Lok Sabha Question No. 608 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Outsourcing of Employees for Railway Services
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sajda Ahmed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 608 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

## OUTSOURCING OF EMPLOYEES FOR RAILWAY SERVICES

## 608. SHRIMATI SAJDA AHMED:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the employment directly provided by Railways across the country during the last three years;
- (b) the  specifics  regarding  the  outsourcing  of  employees  for  railway services  in  the  past  three  years  along  with  the  details  on  the outsourcing practices within the railway sect   or;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  policies  aimed  at ceasing  direct  employment  by  the  Railway  Board  and  instead, compensating the demand through outsourcing practices;
- (d) if so, the details of the vacancies that have become available across the country in the Railways, zone-wise;
- (e)  the initiatives taken by the Government to generate employment in the Railways beyond direct hiring;
- (f) whether any comprehensive plans or strategies are in place to boost employment opportunities within the railway sector; and
- (g) if so, the details in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (g) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 608 BY SHRIMATI SAJDA AHMED TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA  ON  06.12.2023  REGARDING  OUTSOURCING  OF  EMPLOYEES  FOR RAILWAY SERVICES

- (a): During last three years (i.e. 2020-2021 to 2022-2023) and current year (i.e. 2023-2024 upto 30.09.2023), 150500 (Provisional) candidates have been empanelled  against  various  Group  'C'  posts  (including  Level  1  &  security related posts).
- (b): Indian  Railways  executes  a  wide  range  of  works  for  creation,  repair and maintenance of its various assets including stations, coaches, wagons, coaching depots, locomotives, tracks, etc pertaining to various departments namely  Mechanical,  Commercial,  Electrical,  Civil  Engineering,  Signal  & Telecommunication,  Medical,  etc.    These  works  are  executed  through  its own workers and/or through outsourcing (particularly non-core activities/which are not ongoing permanently) through contracting agencies. Outsourcing is done by Railways on need basis from time to time in order to improve the services and efficiency in operation  and  the  number  of works being  done  through  outsourcing  varies  from  time  to  time  according  to requirement.
- (c) & (d): Occurrence and filling up of vacancies is  a continuous process. Two  major  examinations  involving  more  than  2.37  crore  candidates  have been  conducted  recently  for  filling  up  1.39  lakh  vacancies.  1st  Stage Computer  Based  Test  for  CEN  01/2019  (NTPC)  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 in 15 languages. Similarly CBT for CEN RRC 01/2019 (Level 1) was conducted for more than 1.11 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 in 15 languages.

(e) to (g): Apart  from  providing  opportunities  for  direct  employment  in  the Indian Railways through regular employees, a large section of the society is associated  with  the  Indian  Railways  for  their  livelihood  indirectly.  With increase in loading and expansion of passenger services, further employment opportunities get created. Indian Railways thus creates employment  opportunities  indirectly  in  the  form  of  vendors,  hoteliers, logistic  players  like  transport  operators,  tourism  industry,  small  economy around railway stations etc. Further, Since the Indian railways is executing a number of  Infrastructure  projects,  there  is  a  huge  potential  of  creation  of opportunities  through  regular  and  contractual  employment  as  well  as  the development of ancillary industries such as steel, cement etc.

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