Facing an acute manpower crunch, the Indian Railways has decided to recruit ex-servicemen as pointsmen across its network.

The Railway Board has approved the engagement of 5,058 ex-servicemen on a contractual basis as an interim measure to meet operational requirements, until regular candidates are recruited through the Railway Recruitment Cells.

In a circular issued on Thursday (December 12, 2025), the Railway Board directed the general managers of all zonal railways to recruit ex-servicemen through the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Boards under the Central and State governments. Their initial contracts will remain valid until December 31, 2026, with the possibility of extension depending on vacancies.

Short-term contracts

A pointsman is responsible for the manual operation of the track swit

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