Government jobPay Level 1Group CNon‑gazetted
Assistant (Carriage and Wagon)
सहायक (कैरिज एवं वैगन)
Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — helping examine and repair coaches and wagons at depots and stations.
Indian Railways (Mechanical Department, Carriage and Wagon) · Ministry of Railways · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹29,000–₹33,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- RRB Group D
- Qualification
- 10th pass
- Age limit
- 18–33 years
- Transfers
- Within your allotted zone/region
- Work hours
- Shift duty including nights
- Probation
- As per railway rules
Estimated in-hand / month
₹30,760
Gross ₹33,840 · CTC ≈ ₹4.5 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Assistant (Carriage and Wagon) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.
New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.
What you will actually do
- Assisting technicians in examining trains on arrival and before departure
- Replacing brake blocks, springs and other undergear parts
- Carrying tools and materials to the pit line or platform
- Cleaning and greasing components
- Helping in coach watering and minor repairs
A typical day
You work in a coaching depot or at a station with the train examination staff. When a rake comes in, the gang goes along and under it checking brakes, couplings and springs, and you fetch parts, hold tools and do the heavy lifting. Work is in pits and beside tracks, in grease and dust, in shifts through the night because trains are turned around at all hours.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Assistant (Carriage and Wagon) (joining)
Pay Level 1
₹29,000–₹33,000 in-hand
Technician Grade-III (Carriage and Wagon)
After a trade test, typically 3–8 years depending on vacancies · Level 2 · via departmental exam
₹32,000–₹37,000 in-hand
Technician Grade-II and Grade-I
Further trade tests over 8–15 years · Level 5 · via departmental exam
₹48,000–₹56,000 in-hand
Other departments
Through the General Departmental Competitive Exam (GDCE) for eligible staff · via lateral exam
Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.
How to get in
Railway Recruitment Boards
- 1.Computer-based test
- 2.Physical efficiency test
- 3.Document verification
- 4.Medical examination
Eligibility: Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate granted by NCVT. Age 18–33. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, plus relaxations for ex-servicemen and railway staff, as per the notification.
Physical standards: PET for men: carry 35 kg for 100 m in 2 minutes and run 1,000 m in 4 minutes 15 seconds. Women: carry 20 kg for 100 m in 2 minutes and run 1,000 m in 5 minutes 40 seconds. Medical standard B-1.
The good
- Depot postings in towns, not on the open line
- Trade-test route to Technician
- Railway benefits
The hard parts
- Dirty, physical work under coaches
- Night shifts
- Level 1 pay
Postings
You apply to one Railway Recruitment Board and are posted in the zone or production unit attached to it. Inter-zone transfer is possible only on request or mutual exchange, with loss of seniority. Depots are at junctions and terminal stations, mostly in towns.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Assistant (Carriage and Wagon)?+
Assistant (Carriage and Wagon) is a Pay Level 1 post with a starting basic pay of ₹18,000. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹29,000–₹33,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.
What is the qualification and age limit for Assistant (Carriage and Wagon)?+
Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate granted by NCVT. Age: 18–33 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, plus relaxations for ex-servicemen and railway staff, as per the notification.
Which exam do I need to clear for Assistant (Carriage and Wagon)?+
RRB Group D (Railway Recruitment Boards).
Can I choose this post within Group D?+
You rank the Level-1 posts you are medically eligible for. Allotment depends on merit, your preferences and the vacancies in your zone.
Compare with similar posts
Track Maintainer Grade-IV
ट्रैक मेंटेनर ग्रेड-IV
Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — manual maintenance and patrolling of railway track, outdoors in all weather.
Assistant (Loco Shed)
सहायक (लोको शेड)
Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — helping maintain electric or diesel locomotives in a loco shed.
Technician Grade-III (Railways)
तकनीशियन ग्रेड-III (रेलवे)
Pay Level 2 skilled post via RRB Technician — maintaining locomotives, coaches, track machines, signals or electrical gear.
Books to prepare for RRB Group D
- See on Amazon
Lucent's General Science
Lucent Publications
Physics, chemistry and biology at the level railway exams ask. Available in Hindi as Samanya Vigyan.
- See on Amazon
Fast Track Objective Arithmetic
Rajesh Verma (Arihant)
Shorter and more shortcut-oriented than R.S. Aggarwal. Useful when time per question matters.
- See on Amazon
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)
Covers every reasoning question type with graded practice. More than most exams need, so do the chapters in your syllabus.
All 6 books for Railway exams: NTPC, Group D, ALP, Technician and RPF
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Sources
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.