Lok Sabha Question No. 2089 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Available Vacancies of Loco Pilot in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Khalilur Rahaman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2089

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025

## AVAILABLE VACANCIES OF LOCO PILOT IN RAILWAYS

2089. SHRI KHALILUR RAHAMAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  regarding  the  existing  vacancies  of  loco  pilot  in railways;
- (b) the total strength of loco pilots in different categories of train in the country;
- (c) the number of loco pilots retired during the last ten years along with those recruited during the same period;
- (d) the steps being taken to fill up the vacant posts; and
- (e) the sanctioned duty hours of loco pilot in a week?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (e):  Occurrence  and  filling  up  of  vacancies  are  continuous processes 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.

| 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, 1,30,581 candidates have been recruited in Railways.

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     |

During  the  last  ten  years  (i.e.  2014-2015  to  2023-2024),  51,856 candidates have been recruited for the post of Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs)/ Loco Pilots (LPs). During the same period 15,300 number of loco pilots have retired.

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

Ten Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs) for 92,116 vacancies  have  been  notified  in  2024  for  filling  up  of  posts  of Assistant Loco Pilots (18,799 vacancies), Technicians, SubInspectors,  Constables  in  Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF),  Junior Engineers (JEs)/ Depot Material Superintendent (DMS)/ Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant (CMA), Paramedical Categories, NonTechnical  Popular  Categories  (Graduate),  Non-Technical  Popular Categories (Under-Graduate), Ministerial & Isolated Categories and Level-1. First stage Computer Based Test for 41,500 posts has been completed from 25.11.2024 to 30.12.2024.

## Details are as under:-

| Exam                                          | Candidates   |   Cities |   Centres |   Days |   Shifts |
|-----------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-----------|--------|----------|
| ALP CEN No. 01/2024 (18,799 vacancies)        | 18,40,347    |      156 |       346 |      5 |       15 |
| Technician CEN No. 02/2024 (14,298 vacancies) | 26,99,892    |      139 |       312 |      9 |       27 |
| JE/DMS/CMA CEN No. 03/2024 (7,951 vacancies)  | 11,01,266    |      146 |       323 |      3 |        9 |
| RPF(SI) CEN No. 01/2024 (452 vacancies)       | 15,35,635    |      143 |       306 |      5 |       15 |

Further,  Computer  Based  Test  for  RPF  CEN  No.  02/2024  (4,208 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.

Loco  Pilots  are  classified  under  Continuous  Category.  Section 132(2) of Railway Act, 1989, prescribes duty hours of 54 hrs a week on  an  average  in  a  two-weekly  period  of  fourteen  days  for  staff working under Continuous category. Rule 8 of 'Hours of Work and Period of Rest' (HOER), 2005 lays down the guidelines of duty hours of 52 hrs a week on an average in a two-weekly period of fourteen days for Loco Pilots i.e., duty hours are less than max. hrs of 54 per week for other 'Continuous' category employees on Indian Railways. Loco Pilots are also compensated for extra working hours as per the rates specified in Section 132 of the Railway Act, 1989. *****