Railway Ministry notifies IRMS, bringing together eight existing services of the railways

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Indian Railway Management System (IRMS) has been notified by the Ministry of Railways, which will unify its eight existing services. “In pursuance of Cabinet’s decision dated 24.12.2019, there shall be creation of a new Group ‘A’ Central service called Indian Railway Management Service,” a gazette notification, issued by the Ministry on February 9, noted.

The services that are going to be merged are as follows :

  1. Indian Railway Service of Engineers
  2. Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers
  3. Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers
  4. Indian Railway Stores Service
  5. Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers
  6. Indian Railway Traffic Service
  7. Indian Railway Personnel Service
  8. Indian Railway Accounts Services

The unification, will mean that railways is left with just two departments, namely the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Medical Service Department (MSD).

Some sections of railway officers were very upset by the reforms proposed during the tenure of Piyush Goyal as railway minister. It was clarified by the railways that seniority would not be affected. It stated that 27 GM posts have been upgraded to apex grade. Officers of all the erstwhile services will have an opportunity to obtain the apex-grade post of GM. In the approved cabinet note, it has been mentioned that only the officers of IRMS will be eligible to become the functional members and chairman/CEO of the railway board. There will likely be a method for employees to opt out of IRMS