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The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
Railway services merger caused ‘acute shortage' of specialised officers, affected ops & safety—Centre
In its reply to the Central Administrative Tribunal, a copy of which ThePrint has accessed, the government has now admitted that the 2020 reform caused much confusion over how to recruit officers to the new, united service. Only four years later, the Centre made a U-turn on the reform, and last year, de-linked the Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS) into civil and engineering services and divided them further into sub-cadres. In March this year, 40 service officers in the railways challenged the 2024 decision before the Central Administrative Tribunal. New Delhi: The Modi government's ambitious 2020 reform, merging the eight railway services into one united Indian Railways Management Service, caused an 'acute shortage of specialised manpower' in the railways, 'negatively impacting train operations and safety', the Centre has officially admitted for the first time. In 2022, the government decided to recruit IRMS officers through the Civil Service Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). However, it soon became clear that the 'mandate of the Union Cabinet was not being fulfilled' through the process, the government has said in its reply. Both in 2022 and 2023, the number of candidates with specialised engineering skills required in the railways was 125 per year. However, only 46 and 45 skilled officers were recruited in 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to the government reply. 'This gap in the required specialised manpower was negatively impacting train operations and safety,' the government has now said. It admitted that it soon realised that the 'recruitment of IRMS cadre only through UPSC (CSE) would not serve the purpose for specialised technical needs for railways as an organisation, which was the basic premise mentioned in the Union Cabinet decision, dt. 24.12.2019'. 'No reversal of reform' The government, however, has not reversed the 2019 Cabinet decision, it has claimed. According to its reply, the government took a policy decision to address the issue of a shortage of technical service officers by recruiting technical and non-technical service officers separately through UPSC to the unified new service as created by the Union Cabinet, i.e., the IRMS. The move, the government reply said, would offer equal opportunities to officers in both categories in their career progression. Since 2025, the government has been recruiting officers separately through engineering and non-engineering exams. The exam for the latter is the Civil Service Exam, taken for recruitment for other civil services, such as IAS and IPS. The engineering and non-engineering services have been further divided into subcadres of traffic, accounts, personnel, civil, electrical, mechanical, signal, telecommunications and stores. Railway service officers opposed to the government's U-turn have maintained that the sub-cadres render the 2019 Cabinet decision meaningless, effectively splitting up the railways again into eight different services. However, in its response, the government has said that the division into sub-cadres 'will enable the officers to acquire specialisation in a particular functional area of the railways'. The specialisation will further be honed during their service in the sub-cadre, giving them 'an all-round perspective'. The same does not in any way affect the career progression of officers, as contended by the complainants, the government has said. 'The only purpose behind this is to enable the officers to acquire specialisation in a particular functional area of the railways, as they remain an inherent member of the unified, new service, i.e., IRMS, governed by a single Recruitment Rules.' Further, the officers recruited from 2025 onwards will 'exercise such option[s] for specialisation at the time of their recruitment itself', the government has said. The government has further noted that having sub-cadres within the same service does not amount to the fragmentation of the service, as some officers have alleged. The government has so far not allotted any one of the three sub-cadres of civil services—traffic, accounts, and personnel—to the probationers recruited through the 2022 and 2023 exams. However, since the probationers will continue to serve in the IRMS only, that will not impact their career prospects, the government has further stated. Based on its claim that it had not infringed on any statutory or legal rights of the applicants, the government said, 'The applicants have no cause of action to maintain the application under reply.' Confusion persists There is still no clarity among officers about the fate of their service. According to sources in the railways, an officer of the Indian Railways Traffic Service is tipped to become Railway Board Member (Finance)—a break from the tradition of having only officers of the Indian Railways Accounts Service hold the finance-related position. Similarly, a few months ago, an engineering service officer was appointed Railway Board Member (Operations and Business Development)—a position hitherto always held by an Indian Railways Traffic Service officer. 'If they have created sub-cadres again, why are they appointing officers from outside their respective domains at the highest levels?' asked an officer. 'You now have a situation where, for example, at the lower levels, you have officers who have served in the accounts sub-cadre throughout their careers, but the member heading that sub-cadre will not be from accounts,' the officer said. 'There is utter confusion at the level of policy-making in the railways.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Facing a shortage, Modi govt tweaks empanelment criteria to attract more IAS officers to Centre
News18
20-05-2025
- General
- News18
Want To Apply For Jamia Millia Islamia's Free UPSC Coaching? Last Date To Apply May 29
Last Updated: Students will have to pass the Jamia Millia Islamia's entrance test to be eligible for the coaching programme. It will be held on June 15 in two parts. Jamia Millia Islamia has commenced the application process for its free UPSC coaching programme. Interested and eligible candidates may apply for the coaching until May 29. The last date to submit hard copies is May 30. Students will have to pass the entrance test to be eligible for the coaching programme. It will be held on June 15 from 10 am to 1 pm in two parts — general studies and essay papers. The results will be announced on July 11. Successful candidates must complete their admission by August 10, while those on the waiting list can register on August 17 and be admitted on August 18. Classes will commence on September 9. The institute's Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) offers free training to students from SC and ST communities, as well as women and other groups to prepare them for the Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination (UPSC CSE). 'RCA, Jamia invites application for Free Coaching(with hostel facility) for Civil Services Examination (Preliminary-cum-Main)-2026 from Minorities, SC/ST, and Women candidates," the university posted on X. RCA, @jmiu_official invites application for Free Coaching(with hostel facility) for Civil Services Examination (Preliminary-cum-Main)-2026 from Minorities, SC/ST, and Women candidates. Details are given below👇 — Jamia Millia Islamia (NAAC A++ Grade Central Univ) (@jmiu_official) May 19, 2025 'The Written Test would comprise of General Studies (objective type) and Essay Writing on UPSC model. Both the papers would be in English/Hindi/Urdu. The test is to· assess the candidate's knowledge of general awareness, logical and critical thinking, reasoning, comprehension and the ability to express themselves in an organised and structured manner. The total duration of the examination would be three hours," Jamia stated in its official notice. The university's centre for coaching and career planning offers comprehensive support, including classroom coaching, study materials, and hostel facilities. The programme is structured to guide candidates through all three stages of the UPSC civil services exam: Prelims, Mains, and the personality test. First Published: May 20, 2025, 16:16 IST
NDTV
23-04-2025
- General
- NDTV
Gwalior Cop's Son Cracks UPSC In First Attempt, Secures 202nd Rank
Ashish Raghuvanshi, the 23-year-old son of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Naresh Raghuvanshi, posted at the Superintendent of Police (SP) office in Gwalior, has successfully cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, securing All India Rank (AIR) 202 in his very first attempt. Ashish belongs to Digoda village in Ashoknagar district, and completed his primary education in his hometown. He later pursued his graduation from the Delhi University (DU), completing it in 2022. It was during this period that he began preparing for the civil services exam. Speaking to ANI, Ashish said, "I have followed the basic study materials recommended by the toppers, nothing different. I continued to read the newspaper daily and adhered to the syllabus. I had always dreamt of becoming an IAS since childhood. Additionally, my father is a member of the Madhya Pradesh police, and I came across information about the higher posts of SP and Collector. Additionally, my school in Ashok Nagar was located in front of the collector's office, and the collector often visited our school on various occasions. So it inspired me that I too want to reach such a post." He further said that the one who worked hard consistently, then he would get its results. One should not get hopeless if they fail to succeed in their first attempt. "It is not like that it was my first attempt, then it was a hard work of a year. It is the result of Hard work that was ongoing for a long time. To be selected, one should work in the right direction with the right strategy from the outset. I would like to encourage everyone to give their 100% in their respective fields. It was my first attempt, so I would further try to improve my rank. Apart from this, I will do my best, whatever allocation is given as of now," he added. Meanwhile, his father, Naresh Raghuvanshi, became emotional while speaking about his son's success. Speaking to ANI, he said he was very happy and felt short of words to express it. He had not dreamed of it, but was unable to express his emotion in words. "It is a proud moment for us, and I would salute him with pride. The family is also very happy after his success, and it was all his effort in achieving this milestone," he said. Gwalior SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police), Dharmvir Singh, congratulated Raghuvanshi and his family on the success, saying it was a proud moment for both the Gwalior police and the entire MP police. "Son of a police family, Ashish Raghuvanshi, has not only made Gwalior police proud but also the entire MP police. It is a very proud moment, and Ashish's father is working in my office. I am very happy to know that, in his first attempt, he secured the 202nd rank in the Civil Service Examination. It is a proud moment for the entire Madhya Pradesh Police that the son of a police family has cleared the UPSC exam in his first attempt after graduating from the Delhi University. I congratulate him and his family," Singh said. With his success, the other children of the police family will definitely get inspiration and will be motivated to perform great in their lives ahead, the SP added.
India Gazette
23-04-2025
- General
- India Gazette
MP: Gwalior ASI's son cracks UPSC in first attempt, secures AIR 202
Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], April 23 (ANI): Ashish Raghuvanshi, the 23-year-old son of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Naresh Raghuvanshi, posted at the Superintendent of Police (SP) office in Gwalior, has successfully cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, securing All India Rank (AIR) 202 in his very first attempt. Hailing from Digoda village in Ashoknagar district, Ashish completed his primary education in his hometown. He later pursued his graduation from the Delhi University (DU), completing it in 2022. It was during this period that he began preparing for the civil services exam. Speaking to ANI, Ashish said, 'I have followed the basic study materials recommended by the toppers, nothing different. I continued to read the newspaper daily and adhered to the syllabus. I had always dreamt of becoming an IAS since childhood. Additionally, my father is a member of the Madhya Pradesh police, and I came across information about the higher posts of SP and Collector. Additionally, my school in Ashok Nagar was located in front of the collector's office, and the collector often visited our school on various occasions. So it inspired me that I too want to reach such a post.' He further said that the one who worked hard consistently, then he would get its results. One should not get hopeless if they fail to succeed in their first attempt. 'It is not like that it was my first attempt, then it was a hard work of a year. It is the result of Hard work that was ongoing for a long time. To be selected, one should work in the right direction with the right strategy from the outset. I would like to encourage everyone to give their 100% in their respective fields. It was my first attempt, so I would further try to improve my rank. Apart from this, I will do my best, whatever allocation is given as of now,' he added. Meanwhile, his father, Naresh Raghuvanshi, became emotional while speaking about his son's success. Speaking to ANI, he said he was very happy and felt short of words to express it. He had not dreamed of it, but was unable to express his emotion in words. 'It is a proud moment for us, and I would salute him with pride. The family is also very happy after his success, and it was all his effort in achieving this milestone,' he said. Gwalior SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police), Dharmvir Singh, congratulated Raghuvanshi and his family on the success, saying it was a proud moment for both the Gwalior police and the entire MP police. 'Son of a police family, Ashish Raghuvanshi, has not only made Gwalior police proud but also the entire MP police. It is a very proud moment, and Ashish's father is working in my office. I am very happy to know that, in his first attempt, he secured the 202nd rank in the Civil Service Examination. It is a proud moment for the entire Madhya Pradesh Police that the son of a police family has cleared the UPSC exam in his first attempt after graduating from the Delhi University. I congratulate him and his family,' Singh said. With his success, the other children of the police family will definitely get inspiration and will be motivated to perform great in their lives ahead, the SP added. (ANI)
New Indian Express
23-04-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
57 clear UPSC exam from Tamil Nadu, 50 backed by ‘Naan Mudhalvan'
CHENNAI: Candidates from Tamil Nadu appearing for the Civil Service Examination have done notably better this year as demonstrated by the 2024 results released by the Union Public Service Commission on Tuesday, with at least 57 from the state clearing the exam, compared to the 45 last year. Significantly, 50 out of the 57 availed of the state government's scholarship under the Naan Mudhalvan scheme. Of the 50, 18—including the state topper— prepared through the government's free residential coaching facility under the scheme. The All India Rank one (AIR 1) was secured by Shakti Dubey from Uttar Pradesh, one among the three women in the top five. Haryana's Harshita Goyal and Maharashtra's Dongre Archit Parag placed second and third respectively. This time, five candidates from TN placed in the top 50, with B Sivachandran securing 23rd AIR. Gee Gee A S secured 25th rank in the country and came second in Tamil Nadu, while Subash Karthik, R Monika and Pavitra P from the state secured 29th, 39th and 42nd AIR respectively. 'TN should aspire to repeat its 2014 performance in future UPSC exams' Last year, the state topper had secured 41st AIR and only five from TN placed in the top 100. Although accurate state-wise numbers are still awaited, data compiled by retired IAS officers and coaching centres show that, of the 1,009 successful candidates, at least 57 are from Tamil Nadu. They said the numbers could rise further as some TN candidates have opted to appear for the exam from centres outside the state too. Many who cleared the examination and those from coaching centres attributed the assistance provided by the government's Naan Mudhalvan scheme as a key contributor to the improved results. 'We have the best results in terms of quality and quantity this year, compared to the past three years,' said S Chandru, academic head of the Shankar IAS Academy. Under the scheme, eligible candidates appearing for preliminary Civil Services Examination can avail a scholarship of `7,500 per month for a period of 10 months, and those preparing for the main examination, a scholarship of Rs 25,000. In this year's budget, the government announced an additional incentive of Rs 50,000 to those advancing to the interview stage. Naan Mudhalvan officials said the state's initiative has started yielding desired results in just one year's time. 'It is a proud moment for us that out of the 200 students who underwent coaching at our (residential) facility in Chennai, 18 have qualified,' said Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer C Sudhagaran, who is presently the Mission Director of Competitive Exams under the scheme. He said the 200 candidates were selected through an examination. Thereafter, a team worked dedicatedly to help the students to prepare strategically. 'Besides retired bureaucrats, officers currently in service also provided insights to the students, which played a crucial role in their success,' said Sudhagaran. R Monika, who attended the state-provided coaching classes, seconded the opinion. 'We got guidance from the present batch of IAS, IPS officials with whom we could connect and relate with. Their guidance is the USP of the coaching facility,' she said. Chandru noted that many students, after one or two failed attempts in the main exam, were forced to quit due to financial constraints. However, the scholarship and residential facility provided under Naan Mudhalvan has helped many from downtrodden sections of society to continue with their preparation. He recalled that in 2014, 119 of the 1,126 selected candidates were from TN and said the state should aspire to repeat such a performance.
