Indian Railways has announced a significant recruitment drive to hire over 5,000 ex-servicemen as Pointsmen on a contractual basis. This initiative is part of a newly established “Framework of Cooperation” between the Ministry of Railways and the Indian Army. The primary goal is to provide meaningful second-career opportunities for retired soldiers and Agniveers while simultaneously addressing critical vacancies in Level-1 posts across various railway zones and divisions.
The recruitment serves as a temporary measure to ensure smooth operational efficiency until regular hiring processes are finalized. To facilitate this, nine Railway Divisions have already signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Army organizations. This partnership underscores a dedicated support system for personnel transitioning from military to civilian life, allowing the Railways to benefit from the disciplined and skilled workforce provided by the veteran community.
In addition to this contractual push, the Ministry highlighted its long-term commitment to veterans, noting that 14,788 posts were reserved for ex-servicemen in the 2024 and 2025 vacancy notifications. While contractual recruitment is handled at the Zonal and Divisional levels to speed up appointments, regular recruitment for Level-1 (formerly Group D) remains the responsibility of Railway Recruitment Centres (RRCs), and higher-level posts are managed by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs).
