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Government jobPay Level 7Group BNon‑gazetted

Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)

सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (रेल मंत्रालय)

Pay Level 7 post via SSC CGL in the Railway Board secretariat in Delhi — policy file work, with railway passes.

Railway Board Secretariat Service · Ministry of Railways · central government

In-hand pay at joining, per month

₹72,000–₹84,000

Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.

Exam
SSC CGL
Qualification
Graduate
Age limit
20–30 years
Transfers
Rare
Work hours
Regular office hours; late during Parliament sessions
Probation
2 years

Estimated in-hand / month

₹76,316

Gross ₹83,700 · CTC ≈ ₹11.3 lakh/yr

Level 7

Where are you posted?

Joining

Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.

New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.

What you will actually do

  • Examining receipts and putting up notes with rules and precedents
  • Drafting letters, office memoranda and replies
  • Preparing material for Parliament questions and RTI replies
  • Maintaining files and tracking references on e-Office
  • Coordinating with other sections and offices

A typical day

You work in a branch of the Railway Board at Rail Bhavan dealing with one subject, for example establishment rules, traffic, works or finance for the zonal railways. Zones send references; you examine them against the codes and earlier decisions and put up the file. Parliament sessions and the budget bring late evenings. It is a pure desk job with fixed weekends.

Stress2/5
CalmIntense
Public dealing1/5
LittleConstant
Field work1/5
DeskOutdoors

Promotion path

Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.

  1. Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways) (joining)

    Pay Level 7

    ₹72,000–₹84,000 in-hand

  2. Section Officer (Group B gazetted)

    8–12 years, or sooner through the limited departmental exam · Level 8 · via departmental exam

    ₹76,000–₹88,000 in-hand

  3. Under Secretary

    Further 8–10 years · Level 11 · via dpc

    ₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 in-hand

Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.

How to get in

SSC CGLOnce a year

Staff Selection Commission

  1. 1.Tier-I computer-based test
  2. 2.Tier-II computer-based test (including computer knowledge module)
  3. 3.Document verification

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age 20–30. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.

The good

  • Level 7 pay with a fixed Delhi posting
  • Railway passes, which other secretariat posts do not get
  • Promotions in the cadre have been fairly quick

The hard parts

  • Delhi's cost of living
  • Very few vacancies in most years
  • Routine file work

Postings

Rail Bhavan and other Railway Board offices in Delhi. There are no zonal transfers.

Central government job securityNPS with a 14% government contributionLeave Travel Concession (LTC)Medical cover (CGHS in covered cities)Railway passes and privilege ticket orders for self and familyRailway hospital facilities

Questions people ask

What is the in-hand salary of Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)?+

Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways) is a Pay Level 7 post with a starting basic pay of ₹44,900. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹72,000–₹84,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.

What is the qualification and age limit for Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)?+

Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age: 20–30 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.

Which exam do I need to clear for Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of Railways)?+

SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission).

Will I be posted at a railway station or zone?+

No. This cadre staffs the Railway Board secretariat in Delhi.

Compare with similar posts

Assistant Section Officer vs Assistant Section OfficerAssistant Section Officer vs Assistant Section OfficerAssistant Section Officer vs Assistant Section Officer

Assistant Section Officer (CSS)

सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (CSS)

Pay Level 7

Pay Level 7 policy-support post in central ministries in New Delhi via SSC CGL — file work at the heart of government.

₹72,000–₹84,000 in-handSSC CGL

Assistant Section Officer (AFHQ)

सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (सशस्त्र सेना मुख्यालय)

Pay Level 7

Pay Level 7 civilian post via SSC CGL in the Armed Forces Headquarters — file work for the Army, Navy and Air Force HQs in Delhi.

₹72,000–₹84,000 in-handSSC CGL

Assistant Section Officer (Ministry of External Affairs)

सहायक अनुभाग अधिकारी (विदेश मंत्रालय)

Pay Level 7

Pay Level 7 post via SSC CGL in the Foreign Ministry — desk work in Delhi with postings to Indian embassies abroad.

₹72,000–₹84,000 in-handSSC CGL

Books to prepare for SSC CGL

  • Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations

    R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)

    The standard practice book for arithmetic. Strong on volume of questions; weak on shortcuts, so pair it with solved papers.

    See on Amazon

  • SSC Mathematics Chapterwise Solved Papers

    Kiran Prakashan

    Thousands of actual SSC questions sorted by topic. The quickest way to see what is really asked.

    See on Amazon

  • Objective General English

    S.P. Bakshi (Arihant)

    Grammar rules with exam-style practice sets. Good for error spotting and sentence improvement.

    See on Amazon

All 7 books for SSC CGL, CPO and other graduate-level exams

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Sources

This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.