Engagement of Ex-Servicemen as Pointsman on Contract Basis
Highlights : Total number of such engagements will be 5058 (Five Thousand and Fifty eight only) over all the Railways as per the zone-wise requirements
As per Government of India, Ministry of Railway (Railway Board) RBE No. 123/2025 dated 10.12.2025 issued to the General Manager (P), All Zonal Railways, it has been mentioned that keeping in view the operational requirements, the issue regarding contract engagement of Ex-Servicemen as Pointsman in Railways against short term vacancies in the Pointsman category of posts, as an interim measure pending availability of regularly appointed candidates has been under consideration of the Board for some time.
The matter has been examined and accordingly Board (MoBD, MF & CRB) have decided that Ex-Servicemen may also be allowed to be engaged as Pointsmen in terms of Board's letter No. E(NG)II/202|:F(C-411 dated 06.11.2024 (RBE No. 104/2024) subject to following conditions as applicable for the category of Pointsman only:
(i) In case of shortfall and if there is urgent requirement of filting up of vacancies of the Pointsman category for operational requirements in absence of a regularly appointed Pointsman, then Ex-servicemen may be engaged as Pointsmen by the Zonal Railways on contract basis directly through Ex-servicemen Welfare Boards under the Central/State Govemments.
(ii) prior to being put on a working post, the said Ex-servicemen so engaged will first be subjected to the full initial training prescribed for the post of Pointsman on payment of contractual remuneration and on successfully passing the prescribed course be put to the working post. The candidates who do not pass in the prescribed training or otherwise are not found suitable to work as Pointsmen, will be discharged forthwith after making due payment as per terms & conditions ofthe contract for the period spent on training
(iii) Total number of such engagements will be 5058 (Five Thousand and Fifty eight only) over all the Railways as per the zone-wise requirements indented already in the current recruitment or the number of actual vacancies in the category of Pointsman, whichever is lower. Such engaged Ex-servicemen will be terminated on joining of regularly appointed persons from open market through RRCs' This aspect should be closely monitored at the Zonal level and the terms and conditions of the said contract must have a clause to this effect.
(iv) The permission for engagement of Ex-Servicemen as Pointsmen in the above mentioned manner would initially be valid upto 31j22026. Their further extension will be permitted depending on vacancy position at that time,for which ZRs should specifically obtain prior approval of Board.
Source: indianrailways.gov.in
