Indian Railway Board

IRICEN is the training institute for the Civil Engineers of the Indian Railways. The institute had a modest start in 1959 as the Permanent Way Training School for training entry-level Civil Engineers.

It is now a Centralised Training Institute and trains officers of the IRSE cadre of the Indian Railways. Located in the historical and cultural city of Pune, IRICEN imparts training to up to 100 engineers/managers at a time. Engineers from Railways of the developing countries as well as other government departments/private organisations are also trained. The training programmes are generally residential in nature. Available infrastructure for conducting various training programmes includes a well-stocked technical library, computer centre, material testing laboratory, model room/museum, hostel, mess and recreational facilities for the trainee officers.

For achieving excellence in training, IRICEN has obtained ISO 9001-2015 certification. As per letter of certification issued by NABCB (The certifying body), the certificate is effective from 27 February 2021 to 26 February 2024. The institute also trains Railway Engineers for other agencies including RITES, IRCON etc.

The IRICEN is one of six Centralised Training Institutes that share the task of training of officers. The other Centralised Training Institutes are for training entry-level Civil Engineers.

Engineers from Railways of the developing countries as well as other government departments/private organisations are also trained. The training programmes are generally residential in nature.

"I feel honored to have been given the opportunity to be part of this premier institution of Civil Engineering in Indian Railways. This institution is a Centre of knowledge."

About knowledge, I will like to quote two Sanskrit sayings:

नास्ति विद्यासमो बन्धुर्नास्ति विद्यासमः सुहृत् ।।
नास्ति विद्यासमं वित्तं नास्ति विद्यासमं सुखम् ॥

It is said that there is no brother, no friend like knowledge. As wealth also, there is nothing like knowledge & at the same time, there is no happiness like knowledge.

And this institute is performing yeoman service by imparting/refreshing the knowledge of Civil Engineers in Railways. Another Sanskrit saying goes like this;

आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते , पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया ।
पादं सब्रह्मचारिभ्यः,पादं कालक्रमेण च ॥

The meaning is, Learning is achieved in four ways : A quarter of it is through teachers, another quarter is achieved by the student’s own intelligence, third quarter comes from sharing & fellow students and the last left quarter comes with experience/passage of time/application of what is learnt.

This institute is taking care of almost 50% of the requirement of learning i.e. by teaching students & by providing them platform for sharing knowledge with each other.

Civil Engineers in Railways are not only creator of major infrastructure, but are also engaged in maintenance of assets like track, bridges buildings etc. Lots of new developments and new techniques are taking place almost on a daily basis in this industry of Construction and Maintenance. It is difficult for the field engineers to keep themselves abreast with this rapidly changing scenario. This institute bridges this gap for them.

IRICEN is also providing web-based free e-learning modules, which makes an important mode of distant learning facility available to all the Civil Engineers in Railways.

It is rightly said that Knowledge is Power. And the knowledge that this institute imparts, not only helps in developing a sense of commitment & dedication in them; it also inspires them to do better.

As a head of this Institute, it will be my endeavor to contribute my bit to take this premier institute to new levels of glory