Lok Sabha Question No. 2983 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-03
Subject: Gender Equality
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: E. T. Mohammed Basheer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2983 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2022

## GENDER EQUALITY

## 2983.  SHRI E. T. MOHAMMED BASHEER :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :

- (a) whether  it  has  come  to  the  notice  of  the  Government  that work participation of women in railway department is comparatively low and the gender gap is very high; and
- (b) the  steps  taken/  likely  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to ensure gender equality in employment in Railways?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTORNICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) and (b): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  AND (b) OF  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2983  BY  SHRI  E.  T. MOHAMMED BASHEER TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 03.08.2022 REGARDING GENDER EQUALITY

(a) &  (b)  As  on  31st  March  2021,  the  total  number  of  female employees  working  in  Indian  Railway  is  98,540  out  of  total employees 12,52,347 representing their overall participation @ 7.87% in employment in Railways.

In RPF, prior to the year 2018, the percentage of women personnel was approx 3% of the total sanctioned strength. In the  recruitment  which  started  in  the  year  2018,  out  of  8619 and 1121 vacancies notified for Constables and Sub-Inspectors respectively,  4216  (49  %  approx)  and  301  (27  %  approx) vacancies  were  reserved/notified  for  women  to  increase  the share of women in ranks of RPF. Post recruitment percentage of women in RPF has now increased significantly, from about 3% to 9 % of the total sanctioned strength.

Further,  to  enhance  women  participation  in  selection  and recruitment  in  various  level-I  posts,  the  following  steps  are being taken:

- (i) Application  fee  collected  from  women  candidates  are refunded to those who appeared in the examination.
- (ii) Upper age limit in case of widows, divorced women and women judicially separated from their husbands who are not remarried is relaxed upto age of 35 years.
- (iii) For  level-1  categories,  relaxed  qualifying  standards  for the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) for women candidates are applied.
- (iv) Facility  of  online  application  form  ensures  that  women are  able  to  apply  even  from  their  home  for  Railway recruitment notifications. recruitment the
- (v) Wide publicity is given to Railway notification and every candidate, irrespective of gender, etc. fulfilling eligibility criteria is free to apply.

In  addition,  for  the  safety  of  Women  employees  and  to protect  them  at  workplace,  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at Workplace  (Prevention,  Prohibition  and  Redressal)  Act  2013 has  been  enacted  and  the  guidelines  have  been  issued  by Ministry of Women  and Child Development. Accordingly, instructions  have  been  issued  to  Zonal  Railways/PUs  etc. to constitute an 'Internal Complaint Committee' (ICC) on each Zonal Railway for redressal of complaints related to cases of sexual  harassment  of  women  at  workplace  as  a  mandatory requirement. Zonal  Railways  have also been  directed to conduct regular workshop/orientation    programmes  to  create awareness about mandatory provisions of the Act.

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