Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (रेल मंत्रालय)
Pay Level 7 post via SSC CGL in the Railway Board secretariat in Delhi — policy file work, with railway passes.
Railway Board Secretariat Service · Ministry of Railways
Exam
SSC CGL
Qualification
Graduate
Age limit
20–30 years
Transfers
Rare
Work hours
Regular office hours; late during Parliament sessions
Probation
2 years
Estimated in-hand / month
₹76,316
Gross ₹83,700 · CTC ≈ ₹11.3 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways) · 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
- Examining receipts and putting up notes with rules and precedents
- Drafting letters, office memoranda and replies
- Preparing material for Parliament questions and RTI replies
- Maintaining files and tracking references on e-Office
- Coordinating with other sections and offices
A typical day
You work in a branch of the Railway Board at Rail Bhavan dealing with one subject, for example establishment rules, traffic, works or finance for the zonal railways. Zones send references; you examine them against the codes and earlier decisions and put up the file. Parliament sessions and the budget bring late evenings. It is a pure desk job with fixed weekends.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways) (joining)
Pay Level 7
₹72,000–₹84,000 in-hand
Section Officer (Group B gazetted)
8–12 years, or sooner through the limited departmental exam · Level 8 · via departmental exam
₹76,000–₹88,000 in-hand
Under Secretary
Further 8–10 years · Level 11 · via dpc
₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 in-hand
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
Staff Selection Commission
- 1.Tier-I computer-based test
- 2.Tier-II computer-based test (including computer knowledge module)
- 3.Document verification
Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age 20–30. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
The good
- ✓ Level 7 pay with a fixed Delhi posting
- ✓ Railway passes, which other secretariat posts do not get
- ✓ Promotions in the cadre have been fairly quick
The hard parts
- – Delhi's cost of living
- – Very few vacancies in most years
- – Routine file work
Postings
Rail Bhavan and other Railway Board offices in Delhi. There are no zonal transfers.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)?+
Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways) is a Pay Level 7 post with a starting basic pay of ₹44,900. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹72,000–₹84,000 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 Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)?+
Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age: 20–30 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
Which exam do I need to clear for Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)?+
SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission).
Will I be posted at a railway station or zone?+
No. This cadre staffs the Railway Board secretariat in Delhi.
Compare with similar posts
Assistant Section Officer (CSS)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (CSS)
Pay Level 7 policy-support post in central ministries in New Delhi via SSC CGL — file work at the heart of government.
Assistant Section Officer (AFHQ)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (सशस्त्र सेना मुख्यालय)
Pay Level 7 civilian post via SSC CGL in the Armed Forces Headquarters — file work for the Army, Navy and Air Force HQs in Delhi.
Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of External Affairs)
सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (विदेश मंत्रालय)
Pay Level 7 post via SSC CGL in the Foreign Ministry — desk work in Delhi with postings to Indian embassies abroad.
Books to prepare for SSC CGL
- See on Amazon
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations
R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)
The standard practice book for arithmetic. Strong on volume of questions; weak on shortcuts, so pair it with solved papers.
- See on Amazon
SSC Mathematics Chapterwise Solved Papers
Kiran Prakashan
Thousands of actual SSC questions sorted by topic. The quickest way to see what is really asked.
- See on Amazon
Objective General English
S.P. Bakshi (Arihant)
Grammar rules with exam-style practice sets. Good for error spotting and sentence improvement.
All 7 books for SSC CGL, CPO and other graduate-level exams
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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.