RBE No. 77/2026
भारत सरकार / GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
रेल मंत्रालय / MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
रेलवे बोर्ड / RAILWAY BOARD
No. E(NG)I/2026/PM5/2 (E-3535816)
New Delhi, dated: 25.09.2026
The General Manager (P)
All Zonal Railways/PUs
(As per standard mailing list)
Sub: Merger of existing Artisan Staff Cadres of P-Way into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) – reg.
Railway Board had constituted a committee vide Order No. ERB-I/2026/23/03 dated 27.02.2026 to examine and suggest merger of the existing Artisan Staff Cadres of Permanent Way (P-Way) into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT).
2. The recommendations of the Committee, have been examined in Railway Board, in consultation with the Federations (AIRF & NFIR) and the following phase-wise course of action has been decided:
A. PHASE-I
a. The Artisan Cadre of P.Way as a whole, with all of its existing incumbents, may be merged into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) with inter-se seniority of incumbents in various grades of the merged cadre being decided in terms of para 302 of IREM read with para 314 of IREM.
b. The newly formed cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) may have a four tier structure of posts and functional designation as below:
(i) Technician (Track) Grade III – Pay Level-2, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-2.
(ii) Technician (Track) Grade II – Pay Level-4, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-4.
(iii) Technician (Track) Grade I – Pay Level-5, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-5.
(iv) Senior Technician (Track) – Pay Level-6, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-6.
c. The promotional avenues of the various levels shall be as under:
i) Technician Track Grade III in Pay Level 2 – 25% Direct Recruitment through RRB, 50% Promotion Quota (Seniority-cum-Suitability with suitability being adjudged through Trade Test) from Track Maintainer IV (Pay Level 1), Track Maintainer III in Pay Level 2 and Assistants in L-1 of Engineering Department with minimum 2 years of regular service and 25% LDCE (Selection) from Track Maintainer IV (Pay Level 1), Track Maintainer III in Pay Level 2 and Assistants in L-1 of Engineering Department with minimum 2 years of regular service.
ii) Technician (Track) Grade II in Pay Level 4 – 100% Promotion Quota from Technician Track Grade III to be filled on seniority-cum-suitability basis with suitability being adjudged through Trade Test, having a minimum of 2 years regular service.
iii) Technician (Track) Grade I in Pay Level 5 – 100% Promotion Quota from Technician Track Grade II on seniority-cum-suitability basis, with suitability being adjudged based upon assessment of APARs, having a minimum of 2 years regular service.
iv) Senior Technician (Track) in Pay Level 6 – 100% Promotion Quota from Technician Track Grade I on seniority-cum-suitability basis, with suitability being adjudged based on assessment of APARs, having a minimum of 2 years regular service.
d. Educational qualification for Direct Recruitment
The educational qualification for Direct Recruitment to Technician (Track) will be as under:
Matriculation/SSLC plus ITI from recognized institutions of NCVT/SCVT in the trade of:
- Welder / Welder (gas and electric)
- Welder (Structural)
- Welder (Pipe)
- Welder (TIG / MIG)
- Welder (Fabrication and fitting)
- Forger and Heat Treater
- Foundry Man
- Pattern Maker
- Moulder (Refractory)
- Fitter
- Electrician
- Electronics Mechanic
- Instrument Mechanic
- Mechanic Mechatronics
- Mechanic Diesel
- Mechanic (Motor vehicle)
- Machinist
- Machinist Grinder
OR
Matriculation/SSLC plus course completed Act Apprenticeship in any of the trade(s) mentioned above.
e. Senior Technician (Track) in Pay Level 6 would be eligible for promotion to JE P-way both against Departmental Promotion Quota and LDCE Quota, provided they fulfill the prescribed educational and service criteria in terms of RBE No. 120/2014 and RBE No. 72/2021 respectively.
f. The medical standard of the cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) shall be B-1. The existing employees of artisan cadre of P Way who are of medical category below B1 may be sent for re-medical for B1. If the medical standard of the existing employees of artisan cadre of P Way is found to be below B1 after re-medical, the concerned employee after merger may be allowed for activities suitable for his/her revised medical fitness during service period.
g. The proposed post of Technician (Track) will not be suitable for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) having the following disabilities:
(i) Visually impaired i.e. Blind and Low Vision (VI)
(ii) Hearing Impaired i.e. Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HI)
(iii) Locomotor Disabilities (LD)
(iv) Oculus Dexter (OD)
(v) Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
h. Training
Training module for cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) cadre will be devised as per extant procedure covering various areas of activities like:
- Welding
- Black-smithy
- Operation of various small track machines
- Safety at worksites including personal safety
- Protection of track etc.
Specialized training in Alumino-Thermit of rails will be imparted at Thermit Portion Plant, Lucknow or Thermit Welding Training Center, Vijaywada as per the laid down procedure.
Further, on-job field training will also be provided.
The detailed modules, including time frame for training, is to be prepared and approved by the competent authority as per extant policy on the subject.
i. HRMS / CRIS
The newly proposed category of Technician (Track) will need to be incorporated in HRMS by CRIS for enabling updates in the Cadre Management Module as well for MPP related activities such as:
- Transfer
- Surrender/redistribution of posts
- Change of category, etc.
B. PHASE-II
(a) The total cadre strength of the cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be increased up to 15% to 25% of the sanctioned strength of the Track Maintainer cadre. The actual percentage may vary from Division to Division based on traffic density, other working conditions and functional requirements and shall be decided by the concerned Zonal Railways.
(b) All Track Maintainers who are eligible for promotion as on the date of issue of the notification will first be given one chance for promotion within the Track Maintainer cadre.
(c) Once promotions of eligible existing Track Maintainers have been completed, the remaining vacant posts will be transferred/redistributed to the newly formed cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling to the required extent in terms of RBE 54/2022.
(d) The resultant cadres of Track Maintainer and cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be restructured in terms of extant provisions to ensure that their grade-wise percentage distribution remains aligned with the existing percentage distribution of respective cadres.
The percentage distribution of the new cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be kept at par with the percentage decided after cadre restructuring with respect to other artisan cadres.
While for the time being, the percentage distribution of the cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be kept as recommended by the Committee, as below:
Multi Skilled category of Technician (Track)
| Category | Pay Level | Percentage Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| MCM/Sr. Tech | 6 | 20% |
| Tech-I | 5 | 20% |
| Tech-II | 4 | 30% |
| Tech-III | 2 | 30% |
(e) The said percentage distribution may be reviewed and aligned with the percentage distribution to be adopted for other artisan cadres consequent to the finalization of the ongoing cadre restructuring exercise.
3. Zonal Railways are, therefore, requested to take necessary action for implementation of the above provisions and to undertake the requisite exercise regarding merger of the existing P-Way Artisan Cadre, strictly in accordance with the above provisions and extant instructions.
4. This has the approval of Chairman and CEO, Railway Board.
Please acknowledge the receipt.
Hindi version will follow.
(Sanjay Kumar)
Dy. Director/Estt.(N)
Railway Board
Ph. No. 011-23047197
E-mail Id – sanjay.kumar6@gov.in
