Indian Railways Notifies New Rules for Selection to Senior Posts, 2025

Indian Railways Notifies New Rules for Selection to Senior Posts, 2025

Ministry of Railways has issued a notification titled “Indian Railway (Selection to Senior Posts) Rules, 2025” on November 7, 2025, introducing a structured framework for the selection and appointment of officers to top leadership positions in the Railway Board and other senior administrative posts.

The new rules have been notified in the Gazette of India and come into immediate effect.

ALSO READ:- Railway Board Updates Manual of Office Procedure (MOP) Following Railways (Amendment) Act, 2025

The notification, issued under the powers granted by Section 2A of the Railways Act, 1989, supersedes earlier resolutions of May 27, 2022, and December 10, 2019.

It governs appointments to the posts of Chairman & CEO, Members of the Railway Board, and officers in Level-17 and Level-16 pay grades, including ex-cadre and service-specific posts.

Key Provisions of the 2025 Rules

Under the new framework, all officers in Level-17 are eligible for consideration for the post of Chairman & CEO, Railway Board.

The selection will be based on merit parameters such as competence, experience, integrity, and leadership, with final approval by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

The six other Level-17 posts — including Member (Finance), Member (Infrastructure), Member (Operations & Business Development), Member (Traction & Rolling Stock), Director General (Human Resources), and Director General (Safety) — will be filled from eligible officers of corresponding services.

A Selection Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary, with Secretary (DoPT) and the CRB & CEO, will recommend panels of candidates for ACC approval.

For ex-cadre Level-16 posts such as General Managers of Zonal Railways, Production Units, RDSO, and other key directorates, officers from any of the eight organized Group ‘A’ services will be eligible. Selection will follow a detailed evaluation process, including an Expert Panel (EP) assessment, multi-source feedback, and review of Annual Performance Reports (APARs). The final panel will be approved by the ACC and maintained for one calendar year.

In the case of service-specific Level-16 posts (such as Additional Members, Additional DGs, and Principal Chief Administrative Officers), appointments will be made from within the respective services on the basis of seniority, performance, and integrity, ensuring officers have at least one year of service remaining before superannuation.

Transparent and Merit-Based Framework

The rules introduce a batch-wise empanelment process and emphasize transparency, professional merit, and leadership potential as key selection criteria. The Expert Panel, comprising retired senior officials, will play a central role in assessing performance records and gathering confidential feedback from multiple sources to ensure fairness and accuracy.

Significance

The 2025 Rules are aimed at streamlining the process of senior-level appointments in Indian Railways, reducing subjectivity, and strengthening accountability and governance at the top administrative levels. By institutionalizing multi-layered evaluation, the Ministry seeks to align leadership selection with performance-based metrics and organizational needs.

The notification, signed by Anand Kumar, Establishment Officer, directs circulation among all Group ‘A’ Railway Services and mandates publication in the Gazette of India for general information.