1961 and Railway Board's RBE No. 120/2015 dated October 6, 2015.

ICF Apprentice Vacancy Details

The notification provides slots for both freshers and Ex-ITI candidates in different trades. For the major trades, the fresher category includes 320 slots, while the Ex-ITI category has 670 slots.

The trades covered include Carpenter, Electrician, Fitter, Machinist, Painter and Welder. Among these, Fitter and Welder have 80 fresher slots and 180 Ex-ITI slots each. Electrician has 40 fresher and 160 Ex-ITI slots. Carpenter, Machinist and Painter each have 40 fresher and 50 Ex-ITI slots.

The notification also includes 5 fresher slots each for MLT-Radiology and MLT-Pathology. In addition, 10 Ex-ITI slots are available under PASAA, or Programming and System Administration Assistant. The notification's table provides the category-wise distribution of these slots, including UR, OBC, SC, ST and PwBD categories.

Candidates belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories are required to submit the prescribed certificates. If the required certificate is not provided, the candidate will be considered under the UR category as specified in the notification. PwBD candidates must also submit the required disability certificate.

Eligibility Criteria

The age of candidates will be calculated as on September 7, 2026. ITI candidates must have completed 15 years of age and must not have completed 24 years. For non-ITI candidates, the age requirement is 15 years completed and below 22 years.

The upper age limit is relaxable by five years for SC/ST candidates and three years for OBC candidates. For Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, the upper age limit is relaxable by 10 years. Candidates seeking reservation benefits must produce the applicable certificates during document verification.

The notification also states that candidates possessing qualifications higher than 10th/Matric/SSLC, such as a Degree or Diploma, Engineering Degree, or those who have completed Act Apprenticeship, are not eligible to apply for Act Apprenticeship. The exception is MLT, for which the required qualification is Class 12/HSC.

Educational Qualification and Training Period

For Ex-ITI candidates applying for Fitter, Electrician and Machinist, applicants must have passed Class 10 with at least 50% marks, including Science and Mathematics under the 10+2 system or equivalent, and must possess a National Trade Certificate in the relevant notified trade issued by NCVT or SCVT for one year or above.

For Carpenter, Painter and Welder, candidates must have passed Class 10 with at least 50% marks and possess the relevant National Trade Certificate. The training period for these Ex-ITI trades is one year. PASAA applicants must have Class 10 with at least 50% marks along with the prescribed IT-related National Trade Certificate.

For freshers, Fitter, Electrician and Machinist require Class 10 with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks, including Science and Mathematics, with a two-year training period. Carpenter and Painter also require Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks and have a two-year training period.

Welder freshers require Class 10 with at least 50% aggregate marks, with a training period of one year and three months. Freshers applying for MLT-Radiology and MLT-Pathology must have passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Their training period is one year and three months.

Stipend During Apprenticeship

The notification specifies a monthly stipend of ₹8,200 for freshers who are Class 10 school pass-outs. Freshers who are Class 12 school pass-outs and Ex-ITI candidates holding a National or State certificate will receive ₹9,600 per month.

It further states that during the second year of apprenticeship training, the prescribed minimum stipend amount will increase by 10 percent. For NCVT or SCVT certificate holders, the period of training already completed will be considered while determining the minimum payable stipend.

Application Process and Fee

Applications are accepted only through online mode. Candidates must visit the ICF website, read the notification carefully and complete the online application with the required information and documents.

Applicants should keep their relevant certificates and a recent passport-size photograph ready. The photograph must not exceed 200 KB and should be in JPG/JPEG format. After registration, the system-generated registration number serves as the candidate's Registration ID, while the date of birth in DDMMYYYY format is used as the password for login and acknowledgement purposes.

Candidates other than SC, ST, PwBD and women applicants are required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of ₹100 plus applicable service charges through online mode. No application fee is required for SC/ST/PwBD/Women candidates. The notification also states that the fee will not be refunded once remitted.

After successful payment, applicable candidates will receive a unique Transaction ID beginning with “DU” on their registered mobile number. Candidates should preserve the Transaction ID for future reference. Applicants do not need to send documents or the system-generated application form to ICF by post, email, fax or by hand.

Selection and Trade Allotment

The merit list will be prepared on the basis of marks obtained in Class 10. For COVID Pass candidates in Class 10, the notification states that proof of Class 9 marks or the Class 10 half-yearly mark sheet, duly signed by the institution's Principal, will be considered for preparation of the merit list.

If two candidates have equal marks, preference will be given to the older candidate. If their dates of birth are also the same, the candidate who passed the Class 10 examination earlier will be considered first.

Freshers can exercise their trade preference. Trade allotment will be based on merit and the availability of vacancies in the respective trade. Once a trade has been allotted, requests for changing the trade will not be entertained. Ex-ITI candidates will receive training in the trade for which they hold the ITI certificate.

Important Conditions for Selected Candidates

Selected candidates must execute an apprenticeship contract under the Apprentices Act, 1961. For a minor candidate, the prescribed contract may be executed by the guardian in accordance with the guidelines of the Regional Director of Apprenticeship Training, Guindy, Chennai.

Candidates must produce the original Transfer Certificate for completion of the qualifying examination—Class 10, Class 12 or ITI—during certificate verification. They must also submit a declaration acknowledging that apprenticeship training does not create a right to future employment in ICF or the Railways.

The notification makes it clear that the engagement is for apprenticeship training and does not guarantee employment after completion. Training in the Railways does not confer a right to absorption in the Railways. Candidates are also required to follow the rules and regulations issued by the administration.

Candidates selected for training must be physically fit according to the applicable provisions of the Apprentices Act and rules. A prescribed medical certificate signed by a government-authorised doctor, not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon of a Central or State Hospital, is required at document verification.

Candidates are responsible for their own accommodation, as the ICF administration will not provide food or accommodation. The notification also states that false declarations can lead to disqualification or termination at any stage of the training period.

ICF Apprentice Recruitment 2026: Important Dates

• Notification date: August 8, 2026

• Online application begins: August 8, 2026 at 9:30 AM

Eligible candidates should carefully read the complete notification and ensure that they meet the prescribed age, educational, trade and other conditions before submitting the application. The official notification also advises candidates to keep their registered mobile number and email ID active until the selection process is completed, as communications will be sent through SMS or email and the eligible/selected list will be uploaded on the ICF web portal.

Link: https://pb.icf.gov.in/act2026/Act_Apprentice_2026_27.pdf