Lok Sabha Question No. 3178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: SC Sub-Plan Expenditure in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

§

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3178

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026

## SC SUB-PLAN EXPENDITURE IN RAILWAYS

## 3178. DR. D RAVI KUMAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number  of Scheduled  Caste  persons employed, trained and promoted by the Railways during the last two years;
- (b) the details of SC Sub-Plan expenditure on railway infrastructure, station redevelopment and connectivity in SC-dominated areas;
- (c) whether any special skill development/apprenticeship programmes have been launched for SC youth and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the measures taken/being taken by the Government to improve safety, housing and social security of Scheduled Caste railway employees?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (d):  The  extant  provision  of  providing  15%  reservation  for Scheduled  Caste  persons,  in  recruitments  as  well  as  promotions  are followed in Indian Railways.

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.

Presently, recruitment against 1,43,086 vacancies of non-gazetted 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 posts  of  Assistant  Loco  Pilots  (ALPs),  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 (UnderGraduate),  Ministerial  &  Isolated  Categories  and  Level-1  categories such as Assistants, Track Maintainers and Pointsman.

First stage/Single stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for 92,116 posts has 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 post (32438 vacancies)                                                 | 1,08,28,261  |      152 |          15 |

| Total Candidates   | 3,58,59,270   |
|--------------------|---------------|

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 under: -

| 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) (3445 vacancies) | 51,978       | 79       | 15          |
| Total Candidates                                                                      | 5,57,611     |          |             |

Computer  Based  Aptitude  Test  (CBAT)  for  the  post  of  ALP  and NonTechnical Popular Categories (Graduate) 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 (18,799 vacancies)                       | 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                                             | 30,341       |       58 |           2 |

| Skill Test (CBTST) for the post of 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 41,000 candidates for various posts including the posts  of  Technicians,  Junior  Engineers,  Paramedical  Categories,  SubInspectors & Constable (RPF) and Assistant Loco Pilots have been finalised.

In addition, 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/ Depot Material Superintendent    | 2,585                       | October 2025            |
| 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                                           | 22,195                      | December 2025           |

First  stage/Single  stage  Computer  Based  Tests  (CBTs)  for 2953 posts has been completed.  Details are as under: -

| EXAM                                                   | Candidates   | Cities   | Languages   |
|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|-------------|
| CBT for the post of Section Controller (368 vacancies) | 4,33,748     | 131      | 15          |
| 1st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS (2585 vacancies)  | 5,74,351     | 133      | 15          |
| Total Candidates                                       | 10,08,099    |          |             |

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 visà-vis during 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 is given as under: -

| Period                 | Recruitments   | Recruitments   |
|------------------------|----------------|----------------|
| Period                 | Total          | SC category    |
| 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 | 4.11 lakh      | 64,224         |
| 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 | 5.08 lakh      | 79,115         |

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

The total number of employees promoted and Scheduled Caste employees promoted amongst them in Indian Railways during the last two years are as under:

|   Year |   Total employees promoted |   Number of Scheduled Caste employees promoted | Percentage of Scheduled Caste employees promoted   |
|--------|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
|   2024 |                     121820 |                                          20887 | 17.15%                                             |
|   2025 |                     136270 |                                          23383 | 17.16%                                             |

Indian Railways has a comprehensive training ecosystem with training centres across Zonal Railways and Production Units to provide skilling, re-skilling  and  up-skilling  to  employees  at  various  stages  of  their careers.  Irrespective  of  their  category  (SC/ST/OBC/General  etc),  all newly  recruited  or  promoted  employees  undergo  the  same  structured training  framework  at  various  stages  of  their  careers.    This  includes Induction  Training,  for  fresh  recruits,  Promotional  Training,  Refresher Training and Specialized Training, relevant to their respective fields of work.    The  training  standards  and  opportunities  are  uniform  for  all employees,  ensuring  parity  in  skill  development  and  capacity  building across categories. Additionally, Indian Railways conducts Apprenticeship Training under the Apprentices Act, 1961 at units such as  Production  Units,  Workshops,  Loco  Sheds,  and  Carriage  &  Wagon Depots, where reservation for SC/STs is provided as per rules, enabling youth to acquire skills and enhance employability.

Ministry of Railway is contributing to the socio and economic development of Schedule Caste communities by undertaking projects on pan India basis. The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations  with  a  long-term  approach  has  been  launched  by  Ministry  of Railway.  The  scheme  involves  preparation  of  master  plans  and  their implementation in phases to improve the stations like Improvement of access to station and circulating areas, Integration of station with both sides of city, Improvement of station building, Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths, Provision of wider foot over bridge/air concourse commensurate with passenger traffic, Provision  of  lift/escalators/ramp,  Improvement  /  Provision  of  platform surface and cover over platforms, Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes  like 'One Station One Product', Parking areas, Multimodal  integration,  Amenities  for  Divyangjans,  Better  passenger information systems, Provision of executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.

The  scheme  also  envisages  sustainable  and  environment  friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So  far,  1,337  stations  have  been  identified  for  development  under  the Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme.  Development  works  at  railway  stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme have been taken up at a good pace. Till  now,  works  have  been  completed  at  180  stations.  The  works  at other  stations  have  also  been  taken  up  at  good  pace  and  works  in progress.

Further, development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of stations  on  Indian  Railways  is  a  continuous  and  ongoing  process  and works  in  this  regard  are  undertaken  as  per  requirement,  subject  to inter-se priority and availability of funds. Development / redevelopment / upgradation  /  modernisation  of  a  station  is  carried  out  based  on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc.

Further, development / upgradation / modernisation of stations including Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme  is  generally  funded  under  Plan  Head-53 'Customer Amenities'. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise or station-wise  or  state-wise.  The  fund  allocation  of  ₹  12,120  crore  has been  made  for  the  financial  year  2025-26  under  Plan  Head-53  and expenditure (up to January, 2026) of ₹ 10,657 crore has been incurred so far.

Railways' safety guidelines and  welfare  policies apply equally to Schedule  Caste  employees  as  per  extant guidelines. In Housing, reservation of the 10% of Type I and Type II and 5% in Type III and IV railway quarters are made in favour of Schedule Caste employees in all areas where the number of quarters is 50 or more.

*****