How Much Does an RRB JE Make? Salaries, Perks and Benefits

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated 28 October 2022

Published 4 October 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) falls under the Railway Recruitment Control Board (RRCB) and is managed by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. RRB is responsible for recruiting employees for technical and non-technical posts of Group C and D. A Junior Engineer (JE) post is a Group C post of the railways. In this article, we examine how much does a Railway Recruitment Board - Junior Engineer (RRB-JE) make, their roles and responsibilities and the skills and qualifications required to become one.

What Is An RRB JE?

Since Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) recruits Junior Engineer (JE), they refer to the post as RRB JE. It is a supervisory role performing crucial functions for Indian Railways. They maintain communication equipment, railway tracks, signals, rail coaches, electrical networks, locomotives, platforms and other buildings that belong to the Railway. They also plan new projects within their jurisdiction, prepare budgets and are responsible for their implementation. Their combined responsibilities contribute to the smooth and effective functioning of the entire railway system, and hence it is considered a prestigious job.

How Much Does An RRB JE Make?

The RRB has classified the role of a JE into three classes based on the population of the location they are posted in:

Class A: Population is greater or equal to 50 lakhs
Class B: Population is between 5 lakhs to 50 lakhs
Class C: Population is less than 5 lakhs

This classification affects the calculation of House Rent Allowance (HRA) and does not impact any other component of the salary. The in-hand salary of an RRB JE can be calculated as follows:

In-hand salary of JE in a class A city

JEs earn a basic pay of ₹13,500 and gross pay of ₹38,425 with a deduction of ₹2,000. The average base salary of a JE in a Class A city is ₹36,425 per month. They also get an additional dearness allowance of ₹16,875, HRA ₹4,050 (30% of basic pay) and other allowances of ₹4,000 per month.

In-hand salary of JE in a class B city

JEs earn a basic pay of ₹13,500 and gross pay of ₹37,075 with a deduction of ₹2,000. The average base salary of a JE in a Class B city is ₹35,075 per month. They also get an additional dearness allowance of ₹16,875, HRA ₹2,700 (20% of basic pay) and other allowances of ₹4,000 per month.

In-hand salary of JE in a class C city

JEs earn a basic pay of ₹13,500 and gross pay of ₹35,725 with a deduction of ₹2,000. The average base salary of a JE in a Class C city is ₹33,725 per month. They also get an additional dearness allowance is ₹16,875, HRA ₹1,350 (10% of basic pay) and other allowances of ₹4,000 per month.

What Are The Recruiting Functions Of RRB?

RRCB has divided its employees into four grades: A, B, C and D. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) hires staff for the highest grade, Group A. There is no direct recruitment done for Group B employees. Railways promote Group C employees to Group B based on a written examination or seniority. Railway Recruitment Board recruits employees for Groups C and D.

What Are Group C Jobs In The Indian Railways?

Group C jobs are supervisory and non-gazetted roles. RRB and its 21 branches across India direct recruitment for these roles in their respective locations. Group C posts include station master, senior section engineer, senior section officer, junior engineer, senior clerk and junior clerk. Group D officers can become Group C officers after completing a General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE).

Why Is RRB JE An In-Demand Job?

RRB JE is an ideal role for candidates with an engineering background, good acumen and fitness levels. The salary, benefits and perks for the JE role also attract prospective applicants. The scope for promotion, the benefits and respect are other reasons for the popularity of this job.

How Many JE Roles Are There In Railways?

The RRB recruits JEs for five areas of specialisation. Each of these specialised departments may also have additional JEs for specific duties. They ensure their team completes the work within the stipulated time and budget. The five specialisations are:

Civil engineering
Electrical engineering
Electronics and telecommunication engineering
Mechanical engineering
Information technology engineering

What Are The Duties Of An RRB JE?

The duties of a JE may vary according to the department they have been recruited for. A JE works under a senior section officer and supervises a team of workers, including trackmen, gangmen, khalasis and patrolmen who work under them. Each JE can be responsible for multiple stations and they travel to these stations as part of their supervisory duties. Here is a summary of their duties in the different engineering specialisations:

Civil engineering

JEs in this section are in charge of civil construction work like building and maintenance of staff quarters, small office buildings, bridges, platforms and sheds. They are also responsible for evicting anyone who has encroached on railway properties. Another important duty of a JE - Civil Engineering is to maintain the railway tracks to allow the smooth and safe running of trains. RRB recruits JEs for the following roles in this department:

JE - Permanent
JE - Bridges
JE - Track machine

Electrical engineering

JEs in this section are responsible for maintaining all materials and possessions of the electrical department, including overheads and substations of the Indian railways. They may be posted in a station or in production units. They also maintain electric locomotives, traction distributions, lighting and air-conditioning. RRB recruits JEs for the following roles in this department:

JE - General service
JE - Traction operation
JE - Traction
JE - Traction rolling stock

Electronics and telecommunication engineering

The JE in this department maintains all electronics and communication equipment. They are responsible for the safe installation of signal systems. Their role is important as they maintain undisrupted communication between drivers, station masters and other signalling installations. RRB recruits JEs for the following roles in this department:

JE - Signal
JE - Telecommunication
JE - Workshop
JE - Drawing/Drawing and Design/S&T (Signal and Telecommunication)

Mechanical engineering

The JEs in the mechanical engineering section are responsible for manufacturing, maintaining and operating carriages, wagons and locomotives. They inspect wagons, coaches and locomotives to see if they are fit to run on tracks. They ensure that rolling stock has no defects. RRB recruits JEs for the following roles in this department:

JE - Workshop
JE - Mechanical
JE - Carriage and wagon
JE - Diesel/Mechanical
JE - Jig and tools
JE - Drawing and design

Information technology engineering

Junior engineers in the IT department are responsible for framing and implementing web and digital security-related solutions. They manage the web content of Indian Railways and also keep updating it periodically. They are also in charge of procuring IT-related hardware, software and other office equipment.

Who Can Apply For An RRB JE Post?

The age limit for applying for an RRB JE post is 18-38 years. You can apply if you have the right academic qualifications and relevant engineering background based on the area of specialisation you are applying for. A minimum requirement is a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering or a three-year diploma in any one of the following engineering subjects:

Computer science
Civil
Mechanical
Production
Automobile
Electrical
Electronics
Instrumentation
Tools and machining
Die-making

If you want to apply for an RRB JE post in the IT department, you may consider pursuing the following qualifications:

PGDCA (Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications)
B.Sc. in Computer Science
B.Tech in IT
B.Tech in Computer Science

What Are The Perks And Benefits That RRB JEs Can Avail?

After your selection as RRB JE, there is a probationary and training period of two years with a salary of ₹34,500 per month. After completion of the training and probationary period of two years, you are appointed as JEs and become eligible for the facilities, benefits and perks available to permanent employees. The perks and benefits include House Rent Allowance (HRA), dearness allowance, city compensatory allowance, railway duty pass, education allowances, travel allowances and medical allowances.

What Are The Promotion Options For An RRB JE?

The promotion of an RRB JE is based on seniority and experience. Promotions can happen every five to seven years. The structured career growth for an RRB JE is as follows:

Senior section engineer
Assistant divisional engineer
Divisional engineer
Senior divisional engineer

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

Salary figures reflect data listed on the quoted websites at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.