The Indian Railways has a team of engineering professionals from the core branches of Engineering to manage the planning and expansion work, its production units, maintenance, and engineering services related to the functioning of the railways. Engineers join the Indian Railways as Group ‘A’ personnel. They are selected for five branches as technical staff for the Indian Railways. These branches are Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), Indian Railway Service of Signal and Telecommunication Engineers (IRSSE), Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), and Indian Railways Stores Service (IRSS).
Nature of Work
Engineering officers in the Indian Railways are specialists who are inducted through a rigorous selection procedure as well as structured training with the organisation. They serve the organisation as per the hierarchy at the zonal and divisional levels which ensures functional and administrative convenience. The work engineers do in these branches and their career profile has been described in the following paragraphs.
Indian railway service of engineers (IRSE)
Officers of this branch form the Civil Engineering team for the Indian Railways. Planning of the track routes, construction of railway stations, bridges, tunnels, constructing housing colonies is the task of this branch. Officers of this branch also work on projects undertaken in India or abroad under the consultancy organisations of the Railways (Rail India Technical and Economic Services Ltd. – RITES and IRCON).
Career profile – On recruitment the officers go through 3 years of probation very much like the officers inducted into IRTS, IRAS, IRPS, RPF. The training period is spent in eight weeks foundation course and six weeks of induction course at the Railway Staff College at Vadodra . The technical training is imparted at the Indian Railway Institute of Civil Engineering (IRICEN) in Pune. The third year of probation is a virtual posting for on the job training. Generally the recruited officer is given experience in maintaining the railway segment under his charge. On confirmation the engineering officer is posted as Assistant Engineer in a Division. Generally after two years the next position is as Divisional Engineer. The next promotion to the post of Senior Divisional Engineer takes 5-6 years. Movement to the Zonal level comes next.
Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME)
The task of Mechanical engineers is the maintenance of Deisel Locomotives and rolling stock of the railways. It is their responsibility to ensure that the locomotives, wagons and carriages are in proper order for day to day running. They carry out periodic overhauling of the engines. The job of mechanical engineers involves working in Railway workshops and Locomotive Sheds for carrying out maintenance and repair of engines, wagons and carriages. In the case of an accident they are required to be present at the site to advise and supervise the recovery and removal of the damaged locomotives, carriages and wagons. Mechanical Engineers from the railway may be deputed to serve on projects undertaken by RITES and IRCON.
Career profile – Mechanical Engineers recruitments are of two types. Graduate engineers are recruited through the Combined Engineering Services Examination and school leavers through the Special Class Railway Apprentices examination, both exams being conducted by the UPSC.
The Graduate Mechanical Engineers on recruitment go through 3 years of probation. The training during the probationary period is given at the Railway Staff College at Vadodra and Indian Railway Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (IRIMEE) at Jamalpur in Bihar. The Special Class Railway Apprentices get four years of training. The training period is divided into 6 month periods of hands on workshop training followed by 6 months of training at IRIMEE. Apprentices have to clear examinations every year for moving ahead with the training. On completion they are appointed as Assistant Mechanical Engineers in a division. Future promotions are the same as in other branches.
Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE)
Movement of trains is monitored through communication networks and signalling systems used for regulating the movement of trains. Engineers specialising in Signals and Telecommunications are incharge of the functioning of this very massive network. Efficiency, technical expertise, updating of technology and dedication to ensure efficient functioning is required of these professionals.
Career profile – Engineers in this branch after recruitment are put on probation. During the probation they are trained at Railway Staff College at Vadodra and at the Railway Institute of Signal Telecommunication (IRISET) at Secunderabad. On successfully completing the probation they are posted as Assistant Signal and Telecommination Engineers. Further promotions are very much the same as for other branches. The engineers from this branch are constantly updated on the latest technology through inhouse training as well as sent on courses for learning the latest technological advancements to institutes of technology.
Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE)
Total electrification of the major trunk routes is underway. Planned progress for completing projects in various zones makes the job of Electrical Engineers crucial for the railways. Railways has a Electrification Headquarter at Allahabad for ongoing planning and coordination of developmental activities for electrification. Electrical engineers are responsible for carrying on the work taken up as part of the electrification projects as well as the maintenance and repair of Electrical Locomotives and coaches. They are responsible for power distribution networks, power generation, electrical distribution systems and for monitoring continuity of supply. Electrical engineers may work in one of the following departments-traction, general or in rolling stock. Traction engineers job involves working on electric traction. General electrical engineers are in charge of the lighting both in trains and in buildings owned by the railways. Rolling Stock Electrical Engineers take care of the electric locomotives. Generally a team of electrical engineers from each of these departments may be posted at the same place.
Career profile – The electrical engineers on recruitment are put on probation during which they receive training at the Railway Staff College in Vadodara and Railway Institute of Electrical Engineering at (IRIEEN) at Nasik. On successful completion of training they are posted as Assistant Electrical Engineers in a Division in one of the departments mentioned above. Further promotions are as in other departments.
Indian Railway Stores Service
Plan expenditure of the Indian Railways for each five year plan is worth crores. In the eighth plan period railways were allocated a sum of almost 450 crores.
Besides expenditures incurred on staff, bulk expenditure is in procurement of materials required for maintenance, day to day functioning and developmental projects. The stores department also takes charge of the discarded and scrapped materials which is either recycled or disposed. Stores depots, locosheds, zonal headquarters and workshops generally carry out these tasks in their specific domains.
Career profile – Recruitment to this department is also followed by a probationary term. The training is given at the Railway Staff College at Vadodara followed by training in various Depots, in the Headquarters of Supply and Disposal, and workshops/locosheds where materials have to be supplied or recovered for disposal. The career profile of a Stores controller is different from the other branches. Stores Depots are not in the administrative domain of a Division while locoshed come within the control of the Divisional Manager. Stores officers on confirmation become Assistant Controller of stores and take charge of a depot, workshop, or locoshed. The next promotion is as Divisional Controller of Stores. At the zonal level complete power rests with the Controller of Store.
