Demand of apprentices for appointment without undergoing recruitment process is not acceptable; says Railways

Ministry of Railways rejects the demand of apprentices for appointment in the railways without undergoing the prescribed recruitment process such as written test and physical efficiency test. “The demand of apprentices for appointment without undergoing recruitment is not acceptable. This is not feasible for acceptance as it is violative of Constitutional provisions and Apex Court judgement in matters of public employment whereby any employment cannot be provided except through a procedure involving fair selection,” said Ministry of Railways.

The Ministry of Railways said that apprentices trained in railway establishments are given preference in appointment over others subject to obtaining minimum qualifying marks and meeting medical standards. In view of ongoing transformation of Indian Railways and with a view of bringing fairness, transparency and objectivity in all railway recruitments, the selection process has been centralised for all recruitments to the level 1 posts in 2017 wherein a common nationwide computer based test (CBT) is conducted. 20 per cent of the vacancies in level 1 posts are reserved for apprentices trained in railway establishments.

Check here official notice-https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1793578

A total of 12,504 level 1 posts out of 63,202 advertised under CEN 02/2018 were earmarked for apprentices. Similarly, in RRB Group D 2021 exam (CEN RRC 01/2019), out of 1,03,769 posts, vacancies are reserved for apprentices.

Indian Railways has been providing training to applicants in designated trades under the provisions of the Apprentices Act since August 1963. These applicants are taken as apprentices based on their academic qualification without any competition or selection. Though the railways were obligated to provide only training to such candidates, those who completed their training were being engaged as substitutes against level 1 posts, since 2004.

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