Modi government announces 4 lakh railway jobs, 10 per cent quota applicable

NEW DELHI: The railways will employ over four lakh people by 2021, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Wednesday indicating that the recruitment under the 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections would begin soon.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that at present the Railways have a sanctioned strength of 15.06 lakh employees, of which 12.23 lakh personnel were on the rolls while the remaining 2.82 lakh posts are vacant.

"Last year we undertook the recruitment process for over 1.51 lakh posts, leaving 1.31 lakh posts vacant. And in the coming two years, about 99,000 posts would lie vacant as 53,000 and 46,000 railway employees would retire in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

He said recruitment for 2.3 lakh posts will be completed in the next two years.

He said that the first phase of fresh recruitment of 1.31 lakh posts would be initiated in February-March, 2019 and as per reservation policy of the government, around 19,715, 9,857 and 35,485 would be reserved for Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

"And as per 103rd Constitutional Amendment recently passed by the Parliament, 10 per cent of these vacancies i.e. around 13,100 shall be filled in from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). This cycle shall be completed by April-May, 2020," Goyal said.

The second phase of recruitment of approximately 99,000 personnel against the vacancies arising out of retirements shall be initiated in May-June 2020 and completed by July-August 2021.

"And as per the reservation policy of the government, approximately 15,000, 7,500, 27,000 and 10,000 posts shall be reserved for SC, ST, OBC and EWS candidates," he said.

The Minister also announced the extension of 22 train services across the country.