When is the next competitive examination for Railway Job?

Last updated on January 13th, 2014 at 01:48 am

There are job seekers all around and keep on adding equal number every year. Govt. Jobs are in priority and there are about ten thousand applicants for every one vacancy. “When is the next advertisement calling for application?” is the question that keeps on going around in the employment news environment. This is the most common query posted on Google search is the indicator of scenario that exists with job seekers. There are rumors of raising retirement age, and if for some reason comes true, this will again dry up what every vacancy going to fall vacant in next two years.

Indian Railways, Defence, Banks and PSU are major recruiter every year.

In Indian Railways, recruitment is in Group A, B, C and D.

Group A

UPSC is the recruitment agency for Group A examination and the good part is that examination is held every year as per almost a fixed schedule depending upon a vacancy forecast of different Govt. departments.  Everyone knows well in advance the schedule of examination and decided his preparation schedule accordingly. There are two examinations through which you can find entry into Railways namely Civil Service Examination and Engineering Service Examination.

               Civil Service Examination: This is the most sought after job opportunity with the first priority of IAS, IPS, IFS and thereafter allied services in which IRTS, IRAS, IRPS and IRPF are exclusively for Indian Railways. Vacancies are generally advertised in the month of Feb. each year.

               Engineering Service Examination: This is the almost sought after job opportunity exclusively for Engineering fraternity. In each disciple, Indian Railways is generally the first priority given by the applicant. IRSE, IRSME, IRSEE, and IRSSE are the different cadres in the Railways of Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics branch. There is one more cadre called Indian Railway Stores Service with quota from all the branches of Engineering.

               It is generally seen that the candidates do not appear the same year of post graduate for Civil and graduation for Engineering services examination and try some other job opportunities. I consider this is a waste of time. Once decided, be firm on that. Read more   http://globalrailelectrica.com/job-opportunities-in-rail-transport/group-a-services/  . The most important part in a Govt. Job is the post at which you retire because that benefits job opportunities after retirement. If you join at the minimum age, prospects of going up also goes higher.

Group B

Group B is a promotional  intermediate cadre from Group C which is merged with Group A after a few years. The posts are filled from group C in each cadre. 70% vacancies are filled on the basis of selection from eligible candidates based on seniority and 30 % are filled based on competitive examination opened to all after the completion of about 5 years of service. This group provides an opportunity to Group C cadre to rise and motivates him to do well.

Group C

The RRB is the recruitment agency for filling up all vacancies in Group C. Group A services is an Officers group whereas Group C is supervisory and working category like Station Master, Loco Pilot, Guard, Train Conductor, Artisan Staff etc. There is no schedule of conducting the examination for filling up of these posts and also no frequency of examination is prescribed.  Yes one thing is followed that vacancies are assessed for two years, and therefore, examination will certainly be once in two years except for unforeseen reasons. It takes more than a year to finalize the selection process considering the response. Why it is so? Knowing fully well that there are approximately 3% posts getting vacant, then at 1.5% should be filled up every year so that opportunity is passed equally to all job seekers.

But one has to accept the system that is prevailing and wait hopefully for the next opportunity. Most of the vacancies were advertised  in this group was  in the year 2012, and therefore there is no possibility of any examination in 2013. From the trend available, there may be a  possibility of advertisement for the posts of  Assistant Loco Pilot and Artisan Staff vacancies (Minimum Educational qualification of Matriculate and ITI)  during the year 2014 and balance in 2015 only. 

The employment situation in Indian had never been so good. This resulted even graduate engineers have applied for ALP post, what to say of diploma holders. One can see a silver lining of joining these job offers, and can look for faster promotions in the cadre. The option of faster promotion is through limited departmental competitive examination in which 30% vacancies  are filled up and there are possibilities for highly qualified person to compete.

There is an indicative employment notice in Times of India: Centralised Employment Notice No. 01/2014, Date of publication 18th Jan 2014 and closing on 17th Feb 2014 for category No. 01-139 and name of post Assistant Loco Pilot/Technicians by all the RRBs.

 How to prepare for the examination for sure shot success, read http://globalrailelectrica.com/job-opportunities-in-rail-transport/sure-shot-way-to-succeed-rrb-examination/

Group D

RRC is the recruitment agency for filling up all vacancies in Group D. This is the lowest level of the organization and minimum qualification prescribed is matriculate. Competitive examination and the ability to perform strenuous work is the criteria for the examination. Strenuous work criteria have actually found place because of the job requirement of Track man working for the maintenance of the track. There are many posts in the this Group D and can be checked in the advertisement. The recruitment is the responsibility of respectively Railway. There is neither any fixed schedule nor frequency of the examination.   The job options are in maintenance, safaiwalas, Trackman etc.