RBE No. 83/1985 Promotion – Selection – Drivers/ Loco Pilots

No.E(NG)I-84 PM7-64, dated 18.03.1985

Sub: Procedure for holding selection for promotion to the post of Driver Gr. C in scale Rs.330-560.

1. In the meeting of the Departmental Council held in December, 1984, the staff side raised a demand regarding the mode of filling up the posts of Driver Gr. C. They requested that either the Shunters should be declared selected on passing the promotional course in training schools or alternatively they may be treated as selected on passing the selection. In other words, the demand of the staff side was to the effect that passing of promotional course and the selection may not be insisted upon for promotion of Shunters as Driver Gr. C.

2. The matter was discussed in the Departmental Council Meeting held on 06/07.12.1984 when the staff side were advised that since Driver is a crucial safety category, standards set for filling up this post have to be maintained. The staff side pointed out that there may be cases where individual Drivers are not able to express themselves correctly or adequately in the written examination. On this, the official side agreed to consider the issue of instructions to the Railways for setting objective type of questions or questions requiring only brief answers in the written examination held as part of selection for promotion to the post of Driver Gr. C.

3. The Ministry of Railways have carefully considered the matter in the light of deliberations in the said Departmental Council Meeting. They wish to state that promotion to the post of Driver Gr. C will continue to be by a process of selection as laid down in this Ministry’s letter No.E(NG)I-81-PM1-268, dated 09.07.1982 and 21.02.1983. In terms of instructions contained in these letters passing of the Zonal Training School promotion course including vacuum test and breakdown test, is a condition precedent for appearing in selection for promotion to the post of Driver Gr. C. At the same time, it is not the intention of the Ministry to interfere with the practices currently obtaining on individual Railway Administration in regard to this promotion consistent with the aforesaid instructions. Nevertheless, Ministry of Railways consider that wherever the practice is to hold a written test as part of the selection for promotion as Driver Gr. C, it is desirable that objective type questions and/or questions requiring brief answers only are set.