Indian Railway General Knowledge and Establishment Rules
Scope
Railway structure plus the establishment framework a controller must know: zones, divisions, production units, the chain of operating authority, and the rules governing railway servants.
Structure
- Indian Railways works under the Ministry of Railways; the Railway Board is at the apex, headed by a Chairman & CEO, with Members for Infrastructure, Traction & Rolling Stock, Operations & Business Development, Finance and Staff, supported by the Director General (Safety).
- A zone is headed by a General Manager, a division by a Divisional Railway Manager. Operating staff are headed by the Chief Operations Manager at zone level and the Senior Divisional Operations Manager at division level; the Section Controller works the control desk within the divisional control organisation.
- Production units: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (electric locomotives), Banaras Locomotive Works (diesel), Integral Coach Factory Perambur and Modern Coach Factory Rae Bareli (coaches), Rail Wheel Factory Bengaluru.
Establishment rules
- Railway Services (Conduct) Rules, 1966, and the Discipline and Appeal Rules for penalties.
- Hours of Employment Regulations, 2005 classify staff into intensive, continuous and 'averages' categories, with weekly ceilings, advance rosters and mandatory rest intervals.
- Leave: 30 days LAP and 15 days LHAP a year. Pass Rules govern privilege and post-retirement passes; medical categories A1, A2, B1, C1 set fitness and eyesight standards.
Worked example
An employee governed by the Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993 retires with 22 years of qualifying service. Full pension needs 33 years, so the pension is proportionate: (22/33) × full pension, i.e. two-thirds.
Traps that cost marks
- Quoting an outdated number of zones or divisions; new zones have been notified, so verify the latest position.
- Mixing pass entitlements with leave entitlements.
- Confusing a Conduct Rules breach with a Discipline and Appeal Rules penalty.