Port Blair, June 20: The Railway Recruitment Board, Ministry of Railways, Govt of India has agreed for setting up an Examination Centre at Port Blair for recruitment examinations being conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board. This is indeed a welcome step, said the Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray today, appreciating the efforts of the Administration in this regard.

“Even though the Job opportunities for local Candidates in Railways got a break when the UPA govt after 2004 discontinued recruitment examinations in the Islands. Earlier, the NDA govt had set up a centre in Port Blair for conduct of recruitment examinations by the Railway Recruitment Board. And in the course about 15 youths from different parts of Island territory got appointed in the Railways in 2003”, Ray said.

“The Vajpayee Govt was considerate enough to approve a Railways Recruitment Centre at Port Blair in 2003. Had it continued since then, a large number of local youths would have got employment in Railways. But as soon as the UPA-I took the reins the approval granted by NDA Govt was scraped, thus depriving Island candidates of opportunity to try their luck in Railways for the last ten years”.

“Since being re-elected as the MP of the Islands in 2009, I have many times demanded setup of Railway Recruitment Examination Centre at Port Blair in various forums and in the Parliament. Any how the returning of Railway Recruitment Examination Centre to Port Blair now is a welcome step”, the MP added while expressing his views.