Rly recruitment: Min travel time, masks, voluntary disclosure of COVID status for 2.44 cr applicants

 The Railways on Friday said computer-based tests to fill 1.4 lakh posts with the national transporter will be conducted following all COVID-19 protocols, including minimum travel time to centers for the 2.44 crore candidates and mandatory use of face masks.

Candidates will have to sign a declaration saying they are fit to sit for the test.

The first round of the exams will be held from December 15 to December 18. The next phase will be from December 28 till March 2021 tentatively, and the third round will be till the end of June 2021, an official statement said.

"While it is not possible for candidates to provide a negative certificate for the disease, they will have to provide a declaration that they are fit to sit for the exam and are not COVID positive. The pro forma will be provided to the candidates for the declaration," Anand S Khati, Director General, Human Resources, Railway Board, said in a press briefing.

On coming to the center, a candidate will be tested with a thermal gun. If the temperature is beyond the mandated limit, the candidate's exam will be rescheduled. This is a matter of safety. Candidates have largely been accommodated either within their states or at centers that require minimum travel, especially for women applicants and Divyangs, Khati said.

Links for downloading e-call letter will be made live four days prior to the exam date on the official websites of all RRBs. Communication regarding the next phases of recruitment will be released in due course, the statement said.

Khati said that the Railways would be running special exam trains to cater to the travel requirements of the candidates, wherever required and feasible.

Chief secretaries of state governments concerned have also been requested to extend support of local administration to RRBs for conducting computer-based tests in a secure and safe manner ensuring social distancing, he said.

In computer-based tests (CBTs), candidates are provided a link to familiarise themselves with a mock test before the actual exam.

"Provision of the mock test before actual examination provides them the opportunity of familiarizing themselves with computer-based testing. This gives confidence to the candidates," Khati added.

There are no interviews in RRB examinations and the selection of candidates is on merit only, he said.

Khati said the entire process, from conducting exams to handing over appointment letters, will take around a year to complete. 

(IMAGE CREDITS:PTI)