Personnel Department, Divisional Railway Manager Office, Bilaspur (SECR)
Last Date: 11 June 2026

Personnel Department, Divisional Railway Manager Office, Bilaspur, South East Central Railway has released a notice dated May 12, 2026, inviting online applications for 1191 Act Apprentice posts across 18 designated trades for the year 2026-27 under the Apprentices Act 1961 and Apprenticeship Rules 1962. Applications open May 12, 2026, and the last date is June 11, 2026 at 23:59 hours.

Before the details, here is the full picture at a glance:

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RRC Bilaspur Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27: Complete Details

South East Central Railway (SECR), headquartered in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, is one of the busiest railway zones in central India, managing freight and passenger operations across Chhattisgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha. The Bilaspur Division is the administrative and operational heart of SECR, with workshops, sheds, and maintenance units that require a steady pipeline of technically trained workers. The Act Apprentice programme is the primary mechanism through which this pipeline is maintained - it provides structured one-year training in designated trades to ITI-qualified candidates, giving them real railway workplace exposure under the Apprentices Act 1961.

This is not a government job recruitment. Completion of apprenticeship training does not entitle the candidate to any employment in SECR or any railway organisation. The notification explicitly states this, and candidates should understand the distinction clearly before applying. What the apprenticeship does provide is a year of paid training in a railway workshop or maintenance unit environment, a nationally recognised completion certificate, and the kind of hands-on trade experience that substantially improves a candidate's chances in subsequent competitive exams for railway group C and D technical posts, where prior experience and ITI trade credentials carry significant weight.

At 1191 posts across 18 trades, this is a large-scale intake for a single division. COPA alone has 350 seats (including 325 from the Division and 25 from HQ/Construction), followed by Fitter at 223, Electrician at 206, and Wireman at 125. The scale of this recruitment, combined with the relatively accessible eligibility of 10th pass plus ITI, means competition across most trades will be significant.

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Vacancy Details - Trade-wise Breakdown

The COPA (Computer Operator and Programming Assistant) trade at 350 posts is the largest single allocation in this recruitment - nearly 30% of all vacancies. This reflects the increasing digitisation of railway operations and administrative functions where COPA-trained candidates are deployed. Fitter (223) and Electrician (206) are the two largest trades in the core technical segment, consistent with the maintenance-heavy nature of railway workshop operations.

PWD reservations total 45 posts distributed across eligible trades. Ex-Servicemen (including children of deceased/disabled Ex-Servicemen, children of serving Jawans and Officers) get 115 posts reserved horizontally at 10% across categories.

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Application Fee

No application fee is mentioned in the official notification. Applications are submitted through the national apprenticeship portal apprenticeshipindia.gov.in, which is a government portal and does not charge application fees for apprenticeship registrations.

Candidates should not pay any amount to any individual or third-party website claiming to facilitate this application. The portal is free, and no payment is required at any stage of the application process.

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Age Limit

The candidate must have completed 15 years of age and must not have completed 24 years of age as on 11-06-2026 (the last date for receipt of applications).

In summary: UR candidates get no relaxation beyond 24 years; SC/ST get 5 years relaxation; OBC gets 3 years; PWD and Ex-Servicemen get 10 years relaxation. Age relaxation is subject to submission of a valid and latest caste certificate. All birth dates must fall within the community-specific range on both ends.

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Educational Qualification

Two conditions must both be satisfied:

First, passing the Class 10 examination under the 10+2 system or an equivalent examination from a recognised Board.

Second, passing an ITI course in the relevant trade from a recognised institution. The ITI trade must correspond to the apprenticeship trade being applied for.

One critical instruction that the notification specifically highlights in bold: candidates must fill their 10th and ITI marks in the qualification section on the portal. If these fields are left blank or filled with higher qualification marks instead, the application will be automatically rejected. Do not enter any other higher qualification in the designated qualification field - only 10th and ITI marks are required and accepted for the purpose of merit calculation.

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Selection Process and Merit List Preparation

There is no written examination for this apprenticeship recruitment. Selection is based entirely on merit, calculated by taking the average percentage marks obtained by the candidate in both Matriculation (Class 10) and ITI examinations, giving equal weightage to both. This is governed by Establishment Rule 201/2017.

Minimum aggregate marks of 50% in both Matriculation and ITI are required for inclusion in the merit calculation. Candidates whose aggregate in either falls below 50% will not be considered for merit ranking.

Shortlisted candidates based on this merit list will be called for document verification. At the time of verification, selected candidates may be advised to bring a medical certificate in the prescribed proforma as per the Apprenticeship Act 1961 and Para 4 of the Apprenticeship Rule 1992. The medical certificate must be signed by a Government-authorised Doctor (Gazetted), not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon of Central or State Hospital.

Candidature will be cancelled if --> original testimonials cannot be produced, or if any discrepancy is found between the documents and the online application, or if wrong/fake certificates have been furnished. In case any candidate has different names across their Class 10 marksheet, ITI marksheet, Aadhaar card, and PAN card, the application will be rejected at document verification - the names and father's names must match across all these documents.

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Apprenticeship Period, Stipend, and Contract

The apprenticeship training period is one year for each trade. Selected candidates will be engaged as apprentices and will undergo training at the Bilaspur Division workshops and units of SECR. The stipend during training is paid as per the rules of the State Government of Chhattisgarh applicable to apprentices. Training will be terminated after the completion of the apprenticeship period.

Selected candidates, or their guardian if the candidate is a minor, will be required to enter into a formal contract of apprenticeship with the employer before training commences.

The notification is explicit on post-training engagement: it is not obligatory for the employer (SECR/Railway) to offer any employment to any apprentice after completion of training. It is equally not obligatory for the apprentice to accept any employment if offered. Candidates are advised to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations under the Apprentices Act 1961. The apprenticeship is a training programme, not a job offer.

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How to Apply

1. Visit the official national apprenticeship portal at https://apprenticeshipindia.gov.in
2. Register as a candidate if not already registered, using a valid personal email ID and mobile number
3. Search for the SECR Bilaspur Division apprenticeship notification for 2026-27
4. Select the trade for which you wish to apply and fill all required details accurately
5. In the qualification section, enter only your Class 10 (Matriculation) marks and ITI marks —> do not fill any other higher qualification details in this section
6. Upload a soft copy or scanned colour photograph (passport size, present and recent), scanned signature, and scanned copies of all relevant documents including educational/technical qualifications
7. Upload caste certificate (for SC/ST/OBC candidates) issued by competent authority
8. If applying under EWS or Ex-Servicemen category but that option is not available on the portal, apply under your actual category (UR/OBC/SC/ST) and physically submit the EWS/Ex-Servicemen certificate to the Bilaspur DRM Personnel Department office
9. Review the completed application carefully before final submission
10. Submit the online application before June 11, 2026 at 23:59 hours
11. No physical copy of the application is required to be sent to the office

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Required Documents and Important Instructions

Documents to keep ready for application and subsequent verification: Class 10 marksheet and certificate; ITI certificate and marksheet from a recognised institution; Aadhaar card (name and father's name must match all other documents); PAN card (optional but name matching is critical); recent passport size colour photograph; caste certificate from competent authority (for SC/ST/OBC); disability certificate from Medical Board constituted by Central or State Government with not less than 40% disability (for PWD candidates); Ex-Servicemen-related documents as applicable.

Key instructions candidates frequently miss: Canvassing in any form will disqualify the candidate. No Travelling Allowance or Daily Allowance will be paid for attending any stage of the process. If the EWS or Ex-Servicemen category option is not available on the apprenticeship portal, candidates must apply under their actual category and physically submit the EWS/Ex-Servicemen certificate to this office - this instruction is emphasised in bold in the official notification and is a common point of confusion. PWD candidates must have a disability certificate showing not less than 40% disability from a Medical Board duly constituted by Central or State Government. No correspondence will be entertained from candidates - the railway administration does not send replies to individual candidates.

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Why Apprenticeship Marks Matter More Than Most Candidates Realise

The Merit Formula and How to Maximise Your Score

The selection for SECR Bilaspur apprenticeship seats runs on a simple but consequential formula: the average of 10th percentage and ITI percentage, with equal weight given to both. No interview, no test, no additional criteria. This means a candidate with 75% in Class 10 and 80% in ITI gets a merit score of 77.5%, while a candidate with 90% in Class 10 but 60% in ITI scores only 75%. The ITI marks are as powerful as the board marks in determining the rank.

What this means practically is that candidates who did ITI from colleges where internal and practical marks are awarded generously - particularly from newer private ITI institutes - may find themselves ranked higher than those from older, stricter institutions even with objectively similar trade skill. The NCVT marksheet is the document that counts, and the aggregate including theory, practical, and internal marks all feed into the percentage. Candidates who are still completing their ITI should ensure they understand the marking pattern of their institute before assuming their aggregate. Those who completed ITI some years ago should re-examine their marksheet carefully before assuming their percentage - sometimes the total marks column on older ITI marksheets is calculated differently from what candidates remember.

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What Happens After One Year - The Real Career Value of This Apprenticeship

Understanding the Pathway From Railway Apprentice to Railway Employee

The notification makes clear that completing the apprenticeship does not entitle a candidate to railway employment. This is legally correct under the Apprentices Act 1961 and should be understood as a hard fact. However, the practical career value of this apprenticeship is real and documented, even if it is indirect.

Railway Group D and Group C technical recruitment processes conducted by RRBs and RRCs - for posts like Helper, Junior Technician, Technician, and Electrical/Mechanical categories - give significant credit to candidates who have completed an apprenticeship in a relevant trade, particularly in a railway establishment. The Railway Recruitment Board written examination syllabus for technical posts covers the same trade theory tested in ITI, and candidates who have spent a year working in SECR workshops have a contextual understanding of railway-specific equipment and systems that goes beyond classroom ITI preparation.

Additionally, the National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) issued after completion of the SECR apprenticeship is a nationally recognised credential that improves a candidate's competitiveness in state technical recruitment, DRDO, defence production units, and industrial PSUs that value NCVT-affiliated trade training. For candidates from the Chhattisgarh region who want a railway career, this one-year window at SECR Bilaspur - the most significant railway employer in the state - provides direct workplace familiarity with the organisation where future permanent job opportunities will arise.

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Here are direct answers to the questions candidates most commonly ask about this recruitment:

❓FAQs

How many vacancies are there in SECR Bilaspur Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27?

A total of 1191 posts across 18 designated trades. The largest allocations are COPA (350), Fitter (223), Electrician (206), and Wireman (125). The full trade-wise breakdown is provided in the vacancy table above.

What is the last date to apply?

June 11, 2026 at 23:59 hours is the deadline for online applications through apprenticeshipindia.gov.in. The application portal opened on May 12, 2026.

Who is eligible to apply?

Candidates who have passed Class 10 under the 10+2 system (or equivalent) and have completed an ITI course in the relevant trade from a recognised institution, aged between 15 and 24 years as on June 11, 2026 (with relaxations for reserved categories).

What is the age limit including relaxations?

General (UR): 15 to 24 years (born between 11-06-2002 and 11-06-2011). SC/ST: up to 29 years (11-06-1997 to 11-06-2011). OBC: up to 27 years (11-06-1999 to 11-06-2011). PWD/Ex-Servicemen: up to 34 years (11-06-1992 to 11-06-2011). Age relaxation is subject to valid caste certificate submission.

What educational qualification is required?

Class 10 pass under the 10+2 system (or equivalent) from a recognised Board, plus ITI certificate in the relevant trade from a recognised institution with a minimum aggregate of 50% in both.

How is the merit list prepared - is there a written test?

No written test. Selection is based purely on merit calculated by averaging the percentage marks obtained in Class 10 and ITI examinations, with equal weightage to both. Minimum 50% aggregate in both qualifications is required.

What is the stipend during apprenticeship training?

Stipend is paid as per the rules of the State Government of Chhattisgarh applicable to apprentices during the one-year training period. The specific amount is not mentioned in the notification.

Does completing the apprenticeship guarantee a job at SECR?

No. The notification explicitly states it is not obligatory for the railway to offer employment after training completion, nor is it obligatory for the apprentice to accept if offered. The apprenticeship is a training programme, not an employment offer.

How to apply for SECR Bilaspur Apprentice Recruitment 2026-27?

Apply online only through https://apprenticeshipindia.gov.in. Register on the portal, search for the SECR Bilaspur notification, select the relevant trade, fill personal and qualification details, upload photograph, signature, and scanned documents, and submit before June 11, 2026 at 23:59 hours. No physical copy needs to be sent to the office.

What is the official portal for this recruitment?

https://apprenticeshipindia.gov.in is the official national apprenticeship portal through which all applications must be submitted. The railway has no separate application portal for this recruitment.

What should candidates do if EWS or Ex-Servicemen category options are not available on the portal?

The notification specifically addresses this: apply under your actual category (UR/OBC/SC/ST) on the portal and then physically submit the EWS or Ex-Servicemen certificate to the Personnel Department, DRM Office, Bilaspur.

What happens if the name in the Class 10 marksheet does not match the Aadhaar card?

The application will be rejected at document verification. The notification specifically states that applicants whose name and father's name do not match across Class 10 marksheet, ITI marksheet, Aadhaar card, and PAN card will face rejection. Candidates should resolve any name discrepancies before applying.

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The Single Most Important Step Before June 11

The application portal apprenticeshipindia.gov.in requires registration before an apprenticeship application can be submitted. Candidates who have not yet registered on this portal must do so before attempting to fill the SECR Bilaspur application and registration itself requires a valid email address, mobile number, and Aadhaar-linked verification in many cases.

More critically, the portal's qualification entry section requires Class 10 and ITI marks specifically. Filling any other marks in this field - even accidentally entering graduation or 12th marks will cause the application to be automatically rejected. Read the field labels on the portal carefully before entering marks, and do not fill higher qualification details anywhere in the qualification section.

For queries, contact the Bilaspur DRM Personnel Department at Mobile No. 9752876639, Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. In case of any doubt or contradiction, the English version of the notification is the valid reference.

This article is based on the official notification and simplified for easy understanding. For the most accurate and updated information, always refer to the official portal at apprenticeshipindia.gov.in and secr.indianrailways.gov.in