Has Indian Railway learnt any lesson post May 2013?

There was news the other day that there exist 2.25 lakhs vacancies in Indian Railways in different safety categories such as Assistant Loco Pilot, Station Master, Guard and Maintenance staff, etc. along with focusing the post of Member Electrical lying vacant since 1^st Aug 2014 and many posts of General Manager (top most post at the top) too.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Over-2-25-lakh-posts-lying-vacant-in-railways/articleshow/41977350.cms

The news also reminds the incidence of 2^nd May 2013 which shaken the entire top management of Indian Railways

“After the cash-for-promotion scam, officials had demanded that the entire appointment process is recast to ensure there was no manipulation or victimization of those vying for top posts by doing away with the discretionary powers. “

Right from our childhood, we are taught to learn from our mistakes. Railgate was an episode which has tarnished the image of Railways and its large cadre of officers. Every Railwayman was hoping for better days ahead with a complete revamp of the entire appointment process, but nothing materialized. With the passage of 15 months, the initiative and spirit of officers’ federation, taking a strong lead at that time, has simply died down. It is difficult to sustain any movement unless there is a will to correct the wrong and now the will rest with the Almighty.

How GM posts are filed

Everyone knows that the GM panel is formed depending upon the vacancies till 31^st March next year and its validity also expires on that day. Therefore, in all good earnest, the panel for GM posting shall be ready in the month of April of each year. For decades, the panels had never been finalized before Nov. month and the posts of General Manager are filed after November only and even sometimes get extended up to January of the next year. By this time, 1/3rd (about 10 in numbers) of the posts of GM falls vacant and it become convenient to manipulate postings between Open Line, Production Unit and GM (Misc.) like Staff College, Construction, RDSO, Metro Rail etc. The posting for open line GM is high in demand, and therefore, the panel is always delayed to the extent that there are sufficient vacancies to accommodate favourites to open line or dump non-favourite to the post of GM (Misc.). GM (Misc.) are not entitled for the post of Board Member . Once a senior non-favourite is accommodated in posts other than open line, he becomes unfit giving opportunity to junior favourite for the post of the Board Member. The list of upright officers who suffered because of such manipulation is unlimited but nothing changed and voice raised dies down within a short period.

One should have minimum two years of remaining service on the date a posts falling vacant, and therefore, only those who have joined the service early are eligible to find their name in GM panel. All such officers is having a fare knowledge that he or she will rise to this level from the day he has entered into Railway service. Denial or manipulation at this fag end is very hurting for the individual. Minimum two years was fixed with the purpose that he will have adequate tenure to show results. Now with delayed posting, the tenure at 50% of GM get reduced to 18 months. The purpose is also lost.

What is delay in the posting of Member Electrical? A list of three suitable candidates is sent and generally the first of the list is selected. And here starts “jee tod ki koshish”

Now the morale is so down that the officers cadre is willing for the complete revamp of Railway Board hoping for the best as promised by PM.

Coalition compulsion derailing Railways

There is other news revealing how the coalition compulsion made the PM to look the other way during 2004-14 and incumbent MR also had his way in participating in this manipulation. How the dictates from the PM of 2014-19 narrated in the news takes a final shape is important to watch.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/narendra-modis-diktat-to-ministries-focus-on-merit-in-government-appointments/articleshow/41972004.cms

Filling vacancies in Group C through RRB

Now coming back to the vacancies in safety category of 2.25 lakhs staff, it is an accumulation due to cancellation of few RRB examinations. RRB examinations were cancelled due to leak of paper, scam etc. The examination for a large number of posts is under process. It takes around two years to complete the cycle of one recruitment process by RRB, and therefore, RRB examination is normally held once in two years. It is in the interest of Railways and of candidates to conduct examination every year as per schedule even if the finalization takes two years on pattern similar to UPSC. The aspirants keep on looking at the newspaper with curiosity the way he is going to build his future.

Scheduling RRB examination

Schedule for RRB examination is the first step in meeting the PM agenda of job creation even though no new job is created but at least building hope through deemed transparency of regular examination. The feeling around is that vacancies are advertised by the intervention of political bosses.  Deccan Herald news “Railway going slow on recruitment” http://www.deccanherald.com/content/430025/railways-going-slow-recruitment.html is the testimony of perception among the large manpower giving it a political color whereas the process has undergone systematic strengthening to avoid leak, scam manipulation etc., certainly with a slow process. But scheduling will be  the right step to build confidence in the Govt. functioning. The schedule will also tempt for planned preparation as candidates prepare for UPSC examination.