Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw: No Instances of Paper Leak During Railway Recruitment Process

Filling vacancies is an ongoing process in Indian Railways, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. He emphasized the importance of adhering to recruitment guidelines and highlighted the technical nature of Railway Recruitment Board examinations, which require significant mobilization of resources and manpower. In a written response to questions raised by DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy in Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw stated that the recruitment process was conducted transparently and in compliance with all guidelines, with no instances of malpractice. He indicated that the railway’s size, spatial distribution, and operational criticality necessitate a continuous process for filling vacancies.

Vaishnaw explained that the railways provide adequate manpower to support regular operations, technological changes, mechanizations, and innovative practices. Recruitment agencies receive indents from railways to fill vacancies based on operational and technological requirements. The minister noted the successful conduct of two major examinations involving over 2.37 crore candidates after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. These Computer Based Test (CBT) exams were conducted in multiple phases and resulted in the recruitment of 1,30,581 candidates to the railways.

Vaishnaw also compared the recruitment numbers between 2004-2014 and 2014-2024, stating that more recruitment took place in the latter period. He mentioned the introduction of an annual calendar for recruitment to various categories of Group ‘C’ posts, with notifications for 32,603 vacancies already issued during January to March 2024. Finally, Vaishnaw highlighted the benefits of the annual calendar for aspirants, offering them more opportunities, certainty of exams, and a faster recruitment process, training, and appointments.