INTRODUCTION on Apprentices Act, 1961 :

The Apprentices Act 1961 was enacted with the objective of regulating the programme of training of apprentices in the industry by utilising the facilities available therein for imparting on-the-job training. The Act was amended in 1973 and 1986 to include training of graduates, technicians and technician (vocational) apprentices respectively under its purview. It was further amended in 1997 and 2007 to amend various sections of the Act as regards definition of “establishment”, “worker”, number of apprentices for a designated trade and reservation for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, etc. Comparing the size and rate of growth of economy of India, the performance of Apprenticeship Training Scheme is not satisfactory and a large number of training facilities available in the industry are going unutilised depriving unemployed youth to avail the benefits of the Apprenticeship Training Scheme. Employers are of the opinion that provisions of the Act are too rigid to encourage them to engage apprentices and provision relating to penalty create fear amongst them of prosecution and they have suggested to modify the Apprentices Act suitably. In order to make the apprenticeship more responsive to youth and industry, the Apprentices Act, 1961 has been amended and brought into effect from 22nd December, 2014. The Apprentices (Amendment) Act, 2014 expanding the apprenticeship opportunities for youth. Non engineering graduates and diploma holders have been made eligible for apprenticeship. A portal is being setup to make all approvals transparent and time bound. Apprenticeship can be taken up in new occupations also.