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Apprentices Act, 1961

Section-wise Apprentices Act repository

Reviewed by Nikhil Gupta and Kajri Singh · Last reviewed 11 September 2026

Page content

All 43 current central provision pages, including section 31A effective from 22 June 2026, with practical compliance controls and linked Rules.

Law Hub L8Data reviewed on 17 July 2026India-first compliance

2-minute answer

All 43 current central provision pages, including section 31A effective from 22 June 2026, with practical compliance controls and linked Rules.

Current-law check: The four Labour Codes commenced on 21 November 2025. For 2026 compliance, read the relevant Code with the final Central Rules and the applicable State rules/notifications; legacy Acts remain relevant to historical periods and savings.

Use this page to

  • Identify the establishment/worker coverage
  • Check the Code, Central Rule and State Rule together
  • Map notice, approval or filing responsibility
  • Preserve service, payroll and authority evidence

Practical control

Separate historical entitlement under repealed legislation from current Code compliance. Record the event date, establishment coverage and applicable Central/State instrument.

Official / primary sources

Related Finin2min guidance

Reviewed for currentness, usability and source quality on 11 September 2026. Where an official source changes after this date, the official source prevails.

Current position: This repository incorporates the Jan Vishwas amendments effective 22 June 2026, including new section 31A and the graduated advisory-warning-penalty model.
Section 1 - Short title, extent, commencement and applicationSection 2 - DefinitionsSection 3 - Qualifications for being engaged as an apprenticeSection 3A - Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled TribesSection 3B - Reservation for Other Backward ClassesSection 4 - Contract of apprenticeshipSection 5 - Novation of contract of apprenticeshipSection 5A - Regulation of optional tradeSection 5B - Engagement of apprentices from other StatesSection 6 - Period of apprenticeship trainingSection 7 - Termination of apprenticeship contractSection 8 - Number of apprentices for a designated tradeSection 9 - Practical and basic training of apprenticesSection 10 - Related instruction of apprenticesSection 11 - Obligations of employersSection 12 - Obligations of apprenticesSection 13 - Payment to apprenticesSection 14 - Health, safety and welfare of apprenticesSection 15 - Hours of work, overtime, leave and holidaysSection 16 - Employer liability for compensation for injurySection 17 - Conduct and disciplineSection 18 - Apprentices are trainees and not workersSection 19 - Records and returnsSection 20 - Settlement of disputesSection 21 - Tests, certificates and conclusion of trainingSection 22 - Offer and acceptance of employmentSection 23 - AuthoritiesSection 24 - Constitution of CouncilsSection 25 - Vacancies not to invalidate acts and proceedingsSection 26 - Apprenticeship AdvisersSection 27 - Deputy and Assistant Apprenticeship AdvisersSection 28 - Apprenticeship Advisers to be public servantsSection 29 - Powers of entry, inspection, examination and inquirySection 30 - Offences and penaltiesSection 31 - Penalty where no specific penalty is providedSection 31A - Adjudication of penaltiesSection 32 - Offences by companiesSection 33 - Cognizance of offencesSection 34 - Delegation of powersSection 35 - Construction of referencesSection 36 - Protection of action taken in good faithSection 37 - Power to make rulesSection 38 - Repeal

Source and review trail

Use the current official instrument, portal or regulator publication before acting. This panel separates the category authority from page-specific references.

Official starting point
www.labour.gov.in

Practical guide: Section-wise Apprentices Act repository

The points below turn Section-wise Apprentices Act repository into a practical workflow so that the page can be used for a filing, computation, review or professional working paper rather than only as a definition.

How to use this guide

Section-wise Apprentices Act repository is designed as a navigation and decision page. Start with the part that matches your immediate question, then move to the linked section/rule/form page for the governing text and procedure. Do not assume every linked provision applies to every fact pattern.

Recommended research sequence

Fix the relevant date and legal version first. Then identify the governing Act/Code, read the section together with connected rules and forms, check later notifications/circulars, and finally review judicial or regulatory guidance where interpretation is required.

Building a compliance file

Save the official source used, a short note of the conclusion, calculations or forms prepared, approvals and submission evidence. For recurring compliance, record the next trigger date and the event that starts the timeline.

Keeping the answer current

Use the review date shown on the page as a currentness marker, not a guarantee that no later amendment exists. Before a filing or transaction, re-check the authority website for a later notification, circular, order, portal instruction or amendment.

Five-point final check