More than 19,000 reserved seats in Railways are vacant, questions raised in Parliament on not finding eligible candidates:

News India Live, Digital Desk: A shocking news has come out regarding jobs in Indian Railways. According to the information given in the Parliament by the Railway Ministry, in various zones of the Railways Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) reserved for More than 19,000 posts Are lying vacant. The recruitment process was started to fill these posts, but Railways could not find ‘eligible candidates’ in these categories.

Shocking figures presented in Parliament

The Railway Ministry presented the details of backlog and recruitment of the last three years in reply to a written question in the Rajya Sabha. According to the data:

Total Vacant Posts: Total reserved for SC, ST and OBC category 19,251 posts There are those who have been kept in the category of ‘No Suitable Candidate’.

Category wise details:

SC (Scheduled Caste): Around 6,000+ posts.

ST (Scheduled Tribe): Around 5,500+ posts.

OBC (Other Backward Classes): Around 7,000+ posts.

Type of post: Most of these posts belong to Group C and Level-1 (earlier Group D) technical and non-technical cadre.

Why did these posts remain vacant?

According to the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), there are several technical reasons behind these reserved seats remaining vacant:

Minimum Qualifying Marks: In many examinations, reserved category students could not obtain the prescribed minimum cut-off marks.

Lack of technical ability: Some posts were for specific technical skills (like ALP, Technician) where sufficient applications were received but candidates were screened out in skill test or medical test.

Physical Efficiency Test (PET): A large number of candidates from reserved categories failed the physical test (running and weight lifting) in Level-1 recruitment.

Government’s next step: What will happen to these seats?

After the opposition raised questions on the government’s intentions regarding these vacant posts, the Railway Ministry has clarified:

Special Recruitment Drive: To fill these backlog vacancies, Railways is planning to launch a special recruitment drive soon.

Possibility of relaxation in rules: Can any relaxation be given in the cut-off for these posts? There is no official confirmation on this at present, but the ministry is considering legal routes to fill these seats.

What is the lesson for the candidates?

This news is also a big warning for those students who depend only on ‘reservation’. It is mandatory for all to clear the stringent standards and minimum qualifying marks of Railways.

Improve preparation level: Even if you are from the reserved category, the competition is tough. You not only have to cross the cut-off but also come in merit.

Focus on skills and physicality: Along with studies, it is important to pay attention to technical skills and physical fitness (PET).