Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-issues-gazette-notification-to-unify-8-existing-services-of-indian-railways-101644544727639.html
Publisher: The Hindustan Times
The Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS), announced in December 2019, will leave railways will just two departments: Railway Protection Force and Medical Service Department.
More than two years after being announced, the Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS), which will unify eight existing services of the national transporter, has been notified by the Ministry of railways.
“In pursuance of Cabinet’s decision dated 24.12.2019, there shall be creation of a new Group ‘A’ Central service called Indian Railway Management Service,” a gazette notification, issued by the ministry on February 9, noted.
In December 2019, with an aim to end ‘departmentalism’ in railways, the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced the merger of eight existing Group A services into a single unified central service, the IRMS.
The services which are being merged are the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers, Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS), Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE), Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) and Indian Railway Accounts Services (IRAS).
The unification, will mean that railways is left with just two departments, namely the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Medical Service Department (MSD).
Proposed under then railway minister Piyush Goyal, the reform will be carried out at all levels, from Junior Scale to Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) plus. Under this, as many as 27 General Manager (GM) posts have been upgraded to ‘apex’ grade. Promotion of eligible officers under the erstwhile services to apex grade will also be ensured.
Also, only IRMS officers will be eligible to become functional members/CEO of the Railway Board.
