Order Details
| RBE No. | 77/2026 |
| Letter No. | E(NG)I/2026/PM5/2(E-3535816) |
| Date | 25.09.2026 |
| Issued by | Railway Board (Ministry of Railways), New Delhi |
| Subject | Merger of existing Artisan Staff Cadres of P-Way into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) |
| Effective from | Not specified in the RBE |
Original Text of RBE
RBE No. 77/2026
भारत सरकार/GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
रेल मंत्रालय/MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(रेलवे बोर्ड/RAILWAY BOARD)
| No. E(NG)I/2026/PM5/2(E-3535816) | New Delhi, dated: 25.09.2026 |
The General Manager (P)
All Zonal Railways/PUs
(As per standard mailing list)
Sub: Merger of existing Artisan Staff Cadres of P-Way into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) – reg.
Railway Board had constituted a committee vide Order No. ERB-I/2026/23/03 dated 27.02.2026 to examine and suggest merger of the existing Artisan Staff Cadres of Permanent Way (P-Way) into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT).
2. The recommendations of the Committee, have been examined in Railway Board, in consultation with the Federations (AIRF& NFIR) and the following phase-wise course of action has been decided:
A. PHASE-I
a. The Artisan Cadre of P.Way as a whole, with all of its existing incumbents, may be merged into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) with inter-se seniority of incumbents in various grades of the merged cadre being decided in terms of para 302 of IREM read with Para 314 of IREM.
b. The newly formed cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) may have a four tier structure of posts and functional designation as below:
(i) Technician (Track) Grade III – Pay Level-2, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-2.
(ii) Technician (Track) Grade II – Pay Level-4, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-4.
(iii) Technician (Track) Grade I – Pay Level-5, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-5.
(iv) Senior Technician (Track) – Pay Level-6, consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff in Pay Level-6.
c. The promotional avenues of the various levels shall be as under:
i) Technician Track Grade III in Pay Level 2 – 25% Direct Recruitment through RRB, 50% Promotion Quota (Seniority-cum-Suitability with suitability being adjudged through Trade Test) from Track Maintainer IV (Pay Level 1), Track Maintainer III in Pay Level 2 and Assistants in L-1 of Engineering Department with minimum 2 years of regular service and 25% LDCE (Selection) from Track Maintainer IV (Pay Level 1), Track Maintainer III in Pay Level 2 and Assistants in L-1 of Engineering Department with education qualification as laid down in Apprentices Act with minimum 2 years of regular service.
ii) Technician (Track) Grade II in Pay Level 4 – 100% Promotion Quota from Technician Track Grade III to be filled on seniority-cum-suitability basis with suitability being adjudged through Trade Test, having a minimum of 2 years regular service.
iii) Technician (Track) Grade I in Pay Level 5 – 100% Promotion Quota from Technician Track Grade II on seniority-cum-suitability basis, with suitability being adjudged based upon assessment of APARs, having a minimum of 2 years regular service.
iv) Senior Technician (Track) in Pay Level 6 – 100% Promotion Quota from Technician Track Grade I on seniority-cum-suitability basis, with suitability being adjudged based upon assessment of APARs, having a minimum of 2 years regular service.
d. The educational qualification for Direct Recruitment to Technician (Track) will be as under:
Matriculation/SSLC plus ITI from recognized institutions of NCVT/SCVT in the trade of Welder /Welder (gas and electric) / Welder (Structural) / Welder (Pipe) / Welder (TIG / MIG )/ Welder (Fabrication and fitting) / Forger and Heat Treater / Foundry Man/ Pattern Maker / Moulder (Refractory) /Fitter / Electrician / Electronics Mechanic / Instrument Mechanic/ Mechanic Mechatronics / Mechanic Diesel/ Mechanic (Motor vehicle) /Machinist / Machinist Grinder OR Matriculation/SSLC plus course completed Act apprenticeship in any of the trade(s) mentioned above.
e. Senior Technician (Track) in Pay Level 6 would be eligible for promotion to JE P-way both against Departmental Promotion Quota and LDCE Quota provided they fulfill the prescribed educational and service criteria in terms of RBE No. 120/2014 and RBE No. 72/2021 respectively.
f. The medical standard of the cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) shall be B-1. The existing employees of artisan cadre of P Way who are of medical category below B1 may be sent for re-medical for B1. If the medical standard of any of the existing employees of artisan cadre of P Way is found to be below B1 after re-medical, the concerned employee after merger may be allowed for activities suitable for his/her revised medical fitness during service period.
g. The proposed post of Technician (Track) will not be suitable for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) having the following disabilities:
(i) Visually impaired i.e Blind and Low Vision (VI)
(ii) Hearing Impaired i.e Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HI)
(iii) Locomotor Disabilities (LD)
(iv) Oculus Dexter (OD)
(v) Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
h. Training module for cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT) cadre will be devised as per extant procedure covering various areas of activities like welding, black-smithy, operation of various small track machines, safety at worksites including personal safety, protection of track etc. Specialized training in Alumino-Thermit of rails will be imparted at Thermit Portion Plant, Lucknow or Thermit Welding Training Center, Vijaywada as per the laid down procedure. Further, on job field training will also be provided. The detailed modules, including time frame for training is to be prepared and approved by the competent authority as per extant policy on the subject.
i. The newly proposed category of Technician (Track) will need to be incorporated in HRMS by CRIS for enabling updates in the Cadre Management Module as well for MPP related activities such as transfer, surrender/redistribution of posts, and change of category, etc.
B. PHASE – II
(a) The total cadre strength of the cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be increased up to 15% to 25% of the sanctioned strength of the Track Maintainer cadre. The actual percentage may vary from Division to Division based on traffic density, other working conditions and functional requirements and shall be decided by the concerned Zonal Railways.
(b) All Track Maintainers who are eligible for promotion as on the date of issue of the notification will first be given one chance for promotion within the Track Maintainer cadre.
(c) Once promotions of eligible existing Track Maintainers have been completed, the remaining vacant posts will be transferred/redistributed to the newly formed cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling to the required extent in terms of RBE 54/2022.
(d) The resultant cadres of Track Maintainer and cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be restructured in terms of extant provisions to ensure that their grade-wise percentage distribution remains aligned with the existing percentage distribution of respective cadres. The percentage distribution of the new cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be kept at par with the percentage decided after cadre restructuring with respect to other artisan cadres. While for the time being, the percentage distribution of the cadre of Technician (Track) with multi skilling may be kept as recommended by the Committee may be kept as below: –
| Multi Skilled category of Technician(Track) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Pay Level | Percentage Distribution |
| MCM/Sr.Tech | 6 | 20 |
| Tech-I | 5 | 20 |
| Tech-II | 4 | 30 |
| Tech-III | 2 | 30 |
e) The said percentage distribution may be reviewed and aligned with the percentage distribution to be adopted for other artisan cadres consequent to the finalization of the ongoing cadre restructuring exercise.
3. Zonal Railways are, therefore, requested to take necessary action for implementation of the above provisions and to undertake the requisite exercise regarding merger of the existing P-Way Artisan Cadre, strictly in accordance with the above provisions and extant instructions.
4. This has the approval of Chairman and CEO, Railway Board.
Please acknowledge the receipt
Hindi version will follow
(Sanjay Kumar)
Dy. Director/Estt.(N)
Railway Board
Ph. No. 011-23047197
E-mail Id- sanjay.kumar6@gov.in
Download RBE
Download RBE No. 77/2026 (PDF)
Summary / Introduction
The Railway Board had set up a committee on 27.02.2026 (Order No. ERB-I/2026/23/03) to examine merging the different artisan cadres of the Permanent Way (P-Way) into one common cadre called Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT). Through RBE No. 77/2026, the Board has accepted the committee’s recommendations after consulting AIRF and NFIR, and has decided to implement the merger in two phases.
Phase-I merges the whole P-Way artisan cadre into the MSTT cadre and sets out its four-tier structure, promotion avenues, qualifications, medical standard and training. Phase-II covers the cadre strength of the new Technician (Track) cadre, promotion chances for eligible Track Maintainers, and the percentage distribution across grades. The letter also refers to RBE No. 120/2014, RBE No. 72/2021 and RBE No. 54/2022.
Key Highlights
- The entire P-Way Artisan cadre, with all existing incumbents, is merged into the common MSTT cadre. Inter-se seniority will be decided under para 302 read with para 314 of IREM.
- The MSTT cadre will have four tiers, each consisting of all merged posts of P-Way Artisan Staff at that pay level.
- Technician (Track) Grade III is filled 25% by Direct Recruitment through RRB, 50% by Promotion Quota (Trade Test) and 25% by LDCE (Selection).
- Higher grades are filled 100% by promotion on a seniority-cum-suitability basis. Suitability is judged by Trade Test for Grade II and by APAR assessment for Grade I and Senior Technician.
- Senior Technician (Track) in Pay Level 6 is eligible for promotion to JE P-Way, in both the Departmental Promotion Quota and the LDCE Quota, subject to the criteria of RBE No. 120/2014 and RBE No. 72/2021.
- The medical standard of the cadre will be B-1. Existing employees below B-1 may be sent for re-medical.
- The post is not suitable for PwBD with VI, HI, LD, OD or MD disabilities.
- A training module will be devised, with specialised Alumino-Thermit training at Thermit Portion Plant, Lucknow or Thermit Welding Training Center, Vijaywada.
- The new category must be incorporated in HRMS by CRIS.
- In Phase-II, the Technician (Track) cadre strength may go up to 15% to 25% of the sanctioned Track Maintainer strength, to be decided by the concerned Zonal Railways.
- Eligible Track Maintainers will first get one chance for promotion within their own cadre. The remaining vacant posts will then be transferred/redistributed to the Technician (Track) cadre in terms of RBE 54/2022.
Cadre structure of MSTT
| Designation | Pay Level | Promotion Source | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technician (Track) Grade III | 2 | 25% DR (RRB), 50% Promotion, 25% LDCE | Trade Test (for promotion quota) |
| Technician (Track) Grade II | 4 | 100% from Grade III | Seniority-cum-suitability (Trade Test) |
| Technician (Track) Grade I | 5 | 100% from Grade II | Seniority-cum-suitability (APARs) |
| Senior Technician (Track) | 6 | 100% from Grade I | Seniority-cum-suitability (APARs) |
Percentage distribution (for the time being)
| Category | Pay Level | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| MCM/Sr. Tech | 6 | 20 |
| Tech-I | 5 | 20 |
| Tech-II | 4 | 30 |
| Tech-III | 2 | 30 |
Eligibility
- Direct Recruitment to Technician (Track): Matriculation/SSLC plus ITI from NCVT/SCVT recognised institutions in any of the trades listed in para A(d) of the RBE (Welder variants, Forger and Heat Treater, Foundry Man, Pattern Maker, Moulder (Refractory), Fitter, Electrician, Electronics Mechanic, Instrument Mechanic, Mechanic Mechatronics, Mechanic Diesel, Mechanic (Motor vehicle), Machinist, Machinist Grinder). Alternatively, Matriculation/SSLC plus a completed Act Apprenticeship in any of those trades.
- Promotion Quota (Grade III): Track Maintainer IV (Pay Level 1), Track Maintainer III (Pay Level 2) and Assistants in L-1 of the Engineering Department, with a minimum of 2 years of regular service. Selection is by seniority-cum-suitability, with suitability judged by Trade Test.
- LDCE Quota (Grade III): The same feeder categories, with the educational qualification laid down in the Apprentices Act and a minimum of 2 years of regular service.
- Grade II, Grade I and Senior Technician: A minimum of 2 years of regular service in the lower grade.
- JE P-Way (from Senior Technician): The educational and service criteria of RBE No. 120/2014 (Departmental Promotion Quota) and RBE No. 72/2021 (LDCE Quota).
- Medical standard: B-1.
Our Opinion
This section is our own reading of the RBE and is not part of the official order.
- For employees: The merger brings all P-Way artisans into one cadre with common designations (Technician Grade III, II, I and Senior Technician) and a defined promotion ladder. Seniority within the merged cadre is to be decided under IREM paras 302 and 314, so employees should watch how their seniority is finally fixed.
- Unclear or missing: The RBE does not state an effective date, nor does it say how the 50% promotion quota and 25% LDCE quota will be worked out in practice. It also says nothing about how many employees may fall below the B-1 medical standard, beyond saying they “may be allowed” suitable activities.
- Open points: The percentage distribution is given only “for the time being” and may be reviewed after the ongoing cadre restructuring of other artisan cadres. The training module, its time frame and the HRMS changes by CRIS are still to be prepared and approved.
- What Zonal Railways must do: They have to carry out the merger exercise strictly as per this RBE and extant instructions. They also have to decide the actual Phase-II percentage (15% to 25%) for each Division and arrange for acknowledgement of the letter. A Hindi version is yet to follow.
FAQ
Q1. What does RBE No. 77/2026 decide?
It merges the existing Artisan Staff cadres of P-Way into a common cadre of Multi-Skilled Track Technician (MSTT), to be done in two phases.
Q2. What will the new designations and pay levels be?
Technician (Track) Grade III (Level 2), Grade II (Level 4), Grade I (Level 5) and Senior Technician (Track) (Level 6).
Q3. What is the medical standard for the MSTT cadre?
B-1. Existing employees below B-1 may be sent for re-medical, and those still found below B-1 may be allowed activities suitable for their revised medical fitness.
Q4. Who decides the actual cadre strength of Technician (Track) in Phase-II?
The strength may go up to 15% to 25% of the sanctioned Track Maintainer strength, and the concerned Zonal Railways decide the actual percentage by Division.
Disclaimer: This post is for information only. The ‘Our Opinion’ and FAQ sections are our own explanation of the RBE. Readers should refer to the official Railway Board letter and their Zonal Railway’s orders for authentic reference. Railway Niyam is an unofficial information-sharing platform. Please verify with the original orders before acting.
Tags: RBE 77/2026, RBE No. 77/2026, MSTT, Multi-Skilled Track Technician, P-Way Artisan Cadre Merger, Technician (Track), Technician Grade III, Technician Grade II, Technician Grade I, Senior Technician (Track), Track Maintainer, JE P-Way, Cadre Restructuring, Railway Board Letter 2026
