HowIndiaEarns

Government jobPay Level 2Group CNon‑gazetted

Trains Clerk

ट्रेन्स क्लर्क

Pay Level 2 operating post via RRB NTPC (12th level) — recording wagons and train details in yards, in shifts.

Indian Railways · Ministry of Railways · central government

In-hand pay at joining, per month

₹32,000–₹37,000

Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.

Exam
RRB NTPC
Qualification
12th pass
Age limit
18–30 years
Transfers
Within your allotted zone/region
Work hours
Rotating shifts, including nights
Probation
Training followed by probation as per railway rules

Estimated in-hand / month

₹33,876

Gross ₹37,260 · CTC ≈ ₹5.0 lakh/yr

Level 2

Where are you posted?

Joining

Trains Clerk · 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

  • Recording numbers and details of wagons on arriving and departing trains
  • Preparing vehicle guidance and train documents for the train manager
  • Updating wagon and rake data in the freight operations system
  • Helping the yard master track rake placement and removal
  • Reporting damaged or detained wagons

A typical day

Much of the shift is spent walking along goods trains in a yard, noting each wagon's number and type, then entering it in the freight system and printing the papers the train manager carries. Yards work all night, in all weather, and the tracks are not a clean or comfortable place. It is simple work, but it must be accurate because billing and wagon tracking depend on it.

Stress2/5
CalmIntense
Public dealing1/5
LittleConstant
Field work3/5
DeskOutdoors

Promotion path

Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.

  1. Trains Clerk (joining)

    Pay Level 2

    ₹32,000–₹37,000 in-hand

  2. Senior Trains Clerk

    5–10 years · Level 5 · via dpc

    ₹48,000–₹56,000 in-hand

  3. Goods Train Manager or Station Master

    Through departmental selection for eligible staff · via departmental 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

RRB NTPCIrregular (roughly every 1–3 years)

Railway Recruitment Boards

  1. 1.CBT-1
  2. 2.CBT-2
  3. 3.Document verification
  4. 4.Medical examination

Eligibility: Class 12 pass (50% marks required for unreserved and OBC candidates in recent notifications). Age 18–30. 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: Medical standard A-3.

The good

  • Entry into the operating department after Class 12
  • Departmental routes to Train Manager and Station Master
  • Little public dealing

The hard parts

  • Night shifts and outdoor work in yards
  • Level 2 pay
  • Yard environment is noisy and physically tiring

Postings

You apply to one Railway Recruitment Board and are posted in the zone or production unit attached to it, then to a division within that zone. Inter-zone transfer is possible only on request or mutual exchange, with loss of seniority. Posts are at goods yards, sidings and junction stations.

Railway job securityNPS with a 14% government contributionFree passes and privilege ticket orders for self and familyRailway hospitals and health unitsRailway quarters where available

Questions people ask

What is the in-hand salary of Trains Clerk?+

Trains Clerk is a Pay Level 2 post with a starting basic pay of ₹19,900. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹32,000–₹37,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.

What is the qualification and age limit for Trains Clerk?+

Class 12 pass (50% marks required for unreserved and OBC candidates in recent notifications). Age: 18–30 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 Trains Clerk?+

RRB NTPC (Railway Recruitment Boards).

Is Trains Clerk an office job?+

Only partly. A good part of each shift is spent outdoors in the yard checking wagons.

Compare with similar posts

Trains Clerk vs Goods Train ManagerTrains Clerk vs Commercial cum Ticket ClerkTrains Clerk vs Pointsman 'B'

Goods Train Manager

गुड्स ट्रेन मैनेजर

Pay Level 5

Pay Level 5 running post via RRB NTPC — in charge of a goods train from the rear brake van, with irregular hours.

₹48,000–₹56,000 in-handRRB NTPC

Commercial cum Ticket Clerk

वाणिज्य सह टिकट लिपिक

Pay Level 3

Pay Level 3 railway post via RRB NTPC (12th level) — selling tickets and handling parcels and enquiries at station counters.

₹36,000–₹43,000 in-handRRB NTPC

Pointsman 'B'

पॉइंट्समैन 'बी'

Pay Level 1

Pay Level 1 operating post via RRB Group D — setting points, coupling wagons and signalling to trains at stations and yards.

₹29,000–₹33,000 in-handRRB Group D

Books to prepare for RRB NTPC

  • 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.

    See on Amazon

All 6 books for Railway exams: NTPC, Group D, ALP, Technician and RPF

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and does not affect which books we list.

Sources

This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.