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Training Modules for Permanent Way Supervisors (SE / JE P.Way, Sr. PWS)

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Circular Info
Date: 
23/02/2010
RBE No: 
34/2010
Circular Subject: 
Revised Training Modules for Civil Engineering (Permanent Way) Supervisors (SEs, JEs and Sr. PWSs)

 

1. The Task Force constituted under the Human Resource Reforms Committee for reviewing the Training Modules for Civil Engineering Department has submitted its reports in respect of Permanent Way Supervisors. The Board (ME & MS) have approved the training modules contained in these reports. Accordingly, the recommendations of these reports are being circulated herewith in two parts (Part A- Induction Training and Part B Promotional and Refresher Training).

2. For better management of training, the following decisions/inputs are also communicated.

(a) Distinct Training Objectives have been identified for the Induction Training, Promotional Training and Refresher Training, keeping in view the different profiles of the trainees attending these training programmes.

(b) Specific strategies have been proposed for improving the efficacy of practical and field training.

(c) A new concept of ‘Experiential Learning’ by way of ‘On the Job Attachment’ of two months has been introduced. During this period, the trainees will get the experience of actual hands on working in the units where they are eventually to be posted. Permanent Way Supervisors being a safety category, they will not take independent safety, operational and financial decisions but will act under the mentorship and guidance of the concerned In-charges.

(d) Management, supervision and evaluation of entire training including the component of field training will vest with the Zonal Level training centre under overall supervision of respective Zonal Training Manager of Civil Engineering department viz. CE/G.

(e) Multiple strategies like specifying critical activities for mandatory coverage, innovative training methodologies and improvements in model rooms and model yards have been proposed and implementation of these should be ensured.

3. At a glance structure of Induction, Promotional and Refresher training programmes for the

Permanent Way Supervisor categories is as under: -

Induction Training (PART ‘A’)

Category

Duration of Training (in months)

Phase- I

Phase-II

Phase III

Total

 

Zonal Level Training Institute

Field

Zonal Level Training Institute

Field

Attachment

Phase

 

SE/ P.Way

4

2

2

2

2

12

JE/ P.Way

4

2

2

2

2

12

Senior PWS

2

1

2

1

2

8

 

 

Promotional and Refresher Training (PART ‘B’)

Category

Duration of Training

Promotional

Refresher

SE/ P.Way

1 ½months

12 days

JE/ P.Way

2 months

12 days

Senior PWS

1 ½months

12 days

 

4. Detailed Course contents and Lesson Plans for these training programmes are at Annexures

PART- A

REVISED TRAINING MODULES (INDUCTION TRAINING) FOR PERMANENT WAY SUPERVISORS (SE/P WAY, JE/ P WAY & SR. PWS)

Annexure to Board’s letter No. E (MPP)/2009/3/17 dated 23/02/2010 –

SALIENT RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Training Objectives:

The following are the main objectives of Induction Training, in the case of Permanent Way Supervisors:

(a) Imparting of knowledge about Track engineering and methods of its maintenance, as this is an entirely new area for any fresher with degree or diploma qualification;

(b) Building Skill base of trainees as the subject matter is basically in the nature of an ‘Applied Science’;

(c) Exposing them to critical operational and safety procedures and practices which they would be expected to encounter routinely during the course of their duties;

(d) Focused capsules on specialized areas like Track Machines, Welding, General and Subsidiary Rules and other safety and operational aspects;

(e) Familiarizing the trainees with organization, structure and working of Indian Railways;

(f) Imparting basic knowledge and skills in various areas of Management, viz.- Human Resource Management, Railway Finance and Budgeting, Contract Management and Materials Management etc.

2. Greater Emphasis should be on Learning of Practical Aspects:

(a) Knowledge of current and future track structure, safety and operational rules, familiarization with essential modern tools, plants and machinery used in track maintenance and first hand exposure to various track maintenance activities are the targeted inputs in this training.

(b) Most of these are direct inputs in practical day to day working. Emphasis therefore has to be obviously more on practical learning than on theoretical inputs.

(c) As such, besides classroom lectures for theoretical knowledge, visit to Model Rooms and actual field for witnessing maintenance practices and major activities would be critical ingredients for achieving the desired training objectives. Current over dependence on classroom lectures would need to change to more emphasis on improving Model Room and field exposure segments.

(d) For this, list of minimum exhibits to be commonly available in the model rooms and model yards of all training centres has been prepared and is placed at Annexure-VI.

3. Field Training:

(a) The task force has, drawn a specific list of critical activities in which the trainees should necessarily be trained during field training capsule.

(b) In case any of these critical activities is not taking place in a particular sub division/division at the time of their field training schedule, then the trainees should be sent to other nearby units where such activities may be in progress at that point of time.

(c) The list of these specified critical field activities is placed at Annexure-IV.

4. Visits to Specialized Institutes:

(a) Existing provision of visits to IRTMTC for track machines, TPP/LKO, TWTC/ BZA for welding and to ZRTIs for learning of safety and operational aspects must be adhered scrupulously as it is noted that in few railways, trainees are not being sent to ZRTI, for Transportation capsule.

5. Modification in Training Structure: Introduction of Experiential Learning ‘On the Job Attachment’:

(a) A new phase of ‘Experiential Learning’ i.e. ‘On the Job Attachment’ will be imparted towards the end of training.

(b) In this phase a trainee would be sent to the unit where he is eventually to be posted.

There he will be attached to the outgoing sectional in-charge. This would require decision regarding posting in advance. In exceptional circumstances, the trainee can be posted as ‘PWI Special’ under overall in-charge supervisor.

(c) Task Force has identified few tasks/ activities which the trainee can handle during this phase (list at Annexure-V).

(d) This phase of actual working and hands on exposure, albeit under supervision, called ‘On the Job Attachment’ phase will be of 2 months towards the end of training period. After this the trainee will come back to the training centre for final presentation and examination.

6. Management and Coordination of Induction Training:-

(a) Zonal level training centres should be made as the single nodal agency for managing and coordinating the induction training in its entirety. This will result in manifold improvements few of which are listed below:-

i. The big disconnect between what is taught in the training centre in 1st and 2nd phase of institutional training and what trainees actually get to see in field training, in present scheme of things, would be taken care of to a great extent. There will be a greater convergence in the institutional and field training inputs.

ii. Training centres are exclusively devoted towards the responsibility of training and over time acquire fair degree of professionalism and specialization in various critical aspects of training and learning. They are better equipped to handle the training of apprentices than randomly selected field officers who are hard pressed by burden of daily exigencies and for whom training remains an activity of secondary importance.

iii. Apprentices also, joining Railway organization for the first time, are more attached to training centres and obviously rely on them for their various needs and problems. Unauthorized absence, if any can also be handled.

iv. Control by training institute will ensure that in the changed scenario of advanced and sophisticated track maintenance, all the trainees necessarily receive essential inputs in specified critical activities and do not lose out on any one or more of these. It can easily be managed by only two point coordination between the training centre and the training nodal officer in the headquarters, where information regarding location and timing of all major activities is readily available.

v. This will also improve the level of uniformity in learning within same batch of apprentices.

vi. Monitoring and assessment of learning imbibed during field training would also improve greatly.

vii. Single point processing and coordination, though would require some strengthening of training centre setup, would still, in ultimate analysis, save on lot of duplicate and redundant efforts for same work for same batch of apprentices in various units and would also save wastage of precious trainee days significantly.

7. Up-dation of Course Content:

(a) The Task Force has gone deeply into detailed course content and has revised it thoroughly.

(b) Many obsolete items have been struck off and whichever are required to be retained have been assigned properly reduced weightage.

(c) Conversely many essential items, which are now an integral, part of modern track structure and maintenance methods viz- USFD testing and mechanized maintenance etc. have been duly incorporated and elaborated.

(d) Task Force has also added ‘Surveying’ and ‘Disaster Management’ as topics of institutional training.

8. Restructuring of Course content:

(a) Narrative format of existing training modules has been restructured in the user friendly format with proper classification into major areas, topics, sub topics etc. and detailed lesson plans for the same have been drawn accordingly.

 (b) Significant reshuffling of topics has been done between two phases of institutional training. To name a few major ones- SWR, LWR, welding and mechanized maintenance which are presently scheduled in 2nd phase of existing modules have now been brought to 1st phase, as these are the major items to be encountered by the trainees when they go out for field training and non exposure to such important aspects of modern track maintenance even after spending sizable time in 1st phase of institutional training is quite incongruous.

(c) Similarly within the each phase a number of topics have been reshuffled to ensure proper grouping and logical sequencing for easier learning and better retention and recall.

9. Training Methodology:-

(a) Present training is overly dependent on old patterned classroom lecture methodology. It needs to be more interactive and audio visual in the form of group discussions, case studies, presentation, films etc. There have been varying degrees of advances in several training centres in this area. Few centres are using audio-visual aids, overhead projectors and computer presentations to impart training. But there is a lot of scope of further improvement and innovation in this area.

(b) Tremendous advancements in IT, convergence of device formats and reducing cost of storing and sharing information in multiple forms of text, visuals, videos etc opens up an exciting world of possibilities for transforming our instruction models. It is much easier now to opt for highly effective multi-sensory teaching techniques which would not be limited by the confines of classrooms or pre-fixed, inflexible time schedules. Training centres would need to be equipped with broadband internet connections and their websites could act as hub of sharing knowledge on demand.

10. Training Infrastructure:

(a) It is very important to equip the training centres with required infrastructure in terms of adequate class rooms, properly equipped model rooms, modern teaching aids and other required resources.

(b) With the proposed enlargement of training centres’ role and responsibilities, provision of commensurate resources in terms of office assistance and communication facilities including broadband internet connections etc. would be essential.

(c) Similarly hostels, messing and recreational facilities also need to be augmented to ensure reasonable level of comfort to the trainees.

(d) Senior officers from zonal/ divisional headquarters should regularly inspect the Training Centre. A schedule of annual inspection by PCE, for example, could be introduced for this purpose. Such inspections should not only focus on physical infrastructure, upkeep and maintenance, but should also assess the quality of training being imparted and the learning actually being imbibed by the trainees.

11. Model for Academic Excellence and Continuous Improvement:

(a) Task Force proposes a ‘Two Pronged 3 Tier’ strategy for academic excellence involving Indian Railway Institute of Civil Engineering (IRICEN), Zonal Training Centres and Divisional Training Centres.

(b) While different zonal headquarters and divisions may continue to look after the zonal and divisional training centres administratively and functionally, in academic matters like standardization of training inputs, development of new capsules (special courses) on introduction of new technologies,dissemination of valuable project work and case studies, up-gradation of course content and teaching methodologies or any other innovations IRICEN should be guiding zonal centres on programmed basis.

(c) A formal mechanism of Annual Seminar of Zonal training centre- Principals and Faculty at IRICEN may be put in place for it. Zonal training centres in turn should play similar guiding role for divisional training centres.

(d) Further the Principals should get more active support from the nodal zonal training managers (Chief Engineer/ General) for scheduling field training, attachments and expeditious evaluation etc.

 

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