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Yes, Indian Railways allows recognized schools and educational institutions to make bulk group bookings for educational tours while simultaneously availing of student concessions.

 

Because student concessions and bulk quotas require manual verification, this process cannot be done online via the IRCTC website or app and must be completed offline at a computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counter.

 

Here is everything you need to know about the eligibility, rules, and the step-by-step procedure to secure a bulk booking with student concessions.

1. Concession Eligibility & Fares

• Discount Rates: Students traveling on an official educational tour get a 50% concession (for the General category) and a 75% concession (for SC/ST categories) on the base fare.

 

• Applicable Classes: The student concession is generally applicable only for Sleeper Class (SL) and Second Seating (2S).

 

• Age Limits: To be eligible, students must be under 25 years of age (up to 27 years for SC/ST students, and up to 35 years for research scholars).

 

• Escorting Staff: Teachers, staff, or parents escorting the students do not qualify for the student concession and will be charged the full adult fare.

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2. Required Documentation

Before heading to the railway station, the school must prepare the following documents:

• Official Request Letter: A formal letter written on the school or institution's official letterhead, addressed to the Chief Reservation Supervisor (CRS) or Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr. DCM). It must state the purpose of travel (e.g., Educational Tour), train details, dates, and the total number of passengers.

 

• Student Concession Order: A standard Indian Railways student concession form, completely filled out, signed by the Head of the Institution (Principal/Director), and stamped with the official school seal.

 

• Passenger Manifest: Two copies of a detailed list of all passengers. This list must be categorized into students and adults/staff, detailing their Name, Age, Gender, and ID card numbers (like Aadhaar or School ID).

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3. Step-by-Step Booking Procedure

Step 1: Get Authorization

Take your prepared documents to the major railway station or Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) office in your city. You must get the application signed and stamped by the competent railway authority.

• For smaller groups (usually up to 18–50 passengers): The Chief Reservation Supervisor (CRS) or Station Master can grant permission.

 

• For larger groups (50+ passengers): You will need approval from higher officials like the Assistant Commercial Manager (ACM), Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), or Senior DCM.

 

Step 2: Visit the Bulk Booking Counter

Once the railway official signs your forms and passenger lists, take them to the designated "Bulk Booking" or Chief Reservation counter at the station.

 

Step 3: Payment and Issuance

Submit the approved forms. The booking clerk will manually apply the concession to the eligible students and charge the full fare for the escorting staff. You can pay via cash or the accepted digital methods at the counter, after which your group tickets will be printed and issued.

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Important Tips for Institutional Booking

• Book Early: Bulk booking approvals are subject to seat availability. Since you are competing for seats in the regular pool, it is highly recommended to start this process as close to the 120-day Advance Reservation Period (ARP) opening date as possible.

 

• Return Journeys: You can book your return journey from your originating station at the same time. Just make sure to prepare a completely separate set of request letters, concession forms, and passenger lists for the return trip.

 

• Name Changes: Indian Railways does allow name changes on bulk bookings under certain conditions, but the changes must be requested at least 48 hours before the journey with authorization from the school.

 

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Booking bulk train tickets for an educational institution involves offline verification because Indian Railways must manually validate student concessions and authorize large passenger groups. You cannot book more than 6 tickets at a time online via the IRCTC website or app.

 

Here is the complete guide to the rules, limits, and procedure for institutional bulk booking.

1. Concession Eligibility

Students traveling on an official educational tour are eligible for significant fare reductions:

• Discount Rates: 50% concession for General category students and 75% for SC/ST students.

 

• Classes Allowed: The student concession is strictly applicable only for Sleeper Class (SL) and Second Seating (2S).

 

• Age Limits: Students must be under 25 years old (up to 27 years for SC/ST, and up to 35 for research scholars).

 

• Escorts: Escorting teachers or staff do not qualify for the student concession and must pay the full adult fare.

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2. Booking Rules & Capacity Limits

• Timing: Group bookings on the opening day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) are only permitted after 9:00 AM.

 

• Maximum Cap: A group cannot book more than 50% of the available berths in Sleeper or Second Seating classes on a single train.

 

• Name Changes: Name changes are allowed for up to 10% of the total group strength, provided a handwritten request from the head of the institution is submitted at least 48 hours before departure.

 

• Return Journeys: Return tickets can be booked at the same reservation office, but they are treated as a separate journey requiring a distinct set of paperwork.

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3. Required Documents

You must bring the following paperwork to the railway reservation center:

• Authorization Letter: A request letter on the school/institution's official letterhead stating the purpose of the journey.

 

• Passenger Manifest: Three copies of the complete passenger list detailing names, ages, genders, and ID numbers (separating students from adults). The head of the institution must write a declaration of the total passenger count at the bottom, accompanied by their signature and the official school seal.

 

• Reservation Form: A single standard railway reservation form filled out with journey details. Instead of writing names individually, write "Remarks as per the list" in the passenger column.

 

• ID Proof: A photocopy of the ID of the person making the booking.

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4. Approval Limits (For Sleeper/2S)

Before booking, your application must be approved by a competent railway authority. The approving official depends on the total number of passengers:

• 7 to 18 passengers: Chief Reservation Supervisor (CRS) or Station Manager.

 

• 19 to 48 passengers: Assistant Commercial Manager (ACM) or Area Officer.

 

• 49 to 72 passengers: Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM).

 

• 73+ passengers: Senior DCM of the Division.

 

1.Prepare Documentation:

Gather the school letterhead request, standard reservation form, and three copies of the signed and sealed passenger manifest.

2.Obtain Competent Authority Approval:

Take the documents to the relevant railway official (CRS, ACM, DCM, etc., based on your group size) to have them reviewed, stamped, and signed.

3.Book at the Counter:

Present the approved paperwork at the designated bulk booking or Chief Reservation counter at a computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) center to finalize the transaction and collect your tickets.