Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, a coach-manufacturing unit of the Ministry of Railways, released this Act Apprentice recruitment notification on 8th of August 2026 on its official website, pb.icf.gov.in. As per Notification No. APP/01/2026-2027 (No. PB/RR/39/App/2026), online applications opened on 8 August 2026 and will close on 7th of September 2026. CF Chennai Apprentice 2026 is for candidates who want one to two years of trade training under the Apprentices Act, 1961, with preference given to Tamil Nadu candidates.
A total of 1010 apprentice slots are on offer, and a full trade-wise, category-wise breakdown follows below. Training will take place at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Candidates should check all details in the article below.
Information verified from the official Integral Coach Factory notification No. APP/01/2026-2027 dated 08.08.2026. Last verified: 10 August 2026.
Integral Coach Factory, Chennai is recruiting 1010 Act Apprentices across nine trades — Carpenter, Electrician, Fitter, Machinist, Painter, Welder, MLT (Radiology), MLT (Pathology), and PASAA — through Notification No. APP/01/2026-2027. The last date to apply online is 7 September 2026 at 17:30 hrs at pb.icf.gov.in. Selection is purely on a merit list based on Std X marks, with no written examination.
Quick Summary of ICF Chennai Apprentice 2026
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai — Ministry of Railways |
| Post | Act Apprentice (9 trades) |
| Total Vacancy | 1010 Posts |
| Stipend | ₹8,200/month (Freshers, Std X) to ₹9,600/month (Freshers, Std XII & Ex-ITI) |
| Application Mode | Online only, at pb.icf.gov.in |
| Eligibility | Std X / Std XII pass, trade-wise (see table below) |
| Selection Process | Merit list on Std X marks; no written exam |
| Place of Posting | Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Last Date | 7 September 2026, 17:30 hrs |
| Who Can Apply | Candidates registered with a Tamil Nadu Employment Exchange (with an exception for wards of Railway employees) |
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About Integral Coach Factory
Integral Coach Factory is a production unit of the Ministry of Railways, based in Chennai. It manufactures various types of railway coaches and is one of the largest coach-building units under Indian Railways. This particular notification is issued under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the RBE guidelines that govern how Railway production units engage apprentices for skill training. For a candidate, ICF apprenticeship means structured, hands-on trade training inside an active railway manufacturing facility, along with a certificate recognised across the Railways and wider industrial sector.
Local Context — Who Is Actually Eligible
This is the detail most other portals gloss over, and it matters most for readers outside Tamil Nadu. The notification states applications are accepted only from candidates who are resident in, or registered with, an Employment Exchange within the jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu, and the date of that registration must not be later than the last date for receiving applications. There is one exception: wards of Railway employees, who can apply without this local registration, provided they submit their parent’s Railway Identity Card or Service Certificate (attested by a Gazetted Officer), along with UMID and PPO copies where applicable, at the time of document verification.
In practical terms, this means most candidates based in Darjeeling, Sikkim, North Bengal or the North East — outside the wards-of-Railway-employee category — are not eligible for this particular drive, regardless of their trade qualification. Candidates from these regions may prefer to track apprentice notifications from their own zonal railway or PSU units instead.
Important Dates
Applications open and close strictly online, and age is also calculated from the closing date.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Opening of online application | 8 August 2026, 09:30 hrs |
| Closing of online application | 7 September 2026, 17:30 hrs |
| Age reckoned as on | 7 September 2026 |
Also Read: IREL MK Apprentice Recruitment 2026
Vacancy Details and Stipend
The notification splits 1010 slots into two intake types — Freshers (school pass-outs with no prior ITI training) and Ex-ITI (candidates holding a National Trade Certificate). Each is further broken down by category. The rows below reproduce the notification in full; nothing is collapsed.
Freshers intake (330 slots)
| Trade | UR | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | 18 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 40 |
| Electrician | 18 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 40 |
| Fitter | 37 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 80 |
| Machinist | 18 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 40 |
| Painter | 18 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 40 |
| Welder | 37 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 80 |
| Subtotal (6 trades) | 146 | 88 | 48 | 24 | 14 | 320 |
| MLT – Radiology | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 5 |
| MLT – Pathology | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 5 |
| Freshers total | 152 | 90 | 50 | 24 | 14 | 330 |
Ex-ITI intake (680 slots)
| Trade | UR | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | 22 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 50 |
| Electrician | 75 | 43 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 160 |
| Fitter | 83 | 49 | 27 | 14 | 7 | 180 |
| Machinist | 22 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 50 |
| Painter | 22 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 50 |
| Welder | 83 | 49 | 27 | 14 | 7 | 180 |
| Subtotal (6 trades) | 307 | 183 | 102 | 52 | 26 | 670 |
| PASAA | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | 10 |
| Ex-ITI total | 311 | 186 | 104 | 53 | 26 | 680 |
Verified total: 330 (Freshers) + 680 (Ex-ITI) = 1010 posts, matching the notification’s stated intake.
Stipend (per month):
| Category | Stipend |
|---|---|
| Freshers — Std X pass-outs | ₹8,200 |
| Freshers — Std XII pass-outs (MLT trades) | ₹9,600 |
| Ex-ITI — National/State Trade Certificate holders | ₹9,600 |
The stipend increases by 10% in the second year of training for all categories. Where a candidate holds an NCVT/SCVT certificate, any training period already completed is counted while fixing the minimum payable stipend.
Also Read: ITBP Medical Officer Recruitment 2026
Eligibility (Post-Wise)
The notification sets a different qualification for Freshers and Ex-ITI candidates in the same trade, and a separate standard for MLT. Candidates with a Degree, Diploma, Engineering Degree, or a completed Act Apprenticeship are not eligible to apply, except for MLT, where the qualification itself is Std XII.
Ex-ITI candidates
| Trade | Qualification | Training Period |
|---|---|---|
| Fitter, Electrician, Machinist | Std X with minimum 50% marks (Science & Maths, 10+2 system or equivalent) plus a National Trade Certificate in the trade from NCVT/SCVT (one year or above) | 1 year |
| Carpenter, Painter, Welder | Std X with minimum 50% marks (10+2 system or equivalent) plus a National Trade Certificate in the trade from NCVT/SCVT (one year or above) | 1 year |
| PASAA | Std X with minimum 50% marks plus a National Trade Certificate in IT / Computer Operator & Programming Assistant / Database System Assistant / Software Testing Assistant from NCVT/SCVT | 1 year |
Freshers candidates
| Trade | Qualification | Training Period |
|---|---|---|
| Fitter, Electrician, Machinist | Std X with minimum 50% aggregate marks (Science & Maths, 10+2 system or equivalent) | 2 years |
| Carpenter, Painter | Std X with minimum 50% aggregate marks (10+2 system or equivalent) | 2 years |
| Welder | Std X with minimum 50% aggregate marks (10+2 system or equivalent) | 1 year 3 months |
| MLT (Radiology & Pathology) | Std XII with Physics, Chemistry & Biology | 1 year 3 months |
Age (as on 7 September 2026): ITI candidates must be 15 to 24 years; Non-ITI candidates must be 15 to 22 years. Upper age limit is relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, and 10 years for Persons with Disability. Candidates claiming SC/ST/OBC reservation must produce the relevant caste or OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate at document verification — without it, they will be treated as UR, with UR’s age limit.
Trade-wise disability categories (PwBD)
The notification specifies which disabilities are permissible in each trade. Only candidates with at least 40% of the relevant disability are eligible for PwBD reservation, and training is subject to the disability being compatible with the trade.
| Trade | Categories of disability that can apply |
|---|---|
| Carpenter | LD (one upper and lower limb partially damaged can be accommodated), CP, LC, DW, AA, Deaf, HH, Autism, ID, SLD |
| Electrician | LD (partially lower limb can be accommodated), LC, DW, AA, Deaf, HH, SLD |
| Fitter | LD (lower limb partially damaged from one side can join), LC, DW, AA, LV, Deaf, SLD |
| Machinist | LD (only small finger damaged can join), LC, DW, AA, LV, Deaf, SLD |
| Painter | LD (one upper and lower limb partially damaged), CP, LC, DW, AA, LV, Deaf, HH, Autism, ID, SLD, MI |
| Welder | LD (a person without a leg and without three fingers of one hand can be accommodated), LC, DW, AA, Deaf, SLD |
Abbreviations: LV – Low Vision, HH – Hard of Hearing, CP – Cerebral Palsy, LD – Locomotor Disability, LC – Leprosy Cured, DW – Dwarfism, AA – Acid Attack, ID – Intellectual Disabilities, SLD – Special Learning Disabilities, MI – Mental Illness.
Selection Process of ICF Chennai Apprentice 2026
There is no written examination for this recruitment. Selection runs entirely on academic merit.
- A merit list is prepared based on marks obtained in Std X. (For COVID-batch candidates in Std X, marks from the Std IX mark sheet or the Std X half-yearly mark sheet, signed by the school principal, are used instead.)
- Where two candidates have the same marks, the older candidate is preferred; if the date of birth also matches, the candidate who passed Std X earlier is ranked first.
- Trade is allotted to Freshers based on merit rank and seat availability in their chosen trade, and — once allotted — a change of trade will not be entertained. PwBD candidates are allotted only trades permissible for their disability category (see table above).
- Ex-ITI candidates are trained in the trade matching their existing ITI certificate.
- Selected candidates must produce a Medical Fitness Certificate at document verification, issued by a Government-authorised doctor not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon at a Central or State hospital.
Application Fee
A processing fee of ₹100 plus applicable service charges must be paid online (non-refundable). SC, ST, PwBD, and Women candidates are exempt from the fee. For candidates who do pay, a Transaction ID starting with “DU” is sent to the registered mobile number after successful payment — this should be preserved for future reference. No refund request will be entertained by ICF under any circumstances once the fee is remitted.
Also Read: RCF Kapurthala Apprentice Recruitment 2026
How to Apply for ICF Chennai Apprentice 2026
- Visit the ICF web portal: https://pb.icf.gov.in.
- Read the full notification before starting the form.
- Fill in the online application with personal and educational details, and upload a recent passport-size photograph (jpg/jpeg, not more than 200 KB).
- Pay the ₹100 processing fee online, if applicable to your category.
- Check all entered details carefully before clicking submit — corrections after submission are not accepted.
- Note the system-generated Registration ID; the password for the acknowledgement is your date of birth in ddmmyyyy format.
- Download and print the acknowledgement generated after final submission.
Documents to keep ready:
- Passport-size photograph (jpg/jpeg, under 200 KB)
- Std X mark sheet and Transfer Certificate (original required at verification)
- Std XII mark sheet (for MLT applicants)
- National Trade Certificate (for Ex-ITI applicants)
- Caste certificate (SC/ST) or OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate, if claiming reservation
- Disability certificate issued by Central/State Government (PwBD applicants)
- For wards of Railway employees: parent’s Railway Identity Card or Service Certificate (Gazetted-officer attested), plus UMID and PPO copies
No documents are to be sent to ICF by post, e-mail, fax or by hand at the application stage — everything is submitted online, and physical documents are only required at document verification.
Important Links – ICF Chennai Apprentice 2026
- Apply online at the ICF web portal
- ICF Apprentice recruitment helpdesk
- More Apprentice vacancies on India Job Alerts
- Latest All India government jobs
- 10th pass government jobs
- Resize your photo and signature for the online form
Should You Apply?
This suits a Std X or Std XII pass-out, or an ITI certificate holder, who is based in Tamil Nadu or registered with a Tamil Nadu Employment Exchange, and who wants structured trade training with a monthly stipend rather than immediate employment. Selection depends entirely on Std X marks, so it favours candidates with a strong academic record in that exam rather than interview performance. The honest trade-off is in the notification itself: this is training, not a job — ICF states plainly that no employment is guaranteed on completion, and Railways is not obligated to absorb any apprentice afterward. For a candidate weighing options, the certificate and hands-on railway-manufacturing experience carry real value for later ITI-linked recruitment or private-sector trade roles, but it should not be treated as a guaranteed entry into Railway service. Candidates outside Tamil Nadu, other than wards of Railway employees, are not eligible for this specific drive.
FAQs
How many vacancies are there in ICF Chennai Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
There are 1010 vacancies in total — 330 for Freshers and 680 for Ex-ITI candidates — spread across Carpenter, Electrician, Fitter, Machinist, Painter, Welder, MLT (Radiology & Pathology) and PASAA trades. The full category-wise breakdown is given in the vacancy tables above.
What is the last date to apply for ICF Apprentice Recruitment 2026?
The last date to apply online is 7 September 2026 until 17:30 hrs, on the ICF web portal at pb.icf.gov.in. The application window opened on 8 August 2026 at 09:30 hrs.
Can candidates from outside Tamil Nadu apply for ICF Apprentice 2026?
Generally no. The notification restricts eligibility to candidates resident in, or registered with, a Tamil Nadu Employment Exchange. The only exception is wards of Railway employees, who can apply without this local registration by submitting their parent’s Railway service proof at document verification.
Does ICF Apprentice training lead to a permanent railway job?
No. The notification states clearly that no employment is guaranteed to apprentices on completion of training, and Railways is not obligated to offer absorption afterward. This is added context, not part of the official notification: many candidates still use the certificate and hands-on experience to strengthen later applications for ITI-linked recruitment. Confirm current recruitment norms with the hiring office.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am Sandeep Khati, the founder of India Job Alerts. I hold a B.Tech in Computer Science from JGEC (2010). My career began as a Systems Engineer at TCS, and I have been active in the digital publishing space since 2011, starting with the launch of SearchDarjeeling.com and my work as a web developer and designer at Darjeeling Informatics.
Launched in April 2025, India Job Alerts is my most focused project to date. I am dedicated to publishing verified government and PSU job notifications for candidates in West Bengal, Sikkim, and across India. To guarantee accuracy, I personally cross-check every post against official notifications before publishing. Know more