SCRA - Special Class Railway Apprentice
Started in 1927 during British rule to meet the demand for trained mechanical engineers in Indian Railways
One of the Oldest Engineering-entry schemes in India and carried high prestige
SCRA programme conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for specialized mechanical engineering training at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), Jamalpur.
The examination was extremely competitive, with approximately 20 to 30 candidates selected each year from thousands of applicants.
The syllabus: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, General Knowledge, and a Psychological Test, followed by interview and medical examination.
The Training Programme - 4 years - in collaboration with Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra, in later years.
Upon successful completion, candidates were inducted directly into the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) as Group ‘A’ officers.
In 2015, the Ministry of Railways decided to discontinue the SCRA examination after UPSC expressed unwillingness to continue conducting it. Recruitment to IRSME has since been done through the UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE).
The IRIMEE at Jamalpur continues to function as a CTI for IRSME (now IRMS) Officers
In 2021, a report by the Ministry of Finance suggested that the SCRA scheme could be revived, considering the need for specialized mechanical training for Indian
Started in 1927 during British rule to meet the demand for trained mechanical engineers in Indian Railways
One of the Oldest Engineering-entry schemes in India and carried high prestige
SCRA programme conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for specialized mechanical engineering training at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), Jamalpur.
The examination was extremely competitive, with approximately 20 to 30 candidates selected each year from thousands of applicants.
The syllabus: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, General Knowledge, and a Psychological Test, followed by interview and medical examination.
The Training Programme - 4 years - in collaboration with Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra, in later years.
Upon successful completion, candidates were inducted directly into the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) as Group ‘A’ officers.
In 2015, the Ministry of Railways decided to discontinue the SCRA examination after UPSC expressed unwillingness to continue conducting it. Recruitment to IRSME has since been done through the UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE).
The IRIMEE at Jamalpur continues to function as a CTI for IRSME (now IRMS) Officers
In 2021, a report by the Ministry of Finance suggested that the SCRA scheme could be revived, considering the need for specialized mechanical training for Indian
