GDCE: RBE No.129/1993 – General Departmental Competitive Examination

No.E(NG)I/93/PM2/16, dated 20.08.1993

Sub: Introduction of General Departmental Competitive Examination for filling up 25 % direct recruitment vacancies in certain Group ‘C’ categories.

1. As the Railway Administration are aware, with the rapid modernization of Indian Railways, phasing out of System Traction resulting in closure of Steam Loco Sheds, and closure of Goods Sheds and Transhipment Yards etc., a large number of regular staff are being retained and redeployed in alternative jobs quickly. Instructions already exists that the surplus staff should get priority in filling up the vacancies and the indents for direct recruitment should be placed on Railway Recruitment Boards only to the extent of net requirement. However, the position still remains acute and there is need to make more and more vacancies available for redeployment of surplus staff.
2. The matter has been considered by the Board in detail and it has been decided as follows:

(i) To accelerate the process of redeployment of surplus as a onetime measure, the method of General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE) shall be adopted to fill up 25% of the net direct recruitment vacancies (for which indents are otherwise required to be placed on RRBs) in the following categories during the next one year only with immediate effect:

(a) Non-technical popular categories – namely, Train Clerk, Ticket Collectors, Commercial Clerk, Telephone Operators, Shroffs, Accounts Clerks, Office Clerks.
(b) Operational categories – namely, Diesel/ Elect. Asstts. (where direct recruitment is made to the extent of shortfall) etc. and ASM.

(ii) This method shall be adopted for one year with immediate effect. Indents already placed on RRBs should be adjusted accordingly as necessary.
(iii) Quota prescribed for SC & ST will be applicable to GDCE.
(iv) All regular employees possessing the prescribed educational qualifications for direct recruitment shall be eligible to appear in the GDCE irrespective of grade and cadre.
(v) There would be a minimum age limit of 40 years for general candidates and 45 years for SC/ST candidates.

3. GDCE will comprise a written test followed by viva voce and the panel will be formed strictly in order of merit. The standard of examination shall be like that of direct recruitment to avoid any dilution of the cadre. If suitable candidates do not become available in adequate number as a result of GDCE, the shortfall will be made by direct recruitment through Railway Recruitment Board.
3.1 Psychological test will be conducted for categories where it is required for direct recruitment.
4. Selection Board for GDCE shall consist of three JAG officers, one of whom should be a Personal Officer. The Personnel Officer may be in Senior Scale nonetheless he shall be an equal number of the Selection Board. Every effort should be made to include SC/ST officer on this Selection Board as per para 218(d) of IREM.
5. Zone of consideration for GDCE will encompass staff belonging to all the Departments/ Branches in a Division/ Workshop/ Headquarter Office/ Extra Divisional Office/ Production Units as the case may be subject to their applying through proper channel in response to the notification for GDCE.
5.1 The total requirement of direct recruitment should be vetted by the Headquarters/ GM’s Office as usual and thereafter GDCE for 25% thereof may be conducted by Headquarters Office of the Zonal Railway or GM’s Office of the Production Unit, as far as possible, but if considered expedient by the GM, the same may be conducted centrally by a Division/ Workshop/ Extra Divisional Office nominated by him in the case of Zonal Railways. However, for one category or group of categories only one GDCE shall be conducted centrally on a Zonal Railway.
6. Resultant vacancies consequent to GDCE shall as far as possible be filled up by redeploying surplus staff instead of resorting to direct recruitment or fresh faces from open market.
7. Seniority of GDCE candidates in the cadre in which they are placed shall be as admissible to direct recruits.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.129/1993

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.112/2018, RBE No. 77/2019, RBE No. 49/2020, RBE No.86/2021, RBE No.02/2022, RBE Bo.112/2023,