Categorization of Indian Railway stations by commercial
importance
Indian
Railways classifies its railway stations based on commercial and
strategic importance under various categories in order to ascertain, plan and
provide minimum essential amenities for passengers using them.
While the primary criteria for determining the
importance of a station was purely based on the station revenue and earnings,
it was changed in December
2017 to better cover stations with high footfalls and strategic
importance as well.
History
From
the 1890s, basic passenger amenities like toilets, gas lamps and electric
lighting were introduced in various railway stations of India. However
there was no uniform criteria set for providing passenger amenities or
organizing railway stations based on commercial importance. Thus after
the independence of India, the 1949 Railway
Convention Committee recommended a development fund of ₹3 crore (equivalent to ₹331 crore or
US$42 million in 2023) for providing basic amenities to passengers every
year.
In 1952, Indian Railways laid the guidelines
with regards to passenger amenities like booking arrangement, waiting halls,
benches, suitable lighting arrangements, drinking water, latrines, shady
trees, rail level platforms of suitable length amongst others. These guidelines were revised in the year 1995 and a
classification system for passenger amenities was set up based on the annual
passenger earnings of a railway station. Stations were initially
categorized into five categories namely A, B, C, D & E depending upon the earnings,
which was considered to be an indicator of the passenger traffic. These categories and criterion were planned to be
revised every five years from 1995-96. In 1999, a sixth category namely F was
introduced to cover all halt stations while the criterions for the other
categories were revised. All suburban stations were grouped under C category
to accord them higher priority while category A & B were modified to
classify stations with higher passenger traffic.
The criterions for these categories were again
revised in 2003.
In 2007, a new category A1 was introduced to classify railway stations
with annual earnings of
more than ₹50 crore to ensure the provision of best amenities at the
most important of railway stations.[9] While
this classification was useful for categorizing stations with higher
earnings, it didn't take into account stations with high number of footfalls
like Kalyan, Panvel and Tambaram which led to them being
eligible only for lower number of amenities.
In December 2017, the entire categorization system was
comprehensively revised taking into account passenger footfall, earnings and
strategic importance with a view to plan various passenger services and
passenger amenities at stations in a more effective and focused manner in
order to help the passenger have a better experience in relation to travel
amenities at stations.[2] Stations
were categorized into the Non-Suburban
Groups - NSG-1 to NSG-6,
Suburban Groups -
SG-1 to SG-3, and Halt
Groups - HG1 to HG3. General
Managers of the various zones of the Indian
railways were also given the power to designate a lower grade
station as NSG-4 category if it was a place of tourist importance and/or was
an important junction station.[2] Station Categories
Current (2017)
Previous (1995-2017)
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Sunday 19 November 2023
Categorization of Indian Railway Stations by commercial importance
Thursday 16 November 2023
Prosthetist & Orthotist Recruitment Rules
Recruitment for the post of Prosthetist & Orthotist:
(i) Nomenclature of the post: Prosthetist & Orthotist.
(ii) Pay Level: Level-6
(iii)Mode of recruitment: 100% Direct Recruitment
(iv)Educational Qualification: Degree in Prosthetics & Orthotics (B.P.O.) from a recognized University.
(v) Age limit: 20 to 30 years.
Wednesday 15 November 2023
Moral Turpitude
Suspension may also be desirable in certain cases of misdemeanor, for example, moral turpitude, embezzlement or misappropriation of Government money, possession of disproportionate assets, misuse of official powers for personal gain, serious dereliction of duty resulting in considerable loss to the Government, desertion of duty, refusal or deliberate failure to carry out orders of superior officers, etc.
311 PROSECUTION
311.1 Prosecution should be the general rule in cases of bribery, corruption or other criminal misconduct, or cases involving substantial loss to public funds, which are found fit to be sent to Court after investigation.
312 PREVIOUS SANCTION FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION
[Subject to modification in the context of “The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018” notified on 26-7-2018]
312.1 Requirement of sanction: Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 lays down that no Court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under Sections 7,10,11,13 and 15 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 alleged to have been committed by a Public Servant, except with the previous sanction of the authority competent to
remove him from his office.
AGREED LIST & SECRET LIST
AGREED LIST & SECRET LIST IRVM 2018
322 AGREED LIST/SECRET LIST
322.1 One of the measures to combat corruption is to maintain watch on the activities of public servants who are of doubtful integrity. For this, two lists namely ‘Agreed List’ and list of public servants of gazetted status of doubtful integrity also known as ‘Secret List’ are prepared by Railway Board Vigilance annually in accordance with the directives of Department of Personnel and Training and Central Vigilance Commission.
322.2 The Secret List is prepared in the light of criteria laid down for the purpose namely (a) Officers convicted in a Court of Law on a charge of lack of integrity or for an offence involving moral turpitude but on whom in view of exceptional circumstances, a penalty other than dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement is imposed. (b) Officers awarded departmentally a Major Penalty : (i) On charge of lack of integrity or (ii) On charge of gross dereliction of duty in protecting the interests of Government although the corrupt motive may not be capable of proof; or (c) Officers against whom proceedings for a Major Penalty or a Court Trial are in progress for alleged acts involving lack of integrity or moral turpitude; or (d) Officers who were prosecuted but acquitted on technical grounds, and in whose case, on the basis of evidence during the trial, there remained a reasonable suspicion against their integrity.
322.3 Exceptions: The following will be excluded for this purpose:
(a) Officers who have been cleared or honourably acquitted as a result of disciplinary proceedings or court trial.
(b) Officers against whom an enquiry or investigation has not brought forth sufficient evidence for recommending even a disciplinary case.
(c) Officers who have been convicted for offences not involving lack of integrity or moral turpitude.
(d) Officers against whom disciplinary proceedings have been completed or are in progress in respect of administrative lapses, minor violation of Conduct Rules and the like.
322.4 Names once included in Secret List will not be removed until a period of three years has elapsed. The period of three years, for which the name will be current on the list, will count from the date of punishment in disciplinary proceedings or from the date of conviction in a Court Trial.
322.5 Due to issue of this list on annual basis, names of those officers, who are advised major penalty action by CVC in the intervening period, do not find place in the Secret List. Similarly, some officers may continue to be on the Secret List even when either exonerated or taken up for minor penalty action subsequent to inquiry. Such cases should be brought to the notice of GM/PHOD by the concerned SDGM/CVO. In case of major penalty action, the General Manager/PHOD should shift such officers from sensitive seats, if occupied by them. Likewise, in case of exoneration or minor penalty action on an officer already borne on Secret List, PHOD/General Manager may consider his posting on a sensitive seat on the advice of SDGM.
322.6 Agreed List is prepared annually in consultation with CBI and contains the names of such Officers whose integrity and honesty is under a cloud.
322.7 The Agreed List is prepared in consultation with the CBI every year. The Agreed List is meant only for the purpose of intensive vigilance and carrying out preventive checks. As regards the procedure, CBI/Railway Vigilance at the Branch/Zonal levels respectively should make out preliminary Agreed Lists and also the list of officers on which there is no agreement. After they are signed by both of them, they would be transmitted to their respective Head Offices viz. CBI Headquarters Office at New Delhi and Vigilance Directorate, Railway Board. These lists will be further discussed by Vigilance Directorate with CBI Headquarters and final Agreed List will be communicated to the CBI Headquarters Office and the Zonal Railways. The CBI will in turn also send list to their concerned local units.
322.8 The purpose of maintenance of these lists is to take such administrative action as is necessary and feasible in the type of cases mentioned below:
(a) Transfer from a “Sensitive” post.
(b) Non nomination to Selection Committees
(c) Non nomination to Tender Committees
(d) Non appointment as Arbitrators
(e) Non nomination as Inquiry Officers
(f) Non sponsoring of names for foreign assignments/deputations
(g) Refusal of permission for commercial re-employment after retirement.
(h) Refusal for re-employment in Public Sector Undertakings.
322.9 In the event of an Officer whose name is borne on the lists being transferred to another Railway, the General Manager/SDGM concerned should intimate to his counterpart in the other Railway the fact of the Officer’s name being on the list, endorsing a copy of the letter to Railway Board Vigilance.
322.10 While giving vigilance clearance for various purposes like Promotions, Deputations, and Training etc. the fact that the officer is borne on current Agreed List or current Secret List should also be intimated.
322.11 One of the administrative actions required to be taken in case of Agreed List/Secret List borne officers is transfer from sensitive posts. For this purpose, all posts of Head of Departments and posts as per list enclosed in Annexure 8.1 of this Manual are to be considered as “Sensitive”. This list is not exhaustive and General Managers on their own may also treat any other post not mentioned in the list as “Sensitive” and inform Railway Board Vigilance. Officers borne on Agreed/Secret List should not be posted to these sensitive posts and in the event of an officer included in these lists holding such a position, his immediate transfer should be arranged. However, where inescapable, the following conditionality should apply:
(a) Officers borne on Agreed/Secret List should not be nominated on any Selection/Screening Board/Committee, Tender Committee or as Arbitrators or Inquiry Officers.
(b) Such officers should not deal with important financial matters where there is scope for improper exercise of discretion. Such cases can either be dealt with by the next higher authority himself or marked to some other officer in the equivalent grade, but not borne on Agreed/Secret List. They can, however, be permitted to deal with financial matters of small value subject to test check by the next higher authority to the extent possible.
322.12 In order to prevent the incidence of the Officers borne on Agreed List/Secret List being nominated to serve as members of selection committee/tender committees, the following steps may be taken :-
(a) List of officers borne on Agreed List/Secret List may be sent to PHODs/DRMs/CWMs concerned. The list of entire Railway will be maintained by the SDGM.
(b) For nomination of any officer on a tender committee or selection, this list should invariably be referred to before nominations are made in the Division. DRM may also advise the co-ordinating branch officers, names of such officers as soon as the Agreed/Secret list is received from Headquarters.
(c) In the Headquarters Office, where selection committees, tender committees are nominated by HODs they may be advised that the same should be done in consultation with PHOD, who is provided with a list of the officers of his department figuring either on Agreed List or Secret List. This will avoid the situation of any of the officers on either of these lists getting nominated as a member of either the selection committee or the tender committee.
(d) The appointment of arbitrators, inquiry officers and nomination of selection committee for Group ‘B’ exams are done by the General Manager. These nominations/appointments should be routed through SDGM/CVO who should scrutinize the same and bring to the notice of General Manager if any of the appointed/nominated officers figure on either Agreed List or Secret List so that timely remedial action can be taken.
322.13 The Zonal Vigilance should conduct some checks on the work done by Officers borne on these lists while they were working on sensitive posts.
322.14 The extant instructions arbitrate that the Agreed List should be kept strictly confidential.
Monday 6 November 2023
Sunday 5 November 2023
Technical services & Non technical services (IRMM 503)
Technical services & Non technical services
(IRMM 503)
The various gazetted
services on Railways should be divided in to two categories as follows:-
(1) Technical services:-
(i) Railway Engineering
Services (Civil, Electrical, Signal, and Mechanical)
(ii) Indian Railway Traffic
Service.
(iii) Special Class Railway
Apprentices.
(iv) Posts in the Marine
Establishments.
(v) Indian Railway Medical
Service
Note: Even though Indian
Railway Medical Service has been declared as 'Technical', the standard of
medical examination applicable for candidates for recruitment to this service
shall not be the same as applicable to the technical service on Railways. The
candidates will be medically examined in accordance with the standards
prescribed for technical services of Central Govt.(i.e other than the technical
services under the Ministry of Railways) as laid down in the 'Hand book on
Medical Examination' issued by the Ministry of Health And Family Welfare as
amended from time to time. ( Bd.'s No 82/H/5/9 dt. 21/08/1982 and dt. 15/06/1984)
(2) Non technical services:-
(i) Indian Railway Accounts
Service.
(ii) Indian Railway Stores
Service.
(iii) Railway Protection
Force.
(iv) Railway Board
Secretariat Services, class I and class II.
(v) Chemists and
Metallurgists.
(vi) All other class I and class II services on the
Railways which are not connected with the train working or use of trolleys.
Disclosure of marks Selections LDCEs for promotion to Group ‘B’ posts
Disclosure of marks written test for Selections/ LDCEs, for promotion to Group ‘B’ posts
Sub: Disclosure of marks secured by candidates in
the written test held for Selections/ LDCEs, for promotion to Group ‘B’ posts.
A clarification has been sought from Railway Board by one of the Railway Units
on whether the marks secured by candidates in the written test for Selections/
LDCEs, for promotion to Group ‘B’ posts may be furnished to them, since
applications are being received from candidates under Right to Information
(RTI) Act, 2005, requesting for disclosure of marks obtained by them.
The
matter has been considered by the Board and it has been decided that in order
to avoid unnecessary applications under RTI Act seeking details of marks
secured by candidates in Group ‘B’ selections/ LDCEs, marks of the written test
and also the total marks (wherever applicable) secured by all the candidates,
may be notified by the Railway Administration.
RBE No. 92/2008 Selections
Selections/ LDCEs for promotion
to Group ‘B’ posts, the total marks secured by all the candidates who had
appeared for viva-voce after qualifying in the written examination, and the
marks secured in written test in the case of the remaining candidates, may be
notified after finalization of the Group ‘B’ panel.
RBE 56/2009
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