A group of Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) officers has filed a petition in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) against the Ministry of Railways’ decision to break up the unified IRMS into eight separate service groups. The officers argue that this move is unconstitutional, arbitrary, and a violation of the original 2019 cabinet decision that merged all railway services into one.
Why Are Railway Officers Protesting the Demerger?
In 2019, the Indian government introduced a major reform to streamline railway administration by merging eight different railway service groups into a single entity known as IRMS. This was done to eliminate departmental conflicts and improve coordination. The officers recruited after this reform expected a unified career path within IRMS. However, in a surprising reversal, the Ministry of Railways has now decided to divide IRMS into eight sub-cadres, which the officers claim is a disguised way of undoing the merger.
Over 40 railway officers have challenged this decision in CAT’s New Delhi bench. They argue that:
- The demerger violates the 2019 cabinet decision, which had legally established a single railway management service.
- It adversely affects the career prospects of IRMS officers who joined under the assumption that they would be part of a unified service.
- The decision was taken arbitrarily, without consulting affected officers or considering the long-term impact on railway management.
- The Ministry of Railways has indirectly reversed the merger by creating eight “sub-cadres” instead of explicitly demerging IRMS into separate services.
Understanding the Railway Services Merger and Reversal
Before the 2019 merger, railway officers were divided into two main categories:
- Non-Technical Civil Services
- Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)
- Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
- Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
- Technical Engineering Services
- Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRES)
- Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE)
- Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME)
- Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE)
- Indian Railway Stores Services (IRSS)
Recruitment for these services was done through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), with non-technical services selected via the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and technical services through the Indian Engineering Services (IES) Exam.
To end departmental conflicts and improve efficiency, the government merged all eight services into IRMS in 2019, with officers recruited through CSE instead of IES. However, due to a lack of recruitment in 2020 and 2021, concerns about technical expertise in the railways grew. As a result, the Ministry of Railways decided to roll back the reform, citing the need for specialized knowledge in railway operations.
What Happens Next?
The case is now under review by the Central Administrative Tribunal. If the tribunal rules in favor of the officers, the government may have to reconsider its decision and restore the unified IRMS structure. However, if the demerger is upheld, IRMS officers may face significant career uncertainties.
This legal battle highlights the challenges of implementing major administrative reforms and raises questions about how policy changes impact government employees.
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