In Brief
Ram Gopal Dwivedi and others were engaged as apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961 to train as Boiler Attendants/Cable Joiners with a three-year training period. After training completion, their services were terminated. The Labour Court held the termination illegal and ordered reinstatement with 50% back wages. The High Court set aside this award relying on U.P. State Electricity Board v. Shiv Mohan Singh. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court, holding that apprentices are not 'workers' under industrial law and therefore cannot claim statutory labour protections. Termination upon completion of apprenticeship training is legal and does not require retrenchment compensation or reinstatement rights. Appeals dismissed.
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