The Ministry in a release on 30^th July 2019 clarified that a directive has been issued to Railway Zones is for conducting a routine performance review of all employees, which is a routine exercise like previous years.

The Railways on Tuesday clarified that the letters sent to zonal offices to identify employees above the age of 55 years and those who have completed 30 years in service were for a “routine” performance review. 

Indian Railways clarified in a release that it has recruited over one lakh eighty thousand employees in various categories during the period from 2014 to 2019. The Ministry said, the exercise for recruitment of over two lakh eighty thousand persons is underway and the performance review process shall be completed within the next two months. This clarification came amidst of speculation that the Indian Railways was in the midst of compulsorily retiring a size-able number of its employees.