Subject: Refresher Courses for safety categories – Consequent to the acceptance of RSRC's Report, 1998.

[No. 2000/Safety(A&R)/19/40, dated 10.4.2001]

             Kindly refer to Board's letter of even number dated 19.12.2000 (Bahri's RBO 2000, page 280) regarding the above subject.

            Representations have been received from Zonal Railways and Federations regarding the practical difficulties in implementation of the same. 

            The matter has been examined in the light of the issues raised by the Zonal Railways. It has now been decided that Railways should be allowed the following one-time relaxations for overcoming the problem: 

         (a)     For categories of Diesel Asstt. and Shunters, one-time relaxation for a period of three years can be given. However, during this three-year period all staff in these categories are to be covered for refresher Course. 

         (b)     For the category of Section Controllers, the time frame shall be extended by one year as one time relaxation. Railway should ensure that all the staff in this category are covered within this time frame only. 

         (c)     During the above period for which relaxation has been permitted for the above mentioned categories, Zonal Railways should submit a quarterly report to Railway Board indicating the current position as on 31^st March, 30^th June etc. in the format Opening Balance, Arisings, Cleared, Closing Balance. 

         (d)     It has also come to the notice of Railway Board that the periodically of Refresher Courses on Northern Railway is five years as against three years on all other Zonal Railways. Northern Railway should reduce it to three years within the next three years. 

            Further, it is clarified that the periodicity of the Refresher Courses for all other categories remains unchanged and should be followed strictly as circulated in the Annexure II of the Board's letter of even number dated 19.12.2000.