The Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) is the youngest and prestigious Group ‘A’ Civil Service in India. IRPS was established in 1976, and in 1980, through the UPSC Civil Service Exam (CSE) the first batch was recruited. The IRPS officers are responsible for managing or supervising the Human Resources of the Indian Railways and personnel welfare of employees and families of the railway. The workforce of Indian Railways is about 1.4 million employees. It creates a cadre or team of bureaucrats having specialization in human resource management in the Government of India (GoI).
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Functions of Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
The IRPS officers are responsible for managing or supervising the Human Resources of the Indian Railways and personnel welfare of employees and families of the railway. It is the only service in Group A to serve human resources management.
- Personnel welfare and Management: Workforce planning, Recruiting staff through RRB/RRC, Training, dealing with promotions, transfer, reservation, payments and final settlement of employees.
- Legal matters: Implementation of laws for labour and total hours of employment regulation, legal issues, etc..
- Industrial Relationships: maintaining friendly industrial relations, grievance redressal, participation in management and all welfare activities.
Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) Eligibility
For the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) exam, the eligibility criteria are the same as for other Civil Services Exam.
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Recruitment and Training
The initial recruitment of the Indian Railways Personnel Service (IRPS) officer is through the Civil Service Examination conducted by UPSC every year.
While remaining through the promotion of Group ‘B’ officers are (feeder cadres) selected by UPSC.
Training
After selection, the IRPS officers undergo training 93 weeks at the training academies:
- The Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for 15 weeks,
- After the foundation course, Training at RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration at Bhopal,
- Dr Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute of Telangana at Hyderabad.
- Field training on construction, zonal railways, divisions, manufacturing units and organizations of the Indian Railways.
Grade and Salary of Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) Officer
IRPS team was formed to focus on the aim of managing a workforce of millions in Indian Railways.
The table below gives the information on Grades, Designation and pay scales of Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS):
Grade | Designation (Division) | Designation (Zone) | Designation (Railway Board) | Grade Pay |
| Apex (the highest level post) | No Identical position in Division | There is no equivalent post in Zone | Chairman Railway Board | 7th PC level-17 |
| HAG+ | General Manager | Additional Member Staff | 7th PC level- 16 | |
| HAG | Principal Chief Personnel Officer(CPO) | Principal Executive Director (Industrial Relations) | 67000-3%-79000 | |
| SAG | Divisional Railway Manager | Chief Personnel Officer (Admin) | Executive Director or Chairperson in RRBs (17 years eligibility in Group ‘A’) | Grade Pay Rs.10,000 |
| NFSG | Senior Divisional Personnel Officer (Sr. DPO) | Deputy Chief Personnel Officer | Director | Grade Pay Rs.8700 |
| JAG | Senior Divisional Personnel Officer (Sr. DPO) | Deputy Chief Personnel Officer | Joint Director | Grade Pay Rs.7600 |
| STS | Divisional Personnel Officer (DPO) or Workshop Personnel Officer (WPO) | Senior Personnel Officer (SPO) | Generally, JTS and STS officers are not posted in Railway Board. | Grade Pay Rs.6600 |
| JTS | Assistant Personnel Officer (APO) | Assistant Personnel Officer (APO) | Grade Pay Rs.5400 |
Career Prospects
After completion of training Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS), officers will climb the ladder in the given professional growth trajectory-
- Division in Railway
- Assistant Personnel Officer (APO)
- Divisional Personnel Officer (DPO)
- Senior Division Personnel Officer (Sr.DPO)
- Division in Zones of Railway Departments
- Assistant Personnel Officer (APO)
- Senior Personnel Officer (SPO)
- Deputy Chief Personnel Officer (DCPO) – posted in the central production units of Indian Railways.
- Zonal Headquarters Are Headed by Chief Personnel Officer (CPO)
- Zonal Railway Units Are Headed by Principal Head of Department (HOD)
- Other Roles which are included:
- Additional Divisional Railway Manager /additional member staff
- Chairman of the Railway Board/Member staff is the superior post
- Divisional Railway Manager
- General Manager in higher Administrative Roles
Summary/Overview
The Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) is the youngest and prestigious Group ‘A’ Civil Service in India. IRPS was established in 1976, and in 1980, through the UPSC Civil Service Exam (CSE) the first batch was recruited.
Topics covered in this article
- Functions of Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS).
- Eligibility criteria of IRPS
- Recruitment and Training
- Grade and Salary of IRPS
- Career Progression
For more, visit: https://www.upsc.gov.in/examinations/Civil%20Services%20%28Preliminary%29%20Examination%2C%202021.