Indian Railways conducts world's largest recruitment exercise for 64,000 posts

The Indian Railways on Thursday announced that they had conducted one of the world's largest recruitment exercises for 64,000 posts of Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs) and technicians. According to an official release, the recruitment exercise which was conducted online by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) saw applications from over 47.45 Lakhs candidates for the posts after which a panel approved 56,378 candidates with 26,968 ALPs and 28,410 technicians.

"The scheme of selection consisted of 3 -stages computer-based tests followed by medical examination (which is one of the stringent medical examinations considering the level of distant vision/colour vision and alertness required from a Loco Pilot) and document verification of shortlisted candidates," according to the Ministry of Railways.

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Appointment letters have been issued to about 40,420 candidates comprising of 22,223 ALPs and 18,197 technicians post the exercise. Training for these critical operational posts would begin as soon as the Centre further eases relaxations with regards to COVID, informed the Ministry of Railways. The entire training process for the candidates is said to take place over 17 weeks for the ALPs and about 6 months for the Railway technicians shortly after which they would be inducted into the Indian Railways with permanent jobs.

Besides the recruitment exam for of ALPs & technicians, Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) also invited online applications for 35,208 vacancies of Non-Technical Popular Category (NTPC – Graduate & under Graduate level) post. More than 1.25 Crore online applications were received for these vacancies. The RRB is mulling over a safe strategy to conduct the examination of these 1.25 crore applicants in the backdrop of the prevailing pandemic. 

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