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RBE No. 62/2026: Correction of names in Service Records for the purpose of settlement of Railway employees
No. E(G)2026/FR1/1 New Delhi, Dated: 23.07.2026
Sub: Reconciliation of names with Service Records for the purpose of settlement of Railway employees—reg.
Instances have come to the notice of the Railway Board, where employees having initials-based names in Service Book/Records, face difficulties at the time of retirement due to a mismatch between the names recorded in their Service Book/Records and those appearing in PAN, Aadhaar and Bank Records. In many such cases, the Service Book/Records contain initials-based names, whereas the PAN, Aadhaar and Bank Record contain the employees’ expanded/full names. Consequently, employees are often required to undergo a formal change of name through publication in the Government Gazette, submission of an affidavit or modification of Aadhaar particulars solely for the purpose of generating PPOs and settling retirement benefits.
2. The matter has been examined and it has been decided that the expansion of initials, when supported by documentary evidence, shall not be treated as a request for a change of name. Accordingly, the following instructions shall be followed uniformly across Indian Railways:
A. Expansion of initials
(i) Employees having initials-based names in their Service Book/Records may, on a one-time basis, get their expanded/full name recorded in the Service Book/Service Records.
(ii) Such requests shall be supported by any Government-issued identity document, such as PAN/Aadhaar/Passport/Voter ID Card/ Driving License/ Ration Card, along with a notarized affidavit in the prescribed format enclosed as Annexure-I.
(iii) The expanded/full name recorded in the Service Book/ Records shall be treated only as an expansion of initials and shall not be construed as a change of name.
(iv) The expansion of initials may be permitted in any sequence supported by valid documentary evidence, provided the identity of the employee is clearly established.
B. Recording of expanded name
(i) The expanded/full name shall be recorded alongside the initials-based name already available in the Service Book/Records and other relevant personnel records.
(ii) Suitable entries shall also be made in the HRMS, as and when the required provision becomes available.
C. Name to be reflected in PPO
Where an employee has both an initials-based name and an expanded/full name duly recorded in the Service Records, the name to be reflected in the Pension Payment Order (PPO) shall be the one opted for by the employee, subject to the submission of supporting documentary evidence and a notarized affidavit in the prescribed format.
D. Minor name discrepancies
In cases involving only minor discrepancies, such as:
• The use of initials or abbreviations in place of the full name;
• Minor spelling variations not affecting the identity of the employee; or
• A difference in the sequence of first name, middle name and surname,
a notarized affidavit in the prescribed format declaring that the different name formats pertain to one and the same person may be accepted for establishing the identity of the employee for generation of PPO and settlement purposes.
E. Mandatory recording of expanded names
(i) All newly appointed employees having initials-based names shall furnish their expanded/full names through the prescribed notarized affidavit at the time of joining.
(ii) Existing employees having initials-based names shall also furnish their expanded/full names through the prescribed affidavit.
(iii) The concerned Personnel Branch shall ensure that the expanded/full name is invariably recorded alongside the initials-based name in the Service Book/Service Records, HRMS and other relevant personnel records maintained by the Railway Administration.
F. Modification in HRMS
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) shall make suitable modifications in the HRMS to provide a separate field named ‘Employees’ full name without initials’ for capturing the expanded/full name of employees for record purposes only, so that the same may be used for the generation of PPO, if opted for by the employee.
