Do you know that there is an Act in India that regulates, monitors, supervises and controls the training of Apprentices?

It is called the Apprentices Act, 1961.

The Apprentices Act, 1961 is applicable in the entire country and is mainly applied in every area or industry as specified by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette. The provisions of this Act are applicable from the date mentioned in the notification.

Mr. Ram Kumar was heading a team of apprentices and had no clue about the central form 2 report half year ending.

He consulted the concerned authority who told him that by the end of every half year, every establishment needs to submit the central form 2 report half year ending to the Regional Director or the State Apprenticeship Adviser. This half-yearly report is based on details related to trade apprentices receiving training.

Here, we will learn more about the central form 2 report half year ending.

Sample of the central form 2 report half year ending

Components of the central form 2 report half year ending

Name & address of the establishment Report for the half year ending
Name of the Manager/Director
Name & Designation of the Incharge Officer of Training
Name of Industry
Standard Industrial Classification Code No.
(Minor) Telex & Telephone No. Telegraphic Address Name of product
Total number of workers
Designated Trade
Number of workers other than unskilled workers
Number of apprentices to be engaged
No. of apprentice under training
Fresher under BSIC training
Fresher under shop training
Ex - ITI
Total
Apprentices joined during the half year
*Apprentices completed training during the half year
*Apprentices whose contracts terminated during the half year
Number of apprentices under training
Arrangement of Related Instructions on

(i) Day Release Basis

(ii) Block Release Basis

(iii) Any other Basis

Total number of Apprentices
Scheduled Castes Apprentices
Scheduled Tribes Apprentices
Physically Handicapped Apprentices
Women Apprentices
Apprentices under column 5 who are undergoing Basic
Apprentices under column 8 who are undergoing Training at _
Related Instructions at own establishments (Name of the Basic Training Centre) in trades at Sl. Nos
Date
Signature of Employer

What is the Apprentices Act, 1961 all about, and what kind of information should be published in the central form 2 report half year ending?

The central form 2 report half year ending is all about giving details of Apprentices in any area or industry. Here are some details of the rules that need to be followed as specified under the Apprentices Act, 1961

Who can be an Apprentice?

Level of education – Any individual who meets the minimum educational qualifications listed in Attachment-1, is eligible to participate as an Apprentice
Physical Fitness Level - An individual is eligible as an Apprentice if he meets the minimum physical fitness criteria specified in Annex II

If both the criteria are met, the information will be noted in the central form 2 report half year ending

Training location reservation

For each state specified in the training location column (2) listed in Annex IIA, there needs to be a reservation for Apprentices who belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in every designated trade.

Their total number will then be mentioned in columns 3 and 4 of the schedule.

Registration of an Apprentice contract

The central government can establish contracts for all Apprentices
The contract form prepared by the central government, which is adapted to the circumstances of each case, is used for each purpose described therein
Once bound in contract, the information of Apprentices will be recorded in the central form 2 report half year ending
The obligation of the employer and the apprenticeship system will be mentioned in Schedule-V
The rules regarding graduates, technicians, and technical Apprentices (vocational) apprentices will be listed in Schedule VI
Once the registration of Apprentices is complete, their information will be recorded and submitted to the higher authorities using the central form 2 report half year ending

Period of Apprenticeship

Schedule I will hold information about Apprentices referred to in Article 6, paragraphs (a), (aa) and (b) of the law prescribed

The Apprentice period in the case of trade Apprenticeship as defined in article 6, paragraph (aa) of the Law, will be listed in Schedule I-B

This should be specifically mentioned in the central form 2 report half year ending.

Regulation and Monitoring of optional trade

No one may work as an apprentice in a selective profession or optional trade if the following conditions are true:

In the case of selective occupations associated with hazardous industries, the Apprentice is less than 18 years of age
The apprentice is less than 14 years of age
The apprentice does not fit the physical fitness regime

Number of Apprentices assigned to designated and optional trade

Employers with 6 or more employees can only hire apprentices. They cannot be hired in establishments where the number of employees does not exceed 40.

Work capacity is calculated based on the average capacity of the previous year. This is a crucial factor and will be accordingly registered in the central form 2 report half year ending.

Inspection of the structure

An Assistant Apprenticeship Adviser will be appointed to inspect the facility, which can be done with the approval of the Central or the State Apprenticeship Adviser.

Indemnity for termination of apprenticeship

If the apprenticeship contract is terminated because the employer does not comply with the terms and conditions, the employer is obliged to pay the apprenticeship equal to the last three months salary.

Qualifications of persons who will be responsible for training an apprentice

The apprentice trainer must have the qualifications specified in Schedule IV of these rules by the employer. The persons so designated must be of an appropriate standard about the number of places in the vocational training and the size of the facility.

Occupational models and qualifications of teachers for Apprentices and basic training

The employment models and qualifications of teachers for providing basic education and training to apprentices are as specified in Table IV (A).

Retention of work records by Apprentices

All graduates, technicians, or technical Apprentices (experts) keep daily logs of work related to vocational training in the form of workshop or laboratory notebooks.

Details will be shared in central form 2 report half year ending.

Salary payment for Apprentices

The minimum monthly salary for Apprentices is as follows:

1st year of training – 70% of the minimum wage
2nd year of training – 80% of minimum wage
3rd and 4th year - 90% of minimum wage

The minimum wage for semi-skilled apprentices is notified by the state or trade union territory.

Breakdown of minimum wages for semi-skilled workers will be as reported by state or trade union territory of reference.

Working hours

The weekly working time of Apprentices is as follows:

Total weekly hours 42-48 hours (including time devoted to relevant education)
Business apprentices with basic training usually spend 42 hours per week
During the second year of training, Apprentices must work 42 to 45 hours per week, including time devoted to relevant education. Details of the same will be recorded in the central form 2 report half year ending

Leave granted to the Apprentice

The vocational training contract signed between the Apprentice and the employer according to Format 1 set out in Annex III must be registered by the employer on the website of the portal.

All employers must register the presence of Apprentices in vocational training at their establishment and measures against irregular and unauthorized absences are registered at the end of the month
All employers are required to keep quarterly records of work and training performed by graduates, technicians, and technical Apprentices (experts) working at their facility. Half yearly reports will also be shared through the central form 2 report half year ending

Other Compliance Forms under the Apprentices Act, 1961

Form 3 - Notice of Completion - Each employer must provide information on apprentices who meet the minimum eligibility requirements to take the next trade exam in March or September and the details presented in the prescribed form are regional. It must be presented to the Regional Director or the State Apprenticeship Adviser.

Form 4 - Certificate of Eligibility to appear in All India Trade Test along with the assessment of the Apprentices. Employer prepares returns in specified format within 7 days from the date the trade Apprentice joins the organization. The employer can submit a declaration to the Regional Director or State Apprenticeship Adviser and the other copy to the Principal or Head of the Institute who has to transfer the basic training or related instructions.

Form 5 - Index cards – All graduates, technicians, or technical (professional) apprentices visiting an institution must have an index card in the prescribed format with complete biometric data. All Apprentices who would receive the index card will have their names on the central form 2 report half year ending. The employer must prepare the card within 10 days of the contract date, give one to the Apprentice, and give a card to each of the following entities.

The Central Apprenticeship Adviser
The Director, Regional Board of Apprenticeship Training concerned
In the case of the Sandwich course student, the technical Institution concerned

Form 6 – Progress Record of Apprentices - Each employer, should prepare a record of each apprentice in a particular format, with the work done by graduate Apprentices, technicians, and technicians (experts) involved in their company for each quarter.

At the end of each quarter, the employer must submit a report to the Director, the Regional Board of Apprenticeship Training concerned. Besides the quarterly report, the central form 2 report half year ending should be submitted every 6 months to the authorities, elaborately detailed about the progress in the Apprentice training.

Conclusion

The central form 2 report half year ending, comprises of reporting of Apprentices in a given establishment. This report needs to be prepared half-yearly comprising of all the vital details of apprentices as discussed above.

The employer must prepare the central form 2 report half year ending and submit it twice a year to the Regional Director or the State Apprenticeship Adviser. Besides the quarterly reports that are shared by the employers, the central form 2 report half year ending is a crucial report that elaborately explains the kind of training and learning that the apprentice has achieved and gained.

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Key Takeaways

An Apprentice is a person who is undergoing training within a contract from an employer of an establishment as specified under the Apprentices Act
Online Apprenticeship Registration is required for Apprentices of both Designated Trades and Optional Trades
All new Apprentices must undergo basic training and whoever does so, will have their names registered under the central form 2 report half year ending
Candidates who do not have basic training or professional/educational qualifications who apply for professional training on the portal must receive basic training. They will be enrolled under the central form 2 report half year ending, wherein the half-yearly report will be submitted to the Regional Director or the State Apprenticeship Adviser
Vocational training is industrial or organizational training based on a vocational training agreement consisting of: -a) basic training components and b) workplace training (OJT) / workplace training
All organizations with a workforce of 30 or more (permanent and contract employees) are required to provide annual professional training programs to between 2.5% and 15% of the workforce (including direct contract employees). A central form 2 report half year ending will be prepared on these apprentices and submitted to the authorities as specified
Establishments with a workforce of 3 or less cannot accept Apprentices
All sectors come under the Apprentices Act, including manufacturing and services