Rail Ministry Declares Staying Home a Duty for Trainees Amid COVID-19

Quick Summary:

• The Railway Ministry clarified that the stay-at-home period during the COVID-19 lockdown would be counted as duty for trainee railway servants when calculating increments in salaries.
• A circular dated July 7, 2025, stated that training periods-whether on stipend or another remuneration-are treated as duty, provided they lead to confirmation of employment.
• The clarification followed a query from a Zonal Railways unit asking if the lockdown stay-at-home duration qualifies as duty for increments.
• Instructions were previously issued in 2020 to process stipend payments for trainee railway servants for thier homebound period during the lockdown (up to six months).
• as a one-time measure, the ministry decided this home-stay period (maximum six months) qualifies as “duty” solely for salary increment purposes.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

This decision by the Railway Ministry demonstrates responsiveness towards ensuring fair treatment of its workforce amidst extraordinary circumstances like the pandemic.By recognizing up to six months of at-home time during COVID lockdowns as official “duty,” it reinforces efforts to mitigate financial setbacks faced by trainee employees due to unprecedented disruptions. While this is specific only to salary increments and does not extend other entitlements tied with active service, it reflects procedural fairness that may help maintain employee morale in public sector jobs. However, given its classification as a one-time measure, uniform standards across sectors might remain challenging without broader nationwide policies.

Read more: The Hindu