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Government jobPay Level 1Group CNon‑gazetted

Track Maintainer Grade-IV

ट्रैक मेंटेनर ग्रेड-IV

Pay Level 1 railway post via RRB Group D — manual maintenance and patrolling of railway track, outdoors in all weather.

Indian Railways (Engineering Department) · 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
Daytime gang duty; night patrolling in monsoon and winter; gate duty in shifts
Probation
As per railway rules

Estimated in-hand / month

₹30,760

Gross ₹33,840 · CTC ≈ ₹4.5 lakh/yr

Level 1

Where are you posted?

Joining

Track Maintainer Grade-IV · 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

  • Packing ballast, replacing sleepers and tightening fittings
  • Patrolling the track on foot, including night and monsoon patrols
  • Carrying rails, tools and materials to the work site
  • Protecting the work site with flags and detonators when trains approach
  • Working as gate keeper or keyman when assigned

A typical day

You report at the gang hut early, collect tools and walk to the day's stretch with the gang. The work is heavy labour: lifting track with jacks, shovelling ballast, changing fittings, stepping aside each time a train passes. In summer the rails are scorching, in the monsoon you patrol at night with a lamp. You walk several kilometres daily carrying equipment. It is among the hardest and most accident-prone jobs on the railways.

Stress3/5
CalmIntense
Public dealing1/5
LittleConstant
Field work5/5
DeskOutdoors

Promotion path

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

  1. Track Maintainer Grade-IV (joining)

    Pay Level 1

    ₹29,000–₹33,000 in-hand

  2. Track Maintainer Grade-III

    3–6 years · Level 2 · via dpc

    ₹32,000–₹37,000 in-hand

  3. Track Maintainer Grade-II and Grade-I

    Further 5–15 years · Level 5 · via dpc

    ₹48,000–₹56,000 in-hand

  4. 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

RRB Group DIrregular (roughly every 2–4 years)

Railway Recruitment Boards

  1. 1.Computer-based test
  2. 2.Physical efficiency test
  3. 3.Document verification
  4. 4.Medical examination

Eligibility: Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate (as per the latest notification). 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

  • Railway job with Class 10
  • Departmental exams let graduates move to clerk, train manager or other posts
  • Railway passes, medical care and quarters

The hard parts

  • Very hard manual labour outdoors
  • Real risk of being hit by trains
  • Level 1 pay and remote postings

Postings

You apply to one Railway Recruitment Board and are posted in the zone or production unit attached to it, then to a division within that zone. Inter-zone transfer is possible only on request or mutual exchange, with loss of seniority. Gangs are based along the line, so postings are often at small stations far from towns.

Railway job securityNPS with a 14% government contributionFree passes and privilege ticket orders for self and familyRailway hospitals and health unitsRailway quarters where availableRisk and hardship allowance for track maintainers

Questions people ask

What is the in-hand salary of Track Maintainer Grade-IV?+

Track Maintainer Grade-IV 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 Track Maintainer Grade-IV?+

Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate (as per the latest notification). 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 Track Maintainer Grade-IV?+

RRB Group D (Railway Recruitment Boards).

Can I choose a different Group D post?+

You give post preferences, but most vacancies are for track maintainers, so many candidates get it.

Can a graduate move out of track work?+

Yes, by clearing departmental exams such as GDCE after the required service, subject to vacancies and medical fitness.

Compare with similar posts

Track Maintainer Grade-IV vs Pointsman 'B'Track Maintainer Grade-IV vs Multi-Tasking StaffTrack Maintainer Grade-IV vs Technician Grade-III

Pointsman 'B'

पॉइंट्समैन 'बी'

Pay Level 1

Pay Level 1 operating post via RRB Group D — setting points, coupling wagons and signalling to trains at stations and yards.

₹29,000–₹33,000 in-handRRB Group D

Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)

मल्टी टास्किंग स्टाफ

Pay Level 1

Pay Level 1 support post via SSC MTS in central offices — carrying files, upkeep of the office and general help.

₹29,000–₹33,000 in-handSSC MTS

Technician Grade-III (Railways)

तकनीशियन ग्रेड-III (रेलवे)

Pay Level 2

Pay Level 2 skilled post via RRB Technician — maintaining locomotives, coaches, track machines, signals or electrical gear.

₹32,000–₹37,000 in-handRRB Technician

Books to prepare for RRB Group D

  • 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.

    See on Amazon

All 6 books for Railway exams: NTPC, Group D, ALP, Technician and RPF

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and does not affect which books we list.

Sources

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