Indian Railway Service of Engineers
Maintains and builds the Railways' fixed assets — tracks, bridges, buildings, roads and water supply.
Overview
IRSE officers are responsible for the maintenance of all fixed assets of the Indian Railways, such as tracks, bridges, buildings, roads, water supply etc. In addition, they are also responsible for construction of new assets such as new lines, gauge conversion, doubling and other expansion and developmental work.
Where they work
- Indian Railways
Work environment
You will work in an office set up. You are likely to handle a team. Local travel is not a part of the job profile. You are likely to work 5 to 6 days a week and 8 to 9 hours every day.
Opportunities for differently abled exist in this field.
Skills and interests
This career might suit you if…
- You like to build things.
- You are good at Maths.
- You like to lead.
Eligibility and education roadmap
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment.
- 1No specific certification is required.
- 2A Diploma in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields can be helpful to understand the basics of engineering work, particularly railway infrastructure and systems.
- 3A Bachelor's degree in Engineering (B.Tech/BE) in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields from a government-recognized university is mandatory to appear for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
- 4Although not required, a Master's degree in Engineering (e.g., M.Tech in Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering) can deepen your knowledge in specialized areas such as railway design, infrastructure development, or transportation systems, which may be beneficial during the interview stage or in service.
Forms, exams and applications
Entry requires an engineering degree and is through the UPSC examination for the Indian Railway Management Service. Check the official notification for current eligibility and dates.
Exam names above are as printed in the source card. Application windows, eligibility and syllabi change — always check the official notification for current dates.
Where to apply
These courses are offered by the Departments of Civil Engineering/Structural Engineering. This list of institutes is indicative only.
Government institutes
- Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal
- Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand
- Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
- Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal
- Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Odisha
- Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
- Delhi Technological University, New Delhi
Private institutes
Please check if the institute is affiliated and accredited before applying.
- Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chandigarh
- University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
- Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- SASTRA Deemed University, Tamil Nadu
- Lovely Professional University, Punjab
- Jaipur National University, Rajasthan
- Amity University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh
- Chandigarh University, Punjab
- KIIT School of Engineering, Odisha
- Silver Oak College of Engineering and Technology, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
These institute lists are indicative examples from the source card, not a ranked or complete directory. Always verify accreditation on the institute's official website.
Career outcomes
Growth path
- 1Assistant Divisional Engineer
- 2Divisional Engineer
- 3Senior Divisional Engineer
- 4Deputy Chief Engineer
- 5Chief Engineer
- 6Member Railway Board
- 7Chairman Railway Board
Expected income
₹35,800 – ₹1,41,600 per month
This is the approximate salary of an Indian Railway Service of Engineers officer. The figures are indicative and subject to change.
SourceRelated careers to explore
Civil Engineer/Structural Engineer
Designs, builds and maintains buildings, water systems, airports, roads and bridges.
Railway Engineer
Designs, constructs and operates rail transport systems, drawing on civil and mechanical engineering.
Student action plan
What you can do this month
- Read this whole roadmap and note any subjects, exams or institutes you don't recognise yet.
- Talk to a teacher or school counsellor about how your current subjects connect to Science, Maths.
- Look for a school club, competition or online course related to public service.
- Shortlist 2–3 institutes from the list above and check their official website for current admission details.
- Save this career and compare it with 1–2 others you're considering.
Example from the field
Manoj Sharma — An IRSE officer of the 1985 batch, has joined the East Coast Railway as General Manager. Prior to the new posting, Sharma worked as Chief Administrative Officer (construction) of Central Railway (CR) in Mumbai. Sharma is a Civil Engineer with a degree from the University of Roorkee and a Master's in Technology from IIT Delhi. He joined Indian Railways in 1987.
SourceThis profile is shared for training/educational purposes only, as printed in the source card.
Sources and update notice
- Career card source: Exploring Career Paths with Career Cards, Volume 2, printed page 585 (NCERT / UNICEF India / PSSCIVE Bhopal, First Edition, April 2025).
- Income source: https://www.ambitionbox.com/salaries/indian-railways-salaries/engineer
- Last reviewed on this site: 2026-08-21
The growth path printed on this card is the electrical engineers' ladder from the neighbouring Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers card (Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer, Chief Electrical Engineer, Member Railway Board (Electrical)). It is given here as the equivalent civil-engineering ladder this service actually follows; verify current designations with the Railway Board.
Eligibility, fees, exam patterns and admissions change often. Always verify current details on official institute, exam-body or government websites before making decisions.