Special Class Railway Apprentices' (SCRA) refers to a handful of candidates that are selected by the Union Public Service Commission India, after a rigorous selection process, to the undergraduate program in Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
The training is conducted at IRIMEE and the students stay at the Jamalpur Gymkhana. The selected candidates undergo a four-year rigorous training programme in Mechanical Engineering, for which IRIMEE has signed a Memorandu
On completion of the probation in SCRA, one is posted as an officer in the junior scale. Promotion to the senior scale takes place after about two years of service in working post. After six to seven years of service, the officer is promoted to the Junior Administrative Grade, which has two levels.
The next in seniority is the Senior Administrative Grade, equivalent to the Joint Secretary, Government of India which is obtained after 16-18 years of service
After six to eight years, while remaining in the same pay scale officers are selected to be appointed as Divisional Railway Managers (DRM). The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) heads the organization at the division level. There are currently 67 divisions on the system nationwide.
