NFIR

No. II/94/Part I

Dated: 08/11/2019

The Member (Staff),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,
Sub: 20% quota vacancies in 7th CPC Pay Level-1 reserved for “Course Completed Act Apprentices” – need for delegation of powers to GMs to fill the posts promptly – reg.

Ref:
(i) Railway Board’s reply to NFIR vide letter No. E(NG)II/2019/RR-I/5 dated 23/04/2019
(ii) NFIR’s letter vide No.II/94/Part I dated 17/08/2019 to the Member Staff, Railway Board.

Responding to Railway Board’s reply dated 23/04/2019, the Federation vide its letter dated 17/08/2019 has again conveyed to the Railway Board certain valid points with regard to fulfilment of 20% quota vacancies in GP 1800 Level-1 by Course Completed Act Apprentices of Railways.

Also check: 7th Pay Commission Pay Matrix Table Level 1 to 5

NFIR once again re-iterates the following for re-consideration :-

• The 20% quota meant to be filled by Railways trained Act Apprentices has, in fact, not been fulfilled due to inexplicable reasons which are beyond the control of RRCs. This is causing adverse impact on the IR system as the vacancies in Level-l particularly in Safety categories of Technical Departments continued to remain unfilled while at the same time the Course Completed Act Apprentices of Railways are out of job despite the fact that they possess required skills for performing technical jobs in Railways.
• In Workshops and Depots/Sheds, the Act Apprentices (under training) are utilized by the authorities on regular jobs during training period due to heavy shortage of manpower, with the objective of achieving out turn targets fixed by the Railway Board. The earmarked 20% quota vacancies, if allowed to be filled under GM’s powers, the trained apprentices will have job opportunities and equally their skills will be of greater advantage for Railways to improve quality and efficiency.
• Another important factor causing negative impact on the IR system is non-consideration of Inter Railway transfer requests of Level-l safety category staff (Track Maintainers, Helpers etc.,) due to non-availability of replacement. Even the options of optees to different projects on Indian Railways are not being forwarded by the Zonal Railways despite communications from Project Organisations in view of heavy vacancy position.
• For ensuring quality and efficiency of Railways, adequate manpower possessing required skills is the need of the hour. The field position reveals that in Depots, Sheds and Workshops the staff strength is very much inadequate and for this reason, the GMs are required to be given powers for induction of course completed act apprentices against 20% vacancies in Level-l for meeting the exigency and urgency.

NFIR, therefore, once again requests the Railway Board (MS) to kindly re-consider the matter for delegating powers to the General Managers to induct Course Completed Act Apprentices against 20% quota vacancies of Level-1 posts as laid down in RBE No. 71/2016 dated 21/06/2016 delinking with the recruitment process of RRC. Federation may kindly be replied on action taken on this letter.

Yours faithfully,
(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR