INVC NEWS
New Delhi — : Facing an acute staff shortage across its zones, Indian Railways has opened up contract-based job opportunities for retired non-gazetted employees, marking a major shift in recruitment policy. The latest circular enables re-employment of retired staff at multiple levels below their original pay grade—an important change from the earlier rules.
Retired Employees Can Now Work Below Their Previous Pay Levels
Previously, only those retired employees were allowed to rejoin on the same post and pay level from which they retired. But now, as per the revised policy, retired personnel from Pay Level 1 to Pay Level 9 can be hired back even three levels below their original post. For instance, someone who retired from Pay Level 6 can now apply for roles at Levels 3, 4, 5, or 6.
This move significantly expands the pool of available skilled manpower, allowing Indian Railways to plug critical staffing gaps in safety, operations, and maintenance units that are currently struggling with vacancies.
Recruitment Priority Based on Matching Pay Levels
The Railway Board has clarified that first preference will still be given to retired employees whose previous pay level matches the vacant post. If such candidates are unavailable, only then will applicants from higher pay levels be considered for lower roles.
This ensures operational consistency while also enabling flexibility to manage human resource shortages at short notice.
Recruitment Authority Delegated to Divisional and Zonal Heads
As per the notification, Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) will have the power to approve such appointments at the division level, while General Managers (GMs) will make the final call on recruitment at zonal and headquarters levels. GMs will also decide how many retired employees should be hired back in a particular zone based on staffing requirements.
Key Conditions for Reappointment
The reappointment of retired staff is not automatic and will only be allowed under the following strict conditions:
Actual manpower shortage must be established.
Due diligence must be carried out before approving any contract appointment.
The policy comes into effect from the date of issue and applies only to non-gazetted positions (up to Pay Level 9).
Final approval is subject to the Railway Board’s guidelines and Finance Department clearance.
Railways Hopes to Bridge Staff Deficit Without Fresh Hiring Delays
This initiative is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted railway services while leveraging the experience of retired personnel. Contractual re-appointments will help maintain operations without the time-consuming process of fresh recruitment drives. This is especially critical in safety-sensitive posts where trained and experienced staff are hard to replace quickly.
The policy also gives a second opportunity to retired railway workers, many of whom still wish to contribute post-retirement and bring valuable operational knowledge that’s hard to find among new recruits.
