Last Updated:
The ‘clerkage’ fee is an administrative charge deducted when unconfirmed tickets are refunded.
Indian Railways plans to scrap clerkage fees and ease rules for Tatkal bookings, bringing cheer to passengers.
(Representative/Shutterstock)
Indian Railways is all set to reduce or even scrap the clerkage fee—an administrative charge it deducts when you cancel a waitlisted ticket.
This move comes as more people book online, lowering ticketing costs. Officials have started discussing the idea of easing the burden on passengers whose tickets remain unconfirmed but still get penalised during refunds.
How Much Is the Clerkage Fee?
Currently, if you cancel a confirmed ticket, Indian Railways charges:
- Rs 60 for air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned reserved coaches
- Rs 30 for unreserved second-class tickets
Even if you book online via IRCTC, this fee still applies. Alongside, IRCTC adds a convenience fee of Rs 30 for AC tickets and Rs 15 for non-AC tickets.
As per TOI, an official explained that clerkage charges help cover the cost of running the booking system. All this money goes straight into Indian Railways’ funds for maintenance, operations, and improvements.
Tatkal Bookings Get Stricter
From 1 July 2025, booking Tatkal tickets online will require identity verification. You’ll need to confirm your identity using Aadhaar or government IDs stored in DigiLocker.
Officials say this step will make bookings more secure and prevent misuse. An OTP-based verification system is also expected to launch by the end of July.
New Chart Timings
In another passenger-friendly change, Indian Railways plans to prepare reservation charts eight hours before departure instead of four.
For trains leaving before 2 PM, charts will be ready by 9 PM the previous day. This shift aims to reduce confusion, especially for passengers boarding at nearby stations.
Samreen Pall, Senior Sub-Editor at News18, is a Computer Science graduate but a writer at heart, Samreen has one motto that she swears by: ‘Everything is dull and useless if it has no drama in it.’ This motto c…Read More
Samreen Pall, Senior Sub-Editor at News18, is a Computer Science graduate but a writer at heart, Samreen has one motto that she swears by: ‘Everything is dull and useless if it has no drama in it.’ This motto c… Read More
- First Published: