PRELIMINARYCentral

Section 1 of The Apprentices Act, 1961

(1)This Act may be called the Apprentices Act, 1961.
(2)It extends to the whole of India 1 ***.
(3)It shall come into force on such date2 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different States.
(4)The provisions of this Act shall not apply to
1. (a)any area or to any industry in any area unless the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette specifies that area or industry as an area or industry to which the said provisions shall apply with effect from such date as may be mentioned in the notification; 3 * * * * * 4 [(c) any such special apprenticeship scheme for imparting training to apprentices as may be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette.]

Summary

The law is called The Apprentices Act, 1961.
It applies to the entire country of India.
It starts working on dates chosen by the Central Government through official notices.
The Government can pick different start dates for different States.
It only applies to specific industries or areas if the Government issues a notice saying so.
It does not apply to special training schemes that the Government lists as exempt.

Practical examples

1In 2026, the Central Government decides that the Act will finally apply to a specific remote district in Ladakh after issuing a notice in the Official Gazette.

2A new solar power company in Gujarat is told they must follow these rules because their specific industry was named in a recent government notification.

FAQ

1. Does this law apply to the whole country?

Yes, it extends to the whole of India.

2. When did this law start being used?

The Central Government appoints the date by notification, and they can set different dates for different States.

3. Can the Government exclude certain industries?

Yes, the provisions only apply to an area or industry if the Central Government specifies it in the Official Gazette.

4. Are all training schemes covered?

No, the Government can notify special apprenticeship schemes that are not covered by these rules.

Test yourself

Q1.Under Section 1 of The Apprentices Act, 1961, to which part of India does this law apply?

Q2.According to Section 1 of The Apprentices Act, 1961, how is the start date of the Act determined?

Q3.Under Section 1 of The Apprentices Act, 1961, what must happen before the Act applies to a specific industry in an area?

Q4.Under Section 1 of The Apprentices Act, 1961, which of these is explicitly excluded from the Act if the Central Government says so?

2NextSection 2 Definitions.

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