Career in SCRA (Special Class Railway Apprenticeship)

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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.