Indian Railway Medical Services


The Indian Railway health Services is a cadre of doctors recruited by upsc medical service exam for the railway. It is an organized service like civil services or engineering services.The officers of this service are responsible for providing comprehensive health care to the serving railway employees, retired railway employees and their dependents as well as other categories of staff such as contractors, vendors and licensed porters. And now this Indian Railway Medical Services is changed to Indian Railway Health Services after announcement of merging of the 8 other services in railways by the ministry.

Recruitment & training

The direct recruitment to the cadre is done through the Combined Medical Services Examination held by Union Public Service Commission. As of 2011, the approximate cadre strength of IRHS is 2,506. Training of the probationers is done in "Railway Staff College", now National Academy of Indian Railways,Lalbaug Vadodara along with trainees of other services like IRAS. It includes lectures on Indian railway rules and administration and sports and cultular activities and it may include a week long outdoor visit as a team After completion of training, they are posted as Assistant Divisional Medical Officers across the Indian Railway network. Usually graduates are posted at Health units and post graduates are posted at divisional hospitals but the final authority exists with the higher administration and postings are given keeping in mind the existing needs of the medical officer.

Role and function

To perform following three important functions:

Functions related to industrial medicine

Functions related to medical treatment to Railway beneficiaries

Railway Territorial Army Duty

Organisation

The cadre is headed by a Director General, Railway Health Service reports to the Railway board at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi.

Grades and designation