Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has asserted that fee for appearing in exams conducted by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) across the country hasn’t been increased.

Speaking to newspersons recently, Goyal said that the Railways advertised last month and early this month to fill up 90,000 vacancies of various categories.  “General category candidates would have to pay a fee of Rs.500 while SC/ST candidates have to pay Rs.250 to apply.  We haven’t increased the examination fee.  We are charging fee to ensure that only genuine and sincere candidates apply for the posts advertized.

“The fee for general category candidates was Rs.100 earlier and there was no fee for SC/ST candidates.  We decided to charge exam fee from all category candidates so as to ensure that those who apply for the job turn up to write the exams for the same.  Most of the candidates apply for the sake of applying and don’t turn up at the halls to write the examinations.

“Govt. spends a dime in organizing the exam process and in conducting examinations at various centres across the country.  We would be repaying the candidates the fee they pay; SC/ST candidates would get the exam fee of Rs.250 back while general category candidates would get Rs.400 out of the Rs.500 they pay.  We sincerely hope this would encourage truthful job-seekers,” Goyal concluded.