**Executive Summary**
This document outlines Indian Railways' commitment to providing comprehensive healthcare to its employees and pensioners through a network of 582 health units and 128 hospitals. It details significant recruitment drives, including the hiring of over 5,100 doctors between 2014-2025 and an indent for 620 more doctors for 2025-2026. The document also highlights the ongoing recruitment for various non-gazetted positions, with Annual Calendars for 2024 and 2025 introduced for improved transparency and opportunities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Healthcare Network:**
* Indian Railways provides comprehensive healthcare to serving and retired employees and their eligible dependents.
* This is delivered through a network of 582 Health Units and 128 Railway Hospitals across India.
* These facilities are equipped with infrastructure, medical equipment, and trained personnel.
* Establishment of new healthcare facilities and upgrades to existing ones is an ongoing process.
* **Doctor Recruitment and Training:**
* A total of 2,277 doctors were recruited between 2004-2013, and 5,140 doctors between 2014-2025.
* An indent for 620 doctors has been placed with the UPSC for 2025 and 2026.
* Indian Railways is participating in the Post Graduate medical education program run by NBEMS, offering Diploma, Doctorate, and Fellowship courses for railway and non-railway doctors.
* Post Graduate Medical Institutes are being established attached to Railway hospitals, with the first one at Northern Railway Central Hospital, New Delhi.
* **Non-Gazetted Staff Recruitment:**
* Recruitment for non-gazetted personnel is conducted on an all-India basis.
* As per the Annual Calendar 2024 and 2025, recruitment for 1,43,086 vacancies of non-gazetted personnel is underway.
* From January to December 2024, ten Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs) were issued for 92,116 vacancies.
* Nine CENs for 50,970 vacancies have been issued as per the Annual Calendar for 2025.
* Panels for over 41,000 candidates across various posts, including safety categories, have been finalized.
* Recruitment is conducted transparently, with no instances of paper leakage or malpractice reported.
* **System Improvements:**
* An annual calendar system for recruitment to Group 'C' posts has been introduced from 2024.
* This system aims to provide more opportunities for candidates, benefit those becoming eligible annually, and ensure certainty of exams and faster recruitment processes.
* Appropriate administrative attention is given to handling complaints regarding medical negligence and hospital deficiencies.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Railway Employees and Pensioners (and their Dependents)**
* **Impact:** Access to comprehensive healthcare services through an expanded and upgraded network of railway health facilities. Increased availability of specialist medical professionals through new Post Graduate Medical Institutes.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the provided healthcare facilities and programs.
* **Prospective Candidates for Railway Positions**
* **Impact:** Increased and clearer opportunities for employment through the introduction of annual recruitment calendars, transparent selection processes, and a significant number of vacancies being filled.
* **Action Required:** Stay informed about the published Annual Calendars and Centralized Employment Notifications, and prepare for the recruitment examinations.
* **Doctors (Railway and Non-Railway)**
* **Impact:** Opportunities for advanced medical education and specialization through Post Graduate Diploma, Doctorate, and Fellowship courses offered by Indian Railways in collaboration with NBEMS. Enhanced opportunities for career development.
* **Action Required:** Participate in the Post Graduate medical education programs offered.
* **Indian Railways Administration**
* **Impact:** A structured and transparent recruitment process, improved healthcare delivery for beneficiaries, and a growing pool of qualified medical professionals.
* **Action Required:** Continue to manage and execute the recruitment and healthcare service delivery as outlined. Ensure timely and fair handling of all administrative and operational matters related to recruitment and healthcare.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Railways: The primary subject of the policy, providing healthcare and employment.
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC): The agency responsible for conducting recruitment for the Indian Railway Health Service (IRHS).
Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs): Notifications issued by Indian Railways for recruitment purposes.
Railway Recruitment Board (RRB): The entity conducting examinations for recruitment in Indian Railways.
Ministry of Railways: The governing body overseeing the Indian Railways and its initiatives.
Ministry of Railways
Indian Railways Provides Comprehensive
Healthcare to Employees and Pensioners
Through Network of 582 Health Units and 128
Hospitals
Over 5,100 Doctors Recruited in Indian Railway Health
Service During 2014ā2025 Compared to 2,277 During 2004ā
2013; Indent for 620 Doctors Placed on UPSC for the Year
2025 and 2026
Railways Provides 41,343 Jobs So Far in FY 2025ā26,
Boosting Employment
Recruitment for Technicians, Junior Engineers, ALPs, RPF
and Paramedical Staff Underway Across Multiple Stages
Posted On: 13 MAR 2026 7:26PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways provide comprehensive healthcare to Railway employees, both serving and retired along
with their eligible dependents. The healthcare facilities are provided through a network of railway health
institutes. Presently, there are 582 Health Units and 128 Railway Hospitals existing on Indian Railways.
These Railway hospitals have required infrastructure, essential medical equipment and trained healthcare
personnel to provide comprehensive healthcare to Railway beneficiaries.
Occurrence and filling up of vacancies including those of medical staff are continuous processes on Indian
Railways considering its size, spatial distribution and criticality of operation. Adequate and suitable
manpower is provided to cater to the regular operations, changes in technology, mechanisations and
innovative practices. The vacancies are filled up primarily by placement of indents by Railways with
Recruitment agencies as per operational and technological requirements.
Recruitments in Indian Railway Health Service (IRHS) are made through Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC) for the Ministry as a whole. During the periods 2004ā2013 and 2014ā2025, a total
of 2277 and 5,140 doctors, respectively, were recruited. In addition, indent for 620 doctors was placed on
UPSC for the year 2025 and 2026.
Railways, being Central Government organization conduct recruitment for non-gazetted personnel on all
India basis. Presently, recruitment against 1,43,086 vacancies of non-gazetted personnel has been taken up
on Indian Railways as per Annual Calendar 2024 and 2025.During January to December 2024, ten Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs) for 92,116
vacancies were notified for which first stage/Single stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) details are as
under:-
Exam Candidates Cities Languages
1st Stage CBT for the post of ALP (18,799 vacancies) 18,40,347 156 15
CBT for the post of Technician (14,298 vacancies) 26,99,892 139 15
1st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 vacancies) 11,01,266 146 15
CBT for the post of RPF-SI (452 vacancies) 15,35,635 143 15
CBT for the post of RPF-Constable (4,208 vacancies) 45,30,288 147 15
CBT for Paramedical Categories (1,376 vacancies) 7,08,321 143 15
1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular Categories 58,41,774 141 15
(Graduate) (8,113 vacancies)
1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under 63,27,473 157 15
Graduate) (3,445 vacancies)
CBT for Ministerial & Isolated Categories (1,036 vacancies) 4,46,013 139 15
CBT for Level-1 post (32,438 vacancies) 1,08,28,261 152 15
Total Candidates 3,58,59,270
2nd stage CBTs for the following posts has also been completed:
Exam Candidates Cities Languages
2nd Stage CBT for the post of ALP (18,799 vacancies) 2,66,363 112 15
2nd Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 vacancies) 1,17,339 118 15
2nd Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular Categories 1,21,931 129 15
(Graduate) (8,113 vacancies)
2nd Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under 51,978 79 15
Graduate) (3,445 vacancies)
Total Candidates 5,57,611Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) for the post of ALP and Non-Technical Popular Categories
(Graduate) and Computer based Skill Test for the post of Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate-
level) and Ministerial & Isolated Categories have also been completed. Details are as under:
Exam Candidates Cities Languages
CBAT for the post of ALP (18,799 vacancies) 1,32,044 84 2
Translation Test for Ministerial & Isolated Categories 1,233 8 2
CBAT for the post Non-Technical Popular Categories 13,616 38 2
(Graduate)
Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for the post Non- 30,341 58 2
Technical Popular Categories (Graduate)
Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for the post Non- 13,145 44 2
Technical Popular Categories (Under-Graduate-level)
Total Candidates 1,90,379
Panels for more than 41,000 candidates for various posts including the posts of Technician, Junior
Engineers, Paramedical Categories, Sub-Inspectors & Constable (RPF) and Assistant Loco Pilots have
been finalised. Majority of them are in safety categories.
In addition, as per Annual Calendar for the year 2025, nine Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs)
for 50,970 vacancies have also been issued. Details are as under:
CEN Post Name No. of Vacancies Month of
No. notified Notification
01/2025 Assistant Loco Pilots 9,970 March, 2025
02/2025 Technician 6,238 June, 2025
03/2025 Paramedical categories 434 July, 2025
04/2025 Section Controller 368 August, 2025
05/2025 Junior Engineer/Depot Material 2,585 October, 2025
Superintendent
06/2025 Non-Technical Popular Categories 5,810 October, 2025
(Graduate)07/2025 Non-Technical Popular Categories 3,058 October, 2025
(Under-Graduate)
08/2025 Isolated Categories 312 December, 2025
09/2025 Level-1 22,195 December, 2025
First stage/Single stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for 12,923 posts has been completed. Details are as
under:-
Exam Candidates Cities Languages
1st Stage CBT for the post of ALP (9,970 vacancies) 10,03,719 141 15
CBT for the post of Section Controller (368 vacancies) 4,33,748 131 15
1st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS (2,585 vacancies) 5,74,351 133 15
Total Candidates 20,11,818
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) examinations are quite technical in nature entailing large scale
mobilization of men and resources and training of manpower. Railway overcame all these challenges and
successfully conducted the recruitment in a transparent manner following all laid down guidelines. No
instance of paper leakage or similar malpractice has occurred during the entire process.
Recruitment done in Indian Railways during 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 vis-Ć -vis during 2014-2015 to 2024-
2025 is given as under: -
Period Recruitments
2004-2005 to 2013-2014 4.11 lakhs
2014-2015 to 2023-2024 5.08 lakhs
2025-26 till date 41,343
Further, as a system improvement, the Ministry of Railways has introduced a system of publishing annual
calendar from 2024 for recruitment to various categories of Group āCā posts. The introduction of annual
calendar is benefitting the aspirants in the following manner:
ā¢ More opportunities for candidates;
ā¢ Opportunities to those becoming eligible every year;
ā¢ Certainty of exams;ā¢ Faster Recruitment process, Training and Appointments
Appropriate administrative attention and necessary action are taken in accordance with the prescribed
framework for handling complaints received regarding medical negligence and deficiencies in hospital
functioning.
Establishment of new healthcare facilities and up-gradation of existing ones is an on-going process,
depending on the requirements of the beneficiaries and developments in the field of Medical Science.
Indian Railways also contribute towards medical education by being a part of the Post Graduate medical
education programme run by National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). Post
Graduate Diploma, Doctorate and Fellowship medical courses are being run for both Railway and Non-
Railway doctors under this programme.
Indian Railways has now decided to establish Post Graduate Medical Institutes attached with Railway
hospitals. This shall further contribute towards enhancement of number of specialist medical professionals
in India. First one has been started at Northern Railway Central Hospital, New Delhi.
This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and
Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a reply to a question in Rajya Sabha
today.
*****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Nayan Solanki/ Manik Sharma
(Release ID: 2239847) Visitor Counter : 12110
Read this release in: ą¤¹ą„ , Marathi , Gujarati , Kannada