Indian Railways Strengthens Workforce Through Mission-Mode Recruitment: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Over 5.56 lakh recruitments made since 2014; 4.5 crore candidates appeared in CBTs during 2024–25 recruitment cycles
New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that Indian Railways has significantly strengthened its workforce through mission-mode recruitment, with 5.56 lakh appointments made between 2014 and June 30, 2026, compared to 4.11 lakh recruitments during 2004–05 to 2013–14.
Of the total appointments since 2014, 50,485 were made in Southern Railway, the minister said while replying to a question in the House.
Vaishnaw noted that vacancies in Indian Railways are filled on a continuous basis, taking into account operational requirements, technological advancements, mechanisation, and evolving service needs. Recruitment is carried out through Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) based on manpower requirements submitted by various railway zones.
He highlighted that RRB examinations are among the country's largest recruitment exercises, involving extensive logistical planning, manpower training, and technological infrastructure. Despite these challenges, the recruitment process has been conducted transparently while adhering to all prescribed guidelines.
Annual Recruitment Calendar Introduced
As a major reform, the Ministry of Railways introduced an annual recruitment calendar from 2024 for various Group 'C' categories. According to the minister, the calendar provides several benefits, including:
More recruitment opportunities for candidates.
Annual opportunities for newly eligible applicants.
Predictable examination schedules.
Faster recruitment, training, and appointment process.
Over 1.61 Lakh Vacancies Under Recruitment
Recruitment has already commenced for 1,61,889 non-gazetted posts under the annual calendars for 2024, 2025 and 2026, including 11,387 vacancies in Southern Railway.
Massive Recruitment Drive in 2024
During the 2024 recruitment cycle, 10 Centralised Employment Notifications (CENs) were issued for 92,116 vacancies, including 6,927 posts in Southern Railway. The vacancies covered Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs), Technicians, Junior Engineers, Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, Paramedical staff, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate and Undergraduate), Ministerial & Isolated Categories, and Level-1 posts.
The first-stage and single-stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for these recruitments have been completed.
Some of the major examinations included:
Assistant Loco Pilot (18,799 posts): 18.40 lakh candidates in first-stage CBT and 2.66 lakh in second-stage CBT.
Technician (14,298 posts): 26.99 lakh candidates.
Junior Engineer/DMS/CMA (7,951 posts): 11.01 lakh candidates in first-stage CBT and 1.17 lakh in second-stage CBT.
RPF Constable (4,208 posts): 45.30 lakh candidates.
RPF Sub-Inspector (452 posts): 15.35 lakh candidates.
NTPC Graduate (8,113 posts): 58.41 lakh candidates in first-stage CBT and 1.21 lakh in second-stage CBT.
NTPC Undergraduate (3,445 posts): 63.27 lakh candidates in first-stage CBT.
Level-1 Posts (32,438 vacancies): More than 1.08 crore candidates appeared.
Overall, 3.58 crore candidates appeared in the first-stage CBTs, while 5.57 lakh candidates appeared in second-stage CBTs. In addition, 1.90 lakh candidates completed Computer-Based Aptitude Tests (CBAT) and Skill Tests for relevant categories.
Recruitment Progress in 2025
Under the 2025 recruitment calendar, nine Centralised Employment Notifications were issued for 51,970 vacancies, including 3,412 posts in Southern Railway.
CBTs have already been completed for 29,775 posts, attracting over 90.96 lakh candidates. Second-stage CBTs for Junior Engineer and NTPC Graduate categories have also been completed, with 1.26 lakh candidates participating.
The Computer-Based Aptitude Test for 368 Section Controller posts has also been successfully conducted.
Recruitment Calendar 2026
Under the 2026 annual recruitment calendar, 17,803 vacancies, including 1,048 posts in Southern Railway, have been notified through three Centralised Employment Notifications for Assistant Loco Pilot, Technician, and Section Controller posts.
More Than 4.5 Crore Candidates Appeared
The minister stated that approximately 4.5 crore candidates appeared in Computer-Based Tests during the 2024 and 2025 recruitment cycles. To ensure greater accessibility, examinations were conducted in more than 150 cities across the country and offered in 15 languages, making the recruitment process more inclusive and candidate-friendly.
As of June 30, 2026, panels for over 3,300 candidates had already been finalised for various posts, including Technicians, Junior Engineers, Paramedical staff, Ministerial & Isolated Categories, and Assistant Loco Pilots, with the majority appointed to safety-related positions.
The information was provided by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
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