Eastern Railway has officially announced its Sports Quota recruitment for the year 2025-26, inviting applications from talented Indian sportspersons to join various positions in Group ‘C’ and the erstwhile Group ‘D’ categories. This initiative is aimed at promoting sports talent in India by providing deserving athletes with employment opportunities within the Indian Railways. The recruitment drive covers multiple sports disciplines, including Athletics, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Volleyball, Kabaddi, Badminton, Table Tennis, Archery, and Swimming.
Important Dates
- Notification Publication: 03 September 2025
- Opening of Online Applications: 10 September 2025, 10:00 AM
- Closing of Online Applications: 09 October 2025, 6:00 PM
- Tentative Field Trial Period: December 2025 – January 2026 onwards
- Updates on Field Trial & Further Stages: Will be communicated through official notifications
Applicants must regularly check the official Eastern Railway website for updates regarding the Field Trials and subsequent stages of the recruitment process.
Application Fee
The application fee varies depending on the category:
- General Category (UR/OBC/EWS – Male): ₹500 (Refundable ₹400 for those attending Field Trials, after bank charges)
- SC/ST, Women, Minorities, Economically Backward Classes (EBC): ₹250 (Refundable for candidates attending Field Trials, after bank charges)
Payment Mode: Online via Internet Banking, Debit/Credit Card, or UPI. Offline payments like cash, cheque, or demand draft will not be accepted.
Refund Details: Candidates can choose to receive the refundable amount in the account used for payment or provide alternate bank account details during online application.
Vacancy Details
Eastern Railway has announced a total of 50 vacancies across different categories:
Category 1: Group ‘C’ Level-4/5 (GP ₹2400/2800) – 5 Posts
- Archery (M/W) Recurve/Compound: 1 post
- Athletics (Women): 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m, 10,000m, Triple Jump, High Jump – 2 posts
- Swimming (Men): Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly – 1 post
- Swimming (Women): Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly – 1 post
Category 2: Group ‘C’ Level-2/3 (GP ₹1900/2000) – 16 Posts
- Archery (M/W): 1 post
- Athletics (Women): 2 posts
- Badminton (Men): 1 post
- Badminton (Women): 1 post
- Basketball (Women): 1 post
- Kabaddi (Women): 1 post
- Kabaddi (Men): 1 post
- Volleyball (Men): 1 post
- Volleyball (Women): 1 post
- Table Tennis (Men): 1 post
- Table Tennis (Women): 1 post
Category 3: Erstwhile Group ‘D’ Level-1 (GP ₹1800) – 28 Posts
- Athletics (Women): 1 post
- Basketball (Women): 2 posts
- Cricket (Men): 2 posts
- Cricket (Women): 3 posts
- Football (Men): 6 posts
- Hockey (Men): 6 posts
- Kabaddi (Women): 2 posts
- Kabaddi (Men): 3 posts
- Swimming (Men): 1 post
- Swimming (Women): 1 post
- Volleyball (Men): 3 posts
- Volleyball (Women): 3 posts
Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Maximum Age: 25 years
- Age Reckoning Date: 01 January 2026
- Relaxation: No relaxation is allowed in the upper or lower age limit.
Candidates must upload valid age proof documents (Matriculation/10th certificate) during the online application and produce originals at the Field Trials.
Educational Qualification
- Category 1 (Level-4/5): Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university
- Category 2 (Level-2/3): 12th Pass or equivalent / Matric + ITI / National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC)
- Category 3 (Level-1): 10th Pass / ITI / NAC
No relaxation in educational qualifications is permitted. Self-attested certificates must be uploaded during application.
Medical Standards
Candidates must meet the medical fitness standards prescribed by the Railway Medical Authority for the post applied. A medical examination is mandatory for candidates qualifying in Field Trials.
Sports Qualification & Minimum Norms
Category 1 (Level-4/5)
- Candidates must have represented India in prestigious international events like Olympics, World Cup, World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympics, Champions Trophy (Hockey), or Thomas/Uber Cup (Badminton).
- Must have achieved at least 3rd position in international or recognized national events.
Category 2 (Level-2/3)
- Candidates should have represented India in events such as World Cup, World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympics, Champions Trophy, Thomas/Uber Cup, National Championships, Federation Cup, or University Championships.
Category 3 (Level-1)
- Candidates must have represented their state or equivalent unit in Senior National Championships or other recognized competitions.
- For Badminton and Table Tennis, All India ranking up to 30th for Seniors and top doubles rankings are considered.
All sports certificates must be issued by recognized national/international federations or the Railway Sports Promotion Board.
Application Process
- Registration: Candidates must register through the official Eastern Railway Sports Quota portal.
- Application Form: Fill in personal details like name, father’s name, date of birth, community, email ID, and mobile number.
- Document Upload:
- Passport-size recent photograph
- Signature and Left Thumb Impression (LTI)
- Educational certificates
- Age proof
- Caste/Income/Minority/EBC certificates (if applicable)
- Sports achievement certificates
- Tournament & Achievement Details: Include positions, event names, issuing authority, and year.
- Application Fee: Make online payment as per category.
- Printout: Take at least two copies of the submitted application form.
- Communication: Maintain active email and mobile number for all recruitment updates.
Important Instructions:
- All personal details must match official documents.
- Discrepancies in application may lead to rejection.
- Changes to email or mobile number after submission are not allowed.
- Offline applications will not be accepted.
- Register early to avoid last-minute technical issues.
Document Specifications
- Photograph: Passport-size, white background, JPG/JPEG format, 20-50 KB
- Signature & LTI: Black ink on white paper, 10-40 KB
- Other Documents: Government-issued photo ID, educational certificates, age proof, sports certificates, community certificates (SC/ST/OBC/EBC/EWS), income certificate for EBC/EWS, affidavits, and translations in English/Hindi if issued in another language
Selection Procedure
- Online Application Verification: Checks eligibility based on age, education, and documents.
- Field Trials: Sport-specific events to test skills. Dates will be announced in official notifications.
- Document Verification: Candidates must present original certificates during Field Trials.
- Medical Examination: Conducted by the Railway Medical Authority for candidates qualifying in Field Trials.
- Final Merit List: Selection is based on sports performance, minimum sports norms fulfillment, and verification of documents.
