The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has witnessed an unprecedented response to its Group D recruitment drive under advertisement CEN 08/2024, receiving a staggering 1.08 crore applications for just 32,438 vacancies. This massive turnout highlights the intense competition for government jobs across India, particularly in the railway sector.
The recruitment drive aims to fill Level 1 positions across various technical departments, including Track Maintainer Grade-IV, Assistant Pointsman, and other roles in Mechanical, Electrical, and Signalling divisions. With approximately 333 candidates competing for each position, this recruitment process stands among the most competitive government hiring initiatives in recent years.
Mumbai emerged as the top region with an overwhelming 15,59,100 applications, followed by Chandigarh with 11,60,404 applicants. Chennai secured the third position with 11,12,922 applications, while Guwahati made a strong showing with 10,72,841 candidates applying from the northeastern region, placing it fourth nationwide.
The detailed region-wise breakdown reveals interesting patterns in job-seeking trends across India:
- Mumbai zone led with 15.59 lakh applications
- Chandigarh followed with 11.60 lakh
- Chennai secured third place with 11.13 lakh
- Guwahati showed strong interest with 10.73 lakh
- Secunderabad crossed the 9.60 lakh mark
- Prayagraj contributed 8.61 lakh applicants
- Kolkata registered 7.93 lakh candidates
- Smaller centers like Ranchi (1.81 lakh) and Bhubaneswar (2.65 lakh) also saw significant participation
The substantial number of applications from Guwahati demonstrates the high demand for railway jobs in the Northeast, potentially reflecting limited alternative employment opportunities in the region or the particular appeal of stable government positions.
