Emphasizing the importance of better coordination and mutual understanding between officers and ground-level employees, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday that a new training module has been developed. The initiative will ensure that both officers and ground staff are trained in each other’s roles.
Vaishnaw explained that officers would be trained in tasks at the ground level, such as welding and fitting, while ground-level employees would visit headquarters to understand how policies are formulated. This cross-training is designed to bridge the gap between officers, who typically enter the system at higher ranks, and employees, who start at lower levels.
“Our system is structured such that officers are positioned at the top, while employees start at lower levels,” Vaishnaw said. “In many countries, employees start from the ground level and rise through the ranks. They may begin as technicians, platform managers, or fitters, and eventually reach the top, becoming members of the Railway Board or even General Managers. This system ensures that individuals remain connected to the ground realities even as they rise in the hierarchy.”
He further pointed out that, in India’s case, officers usually enter at Group A and progress to the highest levels, such as chairman or member. On the other hand, employees typically begin at levels 1 to 6 and may reach up to level 11. To improve this system, the Minister stressed the need for significant changes in officer and employee training. These reforms, which aim to be implemented this year, will include practical exposure for officers in hands-on tasks and policy development for ground-level employees.
“We want officers to understand the challenges faced by ground-level workers and vice versa,” Vaishnaw stated. “This will foster better harmony and collaboration across all levels.”
To enhance the quality of work, the Ministry plans to collaborate with industries to improve skills in fields like welding and fitting. The initiative is intended to elevate the overall quality of the railway workforce. “Small experiments have already been conducted, and now we aim to institutionalize them,” he said. “Many valuable suggestions come from the ground, which may not be heard at the Railway Board level. Officers must strengthen their connection with technicians, and technicians must better understand the policies in place.”
In addition, Vaishnaw emphasized that the Ministry will focus on improving safety, maintenance, and quality. From next year, there will be a special award for railway zones with zero derailments, while zones with the worst safety records will face penalties. A “quality shield” will be awarded to units that excel in quality awareness and practices, while those that perform poorly will face significant consequences.
These remarks were made during the conferment of the 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar to 101 railway officials and 22 shields to the best-performing zones at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, as reported by Indian Express.
