Can you tell me in detail about the Jamalpur Gymkhana for training under Special Class Railway Apprentices’ (SCRA) scheme?

The Special Class Railway Apprentices’ (SCRA) scheme was started in 1927 to meet the demand for engineers on the EIR (East Indian Railway) and on the GIP (Great Indian Peninsular) Railway.

The SCRAs are selected by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on the basis of an all- India competitive examination, which is held every year.

They are imparted training in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE) set up at Jamalpur, and, on completion of their training, serve the Railways in various capacities.

The notice for the SCRA entrance examination, along with form and syllabus, is brought out by the UPSC around the months of June–July. According to the new rules issued by the Ministry of Railways, the exam is now conducted once in a year.

The selected candidates undergo a four-year rigorous training programme in Mechanical Engineering, for which the Institute has a Memorandum of Understanding with BIT, Mesra, Ranchi. The semester system of BIT, Mesra is followed, with workshop training sessions during the holidays at BIT, Mesra.

The apprentices get a stipend of Rs. 9100 and Dearness Allowance, apart from other benefits such as medical care, privilege passes, PTOs, etc.

In short they are adopted by the Indian Railways with all high class facilities at Gymkhana Jamalpur, their stipend also increases year by year.

The Jamalpur Gymkhana is a hostel for young apprentice officers of the Indian Railways.

Moreover they have a guaranteed top notch Group A service which they get after successful completion of four years of training, the candidates join as Indian Railway Services of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) Officers in Indian Railways to face a challenging and satisfying career.

During their stay at Jamalpur, the apprentices are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities like sports, music, debating and performing arts, which not only help in personal enrichment but also stand in good stead later in life.

They manage their hostel entirely on their own and organize big shows like the annual re-union of the Old Boys’. This, along with the fact that they interact, from very close quarters, with a myriad of people belonging to the Railways, gives them the confidence and the ability to manage the organization in their later years.