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Apprenticeship Rules, 1992

Rule 12: Hours of work

Rule 12 of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992 with the current 2025 amendment overlay, practical controls and linked Act provisions.

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

Rule purpose

Rule 12 operationalises section(s) 15 of the Apprentices Act and should be read with the applicable Schedule, curriculum, portal workflow and adviser directions.

Employer implementation

  • Use the current portal fields and contract format, but retain an offline legal checklist so portal configuration does not become the only control.
  • Map every apprentice to category, qualification, trade, duration, stipend, supervisor and approving authority.
  • Keep dated screenshots/acknowledgements for registration, changes, termination, stipend and reporting.
  • Escalate State/jurisdiction and adviser questions before onboarding rather than after a portal rejection.

Rule text extract

The bundled 1992 Rules PDF is an older consolidated source. The amendment overlay above controls where later Gazette changes apply.

12.   Hours of work:-
      (1)    The weekly hours of work of a trade apprentice undergoing practical training
             shall be as follows, namely:-
             (a)     The total number of hours per week shall be 42 to 48
             hours (including the time spent on Related Instruction)
             (b)     Trade apprentices undergoing basic training shall ordinarily work
                     for 42 hours per week including the time spent on Related Instruction.
             (c)     Trade apprentices during the second year of apprenticeship shall
                     work for 42 to 45 hours per week including the time spent on
                     Related Instruction.
             (d)     Trade apprentice during the third and         subsequent  years of
                     apprenticeship shall work for the same number of hours per week as
                     the workers in the trade in the establishment in which the trade
                     apprentice is undergoing apprenticeship training.


      (2)    No trade apprentice shall be engaged on such training between the hours
             of 10.00 p.m.      to 6.00 a.m.. except with the prior approval of the

              Apprenticeship Adviser who shall give his approval if he is satisfied that it is
              in the interest of the training of the trade apprentice or in public interest.

       (3)    Graduate, Technician and Technician (Vocational ) Apprentices shall work
              according to the normal hours of work of the department in the
              establishment to which they are attached for training.

Linked Act provisions

Read with section(s) 15. Also test enforcement under sections 30, 31 and 31A from 22 June 2026.

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