Executive Summary:
This document addresses questions regarding the working conditions of Loco Pilots within the Indian Railways, including working hours, leave policies, rest periods, and vacancy details. It outlines the regulations governing these aspects, measures taken to improve working conditions, and the ongoing recruitment process to fill vacancies. The document also highlights improvements in recruitment processes with the introduction of an annual calendar.
Key Points / Main Content:
Working Conditions and Regulations:
* Loco Pilots are classified under the Continuous Category.
* Duty hours are capped at an average of 52 hours per week in a two-weekly period, less than the 54-hour limit for other continuous category employees.
* Leave entitlements for Loco Pilots are governed by the Railway Services Liberalised Leave Rules, 1949, including provisions for various types of leave (LAP, LHAP, EOL, etc.).
* Head Quarter rest of 16 hours is provided after reaching headquarters, with periodic rest of 30 or 22 hours as per the Railway Act, 1989.
* Outstation rest is provided based on duty hours, ranging from equivalent hours for duty less than 5 hours to 8 hours for duty of 8 hours or more.
* Periodic rest includes at least five periods of 22 consecutive hours or four periods of 30 consecutive hours each month, including a full night.
* Breaks for meals and attending to nature's call are inbuilt into the system for Freight and Passenger Loco Pilots.
Improvements and Facilities:
* New locos are designed with ergonomic, crew-friendly features like better seats and air-conditioned cabs.
* Running rooms are equipped with air conditioning, subsidized meals, foot massagers, and RO water filters.
Recruitment and Vacancies:
* Recruitment of 1.08 lakh vacancies is underway.
* During January to December 2024, ten Centralized Employment Notifications (CENs) were notified for 92,116 vacancies.
* Vacancies include Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs), Technicians, Sub-Inspectors, Constables in RPF, Junior Engineers (JEs), and various other categories.
* First and second stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) have been conducted for various posts.
* Two CENs have been issued in 2025 for 9,970 ALP vacancies and 6,238 Technician vacancies.
* Recruitment from 2014-2015 to 2024-2025 totaled 5.08 lakhs, compared to 4.11 lakhs from 2004-2005 to 2013-2014.
* Ministry of Railways has introduced a system of publishing annual calendar from 2024 for recruitment to various categories of Group C posts.
Impact Analysis:
Loco Pilots and Assistant Loco Pilots:
* Impact: The policy directly affects their working hours, rest periods, leave entitlements, and access to improved facilities.
* Action Required: Be aware of the regulated duty hours, rest entitlements, and available facilities.
Indian Railways Administration:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and monitoring compliance with the regulations concerning Loco Pilots' working conditions and managing the recruitment process.
* Action Required: Ensure adherence to duty hour regulations, provide adequate rest facilities, and efficiently manage the recruitment process to fill vacancies.
Candidates for Loco Pilot and Assistant Loco Pilot Positions:
* Impact: Provides clarity on the recruitment process, available vacancies, and the frequency of recruitment exams.
* Action Required: Monitor the annual recruitment calendar for opportunities and prepare for the technical RRB examinations.
Key Entities Referenced
Loco Pilots: Employees of Indian Railways responsible for operating locomotives, central to the discussion on working conditions, rest, and safety.
Indian Railways: The national railway system of India, the primary employer of loco pilots and the subject of the policy regarding their working conditions.
Railway Act, 1989: A law that prescribes duty hours and rest periods for railway staff, including loco pilots, specifically Sections 132 and 133.
Hours of Work and Period of Rest HOER,2005: A set of rules laying down the guidelines of duty hours for Loco Pilots.
Railway Services Liberalised Leave Rules, 1949: Rules governing leave entitlements for all railway employees, including loco pilots, specifying types of leave available.
Assistant Loco Pilots ALPs: Personnel who assist loco pilots in operating locomotives; their recruitment and working conditions are also addressed in the document.
Centralized Employment Notifications CENs: Notifications for recruitment to various posts in Indian Railways, including Assistant Loco Pilots and Technicians. Referenced in the context of filling vacancies.
Ashwini Vaishnaw: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology answering the question in the Lok Sabha.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1784
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025
WORKING CONDITIONS OF LOCO PILOTS
1784. MS SAYANI GHOSH:
SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether there are any fixed working hours and leave policy for the loco
pilots, if so, the details thereof including total working hours in a day/a
week, any breaks and attending nature’s call etc.;
(b) whether it is a fact that the Government has rejected a long-pending
demand of loco pilots to provide a break for having meals and attending
nature’s call while on duty, given the increasing major train accidents
where human error was often attributed as the reason, if so, the details
thereof;
(c) whether the Government is considering mandatory deployment of two
loco pilots or assistant pilots for long-distance or high-speed routes to
reduce stress and ensure safety, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is aware of the grievances of loco pilots that
they are not given the mandated 16 hours of headquarters rest and 30
hours of periodic rest properly and if so, the details thereof;
(e) the measures taken by the Government to ensure that the loco pilots
and assistant loco pilots are provided adequate rests; and
…2/--2-
(f) the details regarding the number of vacancies of loco pilots and
assistant loco pilots in the railways at present and the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(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.
Loco Pilots are classified under Continuous Category. Section 132 (2) of
Railway Act,1989, prescribes duty hours of 54 hours per week on an
average in a two-weekly period of fourteen days for staff working under
Continuous category.
Rule 8 of “Hours of Work and Period of Rest” (HOER),2005 lays down the
guidelines of duty hours of 52 hours per week on an average in a two-
weekly period of fourteen days for Loco Pilots i.e., duty hours are less than
maximum hours of 54 for other “Continuous” category employees on
Indian Railways.
The Railway Services (Liberalised Leave) Rules, 1949, which govern the
provisions for leave entitlements of railway employees specify types of
leave such as Leave on Average Pay (LAP), Leave on Half Average
Pay(LHAP), Commuted Leave, Extraordinary Leave (EOL), etc. and the
same are applicable to all Railway Servants including the Loco Pilots.
…3/-- 3 -
Loco Pilots are given Head Quarter rest, Out Station Rest and Periodic
Rest as under:
Head Quarter Rest - Head Quarter rest of 16 hours is given after a running
staff member reaches their Head Quarter, and periodic rest of 30 hours or
22 hours (as and when due) is provided as per Section 133 of the Railway
Act, 1989. Since periodic rest is also a Head Quarter rest, the requirement
for 16 hours Head Quarter rest is fulfilled during periodic rest.
Out Station Rest - Out station rest is also given when a loco pilot
completes his outward journey and it is as under: -
Duty Hours Rest
For duty less than 5 hours Equivalent to the hours of duty
performed + 1 hours
For duty 5- 8 Hours 6 Hours
For Duty 8 Hours or more 8 Hours
Periodic Rest- Section 133 of Railway Act,1989 and Rule 12 of HOER, 2005
lays down the guidelines for Periodical rest of Running staff. These
stipulates that running staff be granted, each month, a rest of at least five
periods of not less than twenty-two consecutive hours each, or a rest of at
least four periods of not less than thirty consecutive hours each including
a full night.
The running hours of Loco Pilots are meticulously monitored. Except for
exigencies, the running hours are maintained.
…4/-- 4 -
For improvement of working conditions of loco running crew, ergonomic
crew friendly design features like better seat and driver desks for better
comfort of loco pilots has been provided and all new locos are provided
with air-conditioned cabs. Furthermore, running rooms have been
equipped with air-conditioning and are provided with facilities such as
subsidized meals, foot massagers, and RO water filters for the comfort of
the running staff. As regards provision of break for meals and attending to
nature’s call, the same is already inbuilt in the system for Freight and
Passenger Loco pilots.
Presently recruitment of 1.08 lakh vacancies has been taken up on Indian
Railways. Details are as under:
During January to December 2024, ten Centralized Employment
Notifications (CENs) for 92116 vacancies have been 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.
First stage Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for 55197 posts have been
completed in four phases. Details are as under-
Exam Candidates Cities Languages
1st Stage CBT for the post of ALP 18,40,347 156 15
(18,799 vacancies)
…5/-- 5 -
CBT for the post of Technician 26,99,892 139 15
(14,298 vacancies)
1st Stage CBT for the post of 11,01,266 146 15
JE/DMS/CMA (7,951 vacancies)
CBT for the post of RPF-SI (452 15,35,635 143 15
vacancies)
CBT for the post of RPF-Constable 45,30,288 147 15
(4208 vacancies)
CBT for Paramedical Categories 7,08,321 143 15
(1376 vacancies)
1st Stage CBT for Non-Technical 58,41,774 141 15
Popular Category (Graduate)(8113
vacancies)
Results of CBTs for the posts of ALP (1st stage), RPF-SI and Constable,
JE/DMS/CMA (1st Stage) and Technicians have already been published.
2nd stage CBTs for the posts of ALP and JE/DMS/CMA 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)
…6/-- 6-
Results for 2nd stage CBTs of ALP & JE/DMS/CMA have also been
published.
Out of 14,298 vacancies of Technicians notified in 2024, panels of more
than 9,000 selected candidates have already been provided by the RRBs.
In addition, as per Annual Calendar for the year 2025, following two
Centralized Employment Notifications have also been issued: -
a. Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) No. 01/2025, for 9,970
vacancies of ALPs has also been notified in March 2025.
b. Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) No. 02/2025, for 6,238
vacancies of Technician has been notified in June 2025.
Occurrence and filling up of vacancies is a continuous process 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, mechanizations and innovative
practices. The vacancies are filled up primarily by placement of indents by
Railways with Recruitment agencies as per operational and technological
requirements.
The 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.
...7/-- 7 –
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 2024-2025 5.08 lakhs
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
will benefit 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.
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