A notification was issued by the Ministry on August 13, 2024, inviting applications from eligible officers of the 1989 and 1990 batch for empanelment to Level 16 and 17 posts of Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS). But it was put on hold on August 16, 2024.

One of the reasons for the withdrawal of the notification was resentment among officers of Indian Engineering Services (IES) that only a few officers of their stream were eligible for the top posts while a majority who qualified were those who joined the railways after clearing the Civil Services Examination (CSE). 

Officers entered railway service through three streams — the CSE, IES and Special Class Railway Apprentice (SCRA). These officers joined various departments such as Traffic, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Personnel, Accounts, Stores etc which were vertically separated from top to bottom and headed by a Member, Railway Board, who is a Secretary-level officer. 

To avoid turf war, the Union government decided to introduce a unified service called the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) to promote smooth working of the railways and create a coherent vision for the organisation. After direct recruitment to the Railways through IES and SCRA stopped and delay in placing indents to the UPSC, no direct recruit officer joined the organisation in a working post after the 2019 batch. The batch recruited under the IRMS is awaiting postings.

Confusion prevails in the empanelment for appointment of Level 16 and 17 officers since those who entered the railways through CSE got expeditious promotions and were placed much higher than their batchmates who joined services through IES.