Not Just A Male Gang: Nearly 15,000 Women And Lone Transgender To Undergo Physical Tests For Railways' 'Gangmen' Jobs

Breaking the glass ceiling, nearly 15,000 female candidates and a transgender, have been selected for appearing in the physical test for the railway track maintainer job.

Also called gangmen, the job involves field duty along the track to ensure safety of the rails.

The Railways is in the process of recruiting 1,03,769 candidates in the Level-1 category, for which, total 2,68,002 candidates were selected, including 2,53,033 male candidates.

The total number of applicants which include graduates, post graduates and B-Techs for the Level-1 jobs was about one crore.

According to the Railways, all selected candidates have to appear for physical efficiency test (PET) for which, it has been decided that transgender candidates may be judged with relaxed PET standards — which shall be equivalent to the PET standards for female candidates.

The transgender status will be verified later at the time of medical examination and in case found wrong, their total candidature may be cancelled, according to the notification issued by the Railway Recruitment Board.

The PET requires that a male candidate should be able to lift and carry 35 kg of weight, for a distance of 100 metres in 2 minutes, in one chance, without putting the weight down and should be able to run for a distance of 1,000 metres, in 4 minutes and 15 seconds, in one chance.

However, for the female candidates they should be able to lift and carry 20 kg of weight for a distance of 100 metres in 2 minutes, in one chance, without putting the weight down and should be able to run for a distance of 1,000 metres in 5 minutes 40 seconds, in one chance.

The transgender candidate has to undergo the PET as specified for the female candidate. The passing of physical efficiency test (PET) is mandatory and the same will be qualifying in nature.

Besides track maintainer, there are vacancies for helper/assistant, and assistant pointsman across all zones and production units in Level-1 category of the Indian Railways.