Indian Railway Health Service Rules, 2026 – Railway Board Notification No. G.S.R. 784(E)

Indian Railway Health Service Rules, 2026 – Railway Board Notification No. G.S.R. 784(E). dated 07.09.2026

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(Railway Board)
NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 7th September, 2026

G.S.R. 784(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution and in supersession of the Railway Medical Service Recruitment Rules, 1999, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the President hereby makes the following rules, namely: –

1. Short title and commencement. –(1)These rules may be called the Indian Railway Health Service Rules, 2026.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Definitions. – In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires, –

(a) “Administrative post” means any post as specified by the Cadre Controlling Authority from time to time as specified in Schedule V;

(b) “Cadre Controlling Authority” means the Ministry of Railways, Government of India;

(c)“clinical post” means a post other than the Administrative Posts defined as specified in Schedule V.

(d) “Commission” means the Union Public Service Commission;

(e) “Departmental Confirmation Committee” means a committee constituted to consider confirmation in any grade;

(f) “Departmental Promotion Committee” means a committee constituted to consider promotion, in any grade;

(g) “Departmental Screening Committee” means a committee constituted to consider the grant of Non-Functional Upgradation;

(h) “duty post” means any post included in Schedule I to these rules;

(i) “examination” means the Combined Medical Services Examination conducted by the Commission;

(j) “Government” means the Government of India;

(k) “grade” means grades of duty posts specified in Schedule I to these rules;

(l)“regular service” in relation to any grade means the period or periods of service in that grade rendered after selection and regular basis under the rules and includes any period or periods–

(i) taken into account for the purpose of seniority in the case of those appointed at the initial constitution of the service;

(ii) during which an officer would have held a duty post in that grade but for being on leave or otherwise not being available for holding such post;

(m) “Schedule” means the Schedules appended to these rules;

(n)“service” means the Indian Railway Health Service constituted under rule 3.

3. Constitution of the Service. – (1) The service shall consist of posts specified in Schedule I. (2) All the duty posts in the service, as specified in the aforesaid Schedule shall be classified as Group ‘A’ posts.

4. Grades, strength and its review. – (1) The duty posts included in the various grades, designations, numbers and level in the pay matrix shall be as specified in Schedule I.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the Government may by notification in Official Gazette, –

(a) make additions, alterations, substitutions or modifications to the number of duty posts or grades, designations and alter or modify the level in pay matrix as specified in Schedule I;

(b) in consultation with the Commission, include in the service any duty post or exclude from the service any duty post specified in Schedule I;

(c) in consultation with the Commission, appoint an officer to a duty post included in the service under clause (b) to the appropriate grade.

5. Member of the service. –All officers appointed to the service before the commencement of these rules and holding duty posts on regular basis in Junior Time Scale, Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade, NonFunctional Selection Grade, Senior Administrative Grade and Higher Administrative Grade of the Indian Railway Health Service as on the date of commencement of these rules shall be members of the service in the respective grades.

6. Future maintenance of service. – (1) The vacant post in any of the grades referred to in the Schedule I shall be filled in the manner provided under these rules.

(2) The method of recruitment, the field of selection for promotion including the minimum qualifying service in the immediate lower grade or lower grades, as the case may be, for appointment or promotion to the post in the respective grade and specialties concerned, included in the service shall be as specified in Schedule II.

(3) Hundred per cent. of the vacant duty posts in the grade of Junior Time Scale shall be filled by direct recruitment through Combined Medical Service Examination conducted by the Commission, as specified in Schedule II.

(4) Thirty per cent of duty posts in the grade of Senior Time Scale shall be filled by direct recruitment, as specified in Schedule II, in consultation with the commission.

(5) Ten per cent. of duty posts in the grade of Junior Administrative shall be filled by direct recruitment, as specified in Schedule II, in consultation with the Commission.

(6) The departmental promotions of duty post up to the grade of Senior Administrative Grade shall be made as specified in Schedule II without taking into account the vacancies and shall be made on the basis of selection from among the officers of the service on the recommendations of the Departmental Promotion Committee as specified in Schedule III.

(7) The educational and other qualifications, experience and age-limit for appointment to various duty posts in the service by direct recruitment shall be as specified in Schedule IV.

Note. The number of posts in Junior Time Scale, Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade, Selection Grade and Senior Administrative Grade may be operated interchangeably within the combined strength of the posts as specified in Note 2 to Schedule I.

7. Seniority. (1) The relative seniority of members of the service appointed to any grade shall be governed by their relative seniority in their respective grade, as determined before the date of commencement of these rules: Provided that if the seniority of any such member had not been specifically determined on the commencement of these rules, it shall be determined by the Cadre Controlling Authority in accordance with the rules applicable to members of the similar services under the Government.

(2) The cases that are not covered under sub-rule (1) above, seniority shall be determined by the Government in accordance with the general instructions issued by the Government for the purpose, from time to time.

8. Probation and confirmation. (1) Every officer appointed to the service in the grade of Junior Time Scale by direct recruitment shall be on probation for a period of two years and every officer appointed to the Senior Time Scale Grade and Junior Administrative Grade by direct recruitment shall be on probation for a period of one year:

Provided that the Cadre Controlling Authority may extend the period of probation in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government from time to time in this behalf:

Provided further that any decision for extension of probation period shall be taken immediately after the expiry of initial period of probation and ordinarily within eight weeks and communication in writing to the concerned officer together with the reasons for so doing within the said period.

(2) On completion of the period of probation or any extension thereof, officers shall, if considered fit for permanent appointment, be retained in their regular appointments on regular basis and be confirmed in due course against the available substantive vacancies.

(3) If, during the period of probation or any extension thereof, as the case may be, Government is of the opinion that an officer is not fit for permanent appointment, it may discharge or revert the officer, as the case may be, to the post held by him prior to his appointment in the service.

(4) During the period of probation, or any extension thereof, candidates may be required by Government to undergo such courses of training and instructions and to pass examination, and tests (including examination in Hindi) as Government may deem fit, as a condition to satisfactory completion of the probation.

(5) In any other matters relating to probation, the members of the service shall be governed by the instructions issued by the Government in this regard from time to time.

(6) In all matters not specifically provided for herein, the probationers shall be governed by the provisions of the Indian Railway Codes and other orders or instructions in force issued by the Cadre Controlling Authority from time to time.

9. Dynamic assured career progression scheme. (1) The dynamic assured career progression scheme is the scheme formulated by Cadre Controlling Authority for time bound promotion of the officers of the service without taking into account the vacancies as specified in Schedule II, on such terms and conditions as may be specified by the Government from time to time.

(2) The promotions upto Senior Administrative Grade shall be without linkage to vacancies.

10. Appointment in the service. -All appointments to the service shall be made by the Government.

11. Superannuation. – (1) The age of superannuation of the members of the service shall be sixty-two years.

(2) If the members of the service desire to continue in their service upto the age of sixty-five years they need to exercise the option of posting to a clinical post depending upon their expertise and experience, as decided by the Cadre Controlling Authority and after the age of sixty-two years, the Officer shall be posted in the zones or production units in posts other than those specified in Schedule V.

(3) The posting to clinical post after attaining the age of sixty-two years will be subject to maintaining the overall sanctioned strength in the service in the Zonal Railway or Production Unit and also administrative convenience.

(4) The serving members of the service shall submit their option for posting to a clinical post not less than six months before their attaining the age of sixty-two years and such option shall be furnished through the personnel branch of the respective railway administration.

(5) The serving members of the service who fail to exercise the option within the period specified above, shall stand superannuated from service on the afternoon of the last day of the month in which they attain the age of sixty-two years.

12. Designations of posts to be held by members of the service after attaining the age of sixty-two years. (1) In case members of the service exercise the option of posting to a clinical post depending upon their expertise and experience before attaining the age of sixty-two years, they will be re-designated as under: –

(2) The clinical posts of Principal Consultant (Health), Chief Consultant (Health), Senior Consultant (Health) and Consultant (Health) shall operate in the same scale, the incumbent was getting before attaining the age of sixty-two years and shall continue till the same is vacated by the incumbent on superannuation or otherwise.

13. Liability for service in any part of India. -The officer appointed to the service shall be liable to serve anywhere in India or outside, on land or offshore.

14. Prohibition of private practice. (1) The persons appointed to the service shall not be allowed private practice of any kind whatsoever including any consultation and laboratory practice.

(2) The persons appointed to the service shall be entitled to a non-practicing allowance in all grades or posts at the rates specified by Government or Cadre Controlling Authority from time to time.

15. Non-Functional upgradation. (1) The Non-Functional upgradation shall be granted to the eligible officers in various grades (upto Higher Administrative Grade) of the service on the recommendations of the Departmental Screening Committee, as specified in Schedule III.

(2) Whenever any Indian Administrative Service Officer of the State of Joint Cadre is posted at the Centre to a particular grade carrying pay in a specific level in the pay matrix, the officer belonging to batches of the service who are senior by two years or more and have not so far been promoted to that particular grade, shall be granted the same grade on non-functional basis from the date of posting of the Indian Administrative Service Officers in that particular grade at the Centre.

(3) The other terms and conditions for grant of higher pay scale on Non-Functional basis shall be as per orders and instructions issued in the matter by the Government from time to time.

16. Regulation of pay, leave, pension and other conditions of service. (1) The pay, increments, leave, pension and other conditions of service of officers of the various grades shall be regulated in accordance with the Indian Railway Establishment Code Vol. I and Vol. II and Indian Railway Establishment Manual or other relevant instructions issued by the Government or Cadre Controlling Authority. (2) The other conditions of service of the members of the service, in respect of matters not expressly provided for in these rules, shall, mutatis mutandis and subject to any special orders issued by the Government or Cadre Controlling Authority in respect of the service, be the same as those applicable to officers of the Central Group ‘A’ Service in general.

17. Disqualification. -No person,

(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living, or

(b) who, having a spouse living has entered into or contracted marriage with any person, shall be eligible for appointment to the service: Provided that the Cadre Controlling Authority may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and the other party to the marriage and that there are grounds for doing so, exempt any person from the operation of this rule.

18. Power to relax. -Where the Cadre Controlling Authority is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient to do so, it may by order for reasons to be recorded in writing and in consultation with the Commission, relax any of the provisions of these rules in respect of any class or category of persons.

19. Saving. -Nothing in these rules shall affect reservation, relaxation of age-limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes, economically weaker sections, persons with disabilities, Ex-servicemen and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Government from time to time in this regard.

20. Interpretation. If any question relating to interpretation of these rules arises, it shall be decided by the Cadre Controlling Authority in consultation with the Commission.

SCHEDULE I

(See rules 2(h), 2(i), 2(n), 3(2), 4(1), 4(2) and 6(1)) The grades, designations, number of sanctioned posts and level in the pay matrix of duty posts included in the Indian Railway Health Service: –

Note 1: For members who have opted to serve on clinical posts after attaining the age of sixty-two years, there shall be vertical floating of posts which however shall be limited up to the maximum level of five per cent. of the total cadre posts. Operation of the clinical posts in Higher Administrative Grade and higher grades is to be effected against the vacancies in the lower grade of the cadre and there will be no creation of any additional posts. The posts shall revert to their regular grade once these members under the existing scheme attain the age of sixty-five years.

*Note 2: The number of posts in Junior Time Scale, Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade including Selection Grade of Junior Administrative Grade and Senior Administrative Grade (posts designated as Additional Chief Medical Director, Additional Chief Health Director and Additional Chief Medical Superintendent) may be operated interchangeably within the combined strength of 2370 posts. @The number of posts is further subject to variation dependent on workload. #Non-Practicing Allowance – Rates will be as specified by Government from time to time.

Note 3: The 143 Senior Administrative Grade (Level-14) pinpointed posts constitutes a distinct segment within the Indian Railway Health Service, separate from the regular, Dynamic Assured Career Progression Scheme based level-14 promotion posts. These pinpointed posts are distributed across specific Railways/Units and carry defined administrative and financial responsibilities. They are filled by the senior-most Senior Administrative Grade (Dynamic Assured Career Progression Scheme) officers on the basis of seniority and are designated as Medical Director, Chief Medical Superintendent, Chief Specialist, Principal Chief Medical Officer, or Chief Health Director.

*Note 1: 143 pinpointed Senior Administrative Grade posts shall be filled on the basis of seniority from amongst existing Senior Administrative Grade officers. Note 2: Where juniors who have completed their qualifying or eligibility service are being considered for promotion, their seniors shall also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying or eligibility service by more than half of such qualifying or eligibility service or two years, whichever is less and have successfully completed their probation period for promotion to the next higher grade along with their juniors who have already completed such qualifying or eligibility service.

SCHEDULE II

(See rules 2(d), 2(i), 2(1), 6(2), 6(3), 6(4), 6(5) and 9(1))

Method of appointment, field of selection and the minimum qualifying service in the next lower grade for appointment of officers on promotion to posts included in the various grades of the Indian Railway Health Service:

SCHEDULE III

(See rules 2(a). 2(e), 2(f), 2(g), 2(h) and 6(6))

Departmental Promotion Committee for considering the cases of promotion or confirmation in Group ‘A’ duty posts of Indian Railway Health Service and Screening Committee for considering the cases carrying pay in a specific level in the pay matrix for which Non-Functional Up-gradation is applicable: –

 SCHEDULE IV

(See rule 6(7) and Schedule II) Minimum educational and other qualifications, experience and age limit for direct recruitment to Group ‘A’ duty posts in Indian Railway Health Service: –

Note1: Relaxable for the Scheduled Caste, the Scheduled Tribes and certain other categories as notified by the Government from time to time.

Note 2: The crucial date for determining the age-limit shall be as advertised by Commission. Note 3: The age-limit is relaxable for Government servant upto five years in accordance with the instructions or orders issued by the Government of India. @Note 4: The qualification is relaxable at the discretion of the Commission in case of candidates otherwise well qualified. Note 5: The qualification regarding experience is relaxable at the discretion of the Commission in the case of candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, if at any stage of selection, the Commission is of the opinion that sufficient number of candidates from these communities possessing the requisite experience are not likely to be available to fill up the vacancies reserved for them.

SCHEDULE V

(See rules 2(a), 11(1) and 11(2)) List of Administrative posts (which cannot be operated by the members of the service after the age of sixty-two years) in Indian Railway Health Service: –

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