RBE No. 119/1987: Recruitment – Traffic/ Commercial Apprentices

No.E(NG)II/84/RC3/15 (AIRF), dated 15.05.1987

Sub: Recruitment of Traffic/ Commercial Apprentices.

1. In terms of existing rules/ orders on the subject, 25% of the vacancies in scale Rs.455-700/ 470-750 (RS)/ 1400-2300/ 1400-2600 (RP) in the category of Commercial Inspectors and in the operating categories of Station Masters, Yard Masters, Traffic Inspectors and Section Controllers are filled by recruitment of Commercial and Traffic Apprentices.

Out of this, 15% is filled by direct recruitment from the Open Market and 10% by Limited Departmental Competitive Examination from amongst serving graduates in the Traffic and Commercial Departments (other than ministerial staff) below the age of 40 years. The minimum qualifications prescribed for recruitment of Traffic/ Commercial Apprentices is a University Degree (with the Law as additional qualification for Commercial Apprentices). Diploma in Rail Transport and Management from the Institute of Rail Transport is an additional desirable qualification.

2. The questions relating to recruitment of Traffic/ Commercial Apprentices, in the scale in which such recruitment should be made, the qualifications and period of training etc. have been under review by the Railway Board for some time past. As a result of such review the Board have decided as under:-

(i) The scheme of recruitment of Traffic and Commercial Apprentices should continue.

(ii) In future the recruitment of these Apprentices should be made to grade Rs.550-700/ 1600-2660 (RP). Traffic Apprentices absorbed in the cadre of Section Controllers in scale Rs.470-750/ 1400-2600 (RP) will be fixed at starting pay of Rs.1600 on adsorption. The recruitment of Traffic Apprentices may be suitably staggered in view of sub-para (viii) below.

(iii) The existing quota of 15% for open market recruitment and 10% for departmental candidate will continue to apply.

(iv) The qualification for recruitment will continue to be graduation except that in the case of Commercial Apprentices, the additional qualification of a degree in Law will not be necessary. Diploma in Rail Transport and Management from the institute of Rail Transport, New Delhi, will be a desirable qualification.

(v) The recruitment from the open market will be through a separate examination and not combined with the recruitment of Senior Clerks, Guards etc. as at present.

(vi) The examination will be held on date(s) different from the examination held for other graduate categories of Senior Clerks, Guards, ASMs, etc.

(vii) The standard of examination will be higher than in the case at present having regard to the fact that recruitment will be in a higher grade.

(viii) In future the period of training for Traffic Apprentices also will be two years as against three years as in the case at present.

(ix) Commercial Apprentices will be recruited also for posts in scale Rs.550-750/ 1600-2600 (RP) in the commercial group, e.g. for posts of Chief Booking Clerk, Chief Parcel Clerk, Chief Goods Clerk, etc.

(x) The syllabus for training of Traffic as well as Commercial Apprentices will be recast and updated with a view to broad-basing it so that Apprentices of one Department get adequate training relevant to the other Department also.

(xi) A wider exposure to Traffic and Commercial Apprentices after absorption should be arranged by each Railway Administration partly by exchanging Apprentices in one stream with those in other streams and partly by recasting the avenue of advancement in scale Rs.700-900 (RS)/ 2000-3200 (RP) and above.

(xii) Apprentices already under training will be observed only in the scale Rs.455-700 (RS)/ 1400-2300 (RP) or 470-750 (RS)/ 1400-2600 (RP), as the case may be for which they have been recruited.

(xiii) No recruitment in scale Rs.455-700 (RS)/ 1400-2300 (RP) will henceforth be made except to the extent panels have already been received by the Railway Administration from the Railway Recruitment Boards in the case of open market quota and panels have already been published in the case of departmental quota.

(xiv) For recruitment notified upto 31.12.1990, the upper age limit for serving Traffic/ Commercial Apprentices who have been recruited in the scale Rs.455-700 (RS)/ 1400-2300 (RP) and 470-750 (RS)/ 1400-2600 (RP) including those who are undergoing training, will be raised as under as against the upper age limits applicable as per extent orders:

(a) For candidates appearing in the Departmental Competitive Examination – 50 years

(b) For candidates appearing against open market direct recruitment quota under age relaxation applicable to serving employees – 45 years.

The above concession in age will not be available to other serving graduates in the Traffic and Commercial Department who will be volunteering/ opting for the respective quotas in the normal course. In their case normal rules regarding relaxation in age limit for serving employees will only apply.

(xv) Traffic/ Commercial Apprentices working in the lower scale of Rs.455-700 (RS)/ 1400-2300 (RP) and 470-750 (RS)/ 1400-2600 (RP) in getting selected for recruitment in the higher scale of Rs.550-750/ 1600-2600 (RP) as per above provisions, will not be required to be sent for training again.

They will, however, have to appear for and qualify the final retention test along with their batch mates and their seniority will be regularized as per normal rules along with other candidates in that batch.