Lok Sabha Question No. 5446 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Recruitment of Agniveers in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5446 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026

## RECRUITMENT OF AGNIVEERS IN RAILWAYS

## 5446. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  an  assessment  of  long-term employment sustainability for Agniveers recruited into Railways and if so,  the  details  of  job  security,  promotion  avenues  and  permanency provisions thereof;
- (b)  whether  salary  parity  and  service  conditions  for  ex-Agniveers  match existing railway staff in similar posts and  if so, the details of comparative pay structure and benefits thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  evaluated  the  impact  of  this  policy  on existing railway staff and operational efficiency and if so, the details of measurable outcomes and performance indicators thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  contractual  engagement  of  ex-servicemen  as  Pointsmen dilute  regular  recruitment  opportunities  for  civilian  candidates  and  if so,  the  details  of  the  justification  thereof  and  safeguards  adopted  to maintain recruitment balance;
- (e) whether reservation benefits announced under the cooperation framework are being uniformly implemented across all Railway zones and if so, the details of recruitment data thereof, zone-wise and if not, reasons for deviation; and
- (f)  whether  training  and  skill-mapping  mechanisms  have  been  created  to align  military  experience  with  technical  Railway  posts  and  if  so,  the details of the curriculum and implementing agencies thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (f) The occurrence and filling up of vacancies in Indian Railways is a continuous process, considering its size, spatial distribution and

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criticality  of  operations.  Adequate  and  suitable  manpower  is  provided  to cater  to  operational  requirements,  technological  changes,  mechanisation and  innovative  practices,  with  vacancies  primarily  filled  through  indents placed  with  recruitment  agencies  as  per  operational  and  technological requirements.

The  details  of  AGNIPATH  scheme  for  recruitment  of  Agniveers  to  nongazetted posts in Railways are as under:

-  A  horizontal  reservation  of  10%  in  direct  recruitment  from  open market in Pay Level-1 posts and  5% in Pay Level-2  and  above  level posts  in  various  departments  (other  than  RPF/RPSF)  is  provided  to AGNIVEERS in Railways.
-  A 10% horizontal reservation in the posts of Constables in RPF/RPSF Department is also provided.
-  Reservation is subject to their fulfilling other eligibility conditions for direct recruitment in Railways to the post.
-  An age relaxation up to five years for the first batch of Agniveers and up to three years for subsequent batches of Agniveers over and above the existing upper age limits for the normal candidates is provided.
-  Exemption from requirement of qualifying the Physical Efficiency Test necessary  for  recruitment  in  Pay  level-1  posts  is  also  provided  to them.
-  These benefits will be applicable uniformly across all Zonal Railways.
-  Once recruited they will be governed by the same Service Conditions, Pay  &  Allowances  as  are  applicable  to  normal  railway  servants recruited from open market against direct recruitment posts.

The  first batch of Agniveers has not yet  completed their term of engagement and retention process as such they are not yet available for

appearing in the appointment process on the Railways. Since the recruitment  of  Agniveers  will  be  against  direct  recruitment  vacancies, there  will  be  no  impact  on  the  promotional  prospects  or  other  service conditions of the existing railway staff or on the operational efficiency of Railways.

In  direct  recruitment  in  Railways,  a  horizontal  reservation  of  20%  in  Pay Level-1  and  10%  in  Pay  Level-2  and  above  posts  is  provided  to  ExServicemen  eligible candidates. In addition,  Ex-Servicemen are also considered for engagement on temporary basis as Gatemen and Pointsmen against short term vacancies  till a regularly recruited  candidate is available  to  ensure  smooth  progress  of  developmental  and  other  works. This is applicable uniformly on all the Zonal Railways.

Recruitment in Indian Railways has been undertaken at a large scale over the years, and the occurrence and filling up of vacancies continues as an ongoing process. The details of recruitment are as under:

Recruitment  done  in  Indian  Railways  during  2004-05  to  2013-14  vis-à-vis during 2014-15 to 2025-26 is given as under: -

| Period                 | Recruitments   |
|------------------------|----------------|
| 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 | 4.11 lakh      |
| 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 | 5.08 lakh      |
| 2025-2026 - till date  | 42,380         |

The RRB examinations are quite technical in nature entailing large scale mobilisation 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.

Further, as system improvement, the Ministry of Railways has introduced a system  of  publishing  the  Annual  Calendar  from  2024  for  recruitment  to various  categories  of  Group  'C'  posts.  The  introduction  of  the  Annual Calendar is benefitting 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

Presently, recruitment against 1,43,086 vacancies of nongazetted personnel has been taken up on Indian Railways as per Annual Calendar 2024 and 2025.

During January to December 2024, ten Centralized Employment Notifications  (CENs)  for 92,116  vacancies  were  notified  for  filling  up  of various  posts. First  Stage/Single  stage  Computer  Based  Tests  (CBTs) for these posts have been completed.  Details are as under:-

| Exam                                                       | Candidates   |   Cities |   Languages |
|------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-------------|
| 1st Stage CBT for the post of ALP (18,799 vacancies)       | 18,40,347    |      156 |          15 |
| CBT for the post of Technician (14,298 vacancies)          | 26,99,892    |      139 |          15 |
| 1st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 vacancies) | 11,01,266    |      146 |          15 |
| CBT for the post of RPF-SI (452 vacancies)                 | 15,35,635    |      143 |          15 |

| CBT for the post of RPF-Constable (4,208 vacancies)                                   | 45,30,288   | 147   | 15   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|-------|------|
| CBT for Paramedical Categories (1,376 vacancies)                                      | 7,08,321    | 143   | 15   |
| 1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate) (8,113 vacancies)       | 58,41,774   | 141   | 15   |
| 1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under Graduate) (3,445 vacancies) | 63,27,473   | 157   | 15   |
| CBT for Ministerial & Isolated categories (1,036 vacancies)                           | 4,46,013    | 139   | 15   |
| CBT for level-1 posts (32438 vacancies)                                               | 1,08,28,261 | 152   | 15   |
| Total Candidates                                                                      | 3,58,59,270 |       |      |

The 2nd stage CBTs for the posts of ALP, JE/DMS/CMA and Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate & Under-Graduate) have also been completed.  Details are as below:-

| Exam                                                 | Candidates   |   Cities |   Languages |
|------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-------------|
| 2nd Stage CBT for the post of ALP (18,799 vacancies) | 2,66,363     |      112 |          15 |

| 2nd Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 vacancies)                             | 1,17,339   | 118   | 15   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|-------|------|
| 2nd Stage CBT for Non- Technical Popular Categories (Graduate) (8,113 vacancies)       | 1,21,931   | 129   | 15   |
| 2nd Stage CBT for Non- Technical Popular Categories (Under-Graduate) (3,445 vacancies) | 51,978     | 79    | 15   |
| Total Candidates                                                                       | 5,57,611   |       |      |

Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) for the post of Assistant Loco Pilots and Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate Level) and Computer based Skill Test for the post of Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate and Under Graduate) and Ministerial & Isolated Categories have also been completed. Details are as under:-

| Exam                                                              | Candidates   |   Cities |   Languages |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-------------|
| CBAT for the post of ALP                                          | 1,32,044     |       84 |           2 |
| Translation Test for Ministerial and Isolated Categories          | 1,233        |        8 |           2 |
| CBAT for the post of Non- Technical Popular Categories (Graduate) | 13,616       |       38 |           2 |
| Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for the post of          | 30,341       |       58 |           2 |

| Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate-level)                                                                 |          |    |    |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|----|----|
| Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for the post of Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under-Graduate- level) | 13,145   | 44 | 2  |
| Total Candidates                                                                                                  | 1,90,379 |    |    |

Panels  for  more  than  42,000  candidates  for  various  posts  including Technicians, Junior Engineers, Paramedical Categories, Sub-Inspectors and Constables  in  RPF  and  Assistant  Loco  Pilots  have  been  finalised,  with  a majority in safety categories.

In addition to above, as per Annual Calendar for the year 2025, nine Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs) for 50,970 vacancies have also been issued. Details are as under:-

| CEN No.   | Post Name              | No. of Vacancies notified   | Month of Notification   |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
| 01/2025   | Assistant Loco Pilots  | 9,970                       | March 2025              |
| 02/2025   | Technician             | 6,238                       | June 2025               |
| 03/2025   | Paramedical categories | 434                         | July 2025               |
| 04/2025   | Section Controller     | 368                         | August 2025             |
| 05/2025   | Junior Engineer (JE)/  | 2,585                       | October 2025            |

|         | Depot Material Superintendent/ Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant                     |        |               |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|---------------|
| 06/2025 | Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate)                                           | 5,810  | October 2025  |
| 07/2025 | Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under- Graduate)                                    | 3,058  | October 2025  |
| 08/2025 | Isolated Categories                                                                   | 312    | December 2025 |
| 09/2025 | Level-1 posts (Including Assistants, Track Maintainers and Pointsman -5053 vacancies) | 22,195 | December 2025 |
| Total   | Total                                                                                 | 50,970 |               |

First  stage/Single  stage  Computer  Based  Tests  (CBTs)  for 19,595 posts have been completed.  Details are as under: -

| Exam                                               | Candidates   |   Cities |   Languages |
|----------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-------------|
| 1st Stage CBT for the post of ALP (9970 vacancies) | 10,03,719    |      141 |          15 |
| CBT for the post of Section Controller             | 4,33,748     |      131 |          15 |

Further, 11,127 vacancies of ALP have been approved for notification in the Calendar year 2026.

| (368 vacancies)                                            |           |     |    |
|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----|----|
| 1st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (2585 vacancies)  | 5,74,351  | 133 | 15 |
| CBT for the post of Technician (6238 vacancies)            | 8,41,525  | 117 | 15 |
| CBT for the post of Paramedical Categories (434 vacancies) | 3,19,396  | 106 | 15 |
| Total Candidates                                           | 31,72,739 |     |    |

The Agniveers at the end of their engagement period are provided with a detailed Skill Set Certificate highlighting the skills and level of competency acquired by them during their engagement period. The Agniveers (Technical), Agniveers (Clerk/Store Keeper Technical) and Agniveers (Tradesmen,  10th  pass)  are  some  categories  of  Agniveers  which  directly coincide with the skill sets required in Railways.

Indian  Railways  has  a  comprehensive  training  ecosystem  comprising Centralised Training Institutes, Multi-disciplinary Zonal Training Institutes, Multi-disciplinary  Divisional  Training  Institutes  and  specialised  training centres.  These  Institutes  provide  induction,  refresher,  promotional  and technical training at various stages of service in Railways. Detailed training modules are prescribed for respective categories at initial and promotional stages  along  with  refresher  and  specialized  courses,  with  emphasis  on practical aspects and regular updation in line with technological changes in  areas  such  as  track  safety,  communication  systems  and  emergency handling.

Specialized initiatives such as training on Kavach, simulator-based training and disaster management are also integrated, along with serviceorientation modules covering soft skills, customer care, threat perception, emergency response, fire-fighting, first-aid and gender sensitisation. Employees are also encouraged to undertake continuous learning through digital  platforms  such  as  the  iGOT  Karmayogi  portal,  and  the  existing training  framework  is  leveraged  to  bridge  domain-specific  skill  gaps  and align manpower with operational requirements.

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