RBE No. 238/1985: Recruitment – Group ‘D’ – Minimum Educational Qualifications
No.E(NG)II/84/RR1/26, dated 16.08.1985
Sub: Recruitment of Group ‘D’ (Class-IV) posts – Minimum Educational Qualifications.
1. As the Railway Administrations are aware, excepting in a few cases, like recruitment of Khalasis in Diesel/ Electric Loco sheds, formal educational qualifications for individual category have not been laid down by this Ministry for recruitment of Group ‘D’ (Class-IV) posts. In this connection, attention is invited to this Ministry’s letter No.E(NG)58/RC 1/61, dated 30.01.1961 and sub-paras (iv)(a) and (b) of sub-section IV, Section B of Chapter-I of Indian Railway Establishment Manual.
2. In the context of increasing sophistication in Railway technology and modernization of its operations, the question of prescribing minimum educational qualifications for Group ‘D’ (Class-IV) recruitment on the Railways, has been under consideration of this Ministry for sometime past. The Railway Accident Enquiry Committee, 1978 had recommended that in the lowest recruitment grade in Group ‘D’ (Class-IV) category including casual labour, only person with minimum educational qualifications should be recruited. Railway Reforms Committee in their Recommendation No.10 (in Part IX of their report on Personnel) have recommended that basic literacy should be prescribed in the recruitment standards for all staff irrespective of category including casual labour.
3. The matter has been carefully considered by this Ministry inter alia, in the light of the above mentioned recommendations. It has now been decided that for recruitment/ appointment to Group ‘D’ posts, the minimum educational qualification should be as under:-
(i) In future, casual labour and substitute will be eligible for absorption in vacancies (other than those of Safaiwalas) in all the wings of Electrical and Mechanical Department and in the Workshop of S and T department only if they have the minimum qualification of ITI or they are Course Completed Act Apprentices.
(ii) For recruitment of Khalasis in the Diesel/ Electric Loco/ EMU Sheds, the instructions contained in this Ministry’s letters Nos. E(NG)II/80/RC 1/7, dated 28.01.1983, E(NG)II/83/RC 2/39, dated 31.12.1983 and E(NG)II/83/RC 2/75, dated 31.05.1985 will continue to apply.
(iii) (a) For recruitment to vacancies (other than those of Safaiwalas) in all other wings (including workshops) of the Electrical/ Mechanical Departments and in Workshops of S and T Department, the minimum educational qualifications will be ITI or completion of a course under the Apprentices Act.
(b) The minimum qualifications for posts of Khalasis in S and T Department (i.e. for other than S and T Workshop) will be a pass in the tenth standard.
(iv) For Safaiwalas in Mechanical/ Medical and other Departments, the minimum qualification will be a pass in fifth standard only.
(v) The minimum educational qualification for recruitment Group ‘D’ posts in all other Departments including Medical and Civil Engineering Departments, will be a pass in the eighth standard.
(vi) Wherever higher educational qualification for any particular category or categories have already been laid down, however, either by this Ministry or locally by the respective Railway Administrations, these will continue to be followed.
(vii) The aforesaid minimum qualifications will apply to engagement of ‘fresh faces’ as casual labour or as substitutes, as also for direct recruitment in Group ‘D’ vacancies, wherever engagement of ‘fresh faces’ or direct recruitment is permitted under the instructions in force from time to time.
(viii) A review of the aforesaid minimum qualifications will be made after three years i.e. in the latter half of 1988.
Download Railway Board Circular RBE No. 238/1985
Forward reference⇒RBE No. 66/1986