In a significant development, the Ministry of Railways has issued a directive to the National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR), Vadodara, instructing it to transfer all its assets to Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), a Central university envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Railway Board announced on Monday that, considering the substantial progress achieved by GSV, and to facilitate proper coordination and support from NAIR and other Central Training Institutes, a decision has been made to transfer all infrastructural facilities on the campus to GSV. This includes classrooms, faculty offices, laboratories, hostels, guest houses, auditoriums, security, sports facilities, and more.
NAIR has been notified that, for any approved training programs, it must obtain necessary permission from the Vice-Chancellor of GSV. Additionally, all future annual training calendars of NAIR and CTIs are to be planned in consultation with GSV, which will have priority in the use of these facilities.
This move has sparked lamentation among many serving and retired railway officers who view it as the end of an era for the rich legacy of the Indian Railway’s decades-old apex training facility in Vadodara. Established in 1952, NAIR, formerly known as the Railway Staff College, has been operating from the Pratap Vilas Palace in Vadodara on a sprawling 43.5-acre campus. It has been instrumental in imparting foundation and induction training programs for Group-A officers who qualify the Civil Services Examination and choose a career in the railways. NAIR has also played a crucial role in providing foundation programs for Group-B officers and conducting refresher, skill-upgradation, and other mid-career training programs for railway officers.
