The Ministry of Railways has announced a major recruitment initiative, saying that more than 50,000 appointments will be offered by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) in the 2025-26 financial year. Additionally, more than 9,000 appointment letters have already been distributed in the first half of the year, setting the benchmark for a record-breaking recruitment season.
Massive Recruitment Drive: 1.86 Crore Candidates Tested
The RRBs have conducted Computer-Based Tests for approximately 1.86 crore applicants since November 2024. The recruitment process covers seven different notifications and a total of 55,197 vacancies. The Ministry also focuses on the scale and complexity of conducting these exams, which require heavy planning and coordination.
Initiatives for Candidate’s Betterment
In order to make the recruitment process more accessible for candidates, RRBs have started assigning exam centers closer to their residences. Special consideration has been given to female applicants and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
Benchmark Disability: A benchmark disability means having at least 40% disability of any type that is officially recognized by the government under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, in India. This percentage is certified by a medical authority and is mentioned on a disability certificate or UDID card. There are 21 types of disabilities covered under this Act, such as blindness, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, and more.
In addition, RRBs also introduced multiple new measures to promote more transparency and integrity. These measures include E-KYC-based Aadhar Authentication and 100% Jammer Deployment in exam centers. Below are more details for the same:
E-KYC Based Aadhaar Authentication: For the first time on such a large scale, candidate identification is being verified through Aadhaar-based e-KYC, which has even achieved a success rate of 95%.
Jammer Deployment: Now, all the exam centers will be equipped with electronic jammers to prevent cheating via electronic devices and ensure a fair testing environment.
More Opportunities in FY 2026-27
According to the Ministry, RRBs have already released 12 notifications for 1,08,324 vacancies since 2024. As a result, the Indian Railways is set to remain one of the country’s largest job providers with another 50,000+ appointments scheduled for 2026-27.
