Railway ministry to re-start direct recruitment of staff for train control department after 8 years

New Delhi: The railway ministry will fill 60 per cent posts of train controllers through the direct recruitment process conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB).

According to the reforms announced by the ministry on June 25, 60 per cent vacancies in the control department will be filled with graduate-level candidates recruited directly by the RRB.

"How this examination will be conducted and what it will be called are some of the issues yet to be decided by the competent authority," Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, said.

Officials associated with the control department said till 2017, direct recruitment used to happen in the department through the Railway Traffic Apprentice Exams conducted by the RRB.

"However, the examination was discontinued in 2017 after which direct recruitment in the control department was stopped and all posts used to be filled through the feeder cadre, such as guards, station masters and train clerks," a railway official said.

He added that since the monetary benefits in the control department were not at par with or beyond the feeder cadre, meritorious employees refused to come to the department and it became a "dumping ground" for medically de-categorised staff.

"This is the major reason for the lack of talented workforce in the control department, which is believed to be the brain or nerve centre of the Indian Railways. However, with the new reforms, good candidates will now be posted here directly and it will improve the train operations," a train controller said.

According to the ministry's circular, the remaining 40 per cent vacancies will be filled through the Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCE) or the merit-based promotional quota from among the eligible candidates.

"Grade Pay Level 2 candidates, that means starting from track maintainers, to Grade Pay Level 5 -- all can opt to become train controllers, whose starting Grade Pay Level is 6," the railway official said.

As far as filling the vacancies of Grade Pay Level 7 are concerned, the ministry has announced that 50 per cent candidates will be recruited through promotion for Grade Pay Level 6 on the seniority-cum-suitability basis and the remaining 50 per cent through LDCE or departmental selection from the eligible station masters or section controllers in Level 6 and train managers (guards) in Levels 5 or 6.

"All Grave Pay Level 8 vacancies in the control department will be filled through promotion from Level 7 on the seniority-cum-suitablity basis," the official said.

The circular said departmental selection and direct recruitment shall include an "aptitude and psychometric test as per RDSO specifications".

It added that all candidates on their first appointment or selection in the Traffic Control cadre would be imparted training for a year for several skillsets.