There is big news for the candidates preparing for railway recruitment. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav reviewed the recruitment process of Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) with senior officials of Indian Railways and gave several important instructions to make the recruitment examinations more transparent, secure and faster.

During the high level review meeting, the Railway Minister said that now all the departmental examinations of Railways will be conducted through Computer Based Test (CBT). Along with this, he directed the officials to increase the scope of Tablet Based Testing (TBT) in recruitment examinations wherever possible, so that the examination process can be made more efficient and modern.

In the meeting, special emphasis was laid on transparency, accuracy and timeliness of the recruitment process. The aim of Railways is to provide better experience to the candidates in the recruitment process and to strengthen the selection process with the help of technology.

What is CBT and TBT?

Both CBT (Computer-Based Test) and TBT (Tablet-Based Test) used in railway recruitment examinations are digital examination systems, but there are significant differences in their operation and technical structure.

In Computer Based Test i.e. CBT, candidates have to take the exam on desktop computer. This requires large examination centres, computer labs, networking systems and other technical resources. At present most of the examinations for Railways and other government recruitments are conducted in CBT mode.

Whereas, in tablet based test i.e. TBT, candidates take the exam on a tablet device. It does not require a separate keyboard, mouse or large computer setup. This is the reason why examinations can be conducted through TBT even in areas with less infrastructure. According to experts, this system can prove helpful in increasing the number of examination centers and providing examination facilities to remote areas.

Speed ​​up railway recruitment process

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that the annual recruitment calendar launched by the Railways has received positive response from the candidates. With this, candidates are getting timely information about vacancies and recruitment processes. He said that during the financial year 2025-26, Indian Railways has appointed 43,781 candidates on various posts. Railways has expedited recruitment through technology-based and systematic recruitment process. According to the data, in the last financial year the Railways recruited 18,799 Assistant Loco Pilots (ALP), 14,298 technicians and 1,376 paramedical staff. Apart from this, appointments were also made in many other categories.

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Why is Railway Recruitment Exam complicated?

Railway Recruitment Board examination is counted among the biggest recruitment examinations in the country. According to Railways, the recruitment process is extremely extensive and complex as the examinations are conducted in different cities and thousands of examination centers across the country.

Considering the participation of lakhs of candidates, the examinations have to be conducted in several shifts. Apart from this, for the convenience of the candidates from different states of the country, the examination is conducted in 15 languages. Railways said in its statement that to successfully conduct the multi-city, multi-shift and multi-lingual examination system, strong technical arrangements and comprehensive coordination are required. Its objective is to ensure fairness, transparency and standardization in the recruitment process.

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An important decision has been taken in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This decision of the cabinet will have a direct impact on 80 crore people taking ration. The government took a big decision regarding the ration system (PDS- Public Distribution System). For this, ‘Sarthak-PDS’ scheme has been started. About Rs 25,530 crore will be spent on this entire scheme.

Three major changes in PDS scheme

After the Union Cabinet meeting, Ashwini Vaishnav said that a program is going on to provide ration to 80 crore people in the country. Three changes have been made in this meaningful PDS scheme. These include helping the state government, taking the help of technology and now registration of PDS beneficiaries will be done under AI.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, ‘State governments were facing financial problems in transporting food grains from the big warehouses of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to different districts, blocks and finally to the ration shops. Now the central government will provide financial assistance to the states.

The second change is that the commission of ration shopkeepers (dealers) will be increased. The Union Minister said, ‘The commission of dealers giving ration had not increased for a long time. There was also a continuous demand to increase the dealer’s commission. Today, accepting their demand, the government has decided to increase their commission.

The third and last change is that new technology will be used in it to make the entire ration system more modern and transparent. The Union Minister said, ‘The government will bear the expense of providing ration from this huge budget. It will increase the earnings of shopkeepers and make the entire system digital and modern.

Government’s preparation to deal with heat wave

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, ‘The current heat wave situation was discussed with all the ministers. Many tweets were made to convey the Prime Minister’s message to the nation. In response to that message, specific steps were discussed that each ministry and department can take within their respective limits.

He said, ‘Measures were discussed to provide relief and ensure the safety of Indian citizens during the heat wave, with special focus on the facilities and measures that can be implemented in the Ministry of Health, water resources sector and other related areas. The Prime Minister said very clearly that when we have to face such big challenges, we should move forward towards them with the ‘sentiment of the entire nation’.

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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has appointed eminent lyricist, writer and communication expert Prasun Joshi as the chairman of India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati. Prasoon Joshi is a distinguished creative professional with wide-ranging contributions to the fields of literature, advertising, cinema and public communication. Known for his influential writing and deep cultural sensitivity, Prasoon Joshi has played an important role in shaping the direction of contemporary Indian media. His work includes acclaimed film songs, advertising campaigns and socially relevant stories that connect with diverse audiences across the country.

Ashwini Vaishnav congratulated

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, ‘My hearty congratulations to Prasun Joshi on the appointment of Prasar Bharati Board as Chairman. Prasoon Joshi is a unique creative talent who is appreciated globally in the world of advertising, literature, art and cinema, yet his heart beats for India. His words carry the fragrance of our soil and his vision reflects the eternal essence of our culture. Under his leadership, Prasar Bharati will get new energy, deeper purpose and a new creative voice. My heartiest wishes for his upcoming tenure.

Which post did Prasun Joshi hold earlier?

Prior to this appointment, Prasoon Joshi served as the Chairman of the Mumbai-based Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) since August 2017, where he contributed to strengthening film certification processes by engaging with film industry stakeholders. His tenure at CBFC reflects a balanced approach towards creative expression and regulatory responsibility. Prior to this, he has also been the CEO of McCann World Group India and Chairman of McCann World Group Asia Pacific (a subsidiary of McCann Ericsson). He is one of the trustees of the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts since 2016.

With his extensive experience in creative industries and public communications, Joshi is expected to bring a unique perspective to the leadership of Prasar Bharati. At a time when public broadcasting is facing rapid technological change and changing audience expectations.

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expansion of prasar bharti

Let us tell you that established under the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990 and functioning since 1997, Prasar Bharati is the statutory autonomous public service broadcaster of India. It has two main departments. All India Radio (AIR) is one of the world’s largest radio networks, reaching millions of listeners across urban and rural India in multiple languages ​​and dialects. Doordarshan (DD) is India’s national television broadcaster, which offers a wide range of programs including news, education, entertainment and cultural content.

Prasar Bharati has also launched Waves OTT platform to strengthen free-to-air OTT services to promote the spirit of public broadcasting. Prasar Bharati plays an important role in dissemination of information, promotion of national integration, preservation of cultural heritage and ensuring access to reliable public broadcasting services across the country. With its vast terrestrial and digital networks, it continues to expand its reach through digital platforms, DTH services and archival initiatives.

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UDAN 2.0: The Central Government has taken a big decision to strengthen regional air connectivity in the country. Approval of Rs 28,840 crore has been given for the ‘Udaan 2.0’ (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. Under this scheme, new airport infrastructure will be developed, along with financial assistance to airlines and support for operation of small aerodromes will also be given.

Cabinet approves Udaan 2.0

After getting the cabinet approval, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that 100 new airports will be developed under this scheme. These airports will be built by developing existing unused airstrips. Each airport will cost around Rs 100 crore. A total of Rs 12,159 crore will be spent on the development of these airports in the next 8 years.

Apart from this, a target has been set to develop 200 modern helipads under the scheme, for which Rs 3,661 crore will be spent in the next eight years. At the same time, to make the projects viable, airline companies will be given assistance of Rs 10,043 crore in the form of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) in 10 years.

Scheme started in 2016

It is noteworthy that ‘Udaan’ scheme was started in October 2016, the objective of which is to connect small cities of the country with the air network and make air travel accessible and affordable for the common people. The government says that the main objective of the ‘Udaan 2.0’ scheme is to strengthen regional air connectivity, increase access to inaccessible and remote areas and promote balanced economic development by connecting small towns with the air network.

A provision of Rs 3,661 crore has been made for the construction of the helipad. Apart from this, an additional allocation of Rs 400 crore has been made in the budget to strengthen the production capacity of the aviation sector domestically under the ‘Udaan 2.0’ scheme.

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The first cabinet meeting was held today (24 February) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the new office of the PM (Seva Tirtha). Eight major decisions worth Rs 12236 crore have been approved in the cabinet meeting. The proposal to change the name of Kerala to ‘Keralaam’ has been approved. There was a demand to change the name of the state for a long time. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav gave information about the decisions of the cabinet.

Kerala will now be Kerala

Kerala state will now be known as Keralam. The cabinet has given the green signal to this proposal. There was a demand to change its name for a long time. The state government and the state assembly will also play a big role in this. The President will send the bill to the state assembly. After the bill is passed from there, this bill will come in the Parliament.

These decisions were approved

The proposal for doubling of Gondia (Maharashtra)-Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) railway line has also been given green signal in the cabinet meeting. Rs 5,236 crore has been approved for the project. A proposal of Rs 2,668 crore has been approved for Punarakh (Bihar) – Kiul (Bihar) third and fourth lines. Apart from this, a project worth Rs 1,168 crore has been approved for Gamharia (Jharkhand)-Chandil third and fourth lines.

New integrated airport terminal to be built in Srinagar

The proposal for a new integrated airport terminal in Srinagar costing Rs 1,067 crore has also been passed. The expansion of Ahmedabad (Gujarat) Metro Phase 2B has been given the green signal, Rs 1,067 crore has been approved for it. The minimum support price (MSP) of raw jute has been fixed, for which Rs 430 crore will be spent. Apart from this, a policy decision has been taken to reform the power sector. A total of Rs 12,236 crore will be spent.

What did Ashwini Vaishnav say?

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told about the decisions taken in the cabinet that the first meeting was held in Seva Teerth. Said, there were human values ​​and grandeur in the country before slavery, we will work with the same spirit. Seva Teerth will work with this spirit. Seva Teerth will not empower power but will empower every person of the country. Enumerating the works of the government, Vaishnav said, 25 crore people were brought out of poverty within a decade. Through Ayushman Yojana, we are providing health services and food to the people, providing toilets under cleanliness and permanent houses to live in.

The future will be secured by cabinet decisions

Union Minister said, there has been improvement in GST, confidence among people has increased. In the coming time, India will become the third economy of the world. He said that today’s decisions will secure the future of the coming generations. The work will reach new heights with modern technology. It will also give impetus to reforms. Will work in empowering the country with right policy leadership. Will play an important role in developing the country by 2047.

US President Donald Trump formally announced the proposed Board of Peace on Thursday (22 January 2026) on the sidelines of the annual conference of the World Economic Forum in Davos. During this time India was not present on the stage. India had received an invitation to join the initiative, but has not yet officially accepted or rejected the proposal. However, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was present at the signing ceremony.

To whom did both of them point from the stage?

While signing Trump’s Board of Peace, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif whispered something in the ear of the US President. After this, both the leaders started laughing by pointing towards the crowd sitting in front. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who grew up at the mercy of America, does not leave any chance to appear close to Trump.

Apart from India, these countries did not participate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among several global leaders invited by the US President to join the board announced as part of the phase two ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Apart from India, France, Britain, China, Germany and many other major countries also remained absent from the unveiling ceremony of the ‘Peace Board’ despite invitation.

#WATCH | US President Donald Trump, along with other members, including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signs the ‘Board of Peace Charter’ in Davos, Switzerland.

(Source: US Network Pool via Reuters) pic.twitter.com/e80UBXZZiK

— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026

Will help in solving wars in the world: Trump

While addressing the unveiling ceremony, Trump described this board as a very unique initiative for the world. “This board, together with the United Nations, can help resolve wars not only in West Asia, but elsewhere too,” he said at a ceremony to mark the signing of the board’s manifesto. However, he did not clarify how the board would cooperate with the United Nations.

Which countries are included in Trump’s peace board?

India is pushing for a ‘two-state solution’ to the Palestine issue, in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security within recognized borders. The countries joining the peace board include Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Many countries including Germany, Italy, Paraguay, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine have not yet given any clear response despite the invitation.

Purpose of America’s Peace Board

Trump’s ‘Peace Board’ is being projected by the US as a new international body to bring peace and stability in Gaza and beyond. This initiative is leading to speculation that the ‘Peace Board’ may emerge as a rival body to the United Nations. Originally, this ‘peace board’ was to be tasked with overseeing governance and coordinating funding for the reconstruction of Gaza, which has been devastated by the Israeli military’s crackdown over the past two years.

Indian Railways has announced to run new Amrit Bharat Express trains on 9 routes to increase connectivity in different parts of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his reaction on this on Wednesday (January 14, 2026).

PM Modi reacted by sharing the post

Re-sharing Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav’s post on social media platform X on Wednesday (January 14, 2026), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, ‘The new Amrit Bharat Express trains are an important step towards improving the convenience and connectivity of passengers across the country. Talking about its other benefits, it also includes promotion of trade and tourism.

The new Amrit Bharat trains mark a significant step in improving passenger comfort and connectivity. Other benefits include boosting commerce and tourism! https://t.co/4UCRuFrfCE

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 14, 2026

Railway Minister gave information about new routes of new Amrit Bharat Express trains.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav shared information about the new 9 routes of the new Amrit Bharat Express trains through a post on social media platform X on Tuesday (January 13, 2026) on the occasion of Lohri. He wrote in the caption of the post, ‘Soon 9 new Amrit Bharat Express trains will be flagged off!’

9 New Amrit Bharat Express trains to be flagged off soon!

Routes pic.twitter.com/bjq9HoZOI5

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 13, 2026

On which routes will the new Amrit Bharat Express trains run??

• According to the Railway Ministry, the first Amrit Bharat Express train will run from Guwahati (Kamakhya) to Rohtak to expand connectivity between Assam and Haryana.
• At the same time, the second Amrit Bharat Express train will run from Dibrugarh in Assam to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
• While the third train will expand connectivity between West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Indian Railways will send Amrit Bharat train from Jalpaiguri in West Bengal to Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu.
• The fourth Amrit Bharat Express train will also leave from West Bengal for Tamil Nadu, which will run from New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal to Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu.
• The fifth Amrit Bharat Express train will operate from Alipurduar in West Bengal to SMVT Bengaluru in Karnataka.
• At the same time, the sixth Amrit Bharat Express train will run from Alipurduar in West Bengal to Panvel in Mumbai.
• According to Indian Railways, the seventh Amrit Bharat Express train will run from Santragachhi in West Bengal to Tambaram in Tamil Nadu.
• The eighth Amrit Bharat Express train will leave from West Bengal for New Delhi. According to Indian Railways, it will leave from Howrah in Kolkata for Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi-NCR.
• Whereas the ninth Amrit Bharat Express train will run from Sealdah in West Bengal’s capital Kolkata to Banaras Railway Station in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh.

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Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav is on a tour of America. Here he is participating in different meetings. Vaishnav participated in the important Mineral Ministerial meeting organized by US Finance Minister Scott Besant. He himself gave information about the meeting.

Ashwini Vaishnav said that US Finance Minister Scott Besant organized a ministerial meeting focused on strengthening the supply chain of critical minerals. As we all know and especially in India when the manufacturing sector especially electronics manufacturing is growing rapidly then it is very important for all the countries including India to have a strong supply chain of critical minerals.

Discussion regarding funds for new projects
He said that in this meeting, participants from many countries discussed their experiences, steps being taken to strengthen the supply chain, so that high quality critical minerals, especially rare earth minerals, can be secured in a sustainable manner. In this meeting, participants from different countries discussed their experiences and talked about the steps being taken to strengthen the supply chain. Funds for new projects were also discussed in this meeting.

What did Ashwini Vaishnav tell?
Ashwini Vaishnav said that discussions were held between many countries regarding technology sharing. Apart from this, there was also an important discussion on recycling. There were discussions among many countries regarding sharing of research work and many agreements were also reached. He said that it was a very positive meeting, in which emphasis was laid on improving the quality and availability of critical minerals.

What did the Trump administration say?
The US administration says that dependence on mineral production by foreign powers poses a serious threat to America’s national and economic security. According to the International Energy Agency (IA), China is the leading refiner of most minerals, including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements, with an average market share of about 70 percent.

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The route of the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been finalized and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has also announced the route of the much awaited first Vande Bharat Sleeper train at Rail Bhawan. He told that the first Vande Bharat sleeper train to be received by the country this month will run between Howrah in Kolkata and Kamakhya in Guwahati. Along with this, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav also said that the first Vande Bharat Sleeper train will start on January 17 or 18 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off this new train.

How many seats will there be in Vande Bharat Sleeper Train?

The Railway Minister said that Vande Bharat Sleeper train will be run to connect cities between 1000 km and 1500 km. Regarding this route, he said that this route has been chosen as the concept of PM Modi’s Purvodaya. So that the connectivity of the North-Eastern states with the rest of the country can be further improved.

This new Vande Bharat sleeper train will have 16 coaches out of which 11 coaches will be third AC. 4 coaches will be of second AC and one coach will be of first AC. The passenger capacity of this entire train will be 823 passengers, out of which 611 seats will be in third AC. In this, 188 seats will be in second AC and 24 seats will be in first AC. This semi high speed train will run on the track at a speed of 180 km per hour.

What will be the fare of the first Vande Bharat sleeper train?

Now an important question for the passengers is that what will be the fare of this new Vande Bharat Sleeper train? Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that the fare of Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been thoughtfully kept in such a way that the fare will be much lower than the air service available on this route.

He told that the average airfare from Guwahati to Kolkata ranges from 6 thousand to 8 thousand and even up to 10 thousand rupees, but in Vande Bharat Sleeper train from Howrah to Guwahati, the third AC fare will be Rs 2300, while the second AC fare will be Rs 3000 and the first AC fare will be Rs 3600. Also, these fares are along with the food provided during the journey.

The fare of this train has been designed in such a way that a passenger traveling in First AC will have to pay a fare of Rs 3.80 paise per km. Whereas a passenger traveling in second AC will have to pay a fare of Rs 3.10 paise per km and a passenger traveling in third AC will have to pay a fare of Rs 2.40 paise per km.

12 trains will be produced by the end of this year

Apart from this, the Railway Minister also said that by the end of this year 2026, 12 new Vande Bharat sleeper trains will be produced, that is, by the end of the year, 6 new Vande Bharat sleeper train sets will be available to the Railways. However, according to Railway Ministry sources, there will be a plan to connect these 6 trains with major cities of the country, because this Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been brought to connect the cities at a distance of between 1000 km to 1500 km.

Indian Railways is going to start Vande Bharat sleeper train soon. Railways has done the speed test of this new sleeper Vande Bharat train. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has shared a video giving important updates about Vande Bharat Sleeper Train. In the video, this train is seen running at a speed of more than 180 kilometers per hour.

However, Indian Railways in this video showed the water test method to show the high speed, balance and stability of the train, which showcases the advanced technical features of this new generation train. Which has attracted people’s attention.

Railway Minister shared video on X

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav shared the video of the test on social media platform X on Tuesday (December 30, 2025). It was also seen in the video that despite the train reaching a maximum speed of 180 km per hour during the test, not even a drop of water fell from the glass.

Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by Commissioner Railway Safety. It ran at 180 kmph between Kota Nagda section. And our own water test demonstrated the technological features of this new generation train. pic.twitter.com/w0tE0Jcp2h

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) December 30, 2025

He said in the post, ‘Today the Vande Bharat sleeper train was tested by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. This train ran at a speed of 180 km per hour between Kota-Nagda section. Apart from this, the advanced technical features of this new generation train were also successfully demonstrated through water test.

Vande Bharat sleeper train will start soon

Indian Railways will soon launch the spoiler version of Vande Bharat equipped with new advanced technical features. This train is the sleeper version of the existing Chair Car (CC) of Vande Bharat Rail network. Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) has prepared two prototype rakes of the fully air-conditioned Vande Bharat Sleeper train, which are currently in the testing phase. However, in the latest test, Vande Bharat Sleeper train has successfully demonstrated its characteristics through water test.

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