Full Form of SCRA

SCRA stands for Special Class Railway Apprentice. The Union Public Service Commission of India's Special Class Railway Apprentice programme recruited individuals to train in mechanical engineering. The training is an undergraduate programme at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jamalpur. One of the oldest programmes in India, it began in 1927.

After UPSC expressed its disinclination to continue holding the exam, Railways decided to discontinue it in 2015. However, the Ministry of Finance 2021 proposed beginning to grasp the exam again. They claimed that Indian Railways requires specialised training and abilities beyond what is part of a conventional graduation programme. This recommendation was made in its report on the rationalisation of Indian Railways.

Undergraduate Course for SCRA

The Special Class Railway Apprentice curriculum is one of the country's initial engineering entrance examinations. Admittance has been extremely tough ever since. For a maximum of 20 to 30 seats, up to 2,500,000 applicants have taken the admissions test. It is now handled by the Union Public Service Commission.

Written exams in mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, general knowledge, and a psychological test are included in the test (mental ability). The chosen candidates are contacted for an interview, which is followed by a physical assessment.

The institute has an MOU with Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra, Ranchi, for the four-year mechanical engineering training programme that the chosen applicants must complete. The BIT, Mesra follows the semester structure and offers workshop training sessions over the holidays.

Allowances and Perks

Besides benefits like health insurance, public transportation access, and paid leave apprentices also receive a stipend and a dearness allowance. After completing their four years of training, they are accepted into the Railway organization's top leadership programme. This program is called Group A Officers. The Indian Railway Services of Mechanical Engineers Officials are responsible for this group of officers (IRSME).

Origin of SCRA

To address the demand for engineers on the railways, the British established the Special Class Railway Apprentice scheme in 1927. Apprentices would receive training in the largest workshop on their railway. This workshop was named the Jamalpur Locomotive Workshop and was in the UK for a whole year. The chosen candidates had to show up for the Engineering Council's mechanical engineering degree examination (London).

The programme persisted after independence and gave Indian Railways its most senior officers.

SCRA Academics

39 trainees from the SCRAs received honourable mentions from the A.M.I.Mech. E (London) between 1933 and 1939 and between 1954 and 1966, demonstrating the SCRAs' academic distinction (records for the intervening period of World War II not being available). The Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra now collaborates with universities to offer the BE (Mech.) degree. In addition, 56 SCRAs have received gold medals in exams held by the Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI), and three students at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra have received university gold medals.

Notable Alumni

The development of the Railways has benefited greatly from the high-calibre technical managers that the Institute at Jamalpur's alumni have contributed. Sixteen SCRAs have served as members of the Railway Board, while five have advanced to the position of Chairman. General Managers and Principal Heads of Departments at the Indian Railways and its sibling companies like RITES, COFMOW, CRIS, etc. have held a significant number of SCRA positions.

The SCRA alumni have also achieved success outside of the railroads, working as executives for businesses, universities, and the World Bank. More than 60 alumni have served as senior heads, chief executives, or CMDs of well-known Indian organisations. It is the Indian Railways' most crucial course.

1. K.L.Bery
2. A.C.Chatterjee
3. P.C.Luther
4. Z.I.Puri
5. H.N.Gupta
6. N.C.Sinha

SCRA Exam

Given that there are only about 10 openings each year, the SCRA exam, which is administered by the UPSC, is one of the hardest exams in the nation.

Candidates must have taken the Intermediate exam in the first or second division, or an equivalent test from a college or board recognised by the Indian government, with Mathematics and at least one of Physics and Chemistry as examination topics.

What Happens After Qualifying for the Exam?

Annually, an entrance exam is held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select Special Class Railway Apprentices (SCRA) for the Indian Railways. In 1927, this initiative was launched.

Training

At the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jamalpur, the chosen applicants complete a demanding four-year mechanical engineering training programme. IRIMEE and Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the training.

Degrees obtained

SCRAs who complete four years of training are awarded a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering. The All India Council for Technical Education has approved this degree.

Career options

They are appointed as Assistant Mechanical Engineers (AME) in the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers after completing the courses. They quickly move up the ladder to become senior administrators of Indian Railways because they are posted straight as Group A officers.

Vacancies in SCRA

One of the most important elements of an SCRA exam notice is the number of opportunities for a suitable position. For the posts in the SCRA hiring process for 2023, there are around 42 job opportunities. Reservations for ST, SC, and OBC will also be in existence. 2% of the slots for this exam's enrollment are reserved for SC and ST.

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