IRAS Exam

What is IRAS Exam?

The Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) is a Civil Service or competitive exam in India, conducted by Union Public Service Commission. The exam is held for the recruitment of Indian Railway Accounts Service in India.

The Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)  is a Group 'A' Central Service of the Government of India. The officers of this service are responsible for the Accounts and Finance Management of the Indian Railways.

The recruitment to the cadre is done through the Civil Services Examination which is conducted by Union Public Service Commission of India every year.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Nationality:

   The nationality of a candidate must be either of the following:

   • Citizen of India
   • Subject of Nepal
   • Subject of Bhutan
   • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, for permanent settlement in India.
   • Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India:

   Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam

2. Educational Qualification:

   • The candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree from any of the universities, recognised by the UGC or its equivalent
   • Candidates who have appeared or to appear for the qualifying examination and are awaiting for results are also eligible to appear for the Preliminary Examination. However, candidates have to produce proof of having passed the said examination along with the application for the Main Examination.
   • Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government or its equivalent can also apply
   • Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. Such candidates must submit along with their Main Examination application, a certificate from the concerned the university that they have passed the final professional medical examination.

3. Age Limit :

   A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August, 2015.

   The upper age limit prescribed above is relaxable for the following candidates:

   • 5 years - SC/ST
   • 3 years - Other Backward Classes
   • 5 years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st December, 1989.
   • 3 years-Defence Services personnel
   • 5 years-ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August, 2015
   • 5 years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs
   • 10 years- Blind, deaf-mute and orthopedically handicapped persons

4. Number of attempts:

   The number of attempts restriction, effective from the examination held in 1984 is as follows:

   • General candidates: 6 attempts.
   • Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates: No restriction.
   • Other Backward Classes: 9 attempts

Roles and Responsibilities

Roles:

• IRAS officers will be handling the Accounts and Finance department of the Indian Railways
• They will also be rendering financial advice to the executive

Responsibilities:

• Introduction of modern financial management techniques
• Exchequer control
• Restructuring of budget and accounts system
• Traffic costing
• Implementing incentive schemes in workshops