RRB NTPC & RRB Group D 2022 Recruitment Update: Preference in Appointment will be given to Apprentices Trained in Railways

Since August 1963, the Indian Railways has provided training to candidates in recognized trades under the rules of the Apprentices Act. Without any competition or screening, these individuals are hired as apprentices based on their academic qualifications. Since 2004, people who finished their training have been employed as Substitutes versus level 1 roles, despite the fact that the railways were required to provide merely training to such candidates.

Substitutes are temporary appointments that can be called in to meet any unforeseen circumstances or operational needs. While such appointees are granted perks, they are not allowed to be integrated into permanent employment without going through the proper channels because they are temporary railway servants.
In 2017, the railways centralized the process for all recruitments to level 1, which would now be conducted through a common nationwide computer-based test, in light of the ongoing transformation of Indian Railways and in order to bring fairness, transparency, and objectivity to all railway recruitments (CBT).

In 2014, the Apprentices Act was revised to provide that an employer must have a policy for recruiting apprentices trained in its establishment under section 22 of the Act. Indian Railways created a provision in open market recruitment to level 1 posts to give preference to apprentices trained in railway establishments, up to 20% of the advertised positions, as a result of this change.

While these apprentices take the same written test as other candidates, they are given priority in appointment over others if they fulfil the minimum qualifying marks and medical requirements.

As a result, in the first common recruitment event in 2018, 12504 Level 1 vacancies out of 63202 offered via CEN 02/2018 were set aside for such individuals. Similarly, these apprentices have been assigned to 20734 Level-1 positions out of 103769 Level-1 positions listed under CEN RRC 01/2019. This notification will be filled through a recruitment process.
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These apprentices want to join the railways without going through the required recruitment process, which includes a written test and a physical efficiency test, which all other candidates must go through under current laws. This demand cannot be met since it violates Constitutional principles and an Apex Court ruling in the area of public employment, which states that every job must be obtained through a fair selection process.