The Apprentices Act, 1961

APPRENTICES ACT, 1961 As Amended by The Apprentices (Amdt.) Act, 2014

This 2025 edition of The Apprentices Act, 1961 (Act 52 of 1961) provides India’s complete statutory framework for structured, on-the-job training of trade, technical, and graduate apprentices. The text is fully consolidated with the Apprentices (Amendment) Act, 2014 (Act 29 of 2014, w.e.f. 5-12-2014) and the latest rule-level changes, including the Apprenticeship (Amendment) Rules, 2021 (GSR 524 E, dt. 11-8-2021, w.e.f. 23-4-2024).

Supplementary material inside
• The Apprenticeship Rules, 1992 (as amended up to 2024)
• The Central Apprenticeship Council Rules, 1962

Concise “short comments” follow pivotal sections—highlighting definitions, contract-registration requirements, stipend floors, and employer obligations—while preserving the bare-act integrity needed for examinations and official reference.

Core statutory coverage

• Designation & engagement of trade, technician, technician (vocational), graduate & optional-trade apprentices
• Contract registration & portal compliance under the National Apprenticeship Monitoring Scheme (NAPS)
• Stipend scales, working hours & leave entitlements—including 2021-linked rule updates
• Basic-training & on-the-job training standards, syllabus approvals, and record-keeping
• Employer & apprentice obligations, discipline, and termination grounds
• Role of the Central Apprenticeship Adviser, Regional Boards & Apprenticeship Advisers
• Penalties & compounding provisions for non-registration, stipend under-payment, and training shortfalls

This edition is particularly suitable for

• HR managers and compliance officers in manufacturing, services, and MSME sectors implementing apprenticeship programmes
• Industry training providers, ITIs, polytechnics, and universities partnering on dual-system training
• Law students, AIBE candidates, and competitive-exam aspirants needing a precise, lightly annotated text on labour-skill statutes
• Advocates, consultants, and policy researchers addressing skill-development, labour reforms, or industrial-relations matters

Presented without extensive commentary but enriched with targeted notes, this Bare Act guarantees clarity, authenticity, and immediate practical insight—indispensable for statutory compliance, legal practice, and academic study.