To appear in SCRA Examination, a candidate must be either a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal, or a subject of Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India. or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or from Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Special Class Railway Apprentices' Examination as per Regulations published in Gazette of India in the year of the examination.
1. For admission to the examination a candidate must have passed in the first or second division, the Intermediate or an equivalent Examination of a University or Board approved by the Government of India with Mathematics and at least one of the subjects Physics and Chemistry as subjects of the examination.
2. Graduates with Mathematics and at least one of the subjects Physics and Chemistry as their degree subjects may also apply,
3. Must have passed in the first or second division, the Higher Secondary (12 years) Examination under 10 plus 2 pattern of School Education with Mathematics and atleast one of the subjects Physics and Chemistry as subjects of the examination.
4. Must have passed the first year Examination under the three year degree course of a university or the first examination of the three year diploma course in Rural Service of the National Council for Rural Higher Education or the third year Examination for promotion to the 4th year of the four year B.A./B.Sc. (Evening College) Course of the Madras University with Mathematics and at least one of the subjects Physics and Chemistry as subjects of the examination provided that before joining the degree/diploma course he passed the Higher Secondary examination or the Pre-University or equivalent examination in the first or second division.
5. Candidates who have passed the first/second year examination under the three-years degree course in the first or second division with Mathematics and either Physics or Chemistry as subjects of the Examination may also apply; provided the first/second year examination is conducted by a University
6. Must have passed in the first or second division the Pre-Engineering Examination of a University, approved by the Government of India
7. Must have passed in the first or second division the Pre-Professional/ Pre- Technological Examination of any Indian University or a recognized Board, with Mathematics and at least, one of the subjects Physics and Chemistry as subjects of the examination conducted one year after the Higher Secondary or Pre-University stage;
8. Must have passed the first year examination under the five year Engineering Degree Course of a University: Provided that before joining the Degree Course, he passed the Higher Secondary Examination or pre-University or equivalent examination in the first or second division.
9. Candidates who have passed the first year Examination of the five-year Engineering Degree Course in the first or second division may also apply provided the first year Examination is conducted by a University
10. Must have passed in the first or second division the Pre-Degree Examination of the Universities of Kerala and Calicut with Mathematics and at least one of the subjects Physics and Chemistry as subjects of the examination.
17-21 years on 1st August of the year of examination
Certain categories of persons as specified in the Notice are eligible for age relaxation.
Students belonging to Scheduled Caste, residence of J&K and Scheduled Tribe have the age relaxation of five years.
Other Backward Classes have the age freedom of three years.