Lok Sabha Question No. 268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Reasons for Decreasing Recruitment in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Sukhdeo Bhagat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 268

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

## REASONS FOR DECREASING RECRUITMENT IN RAILWAYS

268 SHRI SUKHDEO BHAGAT:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the notifications for the post(s) in level-3, level-4, level-5 and level-6 issued  by    RRB  from  the  years  2014  to  2023,  year-wise  and  postwise;
- (b) the total number of candidates recruited for the post in pay level 3, 4,  5  and  6  under  direct  recruitment  from  2014  to  2023,  year  and post-wise;
- (c) the  total  number  of  employees,  retired,  resigned  or  relinquished their posts in pay level 3, 4, 5 & 6 from 2014 to 2023, year and postwise;
- (d) the total number of new trains started operating from the year 2014 to 2023, year-wise; and
- (e) the  total  number  of  Rail  coaches  added  in  Railways  from  2014  to 2023, year  and  category-wise like General, Sleeper, 3AC, 2AC and 1st AC?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 268 BY SHRI SUKHDEO BHAGAT TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2024 REGARDING REASONS FOR DECREASING RECRUITMENT IN RAILWAYS

(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.

Computer Based Test (CBT) exam for more than 1.26 crore candidates was conducted  in  7  phases  from  28.12.2020  to  31.07.2021  in  133  shifts  in  68 days across 211 cities and 726 centers.

Similarly,  CBT  was  conducted  for  more  than  1.1  crore  candidates  in  5 phases from 17.08.2022 to 11.10.2022 in 99 shifts in 33 days across 191 cities and 551 centers.

Based  on  these  exams,  1,30,581  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  2004-2014  vis-à-vis  during 2014-2024 is given as under:-

| Period    | Recruitments   |
|-----------|----------------|
| 2004-2014 | 4.11 lakh      |
| 2014-2024 | 5.02 lakh      |

Further, as system improvement, the Ministry of Railways has introduced a system of publishing annual calendar this year for recruitment to various categories  of  Group  'C'  post.  Accordingly,  four  Centralized  Notifications (CENs)  for  32,603  vacancies  have  been  notified  during  January  to  March 2024  for  filling  up  of  posts  of  Assistant  Loco  Pilots,  Technicians,  SubInspectors & Constables in Railway Protection Force (RPF).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

(d)  &  (e):  During  2014-2015  to  2023-2024,  1926  new  train  services  have been introduced on the Indian Railways network. During the period 54,809 new coaches have been added.

….. contd. 3 / -

Indian  Railways  operate  various  types  of  regular  time-table  trains  e.g. suburban  short  distance  passenger  trains,  long  distance/  Mail  Express/ Superfast trains with different Composition catering to different segments of  passengers.  The  extant  policy  regarding  composition  of  Mail/  Express trains  provides  for  12  (Twelve)  General  class  and  sleeper  class  non-AC coaches in a 22 Coach train.

Of  the  total  number  of  coaches  being  presently  utilized  for  running  train services, about two third are non-AC and one third are AC variants. To cater to  demand  of  non  AC  passengers,  Indian  railways  has  also  planned  to manufacture 10,000 General and Sleeper class (Non AC) coaches. Additionally Indian Railway have also started operating Amrit Bharat series which  are  fully  non-AC  trains  providing  high  quality  services  to  the passengers.

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