When the whole world is moving towards specialization this govt wants doctors to do the work of engineers and vice versa

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The so called merger of services planned by the govt in Rlys is more of a conspiracy and less of stupidity

How can a cardiologist decide on a subject of mechanical engineering? Or a civil engineer take the best decision on a subject of Electrical engineering?

We are not against the merger nor we are status quoist. We are simply against the destruction of civil services identity

One senior railway officer write, ‘The decision to merge services is ridiculous. It will finish off Railways. When the whole world is moving towards specialisation this govt wants doctors to do the work of engineers and vice versa. Only a fool could do this ! Such sweeping decisions would need wide spread discussion with the stake holders. But, MD Bin Tughlaq doesn’t like that!’

Another officer written, ‘To my mind, the so called merger of services planned by the govt in Rlys is more of a conspiracy and less of stupidity.’

The following points were overlooked while taking this completely baffling decision-

  1. Officers are recruited into different streams are put to years of rigorous training to become experts in their different fields. Further, after working for decades they understand the finer points and nuances of their branch and contribute in efficient management of thir distinct branch. How can a cardiologist decide on a subject of mechanical engineering? Or a civil engineer take the best decision on a subject of Electrical engineering?

  2. What will happen to the service conditions of various cadres? Will it not bring about wide spread disenchantment and frustration?

  3. A person who got RPF in the merit in UPSC can now be equal to IRAS and called upon to discharge the works of Traffic planning!

  4. If multiple Members at the Rly board is a problem, why did this govt create posts of two more Members in the recent past?

A other senior officer write, ‘dear friends, You must be aware of the recent development regarding the merger of the railways civil services with engineering services. It is one of the dark days in the history of civil services where the govt rips apart one service after another and not far are the days where other services might also stand to loose their identy. To be clear, we are not against the merger nor we are status quoist. We are simply against the destruction of civil services identity.’

At this moment of crisis we call upon our brotherhood to come show us some solidarity in ensuring our civil services identity is protected, he said.

He also requested to his colleagues that kindly share the matter with your contacts sources official non-official personal etc to ensure the news is well spread out.

He said, we were never consulted nor consented. The decision is highly skewed in favour of engineering services. Please make our voices heard.

Pls do share your views on social media and add the hashtags #Yesfortwoservices #NoToIRMS in your tweets and messages. (both are trending at the moment).

Another traffic officer from railway board, write, With regards to the VC (vedio conference) being held Thursday, 26th December at 1600 hrs MT sir has desired that PHODs should articulate the concerns of the cadre in a logical and cogent manner. It should be kept in mind that direct opposition to the idea may not be a right strategy since it’s a decision of Cabinet. We should voice our concerns with regards to the implementation process, the concerns like-

  1. Promotional aspects

  2. Prospects of IRTS officers becoming DRMs/GMs (presently we are 2-3 years ahead w.r.t. to others in DRM postings)

  3. Change in service conditions w.r.t. recruitment

  4. The reason behind the age differences and the impact of these differences in the inter-se-seniority

  5. Functional roles and responsibilities of IRTS officers in the new regime

  6. How it is envisaged that civil services officers will perform the engg/technical functions at the different levels etc.

The above mentioned concerns are only indicative and any logical concern voiced by the officers of the Zone should be brought forward by the PHODs.

A senior traffic officer written, ‘we support the merger but based on sound principles of management, administration and economics.’

He writes, Merger, must be on functional lines, that is all Technical services (recruited from Engineering services and thus having similar aptitude and skill) must be merged into one, and then all the Civil Services (recruited through civil services exam) to be merged into one, so that they can contribute to the service and commercial aspect of railways and thus would be able to ensure that only projects having commercial viability and having utility and requirement for the society at large, will be taken up on priority and capital to be utilized in such a manner that projects are completed in time.

Of late there has been a trend that GM’s (maximum from Engineering services) have taken up projects in such a manner that they can show early completion without considering there immediate utility for the system.

A lot many projects have been shown completed on paper but actually infrastructure created on paper could not be utilized fully.

To get an idea a study may be conducted in all Zones and Divisions about projects completed and their actual impact on mobility, punctuality, safety and efficiency.

This trend is going to increase further with such merger and will be detrimental to the very existence of this organization.

Therefore to save the Railway and the nation, unification and merger of services is required but in two separate services, with there own ladders of heirarchy and functionality.

To understand it better, recommendation of Debroy committee may be referred-

Further, current top management of railways has misled the honorable Minister and cabinet, his interest is not to bring railway on path of growth and success but as he mentioned in VC on 26th he wants to do away injustice done to engineering services, who are slow in their promotion.

Here it must be noticed that slow promotion of certain departments is because they recruited huge number of staff and officers both at entry level and at the top level neither there posts nor they have actual work to perform.

Over the years despite so many technical inputs, commensurate reduction in man power by these engineering services has been very poor.

While the same is not true for Civil Services stream in the Railways.

Further there is no coordination between engineering services as they are working in silos, this is visible in every completed project on Indian Railways, right from construction of a small, cabin, station building, rest houses, colonies, depots, track, OHE everything is poorly constructed with very poor skills and planning and these executions have been done under so called efficient DRMs and GMs.

A study or third party audit of all such constructions may be done, lower staff may be consulted for what type of service he gets, how the funds are spent in the houses of DRM and GM only, how GMs behave like Lords and Kings and how public money is spent during GM inspections.

And pity is that current dispensation is giving more powers to them who have failed Railways and public of this nation and have only worked to protect their interest. It’s like je Bhakshak te Rakshak.

Furthermore, while taking such an important decision, Staffs have not been consulted. Railway is a line organization like army, where each entry level officer leads his team in the field, in control, or at accident site, like entry level commissioned officer leading his company or batallion in the battlefield.

Both staff and officers they develop a trust in each other by working together, but in proposed dispensation this relationship will be sacrificed just to ensure timely promotion for engineering officers as suggested by Mr CRB in VC on 26th December 2019 (his main motive behind this exercise).

He himself admitted in VC that he never got any important assignment in his entire career but still he became CRB, this shows true character of the system, which he wants to strengthen further. Can we expect any big organization headed by a person who has no credentials to show in his entire career?

Can we imagine such irony in army or any big commercial organization, or any big government or private organization?

This is just to show the current system, and same system has worked overtime to ensure its continuation under proposed dispensation.

So a humble request to conduct a detailed study and an informed decision to be taken based on sound principles of Administration and Management.

Unification of Services into two-

1- Civil Services (HR, FINANCE, OPERATION AND COMMERCIAL).

2- INFRASTRUCTURE and Projects (All technical services). With a separate ladder of promotion and Reservations for the posts of GM and DRM.

All to be put under a board, wherein the CEO/CRB to be assisted by 4 or 5 members, one each for HR, Finance, Operation & Commercial, and Infrastructure.

Long live Railways long live the Nation..!
Jai Hind

Let there be an open debate on this. Such sweeping changes must be followed by wide spread debate and discussion at all levels. The moment it happens, either IAS will come and occupy top posts or Railways will go in to Private hands.

Every change is not improvement and Destruction is certainly not reform

The finely working system of checks and balances is being sacrificed at the alter of personal ambition of the present CRB who wanted extension and the present Secretary, Railway board who wants to be GM soon.

Another senior traffic officer written, ‘All Railway Ministers including the current one have praised the organizational robustness of Railways in last 15 years and more. So where is the need for this?’

“They are throwing away the baby while retaining the bath water.”

There is no complex organisation on Earth which doesn’t suffer from some amount of departmentalism. Rather, some degree of departmentalism and pride in the working of one’s own branch is healthy for goal achievement. It’s the duty of top management to keep the pitfalls of departmentalism under control.

Unfortunately, useless and incompetent bosses have been able to blame all their failures on departmentalism in Railways and were able to convince the Minister too. This is surely going to be the medicine which will kill the patient !

https://theprint.in/talk-point/should-indian-railways-be-privatised-to-prevent-it-from-going-the-air-india-way/341685/

A senior personnel officer writes, Dear Sir, As someone who has to spend 30+ years in Railways, I expect the Head of the Organization to spare few minutes to read this-

  1. We don’t want to join IRMS & IRMS should not replace Civil Services either.

  2. Sir, for a 21st century Railways we should look at Countries like Germany who have Administrative and Technical Wings. Unfortunately in video conference Sir you talked about a 20th Century report (1994) which was termed unrealistic by subsequent reports for next two and half decades.

  3. Our seniority can be merged and maintained only among Civil Services for being from a separate exam (lesser or more does not matter) where average recruitment age is +4.7 from engineering exam.

  4. Total 50% posts (cadre strength proportionate representation) in all general posts must be from Civil Services only.

  5. Posts of Member Operation & Business development & Member Finance should be from Civil Services and DG/HR should be independent in apex scale if not a full fledged member.

  6. RPF is also from Civil Services but they were totally neglected.

  7. Sir, in VC you said that Civil Services are getting faster promotion and there needs to be parity. Sir, kindly look at the below images and tell us aren’t the Civil Services being sidelined. There is no parity Sir.

Also attaching a screenshot (Debroy committee opinion)

Another senior officer written, I would like to submit following point in this regard-

  1. Decision in this regard should be taken after open discussion with all stake holders and should be based on committee report & recommendations. Recommendations of Debroy committee is most suitable and must be followed in this regard.

  2. Eight railway services must be merged in two different service – technical and non-technical. IRAS, IRPS and IRTS should be merged into a new service which may be named INDIAN RAILWAY CIVIL SERVICE (IRCS). IRSE, IRSEE, IRSME, IRSS and IRSSE should be merged into another service which may be called INDIAN RAILWAY ENGINEERING SERVICE (IRES).

  3. All coveted posts like post of GMs and DRMs should be alloted to these two services in 50:50 ratio.

  4. For selection of candidates for GM and DRM there should be three pronged criteria- APAR, 360 MAPPING AND WRITTEN TEST. The eligibility should be completion of certain number of years in service like 18 of 20 years, with certain years in open line. for DRM and 25 years for GM. Written Test may be Conducted by UPSC.

  5. The interest of country & organization should be kept ahead of interest of cadre. In order to bring parity of promotions among the different services, unification of the cadre in not the solution. There are various other measure which may be taken to address this issue.

  6. Unlike ISRO or other scientific organizations, Railway is a socio – economic organization which has to keep close touch with varied sections of society. It needs a cadre which has a representation of different educational and social backgrounds of people like arts, science, law, medicine, CA etc. Rural and urban both. Such cadre can only be recruited through civil services.

  7. Being member of civil services the IRTS, IRAS and IRPS makes a very good relation and coordination with local administration as they have got batch mates in these services. If we cut off from these services it will adversely affect our coordination with state administration and our project and day-today working may affect adversely. If they will be taken by separate service like IRMS, they wont be having any recognition among the other civil services like IAS, IPS, IRS, IAAS etc.

8. I strongly believe that IRMS should not be created.