Job opportunities in Indian Railways:
Indian Railway Service
The Indian Railway Service is in charge of the huge network of railways in India which itself is divided into the Indian Railway Traffic Services, the Indian Railway Personnel Services, the Indian Railway Accounts Services and the Railway Police Service. The Railway Police Service is responsible for maintaining the security of the whole system and especially the passengers. The Indian Railway Traffic Service deals with the scheduling of trains and the passengers and the freight carried by these trains. The Indian Railway Personnel Service is the branch which deals with the recruitment of the officers and other administrative workers and the Indian Railway Accounts Services is in charge of looking after the accounts of this vast system. These are the non technical branches of the Indian Railways. For the recruitment of technical staff (like the engineers) there is a different entrance test altogether.
India Railway Accounts Service
This branch of the Railway Services is engaged in handling the accounting and finance operations of the Indian Railways. Working in this branch would entail dealing with financial transactions and hence a thorough knowledge of accounting procedures and related practices would prove an asset for officers who opt for this branch of the Indian Railways. An officer in the senior grade is given the charge of a zone and the post of a Financial Advisor-cum-Chief Accounts Officer. At this post, the officer carries the overall responsibility for accounts for the whole zone.
Indian Railway Personnel Service
As the name indicates, officers in this division handle all matters related to the personnel section like selection, promotions, training, welfare activities, transfers, increments, disciplinary actions and the like.
Railway Protection Service/ Railway Protection Force
This branch of the Indian Railway Services is entrusted with the task of maintenance of law and order on trains and on premises owned and used by the Indian Railways.
Railway Engineering Services
This is the technical side of the Railway Services and is engaged in activities like construction and planning of railway tracks, bridges and buildings. There are branches in this division like the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers and the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers.
The operations division
This division deals with controlling movement of trains. Keeping a check on incoming and outgoing trains, detachment or attachment of wagons, etc., are the responsibilities of this division. The posts and promotions differ slightly as per the selection grade. When an officer reaches the senior administrative grade, he or she is given the post of Chief Commercial/Operations Superintendent.