Career in SCRA (Special Class Railway Apprenticeship)

SCRA

The SCRA (Special Class Railway Apprenticeship) Exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission ( UPSC) for recruiting junior officers in the Indian Railway Service in the cadre of mechanical engineers. The eligibility is a pass in 10+2 (PCM) and the age requirement is 17-21 years which is relaxed for reserved and other specified categories.

The exam that can be taken only in English comprises of two parts:

Part I: Consists of a written exam (three papers of 200 marks each adding up to a total of 600 marks)

• Paper I: General ability test (English, GK and psychological test)
• Paper II: Physical sciences (physics and chemistry)
• Paper-III: Mathematics. The questions are approximately of +2 level, but there is a penalty (negative marking) for wrong answers in the objective type question papers.

Part II: This test is only for those who have qualified Part I. It comprises a personality test to assess your overall academic and extra-curricular performance, leadership and communication skills (one hour, 200 marks).

Upon selection, you will be sent for four years of apprenticeship at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineers, Jamalpur. For details, log on to www.upsc.gov.in.As the number of candidates recruited each year is not very large, the competition is intense. Upon selection, you will be paid a stipend starting at Rs 4000 as a probationer. Once you have successfully completed your training, you will be appointed as an assistant mechanical engineer.