Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) – 2019

The Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) is a Group -A Central Service. The primary responsibility of the service is to manage the Human Resources of the Indian Railways. IRPS is considered as the youngest of the entire Group ‘A’ Organized Services on Indian Railways. It was constituted in 1976 and the first direct recruitment through the Civil Services Examination conducted in 1980.

What are the eligibility conditions?

There are two modes of recruitment are followed for Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS). One is through Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC every year; secondly through promotion of Group ‘B’ Personnel Officers working on zonal Railways to IRPS. Roughly, 50% posts are meant for Direct Recruitment and 50% posts are filled through promotion from Group ‘B’ Cadre.

IWhat are the roles and responsibilities of IRPS officer?

The IRPS is the only service amongst the Group ‘A’ services to cater to the human resources and personnel management in a department in the Central Government. Some of the functions of the IRPS officers are given below:

• Functions related to Personnel Management like manpower planning, recruitment, training, seniority, promotions, transfer, posting.
• Co-coordinating activities like reservation, payments, wages, salary and final settlement.
• Functions related to Industrial Relations like maintaining cordial industrial relations, workers’ participation in management.
• Welfare activities and grievance redressal.
• Managing legal work, implementation of labour laws and hours of employment regulation.

What are trainings offered?

Selected candidates are directly recruited as IRPS probationers who are required to undergo 93 week training programme, which includes Civil Services foundation course of 15 weeks) before induction into service on various railway zones and other offices. The training programme includes training sessions at National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR)/Vadodara, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy for Administration (LBSNAA)/ Mussorie, National Academy for Direct Taxes (NADT)/ Nagpur and other specialized training institutes like at reputed management institutes are HR & Personnel Management, as well as field training on zonal railways, divisions, construction organizations and manufacturing units of the Indian Railways. Like other organized Group ‘A’ services of IRPS officers are also posted in General Management Ex-Cadre posts like Dy. General Manager, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Divisional Railway Manager, General Manager as per seniority and merit.

Indian Railway Personnel Service Ranks and Salaries

Service Hierarchy