IR is the eighth largest employer in the world and the largest employer in the country. After the digitalisation of IR, examinations such as Special Class Railway Apprentices are conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board online. Numerous websites offer mock tests and preparation tutorials for these exams.

Everything from checking the indian train status online to preparing for recruitment in the railways can be accomplished through a stable internet connection. Even the application process for a job in the railways has now become an online process.

Recruitment of railway employees

• Railway employees are classified into gazetted (A and B) and non-gazetted (C and D) groups.
• Candidates need to appear for the Union Public Service Commission examination for recruitment as Group A employees.
• The Railway Recruitment Board conducts the recruitment process for Group B employees, which include junior engineers and depot material superintendents.
• Particular attention is placed on Group C and D IR employees as they are assessed by 21 Railway Recruitment Boards and Cells. The superior head of these cells is the Railway Recruitment Control Board.
• Training for the selected employees belonging to all groups is a shared task between 6 centralised training institutes.
• Candidates for the lower level positions have to appear for RRB NTPC examination.

Perks of being an IR employee

• Good salaries– Along with the basic wage, railway employees are entitled to the benefits of grade Pay, Dearness Allowance, Travel Allowance, and house rent allowance.
• Subsidised meals– Railway canteens are present all across the nation, which provide healthy subsidized food to employees. Food that does not make the pockets lighter is a reassuring benefit of being a railway employee.
• The scope for development– Employees can explore various fields, as there are jobs that expect the employees to implement their teaching, research or managerial skills. There is scope for promotion which motivates them to keep working hard.
• Pensionable employment– The jobs offered to employees include a pension which secures the income after retirement.
• Job security– IR employees are valued for their hard work. Even though the salary is not the kind that blue-chip companies offer, IR does not have a ‘Hire and Fire’ policy. The job security provided in these jobs is very tight and most likely for a lifetime.
• Healthy Work Environment– Attrition rates among Group A employees is a mere 2% which means that employees rarely wish to leave once they are hired. This makes colleagues that are present for a lifetime.
• Residential Quarters– Employees are offered residential quarters in railway colonies. All facilities and amenities are present, including good educational institutes.
• Healthcare– The extensive network of IR provides for the best free of cost medical and health care. Hospitals within this network offer excellent services, and the bills are taken care of by the railways.
• Employment opportunities for relatives– Relatives of deceased employees can acquire jobs on compassionate grounds. This ensures job opportunities for the families of employees that have no income.
• Recession proof jobs– The jobs offered by IR are immune to pay cuts and economic downfalls. There is no way an employee gets fired just because the economy has taken a bad hit.