Why is the Railways facing a staff shortage with over 2.74 lakh vacant posts?

The Indian Railways has revealed that it currently has more than 2.74 lakh vacant posts, with over 1.7 lakh of them in the safety category alone. This information was disclosed in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by Chandra Shekhar Gaur, an RTI activist based in Madhya Pradesh. The shortage of staff in critical positions has raised concerns among railway unions and officials due to its impact on ground-level operations.

Shortage in Safety Category:

According to the Railways' response to the RTI query, a total of 2,74,580 posts are vacant in the Group C category, including entry-level staff or Level 1 employees. Among these vacancies, the safety category accounts for 1,77,924 positions, highlighting the urgency of filling these roles.

The Railways stated that there are over 9.82 lakh sanctioned posts in the safety category, out of which more than 8.04 lakh are currently filled. This indicates a significant shortage of 1,77,924 personnel responsible for crucial train operations, including loco pilots, trackspersons, technicians, engineers, and other vital roles.

Efforts to Address the Staff Shortage:

Railway unions have frequently raised concerns about the shortage of staff in key positions. Officials have stated that the existing workforce is under tremendous pressure, with on-ground staff having to cover eight to ten kilometers daily to inspect tracks. This workload poses difficulties in ensuring adequate attention and maintenance.

The Railways spokesperson, Amitabh Sharma, has stated that the organization is actively addressing the issue through direct recruitment, expedited promotions, and reallocating non-core staff to core positions after appropriate training. The Railways aims to fill 1.52 lakh vacancies by October 2023 and has already provided appointment letters to 1.38 lakh candidates, with 90,000 joining so far. Notably, 90% of these appointments are in the safety category.

Special Drive to Fill Promotional Vacancies:

Following the tragic Balasore incident on June 2, where over 280 people lost their lives, the Railways instructed its zones to launch a "special drive" to fill promotional vacancies, particularly in the safety category. This step was taken in response to criticism from the Opposition and the persistent demands of railway unions.

To alleviate the staff shortage, the Railways is identifying posts in non-core activities and converting them to core activities. Existing employees engaged in non-core roles are being trained and moved to core positions to optimize manpower utilization.