Navigating Apprentices Act Compliance: Can Head Office Share Apprentices with Manufacturing Units?

Dear Colleagues, 1.0 - As per the Apprentices Act, every employer should ensure that the number of apprentices is not less than 2% of the total strength of the establishment and not more than 15%. If a Head Office has a total strength of around 1200 in various categories, please suggest how to comply with the Act. 2.0 - Can the Head Office be given the liberty to engage an equal number of apprentices in the Manufacturing Units attached to it instead of the Head Office?

I think that we cannot engage apprentices in an industry under the Apprentices Act, 1961, in any field of activity other than the designated trade as notified under the Act. The ratio is with reference to the total strength of employees in the designated trade only.