After row, Indian Railways says not sack 3 lakh employees, will hire 2.8 lakh new ones

After a huge row broke out over the issue, Indian Railways has denied reports of 3 lakh job cuts and issued a clarification on Tuesday saying that the reports claiming so are without any substance. The clarification came after media reports alleged that the Indian Railways is planning to layoff around 3 lakh employees. The reports claimed that these employees will be asked to go for voluntary retirement. In a statement posted by Ministry of Railways, it was cleared that no such action is being planned. 

"A news item has been published in certain newspapers that Indian Railways are taking steps towards compulsorily retiring a sizeable number of Railway employees," the statement said, while adding, "any inference regarding the number of employees being retired under such Rules, as drawn in such clippings, is thus without substance."

It added that the zonal officers were asked to conduct performance review of all employees as part of the 'routine exercise', which is required to be conducted by the Administration in public interest. It said that similar exercise was conducted in 2018 as well. "It is a routine exercise which is required to be conducted by the Administration in public interest and the same has been conducted in previous years as well. Any inference regarding the number of employees being retired under such Rules, as drawn in such clippings, is thus without any substance," it said. 

The statement explained that letters have been issued to Railway Zones/Production Units etc, merely by way of reiteration, to conduct the routine review of performance of the Railway employees in pursuance of the service conditions laid down under Rules 1802 (a), 1803(a), 1804(a) of the Indian Railway Establishment Code, Vol II and Rule 66(1) (b) of the Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993 which are analogous to Rules 56(j), 56(1) and Rule 48 (1) (b) of the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972. 

The Ministry further said that it has, in fact, hired approximately 1,84,262 employees in various categories during the period from 2014 to 2019. It said that another recruitment exercise is being held for 2,83,637 persons, out of which examinations have already been conducted for 1,41,060 posts and the process shall be completed within the next two months.