This article examines the institution of apprenticeship in artisanal production during the second half of British colonial rule in India (1850–1950). It proposes that apprenticeships were used strategically by various types of businesses that employed or trained artisanal labour, ranging from craft industries, technical schools and government enterprises. The article focuses on three strands of apprenticeships. First, it discusses the master-apprentice relationships, which were bound through artisanal rituals, customs and community norms. Second, it discusses the mutation of master-apprentice relationships in artisanal workshops undergoing commercialisation. It highlights the role of debt as a key instrument in binding apprentices to master artisans. Finally, it focuses on the colonial state’s interventions to institute indentured apprenticeships, some of which were legally bound. The article highlights the broader colonial discussion on the institution of apprenticeships, including the Indian versions of it, which were marked by the rigidity of caste and unscientific training methods. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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