Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday informed Parliament that Indian Railways has provided employment to more than 5.56 lakh people over the past 12 years. Addressing the Lok Sabha, the minister said that 5.56 lakh recruitments were made across various posts between 2014 and June 2026. Vaishnaw highlighted that South Railway alone accounted for 50,485 appointments during the period. Comparing the figures with the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, he said that between 2004-05 and 2013-14, when the Congress-led UPA was in power, Indian Railways recruited 4.11 lakh people.
The Railways Minister clarified that recruitment is carried out according to the manpower requirements of different railway zones. He said that large-scale recruitment examinations are conducted regularly and that the Railways has consistently followed prescribed guidelines to ensure transparency in the selection process.
Vaishnaw also noted that staffing requirements continue to evolve with technological advancements. As operational needs change over time, recruitment is carried out for different categories of posts accordingly, he added.
One TTE assigned to a maximum of five AC coaches
During the discussion, Congress MP Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan from Nanded raised concerns over the workload of Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs). He asked whether additional TTEs were deployed on North Railway trains, particularly Train No. 22401/22402 operating between Delhi Sarai Rohilla and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to the query, Vaishnaw said that under the revised guidelines, one TTE is assigned to a maximum of five AC coaches or three Chair Car or Sleeper coaches. "The number of TTEs deployed on a train depends on the number and type of coaches. This ensures optimal utilisation of staff while enabling efficient ticket checking and better passenger assistance," the minister said.
He added that zonal railways have been issued administrative guidelines from time to time to improve workforce deployment and operational efficiency.
Railways does not maintain zone-wise record of earnings from cancelled tickets
The Railways Minister also informed the Rajya Sabha that Indian Railways does not maintain zone-wise records of revenue generated from cancelled and waitlisted tickets. In a written reply, Vaishnaw stated that the cancellation charges and refund timelines applicable to Vande Bharat Sleeper Express and Amrit Bharat Express differ from those applicable to other passenger trains.
He also placed before the House a detailed table explaining the cancellation rules for regular train tickets.
Refund rules for Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat Express
Vaishnaw explained the cancellation policy applicable to confirmed tickets on Vande Bharat Sleeper Express and Amrit Bharat Express.
According to the rules:
- If a confirmed ticket is cancelled at least 72 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, 25 per cent of the fare will be deducted.
- If the ticket is cancelled between 72 hours and 8 hours before departure, 50 per cent of the fare will be deducted.
- If the ticket is cancelled less than 8 hours before the scheduled departure, no refund will be provided.
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