Context
Creation of the new Indian Railways Management Services (IRMS) marks a paradigm shift in the management of one of the world’s largest rail networks. Focus should now be on training the new officers.
Relevance
GS-II: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.
Dimensions of the Article
- Through the UPSC
- Coordinated Work
- Chance for revamped training
- Way Forward
Through the UPSC
- 8 services of Indian Railways has now been merged into one.
- Removal of Silos
- Aims at rationalising the top-heavy bureaucracy of the Indian Railways
- Applicants will need right aptitude for the job demands of the IRMS.
Coordinated Work
- Job profile of a Railways Officer requires 24/7 work with wide set of skills from engineering to coordination.
- Training the future leaders of India’s public transporter in the rapidly evolving logistics sector of the country.
- Indian Railways will need to coordinate and not work in silos.
- Ambitious projects like Gati Shakti and Dedicated Freight Cooridors can be completed with officers being trained efficiently.
- A lot hinges on the Indian Railways in the way of India being a $5 Trillion economy.
- Massive capacity building is needed to implement high speed rail projects, station re-development etc.
Chance for Revamped Training
- Training of the IRMS officers can be redesigned as per the present scenarios.
- Initial Training as well as Mid-Career Training Programs shall be reoriented.
- Focus should be to create capacity for business development, infrastructure development and maintenance, traction and rolling stock, and finance and human resource management.
- Domain Function and Behaviour related competencies need to be mapped for the IRMS Officers.
- iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) Program shall be instrumental in shaping the career progression of the IRMS Officers.
Way Forward
Future Officers must be ready for round the clock and round the year operations while meeting substantial social obligations. Officers need to be ready to build on the opportunity of serving in the nation’s lifeline and turbocharge the engine of the economy.
Source – The Hindu
