Railway Recruitment Boards gives 9,000 jobs in first quarter, plans 50,000 for FY 2025-26

In a significant recruitment drive, the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) have conducted Computer Based Tests (CBTs) for more than 1.86 crore candidates since November 2024. The exams were held under seven separate notifications for 55,197 vacancies, with over 9,000 appointments already issued in the first quarter of the 2025–26 financial year. The total appointments are expected to cross 50,000 by year-end.

RRBs, responsible for hiring across various Indian Railways posts, have undertaken major logistical operations to conduct these tests. As part of the new initiative, exam centres are being allotted closer to candidates’ home locations, with priority given to women and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). This move has required identifying more centres and deploying additional personnel to ensure smooth and transparent conduct.

As part of efforts to improve exam integrity, RRBs have introduced Aadhaar-based E-KYC authentication for the first time in large-scale examinations. The system achieved over 95% success. In addition, jammers are now deployed at all RRB exam centres to prevent cheating via electronic devices.

Since 2024, RRBs have issued 12 notifications for 1,08,324 vacancies in line with the annual recruitment calendar. Another 50,000+ appointments are projected for the 2026–27 financial year.

Separately, West Central Railway in Bhopal has rolled out a new method for identity verification of passengers using the mAadhaar mobile application. In accordance with Railway Board guidelines, this aims to prevent unauthorised travel and misuse of Aadhaar information or misbooked tickets. The mAadhaar app, developed by UIDAI, uses QR code-based verification for real-time authentication.

According to the railway release, “The app will soon be made available on Handheld Terminals (HHT devices) to curb misuse of reserved tickets and ensure the identity of passengers.”