Lok Sabha Question No. 2230 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Recruitment Efficiency
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Smt. Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2230 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025

## RECRUITMENT EFFICIENCY

2230.  SMT. POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to improve recruitment efficiency during the last decade;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  number  of  vacancies  filled  in  Indian Railways between 2014 and 2024 along with a comparison to the previous decade (2004-2014); and
- (c) whether the Government has taken steps to improve access to examinations for SCs/STs candidates, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (c):  Occurrence  and  filling  up  of  vacancies  is  a  continuous process  on  Indian  Railways  considering  its  size,  spatial  distribution and criticality of operation. Adequate and suitable  manpower  is provided  to  cater  to  the  regular  operations,  changes  in  technology, mechanisations and innovative practices. The vacancies are filled up primarily  by  placement  of  indents  by  Railways  with  Recruitment agencies as per operational and technological requirements.

After  easing  of  restrictions  imposed  on  account  of  COVID  19,  two major  examinations  involving  more  than  2.37  crore  candidates  have been conducted successfully during 2020 to 2022.

| Exam    | Candidates   |   Cities |   Centres |   Days |   Shifts |
|---------|--------------|----------|-----------|--------|----------|
| L2 - L6 | 1.26 cr      |      211 |       726 |     68 |      133 |
| L1      | 1.1 cr       |      191 |       551 |     33 |       99 |

Based  on  these  exams,  130581  candidates  have  been  recruited  in Railways.

The  RRB  examinations  are  quite  technical  in  nature  entailing  large scale  mobilization  of  men  and  resources  and  training  of  manpower. Railway  overcame  all  these  challenges  and  successfully  conducted the  recruitment  in  a  transparent  manner  following  all  laid  down guidelines.  No  instance  of  paper  leakage  or  similar  malpractice  has occurred during the entire process.

Recruitment  done  in  Indian  Railways  during  2004-2005  to  2013-2014 vis-à-vis during 2014-2015 to 2023-2024 is given as under:-

| Period                 | Recruitments*   |
|------------------------|-----------------|
| 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 | 4.11 lakhs      |
| 2014-2015 to 2023-2024 | 5.02 lakhs      |

Further,  as  a  system  improvement,  the  Ministry  of  Railways  has introduced  a  system  of  publishing  annual  calendar  from  2024  for recruitment to various categories of Group 'C' posts. The introduction of annual calendar will benefit the aspirants in the following manner:

-   More opportunities for candidates;
-   Opportunities to those becoming eligible every year;
-   Certainty of exams;
-   Faster Recruitment process, Training and Appointments

Accordingly,  ten  Centralized  Employment  Notifications  (CENs)  for 92116  vacancies have been notified during January to December 2024 for  filling  up  of  posts  of  Assistant  Loco  Pilots,  Technicians,  SubInspectors,  Constables  in  Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF),  Junior Engineers  (JEs)/  Depot  Material  Superintendent  (DMS)/  Chemical  & Metallurgical Assistant (CMA), Paramedical Categories, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate), Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under-Graduate), Ministerial & Isolated Categories and Level-1.

For four  notifications,  Computer  Based  Tests  (CBTs)  have  been completed from 25.11.2024 to 30.12.2024. The details are as under:-

| Exam                                                        | Candidates   |   Cities |   Centres |   Days |   Shifts |
|-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-----------|--------|----------|
| 1 st Stage CBT for the post of ALP (18,799 vacancies)       | 18,40,347    |      156 |       346 |      5 |       15 |
| CBT for the post of RPF- SI (452 vacancies)                 | 15,35,635    |      143 |       306 |      5 |       15 |
| 1 st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 vacancies) | 11,01,266    |      146 |       323 |      3 |        9 |
| CBT for the post of Technician (14,298 vacancies)           | 26,99,892    |      139 |       312 |      9 |       27 |

In  addition,  Computer  Based  Test  for  RPF  CEN  No.  02/2024  (4208 vacancies)  for  the  post  of  Constable  has  started  from  02.03.2025 onwards.  2nd  Stage  Computer  Based  Test  (CBT-II)  for  CEN  No. 01/2024, for the post of Assistant Loco Pilot is scheduled on 19.03.2025 and 20.03.2025.

The following relaxations/concessions are given to Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes candidates in direct recruitment to Group 'C' posts by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs)-

- (a) Upper Age Relaxation,
- (b) Waiver of examination fee,
- (c) Free Travelling Pass to and fro during examination,
- (d) Relaxation in qualifying marks.

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