RBE No.165/2001: GDCE – Extension, Widening of scope & relaxation of age

No.E(NG)I-2000/PM 2/12, dated 21.08.2001

Sub: Scheme of General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE) for filling up 25% of direct recruitment quota posts in Group ‘C’ categories – widening the scope and relaxation of upper age limit for.

1. In terms of this Ministry’s letter No.E(NG)-I/92/PM 2/16, dated 20.08.1993 (RBE No.129/1993) the scheme of General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE) was introduced to fill up 25% of the net direct recruitment quota vacancies (for which indents are otherwise required to be placed on RRBs) in certain Group ‘C’ categories of staff mentioned in para 2(i) thereof. The maximum age limit for appearing in GDCE is 40 years for General candidates, 43 years for OBC and 45 years for SC/ST candidates. The scheme which was initially introduced for a period of one year has been extended from time to time and is at present current up to 31.12.2001.
1.1 The scope of GDCE was further widened vide this Ministry’s letter No.E(NG)I-92/PM 2/16, Vol-III, dated 11.06.1997 (RBE No.81/1997) and 08.04.1999 (RBE No.68/1999) by including the categories of Technical Supervisors in grade Rs.5000-8000, for recruitment to which the minimum qualification of Diploma in Engineering in the relevant field has been prescribed.
2. With the introduction of new technologies in various Departments and also changes in the operational procedure, surplus pockets are getting generated in almost all the Departments. In order to provide for greater flexibility in re-deployment of surplus staff and also to take care of promotional aspirations of better qualified staff, the question of widening the scope of GDCE and of some relaxation of upper age limit for appearing in the GDCE have been considered by the Ministry of Railways and it has been decided:

(i) That the scope of GDCE may be widened to include all those categories, except the categories of Law Assistants and Catering Supervisors grade Rs.3200-4900 and the Accounts cadres, which are having a direct recruitment quota of 25% or more;
(ii) To relax the age limit for candidates appearing in the GDCE from the existing 40 years to 42 years for General candidates, 43 years to 45 years for OBCs and 45 years to 47 years for SC/ST candidates; and
(iii) That GDCE should be conducted by the relevant Railway Recruitment Boards along with direct recruitment examination conducted for the same category by RRB with a separate merit list of GDCE candidates.

3. Any ongoing selection by the Railway against GDCE quota for which written examination has already been held may be allowed to continue as per earlier instructions on the subject. Any other selection under the scheme of GDCE which has been initiated but has not reached the stage of written Examination may now be processed in accordance with the revised instructions contained in this latter.
4. The instructions contained in Para 2 above will be in force upto March, 2005, after which the position will be reviewed. Accordingly, the currency of the scheme stands extended upto 31.03.2005 on the existing terms and conditions as modified above.