Railways Opens 14,788 Reserved Posts for Ex-Servicemen, New Army-Railway Recruitment Framework Launched
New Delhi, 26th February 2026: Indian Railways and the Indian Army have introduced a “Framework of Cooperation” to expand post-retirement employment opportunities for Agniveers and serving Army personnel transitioning to civilian roles, with a focus on structured recruitment across railway establishments.
The framework aims to facilitate smoother induction of ex-servicemen and ex-agniveers into railway services by increasing awareness about job opportunities and creating institutional support mechanisms for retiring personnel.
Under existing provisions, 10 per cent horizontal reservation in Level-2 and above posts and 20 per cent in Level-1 posts has been earmarked for ex-servicemen. In addition, 5 per cent reservation in Level-2 and above posts and 10 per cent in Level-1 posts has been provided for ex-agniveers.
During 2024 and 2025, a total of 14,788 posts were reserved for ex-servicemen in railway vacancy notifications. This includes 6,485 posts in Level-1 and 8,303 posts in Level-2 and above categories.
Recruitment to Level-1 (erstwhile Group D) posts is conducted through Railway Recruitment Centres (RRCs), while Level-2 and above posts are filled through Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) via competitive examinations.
To address immediate manpower requirements, the Ministry of Railways has initiated contractual engagement of ex-servicemen as Pointsmen across zones until regular recruitment cycles are completed. More than 5,000 Level-1 posts are currently under process at the Zonal and Divisional levels. Nine Railway Divisions have signed Memorandums of Understanding with concerned Army organisations to facilitate hiring for these positions.
The framework also calls for Army recruiting agencies to coordinate with Railway Divisions to expedite filling of vacancies under the contractual arrangement.
Railways and the Army have longstanding operational coordination in logistics and personnel movement. Infrastructure projects such as the Dedicated Freight Corridor and the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link have strengthened connectivity and mobility in strategic regions.
Skill development and academic collaboration are also being advanced through Memorandums of Understanding with Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
Officials stated that the new framework institutionalises structured engagement of ex-servicemen and ex-agniveers within the railway recruitment system while aligning with ongoing workforce requirements across zones and divisions.
