IRSE Licensing

Indian Railways has recognized the need for a competence management system based on the IRSE licensing model used in the UK and across Europe & Asia Pacific. This initiative aims to ensure that safety-critical signalling work is performed only by certified individuals with verified knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Licensing ensures that railway signalling and telecommunications activities that could affect safety are carried out by competent professionals following standardized procedures.

Indian Railways is at the cusp of major modernisation of its network using futuristic technologies. This requires faster adoption of these systems, which can happen only if they’re able to have sufficient number of competent people around Design, Installation practices, Fabrication of systems/ structures, Testing, Maintenance, Operations and Safety. So apart from manufacturing rolling stock, laying world class fixed assets/ infrastructure at stations and block stations, it also needs setting up of Modern integrated Maintenance Centres, Design Centres, Independent Testing and Certification labs, Security Operations Centres and Safety Validation and Verification set ups. All these high-end assets thus require Competent manpower duly certified in relevant areas/ tasks on the Indian Railways. Thus if we talk about Railway Signalling and telecom only, Indian Railways need nearly 10000 licensed/ certified engineers in the area of S&T design, installation, testing, project implementation, maintenance, safety, cyber Security, AI/ ML systems for its Technicians/ supervisors along with thousands executives of Signalling and Telecom System Integrators/ OEMs working on Railways in next 4-5 years.

HI2AI – Human Intelligence powered Artificial Creativity and Intelligence in the area of competence building, assessment and certification is thus a prime area for HI2AI. It is already assisting many railways & its OEMs in building internal capacities as competence development and assessing organisation as per global standards like Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (UK) based on ISO 17024 or similar, which operates largest Licensing Scheme for Competence Management in the Railway S&T field. HI2AI is working in building a partnership with them to use AI for Competence Development, Assessment, Maintenance, Testing etc in Indian Subcontinent. It shall apply to all persons engaged in the Specification, Design, Installation, Testing, Maintenance, commissioning or Management of signalling, telecommunications, and their subsystems, which could affect railway safety; and to persons involved with the training, supervision and management of those people. Thus, organisations/ candidates desirous of getting an IRSE License may apply here, which in coordination with IRSE (UK) as Assessment Organization to assess the person who can satisfy the performance criteria and knowledge requirements laid down in the IRSE Licensing Scheme Competence Standards

Steps to obtain your IRSE license in India

1. Choose a Licence Category
Identify the category that aligns with your current or planned work activities within railway signalling and telecommunications.

2. Review Competence Assessment Checklist (CAC)
This document outlines the specific knowledge, skills, and experience required for the chosen licence category. It helps determine what you already meet and where further training or experience is needed.
CLICK HERE to view the IRSE Licensing Documentation

3. Prepare a Logbook
Compile a detailed logbook that serves as evidence of your experience, training, mentoring, and qualifications. This logbook will be reviewed during the assessment.
CLICK HERE to view Logbooks

4. Find an Approved Assessing Agency
Applicant can see list of approved assessing agencies on the IRSE website, where candidates can choose the assessing agency that best meets their needs.www.irse.org/Licensing/Find-an-assessing-agency

5. Complete Personal Statement on the CAC
Provide a clear and concise statement on each page of the CAC, explaining how you meet the specified criteria.

6. Undergo Workplace Assessment
The assessing agency will arrange for an assessor to observe you performing work activities related to the licence category, either in your normal work environment or in a simulated environment.

7. Undergo Competency Assessment
Assessing agency will assign a Competency Assessor who shall check the logbook, workplace assessment, and other relevant information, ensuring you meet the required standards.