Section 2: Definitions

What section 2 does

Defines the people, trades, authorities, establishment concepts and other terms that control every downstream obligation.

Connected instrument: Rule 2

Finin2min practical reading

• Identify the apprentice category, trade, establishment jurisdiction and applicable portal before applying the provision.
• Separate statutory apprenticeship from internships, probation, traineeships and ordinary employment.
• Do not treat scheme reimbursement as a substitute for the employer’s underlying statutory obligations.
• Preserve the contract, approvals, portal trail and training evidence as one auditable file.

Employer control and evidence pack

• Executed/registered contract and portal acknowledgement
• Training plan, attendance/work diary and supervisor records
• Stipend bank/DBT evidence where relevant
• Adviser approval, correspondence or order where the section requires it

Statutory text extract

Extracted from the bundled official/consolidated source. For sections amended in 2026, the current overlay above controls over older consolidated wording.

2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
         [(a) “All India Council” means the All India Council of Technical Education established by the
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    resolution of the Government of India in the former Ministry of Education No. F. 16-10/44-E.III,
    dated the 30th November, 1945;]
         [(aa)] “apprentice” means a person who is undergoing apprenticeship training 8*** in pursuance
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    of a contract of apprenticeship;
        [(aaa) “apprenticeship training” means a course of training in any industry or establishment
         6

    undergone in pursuance of a contract of apprenticeship and under prescribed terms and conditions
    which may be different for different categories of apprentices;]
        (b) “Apprenticeship Adviser” means the Central Apprenticeship Adviser appointed under sub-
    section (1) of section 26 or the State Apprenticeship Adviser appointed under sub-section (2) of that
    section;
       (c) “Apprenticeship Council” means the Central Apprenticeship Council or the State
    Apprenticeship Council established under sub-section (1) of section 24;
         (d) “appropriate Government” means,—
              (1) in relation to—
                   (a) the Central Apprenticeship Council, or
3. 1st March, 1962, vide notification No. G.S.R. 246, dated 12th February, 1962, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II,
   sec. 3(i) and this Act has been extended in its application to the Union territory Goa, Daman and Diu by the Act 11 of 1963, s.
   3 and the Schedule (w.e.f 1-2-1965).
4. Clause (b) omitted by Act 27 of 1973, s. 3 (w.e.f. 1-12-1974).
7. Clause (a) re-lettered as clause (aa) thereof by s. 4, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-12-1974).

Compliance consequence

Failure should be tested against sections 30, 31 and 31A as in force from 22 June 2026, alongside contract termination/compensation consequences and any portal or scheme action.