Parliament Question: Mass Voluntary Retirement Applications by Central Railway Loco Pilots

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 476 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026 MASS VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT APPLICATIONS BY CENTRAL RAILWAY LOCO PILOTS *476. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that some Loco Pilots (Mail) from the Mumbai Division of Central Railway have recently submitted a joint application for voluntary retirement from service and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government is aware of the specific grievances cited by these pilots, including unbearable mental and physical stress, administrative harassment and an insensitive working environment and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether there have been reports of sub-standard food, lack of cleanliness and a dearth of basic amenities in the lobbies, trip sheds and running rooms provided to these personnel and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the lack of adequate rest and deteriorating work-life balance among Loco Pilots is impacting railway safety and if so, the details thereof; (e) the reasons for previous oral and written representations to senior officials failing to address these issues, leading to this mass resignation move; and (f) whether the Government has initiated to resolve their grievances and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. ***** §STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.476 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026 IN LOK SABHA (a) to (f) : Loco Pilots are important members of Indian Railway family who play pivotal role for moving passenger and goods traffic in safe and efficient manner. Indian Railways is committed to ensure proper working conditions for loco pilots. The details of filling up vacancies of Assistant Loco Pilots are as follows: Year Details regarding recruitment for the post of Assistant Loco Pilots 2024 18,799 vacancies were notified. Selection process already completed and 15,873 candidates empanelled till date. 2025 9,970 vacancies were notified; First stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) have been completed. 2026 11,127 vacancies have been notified. Recruitment done in Indian Railways during 2004-05 to 2013-14 vis-à-vis during 2014-15 to 2025-26 is given as under: - Period Recruitments 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 4.11 lakh 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 5.08 lakh 2025-26 - till date 43,230 Occurrence and filling up of vacancies 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. Page 1 of 6The 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. Further, as system improvement, the Ministry of Railways has introduced a system of publishing the Annual Calendar from 2024 for recruitment to various categories of Group ‘C’ posts. The introduction of the 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 Presently, recruitment against 1,54,213 vacancies of non- gazetted personnel has been taken up on Indian Railways as per Annual Calendar 2024, 2025 and 2026. During January to December 2024, ten Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs) for 92,116 vacancies were notified for filling up of posts of Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs), Technicians, Sub-Inspectors, Constables in Railway Protection Force (RPF), Junior Engineers (JEs)/ Depot Material Superintendent (DMS)/ Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant (CMA), Paramedical Categories, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate), Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under-Graduate), Ministerial & Isolated Categories and Level-1 categories such as Assistants, Track Maintainers and Pointsman. First Stage/Single stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for 92,116 posts have been completed. Details are as under: - Page 2 of 6Exam 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 26,99,892 139 15 vacancies) 1st Stage CBT for the post of JE/DMS/CMA 11,01,266 146 15 (7,951 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 7,08,321 143 15 vacancies) 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 4,46,013 139 15 (1,036 vacancies) CBT for level-1 posts (32438 vacancies) 1,08,28,261 152 15 Total Candidates 3,58,59,270 2nd stage CBTs for the posts of ALP, JE/DMS/CMA and Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate & Under-Graduate) have also been completed. Details are as under: - Exam Candidates Cities Languages 2nd Stage CBT for the post of ALP 2,66,363 112 15 (18,799 vacancies) 2nd Stage CBT for the post of 1,17,339 118 15 JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 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 Page 3 of 6Computer 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 and Under Graduate) and Ministerial & Isolated Categories have also been completed. Details are as under: Exam Candidates Cities Languages CBAT for the post of ALP 1,32,044 84 2 Translation Test for Ministerial and 1,233 8 2 Isolated Categories CBAT for the post of Non-Technical 13,616 38 2 Popular Categories (Graduate) Computer Based Typing Skill Test 30,341 58 2 (CBTST) for the post of Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate-level) Computer Based Typing Skill Test 13,145 44 2 (CBTST) for the post of Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under-Graduate- level) Total Candidates 1,90,379 Panels for more than 42,000 candidates for various posts including the posts of Technicians, 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: Page 4 of 6CEN No. Post Name No. of Month Vacancies of Notification notified 01/2025 9,970 March 2025 Assistant Loco Pilots 02/2025 6,238 June 2025 Technician 03/2025 434 July 2025 Paramedical categories 04/2025 368 August 2025 Section Controller Junior Engineer (JE)/ Depot 2,585 October 2025 Material Superintendent/Chemical 05/2025 & Metallurgical Assistant Non-Technical Popular 5,810 October 2025 06/2025 Categories (Graduate) Non-Technical Popular 3,058 October 2025 07/2025 Categories (Under-Graduate) 08/2025 312 Isolated Categories December 2025 09/2025 Level-1 posts 22,195 December 2025 Total 50,970 First stage/Single stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for 19,595 posts have been completed. Details are as under: - Exam Candidates Cities Languages 1st Stage CBT for the post of ALP 141 15 10,03,719 (9970 vacancies) CBT for the post of Section Controller 131 15 4,33,748 (368 vacancies) 1st Stage CBT for the post of 5,74,351 133 15 JE/DMS/CMA (2585 vacancies) CBT for the post of Technician 8,41,525 117 15 (6238 vacancies) CBT for the post of Paramedical 3,19,396 106 15 Categories (434 vacancies) 31,72,739 Total Candidates 11,127 vacancies of Assistant Loco Pilots have been notified in March 2026 for the year 2026. Page 5 of 6Further, grievances / representations received from employees are examined and necessary action to address the issues is promptly taken. Complaints received from Loco Pilots are examined on regular basis to resolve the issues and feedback given to the Loco Pilots. Recently rates of Kilometreage Allowance (KMA) and Allowance in lieu of Kilometreage (ALK) for running staff have been enhanced with effect from 01.01.2024 consequent upon Dearness Allowance reaching 50%. Duty hours of Loco Pilots are governed by Hours of Employment Rules (HOER) according to which loco running staff are required to work 104 hours in a fortnight. The running hours of Loco Pilots are meticulously monitored. The running hours are maintained, except for exigencies. The quality and hygiene of food being provided and other amenities in the running Rooms are ensured by regular inspection at senior level. For improvement of working conditions and to ensure adequate quality rest to loco running staff, several measures have been taken such as:  All running rooms have been air-conditioned.  Running staff are provided with Yoga and meditation room, reading room with newspaper and magazines for relaxing in accordance with their requirements.  Provision for good quality subsidized meals in running rooms.  Availability of RO water filters in running rooms.  Special drives are launched regularly to counsel running staff to boost their morale and confidence. ***** Page 6 of 6