Lok Sabha Question No. 375 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Cancellation of Pending Departmental Selection
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Ujjwal Raman Singh, Shri  Selvaganapathi T.M.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 375

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.03.2025

## CANCELLATION OF PENDING DEPARTMENTAL SELECTION

*375 SHRI SELVAGANAPATHI T.M. : SHRI UJJWAL RAMAN SINGH :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Railways has cancelled all pending departmental selections on Group 'C' posts that were not finalized and approved till march 4, 2025, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  cancellation  of  departmental selection on Group 'C' posts was due to several irregularities noticed in conducting examination in the recent past, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  enquiry  in  this regard;
- (d) whether the CBI has arrested 26 railway officials of East Central Railway in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly leaking papers of a departmental examination and if so, the details thereof including the action taken against concerned officials in this regard;
- (e) the time by which the Government proposes to fill all the Group "C" posts in Railways along with the details thereof;
- (f) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  railways  roped  in  the  Railway Recruitment  Board  to  hold  all  departmental  promotion  examinations through a centralized computer-based test, if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the details of total posts lying vacant in all categories of railways especially relating to safety and security of rail operations as on date other than the promotional filling up posts?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING 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  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 375 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.03.2025.

(a)  to  (g):  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 (Safety-63669, Non-Safety 28447)  vacancies have been notified during  January  to  December  2024  for  filling  up  of  posts  of  Assistant Loco Pilots, Technicians, Sub-Inspectors, 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 five notifications,  Computer  Based  Tests  (CBTs)  have  been completed in two phases from 25.11.2024 to 30.12.2024 and 02.03.2025 to 18.03.2025. The details are as under:-

-Continued - 3/-

| 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 |
| CBT for the post of RPF- Constable (4208 vacancies)         | 45,30,288    |      149 |       354 |     12 |       36 |

Railways  have  a robust system  of Career progression involving multiple system of promotions:-

- (i) Promotion through Departmental Examination;
- (ii)
- Promotion through Skill Test;
- (iii) Promotion through Seniority-cum-Suitability

Most of the promotions are done through skill test & through Senioritycum-Suitability.  A small percentage of the overall promotion is done through Departmental Examination. In the recent past, some irregularities in existing system of departmental examination has been noticed.  Investigative  agency  has  arrested  some  officials  against whom  necessary  legal  action  is  underway.      This  Government  is committed to probity and transparency in public service.  Therefore, it was decided to revisit the system of departmental examination.

Railway  Recruitment  Boards(RRBs)  have  a  proven  track  record  of holding  fair  and  transparent  examination.  The  process  adopted  by Railway Recruitment Board(RRB) for conducting of examination is time tested.  The expertise is being leveraged for Department Examination

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