Government jobPay Level 1Group CNon‑gazetted
Assistant (Train Lighting and AC)
सहायक (ट्रेन लाइटिंग एवं एसी)
Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — helping maintain lights, fans and air-conditioning in coaches.
Indian Railways (Electrical Department, General Services) · Ministry of Railways · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹29,000–₹33,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- RRB Group D
- Qualification
- 10th pass
- Age limit
- 18–33 years
- Transfers
- Within your allotted zone/region
- Work hours
- Shift duty including nights; travel on escort duty
- Probation
- As per railway rules
Estimated in-hand / month
₹30,760
Gross ₹33,840 · CTC ≈ ₹4.5 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Assistant (Train Lighting and AC) · 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
- Assisting technicians in checking coach lights, fans and charging points
- Helping maintain batteries, alternators and AC units
- Carrying tools and spares along the rake
- Replacing fittings reported defective
- Escorting AC coaches on trains as a helper when assigned
A typical day
Before a train leaves the depot, the electrical gang goes through every coach checking lights, fans and AC, and under the coach checking batteries and alternators. You carry the kit and replace what is faulty. Complaints from running trains are attended at stations in the few minutes the train stops. AC escort duty means travelling overnight with the train.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Assistant (Train Lighting and AC) (joining)
Pay Level 1
₹29,000–₹33,000 in-hand
Technician Grade-III (Electrical)
After a trade test, typically 3–8 years depending on vacancies · Level 2 · via departmental exam
₹32,000–₹37,000 in-hand
Technician Grade-II and Grade-I
Further trade tests over 8–15 years · Level 5 · via departmental exam
₹48,000–₹56,000 in-hand
Other departments
Through the General Departmental Competitive Exam (GDCE) for eligible staff · via lateral exam
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
Railway Recruitment Boards
- 1.Computer-based test
- 2.Physical efficiency test
- 3.Document verification
- 4.Medical examination
Eligibility: Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate granted by NCVT. Age 18–33. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, plus relaxations for ex-servicemen and railway staff, as per the notification.
Physical standards: PET for men: carry 35 kg for 100 m in 2 minutes and run 1,000 m in 4 minutes 15 seconds. Women: carry 20 kg for 100 m in 2 minutes and run 1,000 m in 5 minutes 40 seconds. Medical standard B-1.
The good
- Depot and station postings in towns
- Lighter work than track or wagon jobs
- Useful for those with an electrician ITI
The hard parts
- Night shifts and train escort trips
- Passenger complaints land on the gang
- Level 1 pay
Postings
You apply to one Railway Recruitment Board and are posted in the zone or production unit attached to it. Inter-zone transfer is possible only on request or mutual exchange, with loss of seniority. Posts are at coaching depots and major stations.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Assistant (Train Lighting and AC)?+
Assistant (Train Lighting and AC) is a Pay Level 1 post with a starting basic pay of ₹18,000. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹29,000–₹33,000 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 (Train Lighting and AC)?+
Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate granted by NCVT. Age: 18–33 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, plus relaxations for ex-servicemen and railway staff, as per the notification.
Which exam do I need to clear for Assistant (Train Lighting and AC)?+
RRB Group D (Railway Recruitment Boards).
Can I choose this post within Group D?+
You rank the Level-1 posts you are medically eligible for. Allotment depends on merit, your preferences and the vacancies in your zone.
Compare with similar posts
Assistant (Carriage and Wagon)
सहायक (कैरिज एवं वैगन)
Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — helping examine and repair coaches and wagons at depots and stations.
Assistant (Loco Shed)
सहायक (लोको शेड)
Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — helping maintain electric or diesel locomotives in a loco shed.
Technician Grade-III (Railways)
तकनीशियन ग्रेड-III (रेलवे)
Pay Level 2 skilled post via RRB Technician — maintaining locomotives, coaches, track machines, signals or electrical gear.
Books to prepare for RRB Group D
- See on Amazon
Lucent's General Science
Lucent Publications
Physics, chemistry and biology at the level railway exams ask. Available in Hindi as Samanya Vigyan.
- See on Amazon
Fast Track Objective Arithmetic
Rajesh Verma (Arihant)
Shorter and more shortcut-oriented than R.S. Aggarwal. Useful when time per question matters.
- See on Amazon
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)
Covers every reasoning question type with graded practice. More than most exams need, so do the chapters in your syllabus.
All 6 books for Railway exams: NTPC, Group D, ALP, Technician and RPF
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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.