We have to examine the recruitment process and address all the inadequacies. We will get back to recruiting once the process is complete,” Mamata said. The minister added the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) had also been under review, stating that there were regional problems in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Assam (Guwahati) in the RRB exams.
Of the total sanctioned strength of 15,66,964 employees, there were 1,72,444 vacancies. The minister said Group C category had more vacancies with 1,12,566. While Group D has 58,329, Groups A and B have 1,549.
“A large organisation like the Indian Railways has vacancies all the time,” the minister noted. “There will be vacancies due to normal and voluntary retirements, deaths, promotions and creation of newer posts.”
She said the ministry would soon launch a special recruitment drive to fill vacancies for SC/ST. To a separate question, the minister said there were 1,814 vacancies of SCs in Group C and 1,688 for the STs. She made it clear that there had been no backlogs of SC/ST posts in Groups A and B.
The Railways employs 13,94,520 regular employees with the highest number of 9,07,510 in Group ‘C’. Whereas group ‘D’ has 4,70,879 regular employees, there are 7,968 and 8,163 regular employees respectively in Groups A and B.
The upper house approved by voice vote the Railways Appropriation Bill (No 3) 2009, which authorises the ministry to receive payments and appropriation from the Consolidated Fund of India.
