Railways approve liberalised promotion policy for sportspersons

Athletes employed with the Indian Railways will have a brighter chance at achieving officer rank after union minister Piyush Goyal today approved a new promotion policy which would make them eligible for elevation even if they are not Olympic medal-winners.

As per the new policy, any athlete, who has made two Olympic appearances and has won medals at either the Asian Games or the Commonwealth Games or the World Championships, will be promoted to officer rank. Even Padma Shri awardees and winners of any of the national sports awards will be eligible for elevation.

"In order to give due recognition to the effort put in by the sportspersons, who have made two appearances in Olympics, won a medal in Asian Games/Commonwealth Games, it has now been decided to award them with a promotion to the officer rank," a Ministry release stated.

"Further Railway sportsperson who are winners of any of the awards like Arjuna/Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award would also be entitled to the said promotion," it added.

The Railways did not have a clear policy for promotions for its sports employees till the 2016 Rio Olympics. After the Rio Games, the body decided to consider promotions for only the medal-winners and fourth-place finishers at the Olympics.

However, Goyal, in the presence of Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore at