As of July 1, 2023, there are over 250,000 vacant positions within the Indian Railways.
Among these vacancies, approximately 248,000 positions fall into the Group C (non-gazetted) category, which includes roles such as station masters, technicians, and junior engineers.
Over 250,000 Vacant Positions Within Indian Railways
The largest number of unfilled positions within the non-gazetted category is observed in the Northern Railway Zone, with 32,468 vacancies. Following closely are the Eastern and Western Railways with 29,869 and 25,597 vacancies, respectively.
This information was shared by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in response to queries posed by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi during a session in the Rajya Sabha.
Vaishnaw clarified that the process of filling these vacancies is ongoing, as the Indian Railways is a vast organization with continuous operational requirements. The vacancies are typically addressed through recruitment agencies based on the needs identified by the Railways.
1.28 Lakh Candidates Selected for Group ‘C’ Posts
Up to June 30, 2023, a total of 1.28 lakh candidates have been selected for Group ‘C’ posts, excluding level-1 positions, while 1.47 lakh candidates have been chosen for level-1 posts. Vaishnaw emphasized that once candidates are selected, they are not kept on a waiting list.
In terms of reservation, Vaishnaw noted that a 10 percent quota is reserved for the appointment of retired Agniveers as constables in the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF).
He added that Agniveers are exempt from the Physical Efficiency Test during recruitment when applicable. Additionally, horizontal reservation of 10 percent in Level-1 and 5 percent in Level-2 and above is provided to Agniveers against the Direct Recruitment Quota of various non-gazetted posts, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
The Agniveers, under the Agnipath scheme, are recruited into the armed forces for a four-year term, with 25 percent of them being retained after this period. The Indian government has also announced a 10 percent quota for former Agniveers in vacancies within the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Border Security Force (BSF).
