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CHPATER XIX
Apprentices
1901. The rules applicable to apprentices other
than those governed by the Apprentices Act, 1961, recruited on the railways are
contained in the following paragraphs.
1902. An Apprentice means a person deputed for
training in a trade or business with a view to employment in Government service,
who draws a stipend at monthly rates from government during such training but is
not employed in or against a substantive vacancy in the cadre of a department
(Rule 103 (4) RI).
1903. Recruitment - Recruitment of Special Class
Apprentices on the railways is made through the union Public service Commission.
Recruitment of all other Apprentices (other than trade apprentices) is made
through the Railway Recruitment Board. The rules regarding the recruitment of
apprentices other than special class Apprentice on railways are contained in
Section B of Chapter I.
1904. Training - Apprentices are required to
under go a prescribed course of training and to pass such examinations as may
be-laid down in their respective syllabi. They do not become eligible for
appointment to working posts until they have successfully completed their
training.
1905. Stipend.- (1) During the
period of training apprentices are entitled to such stipend and allowances as
may be prescribed for them from time to time.
(2) Permanent and temporary railway servants, who fulfill the terms and
conditions of recruitment to various categories of apprentices as applicable to
outsiders, may be allowed to compete for appointment as apprentices along with
outsiders but no relaxation of educational qualifications will be made in their
favour. Relaxation in respect of age may, however, be allowed upto a ceiling
limit of 30 years. However, in posts for which a Degree or Diploma in the
Engineering is prescribed as basic qualification, the upper age limit will be
raised by 5 years. (Bd's No. E(NG) 141-73 RR 1-3 of 10/12-4-73).They will not be
required to severe their connection with the railway before taking up the
apprenticeship. Permanent Railway servants on appointment as apprentices in any
category may be granted pay equivalent to the rate of stipend laid down for that
particular category of Apprentices or their substantive pay as admissible to
them from time to time whichever is higher. Temporary railway servants on
appointment as apprentices in any category may be granted pay equivalent to the
rate of stipend drawn by the Apprentices in their category. Both permanent and
temporary railway servants appointed as apprentices will also be granted house
rent and compensatory (city) allowances during the period of their
apprenticeship on the basis of their pay as apprentices.
For this purpose, the place from where they proceeded on training should be
treated as their headquarter. House rent allowance will be given even if they
have been given Hostel accommodation at their place of training. This will be
with reference to place from where he went on training. HRA with reference to
place of training or 3/4th the normal rate may be given if they rent
accommodation for their family at that place, if otherwise admissible.
(Bd's No. E (Trg) 1-67 TR1/144 Date 13.11.(68)
(3) Apprentices selected from amongst working Railway employees continue to
remain railway servants during apprenticeship so long as they hold lien on a
permanent or temporary post. If such apprentice is suspended during
apprenticeship in terms of rule 1706-RI, he should be deemed to be reverted to
his post and subsistence allowance paid to him as per rules applicable to such
Railway servant.
(Bd's No. E(D&A)67 RG 6-5 dt 5.9.68).
1906. Dearness allowance.- Apprentices will be
entitled to dearness allowance at the rates as applicable to their stipend.
Note.—In the case of
Apprentice Mechanics and Apprentice train Examiners, who are provided with free
board and lodging, and, therefore, get a lower stipend, the dearness allowance
should be granted on the basis of the full stipend irrespective of the fact that
they are actually drawing a lower stipend.
1907. Travelling Allowance.- (i)
Special Class Apprentice moving from one headquarter to another in connection
with their training will only be eligible for daily allowance for the period
covered by the journey and will not be granted either joining time or travelling
allowance as on transfer, but in cases where they proceed from one station to
another for training for a period not exceeding six week they will be treated as
on tour. The eligibility of daily allowance in that case will, however, be
subject to the provisions of rules 205 of the Indian Railway Establishment Code,
Volume I.
Note- During their stay
at the Railway Staff College, Baroda, Special Class Apprentices will be granted
daily allowance at full rates for the entire period of their training at the
college. The mess charges will be set off against the daily allowance so
admissible and no adjustments either by recovery from or payment to the special
class apprentice of the difference between the mess charges and the daily
allowance will be made.
(ii) Apprentice mechanics may be granted travelling allowance applicable to the
category to which they are apprentices in respect of the period of their absence
from HQ in connection with their training provided they are required to
undertake such journey as part of the training and that free board is not
provided.
Note- This concession is
admissible only to such of the apprentice mechanics as are in receipt of the
concession of free Board and lodging at their headquarter and are in receipt of
stipends at the reduced rates. It is not admissible to those apprentices who are
not in receipt of the concession of free board and lodging at their HQ.
1908. Leave.- (i)
Special Class Apprentices may be granted leave on full stipend for a period not
exceeding one month in any year of apprenticeship, provided that except on
grounds of ill-health, the leave shall not be granted to an apprentice if it
would interfere with his training. Leave in excess of one month in any year may
be granted on grounds of ill-health and when the excess leave is so granted the
apprentice should not be eligible for any stipend for the period in excess.
Apprentice Mechanics under training in workshops and other apprentices who are
not governed by apprentices Act1961, attached to the workshops and printing
Presses who are at present getting only 15 paid holidays will in addition, be
entitled to casual leave for 12 days in a calendar year.
(Bd,s No E(G)70 LE1-5PT. Dt 22.6.73)
(ii) Apprentice Mechanics in mechanical Workshops, may be granted leave on on
full stipend for a period not exceeding 16 days and on half stipend on medical
certificate for a period not exceeding 20 days in any year of of apprenticeship
in terms of rules 533 of Indian Railway Estt. Code Volume I.
(iii) Apprentices under training for non-gaztted posts in all other
departments who are posted to supervisory posts after training such as
Apprentice Train Examiners, Apprentice Permanent Way Inspectors, Stores
Apprentices, etc., may be granted leave like Apprentice Mechanics as in
sub-paragraph (ii) above.
(iv) Trade apprentices may be granted leave on full stipend for a period not
exceeding 12 days and leave on half stipend on medical certificate for a period
not exceeding 15 days in any year of apprenticeship.
(v) Apprentices referred to in sub-paragraph (ii) and (iv) above may be granted
by the General manager or the Head of the Department if the powers have been
delegated to him, extraordinary leave(without stipend) under the rules
applicable to temporary railway servants.
(vi) In all cases of absorption of the apprentices, referred to in sub-paragraph
(ii) and (iv) above in service without a break, recalculation of leave shall be
made immediately on absorption and not left over till the date of confirmation.
In such case the entire service as apprentice shall be taken as one spell and
recalculation made under the normal rules. the leave already taken during the
period of apprenticeship shall be adjusted.
In the case of apprentices referred to in sub-paragraph (i) above the benefit of
recalculation of leave shall be allowed from the commencement of their 5th year
of service. The leave already taken during the period of apprenticeship (i.e.
before the commencement of their 5th year of service) shall be adjusted.
(vii) Permanent railway servant, who take up apprenticeship, will continue to be
eligible for earned leave under the rules applicable to them prior to their
appointment as apprentices. The rate of leave salary will be regulated with
reference to the rate of pay as apprentice.
(viii) Apprentices injured on duty are entitled to hospital leave.
1909. Medical attendance.- Special Class
Apprentices and Apprentice Mechanics shall be entitled to free medical
attendance and treatment at railway hospitals and dispensaries on the same scale
as applicable to railway servants, in the categories for which they are
apprentices. Medical attendance and treatment will be given to them to the
extent facilities are available in railway hospitals or dispensaries and the
scope of attendance and treatment shall not include reimbursement of medical
expenses etc. as are admissible to railway servant under rules. Apprentices may
be treated on the same basis as railway servants in the matter of recovery of
diet-charges the stipend drawn by them being treated as pay for this purpose.
1910. State Railway Provident Fund. — (i)
Permanent railway servants shall continue to be eligible to subscribe to the
fund during the period of their apprenticeship under the terms applicable to
them prior to their appointment as apprentices. The subscription to the
provident fund will be regulated with reference to their rate of pay as
apprentices.
(ii) Apprentices in all categories appointed to working posts after 15.11.57
will be governed by Pension Rules coupled with non-contributing State Railway
Provident Fund Rules.
1911. Agreement.- Directly Recruited apprentices
will be required to enter into an agreement to serve the full term of
apprenticeship. Such agreement must be attested by the parents or guardian of
the apprentice, if he is a minor.
(Bd’s No. E(NG)II-69/AG/4 dt 21.11.70)
1912. Date of Posting of Apprentices - The
apprentices should be absorbed in the working posts on the working day following
the date of completion of the apprenticeship/ training period. The suitability
of the apprentices for absorption against working post should be judged well in
advance of the expiry of the apprenticeship/training period.
In case where there is delay in holding examinations, valuation of answer books,
issue of office orders etc. owing to administrative reasons, the period
intervening the date of complication of the apprenticeship training period as
extended period of training apprenticeship and the apprentices should be paid
stipend for that. In no case an apprentice should be absorbed against a working
post with retrospective effect.
(Bd's No. E(NG)II-67/AG1/4 Date 17.1.69)
1913. Termination of Apprenticeship. - Except as
Otherwise provided in his service agreement the apprenticeship shall be liable
to termination by the Railway Administration on one week’s notice. However, if
the Apprentice is one to whom the provisions of the Industrial Dispute Act,
1947, apply he shall be entitled to notice or Wages in lieu thereof in
accordance with the provisions of that Act.
1914. Employment.- No guarantee or promise of
employment can be given to an apprentice. But on the satisfactory completion of
their training the apprentices will be considered for appointment to the post
for which they are apprentices subject to the existence of vacancies. They will,
however, be taken on probation for a period to be specified in each case.
1915. Applicability of provisions of other Acts. -
Apprentices will be governed, by the provisions of workmen’s Compensation
Act, Factories Act, 1948 and Industrial Disputes Act, ,1947, as may be
applicable in each case. |
