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Apprenticeship Rules, 1992

Rule 7B: Number of apprentices for designated and optional trades

Rule 7B 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 7B operationalises section(s) 8 of the Apprentices Act and should be read with the applicable Schedule, curriculum, portal workflow and adviser directions.

Current amendment overlay: Rule 7B(3), as substituted in 2025, uses a 2.5%-15% annual band of total establishment strength including contractual staff, with at least 5% reserved for fresher and skill-certificate-holder apprentices. A separate April 2026 MSDE portal order refers to an 18% engagement cap; treat that as an operational portal control and verify the current portal/order before planning above the annual statutory band.

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.

7B   Number of apprentices for designated and optional trade.-

     (1)    The employers having six or more workers shall only be eligible to engage
            apprentices and engagement of apprentices by establishment having number of
            workers not exceeding forty shall not be obligatory.

     (2)    The strength of workers shall be calculated on the basis of average strength in
            the preceding financial year.

     (3)    Within a financial year, each establishment shall engage apprentices in a band
            of 2.5 per cent. to 10 per cent. of the total strength of the establishment
            including contractual staff.

     (4)    In no month, number of apprentices should be less than 2 per cent. of the total
            strength of the establishment and more than 15 per cent. of the total strength of
            the establishment subject to the condition that he shall fulfill apprentice months
            corresponding to 2.5 per cent. obligation in a financial year.

        (5)   Every employer shall disclose their intention of engagement of apprentices both
              in designated and optional trade on portal site as well as establishment’s portal-
              site (if existing) as per quarters given below:-
              (a)     the 1st April to the 30th June;
              (b) the 1st July to the 30th September;
              (c)     the 1st October to the 31st December;
              (d) the 1st January to the 31st March..

Linked Act provisions

Read with section(s) 8. Also test enforcement under sections 30, 31 and 31A from 22 June 2026.

← Rule 7ARule 7C →