Section 8: Number of apprentices for a designated trade.

(1) The Central Government shall prescribe the number of apprentices to be engaged by the employer for designated trade and optional trade.

(2) Several employers may join together either themselves or through an agency, approved by the Apprenticeship Adviser, according to the guidelines issued from time to time by the Central Government in this behalf, for the purpose of providing apprenticeship training to the apprentices under them.]

STATE AMENDMENTS Maharashtra Amendment of section 8 of 52 of 1961.—In section 8 of the principal Act, after the existing sub- section (1), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:— “(1A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the establishment shall have to engage trade apprentices to the extent of minimum 2.5 per cent. and maximum 25 per cent. of the total strength of the employees of establishment including contractual or daily wages or whose services have been available through third party in any designated trades or optional trades for which activities are carried out in that establishment.”. [Vide Maharashtra Act 17 of 2018, s. 4].