INDIAN RAILWAY ESTABLISHMENT MANUAL - VOL. I

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL
2. CHAPTER 2 - GENERAL CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
3. CHAPTER 3 - TERMINATION OF SERVICE
4. CHAPTER 4 - EXTENSION OF SERVICE AND RE-EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS PREVIOUSLY IN GOVERNMANT SERVICE
5. CHAPTER 5 - LEAVE RULES
6. CHAPTER 6 - MEDICAL ATTENDANCE AND TREATMENT
7. CHAPTER 7 - LAW SUITS AND CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST RAILWAY SERVANTS
8. CHAPTER 8 - RAILWAY STAFF BENEFIT FUND
9. CHAPTER 9 - STATE RAILWAY PROVIDENT FUND RULES
10. CHAPTER 10 - STATE RAILWAY GRATUITY RULES
11. CHAPTER 11 - JOINING TIME RULES
12. CHAPTER 12 - COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES AND LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
13. APPENDIX I - THE RAILWAY SERVICE (CONDUCT) RULES, 1966
14. APPENDIX II - (Rule 21 of D&A Rules,1968)
    INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SUBMISSION, RECEIPT AND TRANSMISSION OF PETITIONS TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA
15. APPENDIX III - RULES REGULATING THE COMPASSIONATE FUND OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
16. APPENDIX IV - PROVIDENT FUNDS ACT, 1925
17. APPENDIX V - STUDY LEAVE RULES
18. APPENDIX VI - DELEGATIONS MADE BY PRESIDENT WITH REFERENCE TO RULE 103(11)
19. APPENDIX VII - CONCORDANCE

INDIAN RAILWAY ESTABLISHMENT CODE VOLUME - I

CHAPTER 1

GENERAL

101. Scope and extent of Application. - This Chapter and the next contain the rules governing general conditions of service applicable to Railway servants. Some of these rules correspond to the Fundamental Rules and Supplementary Rules applicable to all Civil servants (other than Railway servants) under the Indian Union, who are subject to the rule making powers by the President.

102. Power to interpret rules. - The power of interpreting the rules in this volume is reserved to the President.

103. Definitions. - Unless there be something repugnant in the subject or context, the terms defined below are used in this Code in the sense herein explained.

1. Accounts officer means an Officer of the Accounts Department as defined in para 102 of the Indian Railway Code for the Accounts Department.
2. The act means the government of India Act, 1935.
3. Actual travelling expenses means the actual cost of transporting railway servant with his domestic servant and personal luggage, including charges for ferry and other tolls and for carriage of camp equipment if necessary. It does not include charges for hotels, travellers bungalows or refreshments or for the carriage of stores or conveyances or any allowance for such incidental losses or expenses as the breakage of crockery, wear and tear of furniture and the employment of additional domestic servants.
4. Apprentice means a person deputed for training in a training in a trade or business with a view to employment in Railway service, who draws pay at monthly rates from Government during such training but is not employed in or against a substantive vacancy in the cadre of a department.
5. Average Pay means the average monthly pay earned during the 10 complete months immediately preceding the month in which the event occurs which necessitates the calculation of average pay.

   Provided that in respect of any period spent on foreign service out of India the pay which the railway servant would have drawn if on duty in India but for foreign service out of India shall be substituted for the pay actually drawn:

   Provided further that in the case of railway servants entitled to running allowance, average pay for the purpose of leave salary shall include a fixed component representing the pay element in the running allowances, as notified by the government through administrative instructions from time to time.

6. Assistant Officer means an Officer in Group ‘A’ drawing pay on the scale applicable to junior scale officers.
7. Cadre means the strength or a service or a part of a service sanctioned as a separate unit.
8. Camp equipage means the apparatus for moving a camp.
9. Camp equipment means tents and the requisites for pitching and furnishing them, or where tents are not carried, such articles of camp furniture as it may be necessary, in the interests of the public service, for a railway servant to take with him on tour.
10. Compensatory Allowance means an allowance granted to meet personal expenditure necessitated by the special circumstances in which duty is performed. It includes a travelling allowance.
11. Competent Authority in relation to the exercise of any power under these rules, means the President or any authority to which such power is delegated in Appendix VI.
12. Constitution means the Constitution of India.
13. Day means a calendar day, beginning and ending at midnight; but an absence from headquarters which does not exceed twenty-four hours shall be reckoned for all purposes as one day, at whatever hours the absence begins or ends.
14. Department of a railway administration means one of the branches constituted for the purpose of conducting the business of the railways.
15. ‘Divisional Officer’ means an officer in Group ‘A’ drawing pay on the scale applicable to senior Scale officer.
16. Duty
    1. Duty includes
       1. Service as Probationer or apprentice, provided that such service is followed by confirmation.
       2. Joining time.
    2. A competent authority may issue orders declaring that, in circumstances similar to those mentioned below, a railway servant may be treated as on duty
       1. During a course of instruction or training in India.
       2. In the case of a student, stipendiary or otherwise, who is entitled to be appointed to the service of Government on passing through a course of training at a University, College or School in India, during the interval between the satisfactory completion of the course and his assumption of duties.

    GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ORDERS

    1. Time spent in attending obligatory Departmental Examinations. - A Government servant required to attend an obligatory departmental examination, or permitted to present himself at an examination the passing of which is a condition of preferment in Government Services, may treated as on duty during the day or days of the examination and during the reasonable time required for the journey, if any to an from the place of examination.

       (G.I., F.D. Memo No. F.17 R. 1/29 dated 23rd Jan. 1929.)

    2. The phrase “condition of preferment” used in (1) above covers only compulsory or optional examinations for promotion within the normal scope of the Government servants department or office.

       (G.I., F.D.Of/15(5) R. 1/31 dot. 25rh March 1931.)

    3. Delay in taking charge of the duties. - Period of Compulsory waiting by an officer for orders of Government posting him to a particular post, after he had reported should be treated as ‘Duty’.

       (G.I., F.D. Res. No.122 CSR dot. 10th Feb.1922, No.175 C.S.R. dt. 28th Feb.1922, No F.192 C.S.R .25 dot.20-6-1925.)

    4. Treating period of training as duty. - The authorities competent to appoint the government servant to the post for which the training is essential may be empowered to treat the period of training or instruction in India of Government servants on duty under this rule subject to the following conditions:
       1. the training or instruction should be in India;
       2. the training or instruction should be connected with the post which the Government servant is holding at the time of placing him on training or instruction;
       3. that it is obligatory on the part of the Government to send the persons for such training or instructions;
       4. the training should not be in professional or technical subjects which are normally brought under the provisions relating to ‘Study Leave’; and
       5. the period of training should not exceed one year.

          ( G.I.M.F. O..M. No.F2(71) Estt.III/60, dt. 3rd December, 1960.)

    5. Attending Hindi and other obligatory examination.—A question has been raised whether a Government servant is expected to report for duty in office either before or after the examination is over, in case the examination, including the viva voce test commences in the forenoon or in the afternoon. It has been decided that
       1. in case where the examination is held in a day both in the forenoon and in the afternoon, the Government servants need not be required to attend office either before or after the examination, and
       2. in case where the examination is held in the forenoon and in the afternoon, the Government servants must attend office in the afternoon/forenoon, as the case may be, unless the Head of Office/Department specifically exempts any or all Government servants from such attendance, having regard to the time schedule of the text and the distance between the place of duty and examination.

          (G.I. MHA. O.M.No. 5/165-H dated 8th June, 1965.)

    Audit Instructions

    Scope of the term “probationers”

    1. The term "Probationer" does not cover a Government servant who hold substantively a permanent post in a cadre and is appointed on probation to another post.
    2. No person appointed substantively to a permanent post in cadre is a probationer, unless definite conditions (such as the condition that he must remain on probation pending the passing of certain examination) have been attached to his appointment.
    3. The status of the probationer is to be considered as having the attributes of a substantive status except where the rules prescribed otherwise.
17. Family means a railway servant’s wife/Husband, legitimate children and stepchildren residing with and wholly dependent upon him/her. It also includes parent, sisters and minor brothers residing with and wholly dependent upon him/her.

    Provided further that for Rule 615 {??} it includes only such of the dependent relatives as are eligible for passes under the Pass Rules.

    Note 1. —Not more than one wife is included in this term.

    Note 2. —The term “legitimate children” includes those adopted under the law.

18. Fee means a recurring or non-recurring payment to a railway servant from a source other than the Consolidated Fund of India or the consolidated Fund of a State or the Consolidated Fund of a Union Territory whether made directly to the railway servant or indirectly through the intermediary of Government but does not include
    1. unearned income such as income from property, dividends and interest on securities; and
    2. income from literary, cultural, artistic, scientific or technological efforts. If such efforts are not aided by the knowledge acquired by the railway servant in the course of his service.
19. Foreign Service means service in which a railway servant receives his pay with sanction of Government from any source other than the Consolidated Fund of India, or the Consolidated Fund of a State or the Consolidated Fund of a Union Territory.
20. Gazetted Post is a post to which appointment is made by notification in the Gazette of India.
21. Head of a department means any authority which the President may by order declare to be the head of a department for the purpose of these Rules.
22. Hill-Station means any place which a competent authority may declare to be a hill station.
23. Holiday means
    1. a holiday prescribed or notified by or under section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and
    2. in relation to any particular office, a day on which such office is ordered to be closed by a competent authority for the transaction of Government business without reserve or qualification.

    Note.—During restricted holidays the office is not closed for transaction of business but they are treated as akin to other closed holidays and can be prefixed or suffixed to regular leave or casual leave.

24. Honorarium means a recurring or non-recurring payment granted to a railway servant from the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of a State or the Consolidated Fund of a Union Territory, as remuneration for special work of an occasional or intermittent character.
25. Joining time means the time allowed to a Railway servant in which to join a new post or to travel to or from a station to which he posted.
26. Leave on average (half average) pay means leave on leave salary equal to average/half average pay, as regulated by the Railway Leave Rules.
27. Leave Salary means the monthly amount paid by Government to a Railway servant on leave.
28. Lien means the title of a Railway servant to hold on regular basis either immediately or on the termination of a period or periods of absence, a post, including a tenure post, to which he has been appointed on regular basis and on which he is not on probation

    Provided that the title to hold a regular post shall be subject to the condition that the junior most person in the grade will be liable to be reverted to the lower grade if the number of persons so entitled is more that the posts available in that grade.

    [Authority : Rly. Board’s Letter No. E(NG)I-98/CN5/2 dt. 5.2.99 (RBE 6/1999)]

29. Local Fund means
    1. revenue administered by bodies which by law or rule having the force of law come under the control of Government, whether in regard to proceedings generally or to specific matters, such as the sanctioning of the budgets, sanction to the creation or filling up of particular posts, or the enactment of leave, pension or similar rules; and
    2. the revenues of any body which may be specifically notified by the President as such.
30.  
    1. Military Commissioned Officer means a commissioned officer other than
       1. a departmental Commissioned Officer;
       2. a Commissioned Officer of the Indian Medical Department.

          It does not include a Warrant Officer.

    2. Military Officer means any officer falling within the definition of the Military Commissioned Officer, or included in sub-clause (i) or (ii) of clause (a) above or any Warrant Officer.
31. Ministerial {Servant} Officer means a railway servant of group ‘C’ whose duties are entirely clerical and other class of railway servants specially defined as such by general or special order of a competent authority.

    Government of India’s decision.—The President has decided that those members of class II (Group B) service whose duties are predominantly clerical shall be classed as ministerial servants.

    (G.I.F.D. Letter No. F.11(6) R I/33 dated 1st April, 1933.)

32. Month means a calendar month. In calculating a period expressed in terms of months and days, complete calendar months, irrespective of the number of days in each, should first be calculated and the odd number of days calculated subsequently taking 30 odd numbers of days as a month.

    Audit Instructions

    Calculation of a period expressed in terms of months and days

    1. To calculate 3 months and 20 days on and from 25th January the following method should be adopted.

       	Y	M	D
       5th January to 31st January	0	0	7
       February to April	0	3	0
       1st May to 13th May	0	0	13
       Total	0	3	20

    2. The period commencing on 30th January and ending with 2nd March should be deemed as 1 month and 4 days as indicated below:-

       	Y	M	D
       30th January to 31st January	0	0	2
       February	0	1	0
       1st March to 2nd March	0	0	2
       Total	0	1	4

33. Officiating means the railway servant officiates in a post where he performs the duties of a post on which any other person holds a lien or when a competent authority appoints him to officiate in a vacant post on which no other railway servant holds lien.
34. Overseas Pay means pay granted to a Railway servant in consideration of the fact that he is serving in a country other than the country of his domicile.
35. Pay means the amount drawn monthly by a railway servant as
    1. the other than special pay or pay granted in view of his personal qualifications, which has been sanctioned for a post held by him substantively or in an officiating capacity, or to which he is entitled by reason of his position in a cadre;
    2. Overseas pay, special pay and personal pay; and
    3. any other emoluments which may be specially classed as pay by the President.
36. Permanent Post means a post carrying a definite rate of pay sanctioned without limit of time.
37. Personal Pay means additional pay granted to a railway servant
    1. to save him from a loss of substantive pay in respect of a permanent post other than a tenure post due to a revision of pay or to any reduction of such substantive pay otherwise than as a disciplinary measure; or
    2. in exceptional circumstances, on other personal considerations.
38. Post in the Railway Board means the post of a Member of the Railway Board and includes the post of Chairman, Railway Board and of Financial Commissioner, Railways.
39. Presumptive pay of a post. - When used with reference to any particular railway servant means the pay to which he would be entitled if he held the post substantively and were performing its duties, but it does not include special pay unless the Railway servant performs or discharges the work or responsibility in consideration of which special pay was sanctioned.

    Audit instructions.—The first part of the definition is intended to facilitate the use of the term in relation to a Government servant who has been absent from a post for some time but still retains a lien on it.

40. Probationer means a railway servant employed on probation in or against a substantive vacancy in the cadre of a department.
41. Public conveyance means a train, steamer other conveyance which plies regularly for the conveyance of passengers.
42. Railway School means a school established by a railway or office/project/factory directly under the railway Board primarily for the benefit of the children of its employees and maintained and entirely controlled by it with or without assistance from revenues of a State or income from other non-railway source. It does not include a school to which a railway merely makes a grant-in-aid.
43. Railway servant means a person who is a member of a service or holds a post under the administrative control of the Railway Board. It also includes a person who is holding the post of Chairman, Financial Commissioner or a Member of the Railway Board. Persons lent from a service or post which is not under administrative control of Railway Board do not come within the scope of this definition. The term excludes casual labour.
44. Special Pay means an addition of the nature of pay, to the emoluments of a post or of a Railway servant, granted in consideration of –
    1. the specially arduous nature of duties; or
    2. a specific addition to the work or responsibility and includes non-practicing allowance granted to doctors in lieu of private practice.

       Audit Ruling – A provision in the contract of a Government servant appointed to a particular post that he should “also do all things that may be required of him” does not contemplate this being required to perform onerous additional duties in another post without remuneration.

       Government of India Orders.- The power of granting special pay was defined in this Rule shall be exercised only by the authority empowered to regulate the scales of ordinary pay.

       (G.I.,H.D. No. F. 272-23 dated 16-12-1962.)

45. Scales of pay

    ‘Authorised scales of pay’ means the scales of pay introduced under the Railway Services (Authorised Pay) Rules, 1960.

    ‘Revised Scales of Pay’ means the scales of pay introduced under the Railway Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 1973.

46. Subsistence grant means a monthly grant made to a Railway servant who is not in receipt of pay or leave-salary.
47. Substantive pay means the pay other than special pay, personal pay or emoluments classed as pay by the President under Sub-rule 35 (iii), to which a railway servant is entitled on account of a post to which he has been appointed substantively or by reason of his substantive position in a cadre.

    Note: In the case of a person with a lien on a permanent post under a State Government, ‘Substantive Pay’ means the 'substantive pay' as defined in the relevant rules of the State Government concerned.

48. Temporary post means a post carrying a definite rate of pay sanctioned for a limited time.
49. Tenure post means a permanent post which an individual railway servant may not hold for more than a limited period.

    Note.—In case of doubt the President shall decide whether a particular post is or is not a tenure post.

    Railway Ministry’s decision.—The President has decided that there is no objection to a non-gazetted post outside the cadre of a regular service being declared as a tenure post if the conditions so warrant.

50.  
    1. Time-scale pay means pay which, subject to any conditions prescribed in these rules, rises by periodical increments from a minimum to maximum. It includes the class of pay formerly known as progressive.
    2. Time-scales are said to be identical if the minimum, the maximum, the period of increment and the rate of increment of the time scale are identical.
    3. A post is said to be on the same time-scale as another post on a time-scale if the two time-scales are identical and the posts fall within a cadre, or a class in a cadre, such cadre or class having been created in order to fill all posts involving duties of approximately the same character or degree of responsibility, in a service or establishment or group of establishments; so that the pay of the holder of any particular post is determined by this position in the cadre, or class and not by the fact that he holds that post.
51. Transfer means the movement of a railway servant from one headquarter station in which he is employed to another such station, either -
    1. to take up the duties of a new post, or
    2. in consequence of a change of his headquarter.
52. Travelling allowance means an allowance granted to a railway servant to cover the expenses which he incurs in travelling in the interests of the public service. It includes allowances granted for the maintenance of conveyances and tents.

104. Pensionable Service.

1. The service of all railway servant except those mentioned in rule 105 shall be pensionable.
2. All railway servants who were already pensionable prior to the introduction of Pension Scheme on Railway with effect from 1st April, 1957.
3. Government servants permanently transferred to the Railway Department from other Government departments in which the services were pensionable.

105. Non-pensionable Service. - Subject to what has been stated in rule 104 the service of the railway servants who entered service before 16th November, 1957, and who after introduction of pension scheme on Railways did not opt for it when options were open from time to time, shall be non-pensionable. They continue to be eligible for the benefits of State Railway Provident Fund and for gratuity in accordance with the rules prescribed in that behalf.

CLASSIFICATION OF SERVICES

106. For the purpose of these rules, the railway services shall be classified as follows with effect from 1-4-1976:

1. Gazetted
   1. Railway Service Group A
   2. Railway Services, Group B.
2. Non-Gazetted
   1. Railway Services, Group C
   2. Railway Services, Group D
   3. Workshop Staff ( Group C & D )

107. Subject to reclassification indicated in rule 106 and also subject to such exceptions as Railway Ministry may make from time to time, all Gazetted and non-gazetted posts under the Indian Railways shall be classified with effect from 30.6.1987 as below:

Note

1. In terms of Board’s letter No. PC-III/87/CTC-I/6 dated 6.11.1995, posts in scale Rs. 2375-3750 on Indian Railways shall be classified as Group ‘B’ w.e.f. 30.7.1993.

   In terms of Boards letter No. PC-IV/86/RSRP/1 Volume-II dated 10.11.1995 (RBE 123/1995), Posts in scale Rs.775-1150 applicable to staff in Railway Board’s Office only shall be classified as Group ‘D’ w.e.f. 1.4.1995.

2. Posts created subsequent to 30-6-1987 as specific additions to existing cadres shall have the same classification as posts in the cadre to which they are added.

108. Establishments and categories (including probationers) falling under the services mentioned in Rule 106 are shown below:

Group A

1. Posts in the Railway Board;
2. Advisors in Railway Board;
3. Directors, Additional directors, Joint Directors, Deputy Directors, Railway Board and Research Design and Standards Organisation; Secretary, Joint Secretaries; Deputy Secretaries, Under-Secretaries, Railway Board;
4. Indian Railway Service of Engineers;
5. Indian Railway Accounts Services;
6. Indian Railway Traffic Services;
7. Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers;
8. Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers;
9. Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers;
10. Indian Railway Medical Services;
11. Indian Railway Stores services;
12. Indian Railway Personnel Services;
13. Such posts in general Administration and Miscellaneous Departments (e.g. Chemical & Metallurgical Department, Cash & Pay Department.)

Group ‘B’

Gazetted posts not included in Group A

Note.—Temporary Assistant Officers will not be classified either as Group A or Group B.

Group ‘C’

All Posts classified as Group ‘C’ under Rule 107.

Group ‘D’

All Posts classified as Group ‘D’ under Rule 107..

Workshop Staff

All categories of Group C & D staff employed in workshops other than those employed in clerical, skilled or supervisory categories and not included in Group C or Group D above.

109. Scales of pay of Groups A & B Railway Servants.

1. the Revised scales of pay admissible to Railway servants in Group A & B shall be as notified by government with the sanction of the President.

   No alteration in the scale of pay of a post or service can be made without the sanction of the President.

2. The pay of Group A Railway Officer in Junior Scale on appointment to a Senior Scale post in an organized Railway Service shall be fixed under Rule 1313 (FR-22) (I) (a) (1) ) of the Indian Railway Establishment Code Volume II (Sixth Edition-1987).

Railway Ministry’s decision.—A Junior Scale Officer can be considered eligible for promotion to Senior Scale only after putting in 4 years service (including the period of probation) in Junior Scale. But, if in the interest of Administration, one is promoted to Senior scale before completing four years in Junior Scale, he will draw pay in the Junior Scale plus a charge Allowance of Rs. 300/- per month subject to the condition that pay plus Charge Allowance should not exceed the pay that would have been admissible had it been fixed under Rule 1313 (FR—22)(I)(a)(1) ) of the Indian Railway Establishment code, Volume-II (Sixth Edition-1987) on regular basis.

110. Sanctioned strength of cadres. - Subject to any statutory provision in this regard, the strength including both the number and character of posts of the Railway Services, Group A and B, shall be determined by the railway Ministry. General Managers of Indian Railways will have powers to create gazetted posts in Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’, only to the extent stipulated in Item (3) of Annexure II of Chapter V of Indian Railway Financial Code Vol. I (First Edition—1982) subject to such limits and instructions as may be laid down by the Railway Ministry from time to time.

Note.—Provided the total number of sanctioned gazetted post in any grade (Heads of Department, Additional Heads of Departments, Deputy Head of Department, Senior Scale, Junior Scale and Group B Officers) of the service concerned is not exceeded, the General Managers are empowered to vary solely in the public interest having regard to changes in the work and responsibilities of the posts concerned (and not in the interest officers) the distribution of posts within that grade for a period of not exceeding 12 months.

Principles for Fixing Cadres

111. The cadres of the services and departments included in Railway services Groups A & B (other than Medical Department and specialists) posts on Indian Railways shall be fixed in accordance with the principles states below:-

1. Separate cadres shall be maintained for each Indian railway.
2.  
   1. The number of permanent working posts, that is, posts required for ordinary duty on a railway, shall be determined for each service or department and divided into the following grades:
      1. Senior Administrative Grade Level I
      2. Senior Administrative Grade Level II
      3. Administrative Grade Scale Rs.2000-2250
      4. Junior Administrative Grade
      5. Senior Scale
      6. Junior Scale/Group ‘B’.
   2. The General Working posts, that is post required for general purposes of the railway which may be filled by gazetted railway officers of any service may be determined and divided in the same manner.
   3. The number of posts to be allotted to the Junior Scale shall be calculated with reference to the total number of Administrative Grade and Senior Scale posts, and shall be so fixed as to allow a continuous flow of promotion from lower to higher grade after a given period of service. For this purpose all the administrative posts, including the general administrative posts shall be taken into account.
   4. The rest of the posts included in (2) (a) (vi) above shall be allotted to group ‘B’.
   5. The total number of posts thus arrived at for each grade in a department shall from the permanent duty strength of each service or department.
3. Posts required for meeting deputation leave and training requirements will be provided in Junior Scale based on requirements assessed from time to time. These posts shall be intended ordinarily to provide for the deputation/training of and or grant of leave to a member of the Department without the necessity of making an officiating appointment to the Junior Scale or to Group B post in the chain or vacancies consequent on the deputation, training of and/or grant of leave to the member in question.
4. The permanent duty strength together with the posts sanctioned as "deputation, training and leave reserve" shall form the total permanent cadre of the service or department concerned.

112. The permanent strength of the Medical Department shall be fixed with reference to the permanent posts required for ordinary duty and will include at the Additional Divisional Medical Officer’s level a leave and deputation reserve of 20 per cent of the permanent working posts.

Instruction for working the Cadres

113. Excess over sanctioned number. – The number of posts sanctioned for each grade in a department shall in no case be exceeded without the sanction of the authority competent to create a post, either permanent or temporary, in the grade.

114. General Posts. – If a general post included in the permanent cadre of a service or department is held by a member of another service or department, such post shall be treated, for the purpose of comparing sanctions with actuals, as permissible additions to the permanent cadre of the latter department by a corresponding reduction in the permanent cadre of he former, for the period for which such arrangement lasts.

115. Reversion to open line. – When a permanent open line gazetted railway officer holding a post in the office of the Railway Board or in an office/project/organisation directly subordinate to that authority proceeds on leave, deputation or attains superannuating he shall be treated as having reverted to the Railway on the cadre of which he is borne, except,

1. When he is expected to return to his post at the end of the leave; and
2. Either the leave taken by him is leave on average pay not exceeding four months or he holds a permanent post in the office/project/organisation.

On reversion to the parent railway he shall be considered as a permissible excess over the permanent cadre of that railway for the period of his leave.

116. Holding of posts in abeyance or keeping them unfilled.—No gazetted post in Group A or B may be held in abeyance without the sanction of the authority competent to create it. If it is proposed to keep such posts unfilled for more than six months, the matter shall be reported to the Railway Ministry.

Note.—For the purpose of this rule, when the duties of a post are performed by another officer in addition to his own duties such post shall be considered to have been kept unfilled.

117. Checks to be applied to cadres.—The cadres shall be checked in the manner prescribed in the Indian Railway Code for the Accounts Department and all reasonable precautions (e.g. reversion of the officers officiating) taken before hand to prevent the occurrence of avoidable excess over the cadre.

118. Tenure posts.

1. The President may declare any posts outside the cadre of a regular service as tenure.
2. No officer in Group A shall in the normal course hold any of the posts noted below for more than the periods shown against each:-

   Posts in Railway Board	5 years
   Directors, Additional Directors, Joint Directors, Railway Board.	4 years
   Directors, Additional Directors, Joint Directors, Research Design & Standard Organisation.	4 years
   Railway Liaison Officer	4 years
   Divisional Railway Manager, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Deputy General Manager.	3 years

3. Confirmation in tenure post is dispensed with.

Cadres of Railway Servants—Group C & Group D

119. In the Railway Board and attached offices. - The number and character of Group C & D posts in the office of the Railway Board and other offices, projects, organizations, immediately under its control shall be such as may be determined by the Railway Board. The Director General, Research, Designs and Standards Organisation or any other authority to whom the powers may be specifically delegated by the Railway Board may create temporary posts on the conditions prescribed in their respective schedules of power.

120. On Railways, Production Units or other Establishments. - The number and character of Group C & D posts may be determined by the General Managers or the authority to whom such powers are delegated, provided that the prior sanction of the Railway Ministry is necessary for the introduction of a new category not already obtaining on a Railway.

121. Scales of Pay. - All the posts in Group C & D shall be on the Revised Scales of Pay. The introduction of a new Revised Scale for a particular category shall require the prior sanction of the Railway Ministry.

122. Supernumerary Posts.—Supernumerary posts are permanent posts created under special circumstances for operation for a limited period as such at the discretion of the competent authority to create the posts in the administrative convenience.

Government of India’s Orders

While it is obviously not possible to give an exhaustive list of the circumstances in which supernumerary posts may be created, the following broad principles governing the creation of such posts may be indicated.

1. A supernumerary post is normally created to accommodate the lien of an officer, who, in the opinion of the authority competent to create such a post, is entitled to hold a lien against a regular permanent post but who, due to non-availability of a regular permanent post, cannot have his lien against such post.
2. It is shadow post i.e. , no duties are attached to such posts. The officer, whose lien is maintained against such a post, generally performs duties in some other vacant temporary or permanent posts.
3. It can be created only if another vacant permanent or temporary post is available to provide work for the person, whose lien is retained by the creation of the supernumerary post. In other words, it should not be created in circumstances which, at the time of creation of the post or thereafter, would lead to an excess of the working strength.
4. It is always a permanent post. Since, however, it is a post created for accommodating a permanent officer till he is absorbed in a regular permanent post, it should not be created for an indefinite period as other permanent posts are, but should normally be created for a definite and fixed period sufficient for the purpose in view.
5. It is personal to the officer for whom it is created and no other officer can be appointed against such a post. It stands abolished as soon as the officer for whom it was created vacates it on account of retirement or confirmation in another regular permanent post or for any other reason. In other words, no officiating arrangements can be made against such a post. Since a supernumerary post is not a working post, the number of working posts in cadre will continue to be regulated in a manner that, if a permanent incumbent of one of the regular posts returns to the cadre and all the posts are manned, one of the officer of the cadre will have to make room, for him. He should not be shown against a supernumerary post.
6. No extra financial commitment is involved in the creation of such posts in the shape of increased pay and allowances, pensionary benefits etc.

POWER TO FRAE RULES

123. The Railway Board have full powers to make rules of general application to Group C & Group D railway servants under their control.

124. The General Managers of Indian Railways have full powers to make rules with regard to Railway servants in Group C & D under their control provided they are not inconsistent with any rules made by the President or the Ministry of Railways.

CHAPTER 2

GENERAL CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Recruitment, Training and Promotion to Group A & Group B posts

201. Recruitment to Railway Services, Group A.—All first appointments to a Group A Post in Railway Service shall be made by the President on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission from time to time in accordance with the rules framed by him. The General Managers may confirm an officer in Group A on probation, in his post if he has satisfactorily completed his probationary period.

202. Posts in the office of the Railway board etc. - Group A posts included in Railway Services, in the office of the Railway Board and in offices directly under the administrative control of the Railway Board, shall be filled in such manner as the President may decide.

203. Administrative posts on Railways. - Group A Administrative posts included in the cadre of a service or department shall be filled by the Railway board by selection from members of the service or department concerned. General Administrative post on a railway shall be filled by selection form among the eligible Group A officers of all services and departments.

204. Rate of Recruitment.—The rate of normal recruitment shall be determined by the President with reference to the sanctioned strength of a service or department. When, however, the total actual strength of a service is in excess of or below the total sectioned strength, recruitment shall be so adjusted as to enable the total sanctioned strength to be worked in the minimum time compatible with the avoidance of shortage on the one hand and excesses on the other.

205. Method of recruitment. - Recruitment to Group A Service in the various departments of Railways shall be made through

1. Competitive Examination held by the Union Public Service Commission;
2. Promotion of officers in Group B Service including officiating Group B railway officers of the service or department.
3. By appointment of candidates initially recruited as Special Class Apprentices on the results of the examination conducted by U.P.S.C. in accordance with the rules for recruitment to Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers.
4. By transfer of an officer in service of the Government provided the recruitment rules include a provision to this effect;
5. By occasional admission of other qualified persons in consultation with the U.P.S.C.

206. Training. - Probationers to Railway Services, Group A except those who have been recruited as Special Class Railway Apprentices in the Transportation (Power) and Mechanical Engineering Department, shall be required to undergo a period of training, as may be prescribed by the President.

Note. - The detailed programme for training for the various services in given in Chapter I of the Indian Railway Establishment

207. Recruitment to Railway Service Group B.—Appointment to Group B Service by promotion of staff employed on the Railway may be made by the General Manager.

208. Officiating promotions.

1. An officiating arrangement made in the place of a permanent open line Group A or B officer deputed to fill a post temporarily sanctioned for a survey or construction shall continue to be permissible during leave taken from the survey or construction by the Railway officer so deputed, provided that such leave does not exceed four months and the head of the construction department certifies that the officer is expected to return to that surveyor construction on expiry of the leave.
2. Officiating arrangement in the leave vacancies of Group ‘A’ or Group ‘B’ officers is allowed if the vacancy is for 30 days and above on the Zonal Railways, Production Units and other railway units and for 46 days and above in the Railway Board and Research, Design and Standardisation Organisation.

209.

1. Promotions to Railway Services, Group A.
   1. All substantive promotions to Railway Services Group ‘A’ shall be made by President; and
   2. No officer shall be eligible for promotion to and within the service, unless the Government is satisfied that the officer is suitable for promotion in all respects.
2. Promotion from Group ‘B’ to Group ‘A’ (Junior Scale).
   1. Appointments to the posts in the junior scale shall be made by selection on merit from amongst Group ‘B’ officers of the departments concerned with not less than 3 years of non-fortuitous service in the grade.
   2. If the quota reserved for Group ‘B’ Officers for promotion to junior scale is not fully utilized, the remaining vacancies may be filled by Government in accordance with the recruitment rules and in consultation with the UPSC; and
   3. The Departmental Promotion Committee for this purpose shall consist of a representative of the Union Pubic Service Commission as Chairman and two representatives of the Ministry of Railways as Members.
3. Promotion from junior scale to senior scale.
   1. Appointment to the posts in the Senior scale shall be made by promotion in the order of seniority, subject to rejection of the unfit, of officers with ordinarily not less than 4 years service in the junior scale.
4. Promotion from senior scale to higher grade posts.
   1. Promotions to the Administrative Grade are dependent on the occurrence of vacancies in the sanctioned establishment and are made wholly by selection; mere seniority does not confer any claim for such promotion.
   2. Appointments to the posts in the Junior Administrative Grade shall be made by selection on merit from amongst the officers ordinarily with not less than 5 years’ service in the senior scale.
   3. Appointments to the posts in the Senior Administrative Grade (Level-II) shall be made by selection on merit from amongst the officers ordinarily with not less than 3 years’ service in the Junior Administrative Grade.
   4. Appointments to the posts in the Senior Administrative Grade (Level-I) shall be made by selection on merit from amongst the officers ordinarily with not less than 2 years service in the Senior Administrative Grade (Level-II).
   5. The departmental Promotion Committee for purposes of promotion from Senior Scale and above to higher grade posts shall consist of Chairman, Railway Board, Financial Commissioner Railways and three other Members of the Railway Board.

210. Promotion to Railway Services, Group B. - Promotions to Group B posts shall be made by the General Managers except in the Security Department provided that such promotions are made in the strict order of placement on the panel recommended by the Selection Board; if any supersession of that order is involved, the matter should be referred to the Railway Ministry. The posts of Assistant Accounts Officers shall ordinarily be filled by selection from Group C railway servants who have passed the departmental examination qualifying for promotion as Section Officer (Accounts), Inspector of Stores Accounts/Inspector of Station Accounts or are exempted from passing that examination.

211. Promotion by Limited Departmental Competitive Examination.—25% of the vacancies for which panel is required to be framed at any one time for Group B posts in

1. Civil Engineering Department
2. Mechanical Engineering Department
3. Electrical Engineering Department
4. Signal and Telecommunication Department
5. Transportation (Traffic) and Commercial Department
6. Stores Department
7. Account Department

are reserved for being filled through Competitive Examination limited to departmental candidates.

Note. - The details of the scheme and other instructions covering the various aspects are contained in the letters issued by the railway Ministry on the matter from time to time.

212. Conditions for making officiating promotions.

1. The number of Groups A & B officers on duty in a department shall not exceed the permanent duty strength sanctioned for that department.
2. If in the case of departments having their own leave reserve, the number of Group A & B officers on duty exceeds the number of working posts, due to the number of officers on leave at any time being less than the leave reserve, the excess is permissible; but if it becomes frequent the matter may be referred to the Railway Ministry to examine the reduction of leave reserve in the cadre.
3. If in any circumstances the number of officers on duty in permanent posts of grades higher than the Group B Service exceeds the sanctioned number of permanent working posts for these grades, no officiating promotion to the Group B Service shall be made so long as such excess exists.

213. Officiating promotions in Group B posts.—Subject to the provision of Rule 212 the General Manager may order officiating promotions in Group B in the following circumstances:-

1. When a Group B officer is absent on leave, deputation or foreign service or filling a post in Group A (Senior Scale).
2. When a number of Group A & B railway servants available for duty falls below the number of duty posts sanctioned for each department, provided that in cadres for which a leave reserve is sanctioned such deficiency is not caused by Group A & B officers in excess of the leave reserve being on leave.
3. When an officer belonging to a cadre mentioned in sub-rule (2) above is absent on leave preparatory to retirement, or is under orders of transfer and takes leave before joining the railway to which he is transferred.
4. In departments in which the actual number of officers other than specialists and officers in Group B is in excess of the total permanent cadre sanctioned for them, officiating promotion may be made to Group B Service in place of those officers absent on leave from such departments to the extent of the difference between 14 percent of the actual number of such officers and the sanctioned leave reserve.
5. When there is a permanent vacancy in the Group B cadre or a permanent post is vacant in higher grade.

214. Powers of General Managers in making officiating promotions.—The General Manager may appoint

1. a Group C railway servant to officiate in Group B cadre.
2. a Group B officer to officiate in Group A, Senior Scale on ad-hoc basis for a continuous period not exceeding one year on each occasion when circumstances warrant such course except to the posts of Security Officer, Law Officer, Hindi Officer, Chemist and Metallurgist, Public Relations Officer and Superintendent (Printing & Stationery);

   Railway Ministry’s Decision. - "Group 'B' Officers will be considered for ad-hoc promotion to Senior Scale when Group 'A' (Junior Scale) Officers with 3 years of service in Junior Scale are not available".

3. an officer in Junior Scale Group A to officiate in Senior Scale, provided that such officer who has not passed the efficiency bar may be so appointed only, if
   1. an officer who has passed the E.B. is not available ; or  
   2. the vacancy is not expected to exceed three months;
4. a Senior Scale officer to officiate in Junior Administrative post

   Provided that such appointments are made on ad-hoc basis upto two vacancies of 46 days each or one vacancy not exceeding 90 days; and

   Provided that if the officer is promoted to this grade for the first time it shall require the approval of the Ministry of Railways.

5. Except for the first time, a Group A officer to officiate as Divisional Railway Manager or Addl. Divisional Railway Manager, or Additional Head of Department.
6. Substantively, an Assistant Officer to the divisional grade Provided such promotions are made in strict order of seniority subject further to the condition that no officer shall be so promoted unless he has rendered not less than eight years of total service and has been declared fit to cross the efficiency bar in the junior scale.

   Note.—The period of 8 years of total service will also include the two years of training in the case of direct recruits. In respect of promoted gazetted railway servants all those placed in the Seniority list above the last direct result who fulfils the above condition will receive confirmation.

Recruitment Training and Promotions of non-gazetted Railway servants

215. Authorities competent to make first appointment.—The authorities competent to make first appointments to non-gazetted posts in the offices detailed below shall be as shown against each

Provided that

1. No appointment shall be made unless a sanctioned post exists against which it can be made;
2. The authorities empowered by or under this rule to make first appointments, may, subject to such condition as they may impose, re-delegate to a lower authority the power to appoint Grade D railway servants.

216.

1. Group C and Group D posts on Indian Railways and other Railway Administration shall be filled in either of the following ways according to the relevant recruitment rules or other extant orders, if any
   1. by direct recruitment;
   2. by promotion;
   3. by transfer of suitable staff, if necessary, from other Government offices.
2. Direct recruitment to Railway Services, Group C shall be made through the agency of the railway Recruitment Board unless otherwise specially authorized by the Railway Board.

217. Recruitment of Group C and Group D staff. - The rules for the recruitment of non-gazetted railway servants are contained in the Indian Railway Establishment Manual.

218. Nationality.

1. A candidate for appointment to Railway Services must be
   1. a citizen of India , or
   2. a subject of Nepal, or
   3. a subject of Bhutan, or
   4. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January,1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
   5. a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania or from Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India:

      Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by Government of India.

2. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him by the Government of India.

General Conditions for Recruitment

219. The recruitment rules may provide inter-alia for

1. qualifications, age and the scales of pay applicable for the various posts in the service and important conditions of service, like leave, pension, non-contributory Provident Fund benefits, etc
2. no male candidate who has more than one wife living or no female candidate who has married a person having already a wife living shall be eligible for appointment to a railway service, unless the competent authority exempts the candidate from the operation of this rule.
3. Proportion of vacancies to be filled by direct recruitment and promotion of railway servants from subordinate services;
4. In the case of probationers, consequences of failure to pass prescribed departmental examinations, if any, e.g. loss of appointment, stoppage of increments etc.
5. passing obligatory language examination whenever prescribed in the recruitment regulations for each service in Group ‘A’.

Note. - In the case of recruitment to Group A and B posts, the rules should be published in the Gazette of India in the section allotted to the Statutory rules and Orders, viz., Part II Section 3.

220. Special reservations.—The recruitment to Railway Services shall be subject to the reservation of vacancies in favour of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as laid down by the Government of India from time to time.

221. Oath of allegiance.—All new entrants to service must take oath before the head of department/office or a gazetted railway servant nominated by him. Conscientious objector of oath taking may make solemn affirmation. The oath taking or affirmation shall be in the following form.

"I .................................. do swear/solemnly affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to India and to the Constitution of India as by law established and that I will carry out the duties of my office loyally, honestly and with impartially, so help me God".

222. Medical certificate of health.

1. Except as provided in sub-rule (2) to (7) of this rule, no person shall be substantively appointed to a permanent post in railway service without the production of medical certificate of health in accordance with the rules prescribed by the President in the case of Group A & B railway servants and by the Railway Ministry in the case of Group C & D railway servants.
2. Retrenched personnel, on re-employment, shall not be required to undergo the medical examination prescribed for candidates on their first appointment.
3. A railway servant recruited though a competitive examination who had to undergo medical examination in accordance with the regulations prescribed for appointment to the service or department concerned shall be exempted from producing a medical certificate of health.
4. Before appointments are made to Group D posts in the office of the Railway Board and its attached and subordinate offices in Delhi and elsewhere, the prospective appointees shall be required to produce a medical certificate of health from one of the Civil Medical Officers in Delhi in the case of appointments in Delhi, and from such railway or other medical officers as may be nominated by the appointing authorities under the powers delegated to them by the Railway Ministry in the case of appointments elsewhere. This applies not only to substantive appointments to permanent posts but also to appointments in temporary vacancies likely to last more than three months.
5. A person engaged against a temporary vacancy of less than three months duration in Group C service or Group D service and workshop and shed staff need not be required to undergo prescribed medical examination except when such a railway servant is subsequently retained against a temporary post or is transferred without a break to another office and the total period of continuous service under Government is expected to last for more than three months, he shall be required to produce such a certificate within a week from the date of the orders sanctioning his retention in that department or joining the new office.
6. A temporary railway servant who has already been medically examined in one office, if transferred to another office without break in service, and a retired railway servant re-employed immediately after retirement, shall not be required to undergo the medical examination prescribed for such persons.
7. A person re-employed after resignation should be exempted from producing a medical certificate of fitness if the resignation was for taking up another appointment under Government or Quasi-Government body for which he applied with the approval of and through the appropriate departmental authority, provided that he was medically examined by the competent medical authority and declared fit according to the medical standards not lower than those required in his new post.

   Note 1.—The regulations for the medical examination of candidates appointed for non-gazetted railway service, and for the periodical tests of physical fitness of non-gazetted railway servants employed on Railways and other establishments are contained in the Indian Railway Establishment Manual.

   Note 2.—The regulations for the medical examination of candidates for admission to railway Services, Group A are included in the Recruitment rules.

   The candidates, who are kept under observation in Railway Hospitals at the instance of the Medical Board, will have to bear the hospital stoppage charges including diet charges, X-ray charges, etc.

   Note 3.—A deaf or deaf-mute person who is otherwise fit and qualified to hold a group C or Group D post may be considered for appointment to a post where this can be done without much detriment to efficiency and the deaf-muteness or deafness is not likely to hamper the work or to enhance the occupational risks to the worker himself or to others. Such a person may not be appointed in places where there is a danger to the safety of such persons, e.g. in sheds and workshops or in station yards, along railway tracks and on bridges, etc.

   Note 4.—Stammering is not to be regarded as disqualifications for office clerical staff who do not have to come in direct contact with public.

   Note 5.—There should be no bar to the admission into clerical service on Railways of a candidate (either sex) who is blind in one eye. The guiding consideration should generally be whether the candidate’s vision is adequate for the performance of duties attached to the service or post and whether undue risk attaches in his/her being accepted for appointment.

   Government of India’s decisions.

   1. The proceedings of a medical examination conducted by a Medical Officer or a Medical Board constituted to examine a railway servant, or a candidate for railway service, could be treated as confidential. Candidates recommended to be disqualified by a Medical Board or a Medical Officer should not be informed of the reasons which led the Board or officer to recommend disqualification. This procedure should be carefully observed.
   2. In cases, however, where a Medical Officer or a Medical Board considers that minor disability disqualifying a candidate for railway service can be cured by treatment (Medical or Surgical) a statement to that effect is recorded by the Medical Officer or the Medical Board, as the case may be. There is no objection to a candidate being informed of the Medical opinion to this effect by the Administration and when a cure has been effected it will be open to the Administration to ask for another medical examination.

223. First-Aid.—The railway servants in categories which the General Manager may prescribe, will in addition, be required to acquire an approved certificate of competency in First-Aid. They will keep their knowledge in First Aid alive during the entire period of their service through refresher courses at intervals that may be prescribed from time to time.

224. Service Agreements.—Special Class Apprentices on Railways shall be required to execute a service agreement with the President at the time of his appointment as a Probationer in IRSME. Railway servants appointed for a limited period may also be required to execute an agreement. All agreements shall be stamped, the cost being borne by the railway servant concerned.

Note. - In the case of all railway servants the offers of appointment should stipulate inter-alia that in all matters not specifically provided herein, or in the recruitment rules, they will be governed by the provisions of the Indian Railway Codes and other extant orders as amended/issued from time to time.

225. Date of Birth.

1. Every person, on entering railway service, shall declare his date of birth which shall not differ from any declaration expressed or implied for any public purpose before entering railway service. In the case of literate staff, the date of birth shall be entered in the record of service in the railway servant’s own handwriting. In the case of the illiterate staff, the declared date of birth shall be recorded by a senior railway servant and witnessed by another railway servant.
2. A person who is not able to declare his age should not be appointed to railway service.
3.  
   1. When a person entering service is unable to give his date of birth but gives his age, he should be assumed to have completed the stated age on the date of attestation, e.g. if a person enters service on 1st January, 1980 and if on that date his age was stated to be 18, his date of birth should be taken as 1st January, 1962.
   2. When the year or year and month of birth are known but not the extra date, the 1st July or 16th of that month, respectively, shall be treated as the date of birth.
4. The date of birth as recorded in accordance with these rules shall be held to be binding and no alteration of such date shall ordinarily be permitted subsequently. It shall however, be open to the President in the case of a Group A & B railway servant, and a General Manager in the case of a Group C & D railway servant to cause the date of birth to be altered.
   1. Where in his opinion it had been falsely stated by the railway servant to obtain an advantage otherwise in admissible, provided that such alteration shall not result in the railway servant being retained in service longer than if the alteration had not been made, or
   2. where, in the case of illiterate staff, the General Manager is satisfied that a clerical error has occurred, or
   3. where a satisfactory explanation (which should not be entertained after completion of the probation period, or three years service, whichever is earlier) of the circumstances in which the wrong date came to be entered is furnished by the railway servant concerned, together with the statement of any previous attempts made to have the record amended.

   Railway Ministry’s decision.

   1. When a candidate declares his date of birth he should produce documentary evidence such as a Matriculation certificate or a Municipal birth certificate, if he is not able to produce such an evidence he should be asked to produced any other authenticated documentary evidence to the satisfaction of the appointing authority. Such authenticated documentary evidence could be the School Leaving Certificate, a Baptismal Certificate in original or some other reliable document. Horoscope should not be accepted as an evidence in support of the declaration of age.
   2. If he could not produce any authority in accordance with (a) above he should be asked to produce an affidavit in support of the declaration of age.
   3. In the case of Group D employees care should be taken to see that the date of birth as declared on entering regular Group D service is not different from any declaration expressed or implied, given earlier at the time of employment as casual  labourer or as a substitute.

      Note.—The source/basis on which the date of birth has been recorded in the Service Records of the employee at the time of entering service may be recorded below the date of birth recorded.

226. Transfers. - Ordinarily, a railway servant shall be employed throughout his service on the railway or railway establishment to which he is posted on first appointment and shall have no claim as of right for transfer to another railway or another establishment. In the exigencies of service, however, it shall be open to the President to transfer the railway servant to any other department or railway or railway establishment including a project in or out of India. In regard to Group C and Group D railway servants, the power of the President under this rule in respect of transfer, within India may be exercised by the General Manager or by a lower authority to whom the power may be re-delegated. 

Railway Ministry’s decision.—Requests from railway servants in Groups C & D for transfer from one railway to another on grounds of special cases or hardships may be considered favourably by the railway administration. Such staff transferred at their request from one railway to another shall be placed below all existing confirmed and officiating staff in the relevant grade in the promotion group in the new establishment, irrespective of date of confirmation or length of officiating service of the transferred employees.

(Railway Ministry’s letter No. E. 55SR/6/6/3 dated 19th May, 1955).

227. A competent authority may transfer a Railway servant from one post to another provided that, except:-

1. On account of inefficiency or misbehaviour, or
2. On his written request,

   A Railway servant shall not be transferred to, or except in a case or dual charge, appointed to officiate in a post carrying less pay than the pay of the post on which he holds a lien.

[Authority : Rly. Board’s Letter No. E(NG)I-98/CN5/2 dt. 5.2.99 (RBE 6/1999)]

228. Retention of lien on transfer. - The lien of a permanent staff transferred to another railway will be retained by the transferring railway till he is finally absorbed on the other railway.

229. Transfer on request. - Transfers ordered in the interest of employees shall be within the same seniority group, or different group or a mutual exchange. If such transfers are within the same seniority group under the same railway the seniority is not affected but if the transfers are inter divisional or outside the seniority group, the railway Ministry’s decision below rule 226 for inter railway transfers shall apply.

230. Transfer on mutual exchange. - In case of mutual exchange, the senior or the two employees will be given the place of seniority vacated by the other person. The junior will be allowed to retain his former seniority and shall be fitted into the seniority below the persons having the same seniority.

231. Transfer from one department to another. - Person employed in one department shall not be eligible for employment in another except with the previous consent of the head of the department in which they are employed. Without such prior consent the head of an office or department shall not employ a person either temporarily or permanently, if he knows or has reasons to believe that such persons belongs to another establishment under Government. A railway servant who takes up a new employment without the consent of the head of department commits a breach of discipline and is liable to be punished. Divisional Railway