The Railway Board has decided to make a significant change for the officers to be recruited through the Civil Services Examination (CSE) for the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Now these officers will get the option to choose one of the three different sectors of the railways: traffic, accounts, and personnel.
Changes have already been made: In 2019, the method of recruitment in eight Group 'A' services of the Railways was changed. Since then, officers of two batches recruited in 2022 and 2023 have already joined under this new pattern. The third batch in 2024 is also in the recruitment process through the civil services examination.
The old system will be implemented from 2025: The Ministry of Railways announced in a notification issued on October 9, 2024, that the recruitment process will be changed from 2025 and the examination system will be implemented again as before 2019.
Freedom of choice for probationers: A written communication from the Railway Board to the Director General of the Indian Railway Institute of Transportation Management (IRITM) stated that officers of the 2022, 2023, and 2024 batches will be given the option to choose from the three sub-cadres of IRMS: traffic, accounts, and personnel.
Change in exam pattern: The letter also suggests that from 2025, railway officers will be recruited through both the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and Engineering Services Examination (ESE). This change will come into effect as per the amendment in the recruitment rules of IRMS published in the Gazette of India on October 9, 2024.
What was the change in 2019? In 2019, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) by integrating eight Group 'A' services of the Railways. Since then, all recruitment was being done through the Civil Services Examination (CSE).
Earlier system: Before 2019, three branches of non-technical services of the railways—Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS), Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS), and Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)—were recruited through the Civil Services Examination (CSE). Whereas, five branches of technical services of the railways—Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE), Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRES), Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), and Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS)—were recruited through the Engineering Services Examination (ESE).
Amit Shah Turns 60: PM Modi Hails Him as an 'Exceptional Administrator'
Amit Shah Hails 8-Years of UDAN Scheme, Emphasizes Affordable Air Travel and Regional Connectivity