Acting over concerns raised by candidates who appeared for Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) No. 01/2019 (for Non-Technical Popular Categories – Graduate and Under-graduate), all Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) across the country have started their outreach camp to register grievances.
This follows the directions given by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw .
“We will handle the issues and grievances of candidates/aspirants with utmost sensitivity”, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways in his interaction with DD News on Thursday evening.
Concerns have been raised by some candidates over the process of shortlisting of candidates for the second stage of the ongoing recruitment examination under RRBs Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) No. 01/2019 (for Non-Technical Popular Categories – Graduate and Under-graduate) – results of which were announced on 14.01.2022.
Speaking to DD News Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the matter will be handled with sensitivity. A high-power committee comprising senior officials to look into these concerns, has already started receiving representations of candidates/aspirants. Senior Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) officials are meeting groups of students and taking their representations.
The Minister assured the candidates/students that all their problems will be resolved with utmost sensitivity and they need not get confused/influenced by anyone’s words.
Articulating the issue of number of candidates to be shortlisted for the 2nd stage of Exam, the Minister informed that as an old Railway practice the number of Candidates to be called for NTPC Second Stage Exam was only 10 times the number of approved vacancies.
This number of calling 10 times of the number of vacancies was increased to 15 times the number of vacancies in CEN 03/2015 and 20 times the number of vacancies in CEN 1/2019, so that more and more students get a chance to write the exam.
Elaborating further, Shri Vaishnaw said that “if you look at each category, 20 times students/candidates have been selected in each category”.
The issue is that more than one candidate has applied in more than one category. Since a 2nd Stage consists of CBT of five different levels and a candidate can be shortlisted for more than one level as per eligibility, merit and option, the lists of 7 lakh roll numbers will have some names appearing in more than one list.
The Minister said that this issue can be sorted out and there is no need to hit the road or set the train or fire as the Railway infrastructure is public property.
Talking about the solution of this issue, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the high-level committee which has been constituted to look into the concerns/grievances of candidates, is composed of senior officials having vast experience in recruitment process. He requested the concerned students/candidates to submit their grievances/concerns to the committee within three weeks of time i.e. by 16.02.2022 and we will come up with a solution immediately after that.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Railways issued a detailed set of FAQs over this. The FAQs are as follows:-
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers (Q&A)
Q :What is RRB?What is its role and function?
A: Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) functions under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. It is primarily responsible for recruiting the group ‘C’ staff. There are 21 RRBs in the country. Each RRB has a Chairman, and a Member Secretary and an Assistant Secretary and supporting non-gazetted staff.
Q: What are the recruitments done earlier by RRBs?
A: RRBs have notified 2,83,747 vacancies since 2018 and have given appointments to more than 1.32 lakh candidates. Recruitment of remaining vacancies is under process. RRBs have conducted CBTs for about 4 crore candidates in last three and half years despite COVID 19 pandemic.
Q: Why is recruitment conducted with two stages Computer Based Test (CBT) ?
A: In case the number of candidates who have applied against the notification are large in number and are more than one crore, then, it is advisable to conduct CBT in two stages with 1st Stage being used to screen the candidates for 2nd Stage and 2nd Stage CBT conducted with limited candidates so that extensive normalization is not involved and the final merit is more just and fair.
Q: What is the basis of shortlisting candidates for 2nd Stage CBT ?
A: As per Railway Recruitment Board manual of 2015, candidates 10 times the notified vacancies are to be called for 2nd Stage CBT for Non Technical Popular Categories (NTPC). This is to ensure that the number is limited to the extent that the same can be managed in one or limited shifts to avoid extensive normalization as well as to ensure that adequate candidates are available for deciding the merit after initial screening done through 1st Stage CBT. This same was followed in earlier Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) 02/2010 (for Graduates) and CEN 04/2010 (for 10+2) where candidates 10 times the vacancies were called for 2nd Stage CBT before increasing the same to 15 times for CEN 03/2015 (Graduates).
Q: How many candidates are shortlisted for 2nd Stage CBT for NTPC Exam?
A: For CEN 01/2019, the 1st stage CBT has been made common for Graduates and 10+2 pass candidates, it has been prescribed in the CEN that candidates20 times the notified vacancies will be called for 2nd Stage CBT so that adequate candidates are given opportunity to appear in 2nd Stage CBT after screening through 1st Stage CBT.
Q: Shouldn’t short listing be done for 7 lakh candidates, not 7 lakh roll numbers?
A: Nowhere was it mentioned that 7 lakh distinct candidates will get shortlisted for 2nd stage CBT. Since a 2nd Stage consists of CBT of five different levels and a candidate can be shortlisted for more than one level as per eligibility, merit and option, the lists of 7 lakh roll numbers will have some names appearing in more than one list.
Q: Why have RRBs shortlisted candidates only 4-5 times of notified vacancies?
A: The short listing has been done level/post wise at the rate of 20 times notified vacancies as elaborated in para 13 of notification. The lists contain 7,05,446 roll numbers which is 20 times notified vacancies of 35281.
Q: Earlier, ten candidates used to compete for one post. Now won’t one candidate compete for 10 posts?
A: Finally, 35281 distinct candidates will be selected and one candidate will be appointed against only one post depending upon merit and preference of each candidate. Hence no post will remain vacant.
Q: Graduate candidates are getting undue benefit of becoming eligible for both Graduate and 10+2 level posts. Had there been different notifications for graduates and 10+2 level posts as done earlier, they would have had to succeed in two different exams.
A: The integration of recruitment for Graduate and 10+2 level posts have been done to save time, energy and effort which has been proved useful during COVID 19 pandemic. Also, standards of CBT 1 have been kept of 10+2 level so as to not to put disadvantage to 10+2 level students and it is only in CBT 2 that standards will be different across levels.
Q:What has Railways done for protesting candidates against NTPC Results?
A: RRBs have postponed the 2nd Stage CBT of NTPC and 1st Stage CBT of Level one.
Q: A high power committee comprising senior officials has been formed to look into the concerns and doubts raised by candidates in regard to the results of 1st Stage Computer Based Test (CBT) of NTPC exam without affecting existing shortlisted candidates and Introduction of 2nd Stage CBT in CEN RRC 01/2019.
Q:How can candidates lodge their grievances to the committee?
A:The candidates can lodge their concerns and suggestions to the committee at following email id: rrbcommittee@railnet.gov.in
All Chairpersons of RRBs have also been directed to receive the grievances of candidates. Outreach Camps are being organized at various Zonal and Divisional HQs all over country to facilitate lodging of concerns.
Q:What is the last date for registering grievance to the committee?
A: Candidates are given three weeks time upto 16.02.2022 to submit their concerns.
Q:What is the timeline for the committee to address the grievances?
A: The committee after examining these concerns will submit their recommendations by 04th March, 2022.
Q: Why has there been delay in the recruitment process?
A: The recruitment process has got delayed due to COVID 19 pandemic since March 2020 and various restrictions imposed on that account by various states. The capacity that can be utilized for CBT has also got impacted because of social distancing norms leading to increase in number of shifts. 1st Stage CBT of CEN 01/2019 involved 133 shifts.
