Parliament Question: Hospitals functioning under Railways for its employees

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2500 ANSWERED ON 13.03.2026 HOSPITALS FUNCTIONING UNDER RAILWAYS FOR ITS EMPLOYEES 2500 DR. V. SIVADASAN: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the total number of hospitals and health units functioning under Indian Railways for its employees and their dependents, zone-wise; (b) the staffing pattern (doctors, nurses, paramedics, support staff) for these hospitals and the number of existing vacancies in each category; (c) the number of complaints received in the last three years regarding medical negligence or deficiencies in hospital functioning, with details of action taken; and (d) the steps taken to improve quality, reduce vacancies and strengthen railway health services? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (d): 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 2004–2013 and 2014–2025, 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 18,40,347 156 15 vacancies) 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 11,01,266 146 15 vacancies) CBT for the post of RPF-SI (452 vacancies) 15,35,635 143 15 CBT for the post of RPF-Constable (4,208 45,30,288 147 15 vacancies) CBT for Paramedical Categories (1,376 vacancies) 7,08,321 143 15 1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular 58,41,774 141 15 Categories (Graduate) (8,113 vacancies) 1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular 63,27,473 157 15 Categories (Under Graduate) (3,445 vacancies) CBT for Ministerial & Isolated Categories (1,036 4,46,013 139 15 vacancies) 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 2,66,363 112 15 vacancies) 2nd Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 1,17,339 118 15 vacancies) 2nd Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular 1,21,931 129 15 Categories (Graduate) (8,113 vacancies) §2nd Stage CBT for Non-Technical Popular 51,978 79 15 Categories (Under Graduate) (3,445 vacancies) Total Candidates 5,57,611 Computer 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 1,233 8 2 Categories CBAT for the post Non-Technical Popular 13,616 38 2 Categories (Graduate) Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for 30,341 58 2 the post Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate) Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) for 13,145 44 2 the post Non-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 No. Post Name No. of Vacancies Month of 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 (Under- 3,058 October, 2025 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-à-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 ‘C’ posts. The introduction of annual calendar is benefitting the aspirants in the following manner: • More opportunities for candidates; • Opportunities to those becoming eligible every year; §• Certainty of exams; • 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. ***** §