U-turn on railway recruitment: Govt restores engineering services exams

• The Centre Saturday restored its earlier recruitment policy and gave approval to recruitment of railway officers through Civil Services Exam (CSE) and Engineering Services Exam (ESE) conducted by the UPSC.

Highlights:

• The Central government has taken a significant step by reversing its 2019 recruitment decision and reinstating the practice of recruiting railway officers through both the Civil Services Exam (CSE) and the Engineering Services Exam (ESE), both conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• This policy reversal comes after a proposal by the Ministry of Railways in October 2024.

Background: Shift in Recruitment Policy:

• Since 2019, the Ministry of Railways had implemented a new process that merged the recruitment of both engineering and non-engineering officers into a single system under the Indian Railway Management System (IRMS).
• This process had relied exclusively on the CSE for recruiting officers, leading to the discontinuation of technical recruitment through the ESE.
• However, the Ministry has faced challenges in finding suitable officers for technical roles in various engineering disciplines, prompting a reconsideration of the recruitment policy.

Key Changes in Recruitment Process:

• The restored policy, as communicated by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in its office memorandum dated October 5, 2024, allows for the recruitment of railway officers through both the CSE and ESE.
• The approval acknowledges the Railways' need for a blend of technical and non-technical expertise to effectively manage its diverse operations.
• The recruitment will be for officers across several engineering and non-engineering roles, ensuring a balanced manpower allocation.

Specifics of the Recruitment via ESE:

• Tentative Vacancies: Approximately 225 vacancies will be filled through the ESE 2025.
  • IRMS (Civil): 75 vacancies
  • IRMS (Mechanical): 40 vacancies
  • IRMS (Electrical): 50 vacancies
  • IRMS (Signal and Telecommunications - S&T): 40 vacancies
  • IRMS (Stores): 20 vacancies
• These officers will be designated under the respective technical fields, such as IRMS (Civil) or IRMS (Mechanical).

Ministry of Railways' Actions:

• Following the DoPT’s approval, the Railways immediately communicated its decision to the Department of Telecommunications and the UPSC, requesting that the notification for ESE 2025 be amended to include the Ministry of Railways.
• Additionally, Railways has requested an extension of the application deadline, initially set for October 8, 2024, to provide sufficient time for candidates to apply.
• The syllabus for the examination remains unchanged, ensuring consistency in the recruitment process for IRMS engineers.

Challenges Faced by Railways:

• The Railways had encountered difficulties in recruiting qualified officers for its technical positions due to the merging of engineering and non-engineering roles under the previous system.
• The lack of specialized technical recruitment through ESE had created a gap in fulfilling the organization’s technical manpower requirements, especially for its engineering divisions.

Prelims Takeaways:

• Indian Railway Management System (IRMS)
• UPSC