¹[(1) If any employer contravenes the provisions of this Act relating to the number of apprentices which he is required to engage under those provisions, he shall be given a month's notice in writing, by an officer duly authorised in this behalf by the appropriate Government, for explaining the reasons for such contravention.

(1A) In case the employer fails to reply the notice within the period specified under sub-section (1), or the authorised officer, after giving him an opportunity of being heard, is not satisfied with the reasons given by the employer, he shall be punishable with fine of five hundred rupees per shortfall of apprenticeship month for first three months and thereafter one thousand rupees per month till such number of seats are filled up.]

(2) If any employer or any other person—

(a) required to furnish any information or return—

(i) refuses or neglects to furnish such information or return, or

(ii) furnishes or causes to be furnished any information or return which is false and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, or

(iii) refuses to answer, or gives a false answer to any question necessary for obtaining any information required to be furnished by him, or

(b) refuses or wilfully neglects to afford ²[the Central or the State Apprenticeship Adviser or such other person, not below the rank of an Assistant Apprenticeship Adviser, as may be authorised by the Central or the State Apprenticeship Adviser in writing in this behalf], any reasonable facility for making any entry, inspection, examination or inquiry authorised by or under this Act, or

(c) requires an apprentice to work overtime without the approval of the Apprenticeship Adviser, or

(d) employs an apprentice on any work which is not connected with his training, or

(e) makes payment to an apprentice on the basis of piecework, or

(f) requires an apprentice to take part in any output bonus or incentive scheme,

³[(g) engages as an apprentice a person who is not qualified for being so engaged, or

(h) fails to carry out the terms and conditions of a contract of apprenticeship.]

he shall be punishable with ⁴ [fine of one thousand rupees for every occurrence].

³[(2A) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any establishment or industry which is under the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction established under the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 (1 of 1986).]

1. Subs. by Act 29 of 2014, s. 13, for sub-section (1) (w.e.f. 22-12-2014).
2. Subs. by Act 27 of 1973, s. 22, for "the Central or the State Apprenticeship Advisers " (w.e.f. 1-12-1974).
3. Ins. by Act 29 of 2014, s. 13 (w.e.f. 22-12-2014).
4. Subs. by s. 13, ibid., for "imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine or with both " (w.e.f. 22-12-2014).