APPRENTICES AND THEIR TRAININGCentral

Section 3B of The Apprentices Act, 1961

1[3B. Reservation of training places for Other Backward Classes in designated trades.--(1) In every designated trade, training places shall be reserved by the employer for the Other Backward Classes and where there is more than one designated trade in an establishment, such training places shall be reserved also on the basis of the total number of apprentices in all the designated trades in such establishment.

(2)The number of training places to be reserved for the Other Backward Classes under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed, having regard to the population of the Other Backward Classes in the State concerned.]

Summary

Employers must reserve training places for Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Reservation is required in every designated trade.
The total number of apprentices in the establishment is also used to calculate the reservation.
The number of reserved spots depends on the OBC population in that State.
This section ensures that OBC members have fair access to apprenticeship opportunities.
Like SC/ST reservation, the specific numbers are prescribed by government rules.

Practical examples

1A textile mill in Tamil Nadu reserves a specific number of seats for OBC candidates because they make up a significant portion of the State's population.

2When a workshop hires 20 apprentices across three trades, they check the State's OBC percentage to ensure enough spots are set aside for those candidates.

FAQ

1. Does this law provide reservation for OBCs?

Yes, Section 3B specifically requires reservation for Other Backward Classes.

2. Is the OBC quota the same in every State?

No, it depends on the population of the Other Backward Classes in each specific State.

3. Does this apply to small businesses with only one trade?

Yes, it applies to every designated trade, regardless of how many trades the establishment has.

4. What if an establishment has multiple trades?

Training places are reserved based on each trade and also the total number of apprentices in all trades combined.

Test yourself

Q1.Under Section 3B of The Apprentices Act, 1961, who is responsible for reserving training places for Other Backward Classes?

Q2.According to Section 3B of The Apprentices Act, 1961, what is the primary factor used to decide the number of reserved OBC spots?

Q3.Under Section 3B of The Apprentices Act, 1961, which trades must include OBC reservations?

Q4.How does Section 3B of The Apprentices Act, 1961, handle an establishment with several different types of apprentices?

3APreviousSection 3A Reservation of training places for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in designated trades.4NextSection 4 Contract of apprenticeship.

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