Indian Railway Personnel Service - Role and Function

Role and Function

IRPS officers man the personnel department at Ministry, Zonal railway and divisional levels including the railway production units and workshops. While other services in the railway are concerned with the operational or material problems, the Personnel Service handles the human resource aspect. Importance of the service lies in looking at the problem not only from the government’s point of view but paying attention to the job oriented professional as well as personal needs of the employees as the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration mainly depends on the nature of personnel it has.

The main functions and responsibility of Personnel Officers in the railway is to arrange recruitment, training of staff, promotion, demotion, transfers, disciplinary actions, retirement, settlement, selection etc. The personnel branch actually deals with the employee from the day he joins the service or even before which is not over even on his retirement.

Railways have the most powerful and influential union network with its close links with the political system at the national level in the country and handling these union so that the smooth operation of transportation is not affected is the responsibility of personnel officers. Negotiations and grievance handling at all levels form part of the job description.

Dealing with provisions of various laws and acts such as Industrial dispute Act, Factory Act, Workman Compensation Act, Payment of Wages, Minimum Wages and their implementation in the railways is another responsibility. The interpretation of rules and orders is also done in this branch.

All matters concerning the welfare of the staff such as provision of residential accommodation, canteens, holiday homes, consumer societies, schools, clubs, institutes, hospitals etc. also comes within its purview. Railway is one of the model employers with a large number of welfare measures being implemented to look after the staff and their families. Personnel officer is also the welfare officer in the railways.

Being responsible for the service, as well as personal issues of the employees, the personnel department works in close coordination with all other departments in the railways by functioning as consultant and adviser.

In a nutshell, most effective and efficient utilization of the vast human resource that railway have is entrusted to this department.