Sections 23-25 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Sections 23 to 25 describe the bodies that administer the Act. Section 23 lists the authorities and requires affiliation between them. Section 24 provides for the establishment and composition of the Central Apprenticeship Council and the State Apprenticeship Councils. Section 25 says that a vacancy or a defect in the constitution of a Council does not invalidate its acts.
This article is based on the consolidated text of the Act consulted (amended up to Act 29 of 2014). Later amendments should be checked before you rely on it.
In addition to the Government, the Act names nine authorities in section 23(1). The Central Government establishes the Central Apprenticeship Council and each State Government a State Apprenticeship Council, by notification. Each Council has a Chairman, a Vice Chairman and other members from stated categories. No act or proceeding of the National Council, the Central Apprenticeship Council, the State Council or the State Apprenticeship Council is questioned merely for a vacancy or a defect in constitution.
Section 23: the nine authorities
Section 23(1) says that "in addition to the Government" there shall be these authorities under the Act:
| Clause | Authority |
|---|---|
| (a) | The National Council |
| (b) | The Central Apprenticeship Council |
| (c) | The State Council |
| (d) | The State Apprenticeship Council |
| (e) | The All India Council |
| (f) | The Regional Boards |
| (g) | The Boards or State Council of Technical Education |
| (h) | The Central Apprenticeship Adviser |
| (i) | The State Apprenticeship Adviser |
Clauses (e) to (g) are marked as inserted by Act 27 of 1973. Several of these bodies are defined in section 2; see our articles on section 2 (apprentice, designated trade, employer and establishment) and section 2 (trade apprentice and other terms).
Affiliation. Sub-section (2) says every State Council shall be affiliated to the National Council and every State Apprenticeship Council to the Central Apprenticeship Council. Sub-section (2-A) (inserted by Act 27 of 1973) says every Board or State Council of Technical Education and every Regional Board shall be affiliated to the Central Apprenticeship Council.
Functions. Sub-section (3) says each authority shall, in relation to apprenticeship training under the Act, perform such functions as are assigned to it by or under the Act or by the Government. The proviso adds that a State Council shall also perform functions assigned to it by the National Council and the State Apprenticeship Council, and the Board or State Council of Technical Education shall also perform functions assigned by the Central Apprenticeship Council. The copy prints "State Council or Technical Education" in the proviso, a slip for "of".
The Act does not list the functions in section 23 itself. Functions are scattered through the Act, for example the Apprenticeship Adviser's role in sections 4, 5, 7 and 20 and the National Council's in section 21. If you want a map of the bodies you will deal with as an employer, our labour law compliance team can prepare one for your establishment.
Section 24: constitution of the Councils
| Sub-section | Council | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Both | The Central Government establishes the Central Apprenticeship Council, and the State Government the State Apprenticeship Council, by notification in the Official Gazette |
| (2) | Central | A Chairman and a Vice Chairman and such other members as the Central Government thinks expedient, appointed by notification from four categories |
| (3) | Central | Number of members from each category, term of office, procedure, and filling of vacancies: such as may be prescribed |
| (4) | State | A Chairman and a Vice Chairman and such other members as the State Government thinks expedient, appointed by notification from four categories |
| (5) | State | The same matters: such as the State Government may, by notification, determine |
| (6) | Both | Fees and allowances, if any, of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and other members: as determined by the Central Government (Central Council) or the State Government (State Council) |
Categories of members
For the Central Apprenticeship Council, sub-section (2) names: (a) representatives of employees in establishment in the public and private sectors; (b) representatives of the Central Government and of the State Government; (c) persons having special knowledge and experience on matters relating to industry, labour and technical education; and (d) representatives of the All India Council and of the Regional Boards.
For the State Apprenticeship Council, sub-section (4) names: (a) representatives of employers in establishments in the public and private sectors; (b) representatives of the Central Government and of the State Governments; (c) persons having special knowledge and experience on matters relating to industry, labour and technical education; and (d) representatives of the Board or of the State Council of Technical Education.
Note the difference in the first category. Sub-section (2)(a), as printed, speaks of "representatives of employees in establishment in the public and private sectors", while sub-section (4)(a) speaks of "representatives of employers in establishments in the public and private sectors". We quote each as printed and do not say which is intended. Sub-section (4) also prints "categories or persons" for "categories of persons". Clauses (c) and (d) are marked as substituted or inserted by Act 27 of 1973, and the words "a Chairman and a Vice Chairman" as substituted by the same Act.
What is left to rules
Sub-section (3) leaves the number of members from each category, the term, the procedure and the filling of vacancies to what "may be prescribed". None of the rules in the sources fills this, so we state no number, term or procedure. For the State Council, sub-section (5) leaves the same matters to the State Government's notification. Nothing from any State notification is in the sources.
Section 25: vacancies do not invalidate
Section 25 reads: no act done or proceeding taken by the National Council, the Central Apprenticeship Council, the State Council or the State Apprenticeship Council under the Act shall be questioned on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or defect in the constitution of, such Council. The word "merely" matters: a vacancy or defect alone is not a ground for questioning the act, but the section does not say that other grounds are closed. Note also that section 25 lists four bodies and not all nine authorities.
Where the Councils matter in practice
- Appeals. Under section 20(2), an appeal from the Apprenticeship Adviser's decision lies to the Apprenticeship Council, heard by a committee of the Council. See our article on sections 19-20.
- Designation of trades. The Central Government consults the Central Apprenticeship Council before specifying a designated trade under section 2(e).
- Which Council. Section 35(1) (covered in our article on sections 34-38) says a reference to the Apprenticeship Council means the Central or State Council according to the appropriate Government.
The four Labour Codes are in force from 21 November 2025; check the current position before relying on any other labour law.
An example
Mehta Industries wants to know which Apprenticeship Council would hear an appeal if its apprentice's dispute went to the Adviser and Mehta lost. Its compliance officer, Anita, first asks whether the Central or the State Government is the appropriate Government for the establishment under section 2(d). If it is the State Government, the reference to the Apprenticeship Council means the State Apprenticeship Council, as the printed words of section 35(1) say. The State Council's composition is as in section 24(4), and the matters left to the State Government are determined by its notification, which Anita must obtain separately.
Need help finding the right authority for your establishment?
Knowing which Government, Council and Adviser applies to you saves time when a registration, appeal or inspection comes up. Our labour law compliance service can help you identify them and keep the contacts on file.
Key takeaways
- Section 23(1) names nine authorities in addition to the Government.
- State bodies are affiliated to the corresponding Central bodies.
- The Central and State Governments establish their Apprenticeship Councils by notification under section 24(1).
- The member categories of the two Councils differ in the first category as printed: "employees" for the Central Council and "employers" for the State Council.
- A vacancy or defect in constitution does not, merely on that ground, invalidate a Council's act or proceeding.
Read next
- Sections 26-28: Apprenticeship Advisers and their status
- Sections 19-20: records, returns and settlement of disputes
- Section 29: powers of entry and inspection
- Labour law compliance checklist for employers
Disclaimer: Based on a consolidated text of the Apprentices Act, 1961 amended up to Act 29 of 2014, on the Gazette of India copy of the Apprentices (Amendment) Act, 2014, and on a consolidated copy of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992 in which the latest amendment marked is dated 20 January 2017, as consulted on 2 October 2026. Stipend rates and other figures are as printed in those texts and may have been revised; later amendments and the position under the Labour Codes in force from 21 November 2025 should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.