The Indian Railways is often referred to as the life line of the country. This seems to be more than appropriate description of an organisation which connects almost, 67,000 kilometers across the country providing service to millions of travellers each day of the year, and has the largest freight carrying capacity.
It is the largest employer in the country employing an estimated 16 lakh people. Indian Railways has one of the best defined organisational structures to manage the second largest railways in the world. With a massive annual manpower recruitment in all categories of jobs, a career with the railways is an option worth considering.
Organisational structure
The Indian Railways is owned by the Government and the Railway Ministry is given the overall charge of running this massive organisation for providing efficient service to passengers and for transporting cargo. The organisation has a hierarchical structure. The Railway Board, at the apex, forms the link between the ministry and the officials at the zonal and divisional levels.
The railway board
The Board is constituted of seven members - the Chairman (Principal Secretary in the Railway Ministry), Financial commissioner (represents Ministry of Finance), five other members and twenty additional members who perform executive functions and constitute the Railway Ministry’s secretariat. The Board exercises functional supervision, coordination, direction and control over the Zonal Railways formulating policies and planning expansion, giving technical advise, guiding infrastructural development, advising on requisitioning, storage and disbursement of materials is also the responsibility of the Board.
Zonal railways
For ensuring efficiency, the railway operations are allocated among nine zones and expansion of the zonal structure is being further incorporated. Each zone has a General Manager who is the executive head and planner for his zone. The zone has number of departments such as – Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical), Railway operations, Signals Telecommunication, Commercial, Accounts and Finance, Security and vigilance, Personnel & Public Relations, Medical and Materials.
Divisional railways
Each zone is administratively divided into a number of divisions. These are headed by Divisional Railway Managers. Service, maintenance, procurement and disbursement of materials, serviceability of locomotives and all equipments is taken care of at the divisional level.
Other railway departments
Besides the regular administrative structure Railways has production units of its own, a well defined training set up, professional bodies offering exclusive consultancy and well developed computerisation projects under its charge. These are engaged in diverse activities.
Production units
Railway manufacturers locomotives, coaches, and wagons at its various production centres in the country. It has a Research Design & Standardisation Organisation of its own. This organisation is the think tank of engineering and architectural design.
Electrification
Electrification at all the zonal levels is under the charge of a separate department of Railway Electrification.
Professional services
Railway has two organisations which offer consultancy to countries and regions seeking to gain from the Indian expertise. These are Rail India Technical & Economic Services Ltd. (RITES and IRCON International)
Training institutions
For ensuring ongoing training of its manpower the Indian Railways has a very effective training system. There are training institutes at the zonal level to cater to the training needs of all levels of employees. The officers’ training is managed, programmed and supervised by the Railway Board.
There are training centres for the technical divisions handling the railway operations. These are for Civil Engineers, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, Signal & Telecommunication Engineers, Electrical Engineers. Railway Staff College conducts a host of administrative and related courses.
Computerised systems – Information Systems Departments has two major operations
(i) the computerised passenger reservation and
(ii) Freight traffic information management.
Gazetted appointments
Appointment, as Group ‘A’ officers, to the Traffic, Accounts, Personnel and Vigilance Services in the Indian Railways is made through the Civil and Allied Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Officers in these branches have a structured career profile working at the divisional and then the zonal levels.
During their career they may get the opportunity to serve in the production units, as training staff, or even as consultants with RITES or IRCON depending on their experience, interest and eligibility.
Nature of Work
Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
Officers of the IRTS have two responsibilities Commercial and Operations. Commercial division is in charge for freight booking and transportation as well as passengers services.
The operations division manages every operation related to the movement of trains. The job requires travelling to inspect, supervise and direct the work at stations and control offices.
Career profile
The career with IRTS begins with 3 years of probationary training. The training is carried out for 2 years at Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, zonal training centres and incorporates on the job training. The final year of the training period is a regular appointment posting. On completion of this tenure and passing the departmental examinations the officers get a confirmed position.
This is as Assistant Commercial Superintendent (ACS) or Assistant Operations Superintendent (AOS) at the Divisional Headquarters. After 4 years of service they are promoted to the position of Divisional Commercial Managers and Divisional Operations Managers. The next promotion is again at the divisional level as Senior Divisional Commercial/Operations Managers. From here they take charge at the Zonal level as Deputy Chief Managers (Commercial/Operations).
The senior most position at the Zonal level is that of Chief Managers (Commercial/Operations). In the Railway board there is an appointment of Member (Traffic) which is filled by a senior official from this branch.
Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)
The Indian Railway Accounts Service is responsible for keeping and managing the accounts of the railways. Accounts for Income and expenditure have to be maintained by officers and staff of this branch.
Career Profile
IRAS appointed officers begin their career with two years of probationary service. This is a training phase during which they receive training at Railway Staff College, Vadodara and the National Institute of Financial Management. On completion of training and qualifying the required examinations they are inducted at the Divisional Headquarters as Assistant Accounts Officers. The subsequent promotions are as Divisional Accounts Officers and then as Senior Divisional Accounts Officers. At the zonal level they move up as Chief Accounts Officers/Financial Ad visors. The senior most position is of Member (Finance) in the Railway Board.
Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
Officials of this branch look after recruitment of all categories of railway staff. Besides recruitment, planning intake, promotions, postings, training and even staff welfare is the responsibility of this department. They also inform the finance department about the increments due to individuals. All matters of discipline also come within the purview of the personnel department.
Career profile
The officers of the personnel department also undergo a 3 year probationary period. Following confirmation they go through the promotional ladder very much like the officers in other Railway cadres.
Railway Protection Force (RPF)
This is the security arm of the railways. They are responsible for protecting the security of railway property and the booked freight consignments which have been taken charge of by the railways. They operate as other paramilitary organisations and may be called upon for deployment during insurgencies, natural calamities, and other periods of crisis by the Home Ministry. Railway police deals with law and order problems and passengers security in coordination with the State Police Organisation.
Career profile
On recruitment the RPF officers undergo a 3 year probation during which they undergo training at Baroda, Lucknow and Police training establishments. On confirmation they are appointed as Assistant Security Officers at the Divisional Level. Next promotion comes after 5 years of service as Divisional security officer and then as Senior Divisional Security Officer. At the zonal level their appointment is as Deputy Inspector General and later as Inspector General. The senior most position in RPF is the appointment as Director General who is a member of the Railway Board.
Entry and Training
Selection is made through the Civil & Allied Services Examination conducted by the UPSC. Candidates qualifying for the Indian Allied Services are appointed in the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS), Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS), Railway Protection Force (RPF).
Eligibility – To join as Group ‘A’ officer in the services of the railways in the branches described candidates must be graduates in the 18-21 age group. Each candidate can take 3 attempts.
