Apprentices Act, 1961
8. NUMBER OF
APPRENTICES FOR A DESIGNATED TRADE. -
(1) The
Central Government shall, after consulting the Central Apprenticeship Council,
by order notified in the Official Gazette, determine for each designated trade
the ratio of trade apprentices to workers other than unskilled workers in that
trade :
Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall be deemed to prevent any
employer from engaging a number of trade apprentices in excess of the ratio
determined under this sub-section.
(2) In
determining the ratio under sub-section (1), the Central Government shall have
regard to the facilities available for apprenticeship training under this Act in
the designated trade concerned as well as to the facilities that may have to be
made available by an employer for the training of graduate or technician
apprentices, technician (vocational) apprentices, if any, in pursuance of any
notice issued to him under sub-section (3A) by the Central Apprenticeship
Adviser or such other person as is referred to in that sub-section.
(3) The
Apprenticeship Adviser may, by notice in writing, require an employer to engage
such number of trade apprentices within the ratio determined by the Central
Government for any designated trade in his establishment, to undergo
apprenticeship training in that trade and the employer shall comply with such
requisition :
Provided that in making any requisition under this sub-section, the Apprenticeship
Adviser shall have regard to the facilities actually available in the
establishment concerned :
Provided further that the Apprenticeship Adviser may, on a representation made to him by
an employer and keeping in view the more realistic employment potential,
training facilities and other relevant factors, permit him to engage such number
of apprentices for a designated trade as is lesser than the number arrived at by
the ratio for that trade, not being lesser than twenty per cent of the number so
arrived at, subject to the condition that the employer shall engage apprentices
in other-trades in excess in number equivalent to such shortfall.
(3A) The
Central Apprenticeship Adviser or any other person not below the rank of an
Assistant Apprenticeship Adviser authorized by the Central Apprenticeship
Adviser in writing in this behalf shall, having regard to -
(i) the
number of managerial persons (including technical and supervisory persons)
employed in a designated trade;
(ii) the
number of management trainees engaged in the establishment;
(iii) the
totality of the training facilities available in a designated trade; and
(iv) such
other factors as he may consider fit in the circumstances of the case, by notice
in writing, require an employer to impart training to such number of graduate or
technician apprentices, technician (vocational) apprentices in such trade in his
establishment as may be specified in such notice and the employer shall comply
with such requisition.
Explanation: In this sub-section the expression "management trainee" means a person who is
engaged by an employer for undergoing a course of training in the establishment
of the employer (not being apprenticeship training under this Act) subject to
the condition that on successful completion of such training, such person shall
be employed by the employer on a regular basis.
(4) Several
employers may join together for the purpose of providing practical training to
the apprentices under them by moving them between their respective
establishments.
(5) Where,
having regard to the public interest, a number of apprentices in excess of the
ratio determined by the Central Government or in excess of the number specified
in a notice issued under sub-section (3A) should in the opinion of the
appropriate Government be trained, the appropriate Government may require
employers to train the additional number of apprentices.
(6) Every
employer to whom such requisition as aforesaid is made, shall comply with the
requisition if the Government concerned makes available such additional
facilities and such additional financial assistance as are considered necessary
by the Apprenticeship Adviser for the training of the additional number of
apprentices.
(7) Any
employer not satisfied with the decision of the Apprenticeship Adviser under
sub-section (6), may make a reference to the Central Apprenticeship Council and
such reference shall be decided by a Committee thereof appointed by that Council
for the purpose and the decision of that Committee shall be final.