CHENNAI: Responding to PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss’ allegation that there was a conspiracy to hand over railway apprentice jobs meant for Tamils to people from other states, the Southern Railway on Monday said it invites applications every year from candidates within its geographical jurisdiction.
The jurisdiction covers Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. This year, it issued a notification for 4,471 training slots.
Citing a Railway Board master circular issued in 2002, the SR said apprentices should be engaged through the nearest Employment Exchanges, SC/ST organisations, ITIs wherever available and wards of railway employees.
Another Railway Board circular issued in 2015 stipulates that notifications for apprentice engagement should be published in local dailies in the areas where the units concerned are located and apprentices are to be engaged, it said.
Applications from wards of railway employees can be forwarded by authorities prescribed by the Railway administration, it said, adding that all these procedures were duly followed this time as well.