Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai — a coach-manufacturing unit of the Ministry of Railways — has released Notification No. PB/RR/39/App/2026 (Advt. No. APP/01/2026-2027) dated 8 August 2026, inviting applications for 1,010 Act Apprentice seats across nine trades. This drive runs under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and gives clear priority to candidates from Tamil Nadu.
1. Recruitment Overview
ICF Chennai builds passenger coaches for Indian Railways, and this apprenticeship drive is its way of feeding trained hands into that manufacturing pipeline — while also giving candidates a genuine, government-backed route into skilled industrial work. What makes this cycle stand out is its dual-track structure: it’s split between Freshers (candidates with only a Class 10 pass, no ITI) and Ex-ITI candidates (those already holding a National/State Trade Certificate), each competing in a separate lane rather than against one combined pool.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Unit | Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai — Ministry of Railways |
| Notification No. | PB/RR/39/App/2026 (Advt. No. APP/01/2026-2027) |
| Notification Date | 8 August 2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 1,010 |
| Trades Covered | Fitter, Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter, Welder, MLT (Radiology & Pathology), PASAA |
| Quota Split | 320 Freshers + 670 Ex-ITI + 10 MLT Freshers + 10 PASAA Ex-ITI |
| Duration of Training | 1 to 2 years, depending on trade and quota |
| Selection Mode | Merit-based on Class 10 marks — no written exam |
| Regional Preference | Tamil Nadu candidates given priority |
| Official Website | pb.icf.gov.in |
With Ex-ITI candidates getting 670 of the 1,010 seats — nearly two-thirds of the total — this cycle clearly favours candidates who’ve already completed their trade certification over fresh Class 10 pass-outs, which is worth factoring in if you’re deciding whether to apply now or complete an ITI course first before the next cycle.
2. Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Release 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 |
Candidates get roughly a one-month application window — comfortable enough to gather documents calmly, but not so long that it’s safe to leave the form for the last few days. Government portals routinely slow down in the closing 48 hours of any large-scale railway apprentice drive, so filling the form early removes that risk entirely.
3. Vacancy Details
The 1,010 Act Apprentice seats are divided between two distinct application quotas — Freshers and Ex-ITI — and spread across eight trades.
| Quota | Seats |
|---|---|
| Freshers (Fitter, Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter, Welder) | 320 |
| Ex-ITI (Fitter, Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter, Welder, PASAA) | 670 |
| MLT – Radiology & Pathology (Freshers) | 10 |
| PASAA (Ex-ITI) | 10 |
| Total | 1,010 |
Among individual trades, Fitter, Welder, and Electrician together account for more than 70% of all seats on offer — by far the widest opening of any trades in this notification, and a strong signal for candidates weighing which trade to pursue if they’re still choosing between ITI options.
Reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Seats are reserved trade-wise, subject to the candidate falling under a permissible disability category with a minimum of 40% disability, supported by a valid disability certificate issued by the Central or State Government.
4. Eligibility Criteria
Qualification requirements differ meaningfully between the Freshers and Ex-ITI quotas — read the column that matches your own background carefully.
Freshers Quota
| Trade | Qualification |
|---|---|
| Fitter, Electrician, Machinist | Class 10 pass with Science & Mathematics, minimum 50% aggregate marks, under the 10+2 system or equivalent |
| Carpenter, Painter, Welder | Class 10 pass, minimum 50% aggregate marks, under the 10+2 system or equivalent |
| MLT (Radiology & Pathology) | Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Biology |
Ex-ITI Quota
| Trade | Qualification |
|---|---|
| Fitter, Electrician, Machinist | Class 10 with Science & Maths (min. 50%) + National Trade Certificate (NTC) in the relevant trade from NCVT/SCVT, one year or above |
| Carpenter, Painter, Welder | Class 10 (min. 50%) + National Trade Certificate in the relevant trade from NCVT/SCVT |
| PASAA | Class 10 (min. 50%) + National Trade Certificate in IT / COPA / Database System Assistant / Software Testing Assistant from NCVT/SCVT |
Over-qualification bar: Candidates holding a Degree, Diploma, Engineering Degree, or who have already completed a prior Act Apprenticeship anywhere, are not eligible to apply under this notification — this restriction applies across every trade except MLT, where a Class 12 qualification is the actual requirement.
Regional eligibility: Preference goes to candidates who are either residents of Tamil Nadu or registered with a Tamil Nadu Employment Exchange — candidates from outside this criterion should check the notification carefully for how open-category seats are handled.
Age Limit (as on 7 September 2026)
| Candidate Type | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Ex-ITI candidates | 15 to 24 years |
| Non-ITI (Freshers) candidates | 15 to 22 years |
| SC/ST | +5 years relaxation |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | +3 years relaxation |
| PwBD | +10 years relaxation (up to 13/15 years in combination with other categories) |
| Ex-Servicemen | As per standing Government of India rules |
5. Selection Process
There’s no written exam anywhere in this recruitment — ICF has kept selection entirely marks-based, which puts the full weight on your existing academic record.
- Merit List Preparation — Candidates are ranked purely on the marks scored in their Class 10 (Matriculation) examination. For Ex-ITI candidates, ITI trade certificate marks factor into the same merit calculation alongside Class 10 performance.
- Trade & Quota-wise Shortlisting — Since Freshers and Ex-ITI candidates compete in separate lanes, and each trade has its own seat count, shortlisting happens trade-by-trade and quota-by-quota rather than through one combined all-India list.
- Document Verification — Shortlisted candidates are called to verify original certificates against their submitted application.
- Medical Examination — Conducted as per Railway’s standard medical fitness norms for apprentice engagement.
Training duration by trade and quota:
| Category | Trades | Training Period |
|---|---|---|
| Ex-ITI (general) | Fitter, Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter | Approx. 1 year |
| Freshers | Fitter, Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter | 2 years |
| Freshers/Ex-ITI | Welder | 1 year 3 months |
| Freshers/Ex-ITI | MLT | 1 year 3 months |
Since Freshers train for up to twice as long as Ex-ITI candidates in the same trade, it’s worth factoring the total time commitment into your decision — not just the seat count — when choosing which quota to apply under.
6. Salary & Stipend Structure
Selected apprentices receive a monthly stipend as prescribed under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and its amended rules, with reported figures for this cycle going up to approximately ₹9,600 per month, varying by trade and training year.
Year-on-year increment: The stipend rises by 10% in the second year of training compared to the first year’s rate — relevant mainly for candidates in the longer, 2-year Freshers track.
As with all Act Apprentice engagements, this is a training stipend, not a salary, and completing the apprenticeship carries no guarantee of employment at ICF or anywhere else in Indian Railways afterward.
7. Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC (Male candidates) | ₹100 + applicable service charges |
| SC, ST, PwBD, and Women candidates | No fee |
Fee, where applicable, must be paid online only — through Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, UPI, or other permitted digital payment modes — via the gateway on the ICF application portal. The fee is non-refundable once paid, so candidates should confirm their trade eligibility before completing the payment step.
8. How to Apply
- Visit the official ICF recruitment portal: pb.icf.gov.in/act2026
- Locate the link for “Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27” (Notification No. PB/RR/39/App/2026).
- Register with a valid email ID and mobile number to generate your login credentials.
- Choose your quota — Freshers or Ex-ITI — and select your preferred trade based on your qualification.
- Fill in personal, educational, and category details carefully in the online application form.
- Upload your photograph, signature, Class 10 mark sheet, ITI/NTC certificate (if applying under Ex-ITI), and category certificate (if applicable), in the specified format.
- Pay the application fee online, if applicable to your category.
- Review every entered detail carefully — then submit. Save and print your application confirmation for future reference.
Fact-check reminder: Multiple independent job portals have cross-verified these figures against Notification No. PB/RR/39/App/2026 dated 8 August 2026, but candidates should still confirm the complete trade-wise vacancy table and final eligibility clauses directly on the official ICF website before applying, since all figures remain provisional until confirmed by ICF itself.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many total vacancies are there in ICF Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026? | 1,010 seats across Fitter, Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Painter, Welder, MLT, and PASAA trades. |
| What is the last date to apply online? | 7 September 2026, up to 17:30 Hrs. Applications opened on 8 August 2026. |
| Is there a written exam? | No. Selection is based purely on Class 10 (and ITI, for Ex-ITI candidates) marks — there’s no written test. |
| What is the age limit? | 15 to 24 years for Ex-ITI candidates; 15 to 22 years for Non-ITI (Freshers) candidates, as on 7 September 2026. |
| Can Degree or Diploma holders apply? | No — except for the MLT trade, higher qualifications like Degree, Diploma, or Engineering Degree make a candidate ineligible. |
| What is the application fee? | ₹100 plus service charges for General/OBC male candidates; no fee for SC, ST, PwBD, and Women candidates. |
| What is the stipend? | Up to approximately ₹9,600 per month, with a 10% increase in the second year of training. |
| Is this recruitment open to candidates from all states? | Priority is given to Tamil Nadu residents or those registered with a Tamil Nadu Employment Exchange. |
| Which trades have the most vacancies? | Fitter, Welder, and Electrician together account for more than 70% of the total seats. |
| Does completing this apprenticeship guarantee a Railway job? | No — this is a training engagement under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and does not carry any employment guarantee. |
10. Official Links
- Official Notification & Application Portal: https://pb.icf.gov.in/act2026/Act_Apprentice_2026_27.pdf
- ICF Chennai Official Website: https://pb.icf.gov.in
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