Easier job posting for husband and wife at the same place? Railway Board explains spouse-posting rules for employees

Railway Board has explained posting rules for non-gazetted employees whose spouse is working in the Railways, a different central government department, a Public Sector Undertaking or a state government department.

In its order to all general managers of All India Railway and Production units, the Railway Board instructs Railway authorities to make efforts to post spouses at the same station, if an appropriate post is available and doing so doesn’t create administrative problems.

The order says that if the husband and wife are at the same Railway department and the same seniority unit, they should be given posting together if a suitable post is available. It also says that in such a condition, one spouse should not work as a subordinate to the other.


The Railway Board order came in the wake of complaints of Railway employees’ who say that even if posts are available at the station of posting of the spouse, administrative authorities do not accommodate employees citing administrative reasons.

“In all such cases, the cadre controlling authority should strive to post the employee at the station of the spouse and in case of inability to do so, specific reasons, therefore, may be communicated to the employee,” reads the Railway Board order.

The letter also emphasis on the government’s decision to make efforts to increase women's participation in central government jobs. The Board, therefore, highlights the policy of accommodating spouses at the same station wherever feasible, even if only the wife is a Railway employee.

The Board, however, repeatedly says in the order that the same place posting should be done keeping in factors in mind such as the availability of an appropriate post, availability of suitable posting, administrative feasibility and the employee’s controlling authority.

Let’s go through the 5 conditions that the order explains for Railway employees about couple’s posting at same place.

1.When both husband and wife are Railway employees

The circular clarifies that if both husband and wife work in the same department and work in the same seniority unit, they should invariably be posted together, provided that a required post is available in that department. The Board also says that in such a case, one spouse should not work as a subordinate to the other, in order to enable them to lead a normal family life and look after the welfare of their children especially till the children attain 18 years of age.

2.When both are Railway employees but work in different seniority units

The Board says that in such a case both the Railway servants should be posted at the station where posts at appropriate level exist in the respective seniority units.

If such a post doesn’t exist, the employee’s request to change the category should be considered sympathetically, keeping in view all other relevant rules in the matter.

3.When one spouse is a Railway employee, and the other is an All India Service central government employee

The Board clarifies that the Railway servant should be posted at a station or a place in the Railway/Division/PU in whose territorial jurisdiction the place or state of the spouse’s posting falls.

If that is not a possibility, the Board reveals, the Railway employee should be given the posting as close to the spouse’s posting as possible.

4.When one spouse is a Railway employee and the other works in a central/state PSU

In such a case, the Railway employee can request the controlling authority for posting at the place where their PSU-employed spouse is posted.

But if there is no relevant Railway post available at that location, the Railway employee should be posted as close as possible to their PSU-employed spouse's location.

But if even that isn't a possibility, the employee working with Railways can request that the PSU spouse be posted at or near their place of posting. In such a case, the request can be forwarded to the spouse's controlling authority.

5.If one spouse is a Railway employee and the other is working with a state government

If their spouse is working with a state government, the Railway employee should get posting at a station within the relevant Railway/Division/Production Unit covering the place or state where their spouse is posted.

But if that isn't possible, the Railway employee can apply to the controlling authority to post them at the spouse's place of posting.

Such a request from the Railway employee can be forwarded to the concerned state authority for sympathetic consideration.