Do you know the posts in the Railways and how are recruitments done in them?
Like other departments, the posts of Railways are also divided into different categories.
Indian Railways has one of the world’s largest train networks and requires personnel to operate. As a result, the Railways routinely conduct recruitment drives. However, do you know the posts in the Railways and how recruitment is conducted?
Similar to other departments, the posts in the Railways are divided into different categories — Group A, B, C, and D. Let us explain which posts fall under each category.
Group A:
This category includes the highest-level positions in the Railways, such as officer posts. The majority of these positions are filled through the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Additionally, the Engineering Services Examination and Combined Medical Examination are utilised to recruit candidates for various positions.
The Civil Services Exam is used to fill positions like the Indian Railway Traffic Service and Indian Railway Account Service. The engineering services examinations, on the other hand, are used to recruit for services such as the Indian Railway Service of Engineers, Indian Railway Store Service, and Electrical Engineer Indian Railway Service.
Group B:
Posts in Group B are also officer-level positions. However, relatively fewer people apply for these positions. Promotion from Group C is the usual route for officers to move into Group B positions. For other positions, the selection is typically done through the UPSC examination. It is important to note that Indian Railways Group A and Group B positions are filled by gazetted personnel.
Group C:
This category encompasses both technical and non-technical positions within the Railways. Technical posts may be related to civil, mechanical, electrical, engineering, signal, or telecommunication fields. Non-technical services include roles such as clerk, assistant, station master, ticket collector, and more.
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) is responsible for the recruitment of these positions. RRB frequently conducts Group C recruitment drives to fulfil the staffing requirements. The RRB NTPC exam is used for the recruitment of non-technical jobs, while separate exams are held for technical positions like Technician, Assistant Loco Pilot, Junior Engineer, and Senior Section Engineer.
Group D:
Group D comprises positions such as Trolleyman, Gateman, Helper, Trackman, and Pointman. The RRB Group D exam is used to select candidates for Group D positions. RRB conducts recruitment drives regularly to fill these positions. Recently, RRB completed the recruitment process for over 1 lakh Group D vacancies, with the next round of hiring expected to commence early next year. It is worth noting that Group C and Group D positions in the railways are not advertised.