Railway Board Exams: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asks protesting students to not take 'law into their hands'

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has asked students protesting over the alleged irregularities in the Railway Board exams to not take the law into their hands and submit all their grievances to a committee that will be looking into all their issues.

This comes after a train was set on fire and demonstrations were staged at a couple of stations on January 26, marking the third day of unrest in Bihar against alleged anomalies in the tests conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board in Non-Technical Popular Categories exams  (NTPC) category.

"I request students not to take the law into their hands. We will seriously address the grievances and concerns raised by them", said the Railways Minister.

Earlier in the day, the Railways decided to suspend its Non Technical Popular Categories and Level 1 tests after violent protests by job aspirants.

It has also formed a high-level committee to examine the grievances of those who have passed the exams under different railway recruitment boards (RRBs) and those who have failed the same. After listening to both the parties, the committee will submit a report to the railways ministry.

"A high power committee has been formed to look into the concerns and doubts raised by candidates in regard to results of 1st Stage Computer Based Test (CBT) of Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) 01/2019 of Non Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) issued by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) on 14-15th January 2022," the railways said.

The committee will examine the results of 1st Stage CBT of centralised employees notice issued in 2019 (CEN 01/2019) for NTPC and methodology used for shortlisting candidates for second stage CBT without effecting existing shortlisted candidates and the introduction of second stage CBT in CEN RRC 01/2019. The candidates can lodge their concerns and suggestions to the committee at rrbcommittee@railnet.gov.in, the railways have said.

All chairpersons of RRBs have also been directed to receive the grievances of candidates through their existing channels, compile these grievances and send the same to the committee. Candidates have been given three weeks time up to February 16 to submit their concerns and the committee after examining these concerns will submit their recommendations by March 4, 2022.

"In view of above, the 2nd Stage CBT of CEN 01/2019 (NTPC) beginning 15th February 2022 and 1st Stage CBT of CEN RRC 01/2019 beginning 23rd February stands postponed," the railways said.

On Tuesday, the railways had issued a general notice, warning its job aspirants that those found involved in vandalism and unlawful activities while protesting will be barred from ever getting recruited in the railways.

In the general notice, the railways said, "Such misguided activities are the highest level of indiscipline rendering such aspirants unsuitable for railway/government job. Videos of such activities will be examined...and candidates/aspirants found indulged in unlawful activities will be liable for police action as well as lifetime debarment from obtaining railway job."

The controversy over the exams arose as many candidates claimed the screening process is designed to favour those with higher qualification, even in jobs that require lesser qualifications. For the NTPC exam, around 1.25 crore candidates had appeared and the results were declared earlier this month.

(With inputs from PTI)