Indian Railways has issued new guidelines regarding promotions for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) employees.
The Railway Board has clarified the rules on relaxation in qualifying marks and the “Best Among the Failed” scheme for promotions to non-safety category posts.
The guidelines have been sent to all railway zones and production units.
The aim is to remove confusion over promotion rules and help fill reserved posts that remain vacant because enough eligible candidates are not available.
Why Has Railways Issued New Guidelines?
According to the Railway Board, different railway divisions had been interpreting promotion rules for SC/ST employees differently. This created confusion and, in some cases, reserved promotion posts remained vacant.
To address this, the Board reviewed its earlier circulars and issued clearer guidelines. The new framework is intended to make the selection process more uniform and transparent across railway zones.
SC/ST Employees to Get 10% Relaxation
For certain selections within Group C posts based on seniority, SC/ST employees will get a 10% relaxation in professional ability and overall qualifying marks.
For promotion from Group C to Group B under the 70% selection quota, general category employees are required to score at least 60% in the written examination and overall marks.
For SC/ST employees, the qualifying requirement has been reduced to 50%.
However, candidates will still need to secure at least 15 marks in the “Service Record” category.
What Is the ‘Best Among the Failed’ Scheme?
Another important clarification concerns reserved posts that remain vacant even after the normal relaxation is provided.
If enough SC/ST candidates still do not qualify, the Railways can use the “Best Among the Failed” system for eligible non-safety posts.
Under this system, the highest-scoring SC/ST employees among those who failed can be considered for the vacant reserved positions.
However, there is a minimum requirement. Such candidates must have secured at least 20% marks in the written examination, interview and service record, separately as well as in the overall assessment.
Promotion Will Initially Be for Six Months
Employees selected through the “Best Among the Failed” provision will not immediately receive regular promotion.
They will first be promoted on an ad-hoc basis for six months. During this period, their work performance, efficiency and conduct will be assessed.
After six months, the competent authority will review their performance. Their promotion will be regularised only if their performance is found satisfactory.
No Relaxation for Safety Category Posts
The Railway Board has clearly stated that these relaxations will not apply to safety-category posts connected with train operations and passenger safety. The required standards for such positions will remain unchanged.
The “Best Among the Failed” provision will also not apply to the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) under Group C where panels are prepared on the basis of merit.
There is another important clarification. If an SC/ST employee qualifies under the same general standards without using any relaxation, the employee will be placed against an unreserved (UR) vacancy.
This will leave the reserved vacancy available for another eligible reserved-category employee.
The Railway Board has also clarified that selection processes that have already been completed will not be reopened under the new clarification.
