Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/railways-ministry-to-agree-to-job-aspirants-demands-official-101646677684051.html
Publisher: Hindustan Times
An additional 250,000 applicants will get a chance to land a railways job as the ministry has decided to increase the number of candidates eligible to appear for the second stage examination of the non-technical popular categories (NTPC) that include guards, clerks, timekeepers and station masters, officials familiar with the matter said.
The results of the first stage of the exams held last year were declared on January 15, leading to aspirants in Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh staging a massive protest and setting four bogies of an empty train on fire.
The aspirants demanded that authorities count candidates who have applied in multiple categories for only one category so that more aspirants get the opportunity to take the tests.
“We have agreed to most of their demands,” a railway ministry official said, seeking anonymity.
The aspirants also alleged that the railway authorities said shortlisting will be done at the rate of 20 times of total vacancies that stood at 35,281 for the second round of tests. However, the number of shortlisted candidates tallied just over 368,000 in the results declared in January, leading to widespread protests.
“More than 700,000 students may appear in its second stage,” the official said.
“The railways has agreed to announce the exam results on the basis of 20 times total vacancies, and will be declaring these results this month,” the official added.
After the demonstrations, the ministry had on January 26 postponed the second stage of the exams and announced that it will set up a high-level committee to address the issues raised by job applicants over the result of the computer-based test.
Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnav had asked the committee to submit its report before March 4.
The central government had given three weeks’ time till February 16 to job aspirants to submit their concerns, which railway officials said were received on time.
“We received 295,000 suggestions. These included 218,000 suggestions via our website, 64,000 via email and 13,800 suggestions were submitted to our railways recruitment boards,” another railway official familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity.
The railways, which has 21 recruitment boards, is one of the largest recruiters in India.
Out of the 35,281 vacancies, 24,281 posts in 13 categories are open to graduates and 11,000 posts in six categories are for undergraduates, according to the national transporter.
These 13 categories are segregated into five groups based on the 7th Pay Commission pay scales. These posts include train assistants, guards, junior clerks, timekeepers and station masters.
