1.87 crore candidates applied for 64,197 vacancies in Railways in 2024: Data

Indian Express

2 days ago

A total of 92,116 vacancies in the Railway are under recruitment for the January–December 2024 period. The data on exam stages and applicants was shared for 64,197 posts across seven major categories, which together drew over 1.87 crore applications. This was shared by the Minister of Railways in Parliament last week, while answering a question regarding the number of vacancies in the Indian Railways and the policy roadmap or strategy for ensuring the time-bound filling of vacancies.
As per the written reply from the Ministry, in the past four to five years, the pressure has grown due to multiple overlapping factors. Large batches of employees have hit superannuation age, while the network itself has been expanding and modernising, such as introducing new safety systems, electrification projects, mechanised operations, and digital technologies.
These changes have created new posts that didn't exist before, further widening the vacancy pool.
How big is the current recruitment drive?
According to the Ministry's data, recruitment for 1.08 lakh posts is in progress, with 92,116 vacancies already notified in 2024 across 10 major Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs).
These cover posts range from Assistant Loco Pilots (ALP) and Technicians to RPF personnel, junior engineers to paramedical staff, and the ever-competitive Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC). Here's an overview of the data:
Post Vacancies Applicants
ALP 18,799 18,40,347
Technician 14,298 26,99,892
RPF Constable 4,208 45,30,288
In the 2024–25 recruitment cycle, the competition for Railway jobs has been staggering. Roles like RPF Constable drew over 1,076 candidates per vacancy, while the Non-Technical Popular Category (Graduate) saw about 720 contenders for each post. Even highly technical posts weren't spared. Technician positions had roughly 189 applicants per vacancy, and Assistant Loco Pilot posts attracted nearly 98 candidates for every slot.
Where does the recruitment stand?
The Ministry's reply shows that the first stage, which is Computer-Based Tests (CBTs) for 55,197 posts, has been completed in four phases, spread across over 150 cities and in 15 languages. Results for several key categories, including ALP, RPF-SI, Constable, and JE/DMS/CMA, have already been declared. The second stage of CBTs for ALP and JE/DMS/CMA is also complete, with results published.
For technicians, more than 9,000 selected candidates have already been empanelled out of the notified 14,298 vacancies. This points to a staggered filling process where recruitment and joining don't always happen simultaneously for all posts.
What is ongoing in the hiring process for Railways in 2025?
Looking ahead, the annual calendar announced in 2024 is now guiding the recruitment process. Two major notifications are already out for 2025:
–CEN 01/2025 – 9,970 vacancies for ALPs (March 2025)
–CEN 02/2025 – 6,238 vacancies for Technicians (June 2025)
Has recruitment improved over the years?
Yes, at least when measured by sheer numbers. Between 2004 and 2014, the Railways recruited 4.11 lakh personnel. In the following decade, from 2014 to 2025, that figure rose to 5.08 lakh, an increase of nearly one lakh recruitments.
This growth has been aided by systemic changes such as the introduction of an annual recruitment calendar, fully digitised testing, and multi-language CBTs, which have made the process more predictable and accessible for candidates. The Ministry also shared in its response that the entire process has remained free from paper leaks or malpractices.