RAS question
Ajmer is headquarters of which railway division?
Correct answer: (C) Ajmer Division (under North Western Railway).
Ajmer is the headquarters of the Ajmer Railway Division under the North Western Railway zone.
Explanation
Ajmer is not a separate railway zone; it is a railway division under the North Western Railway. North Western Railway's zonal headquarters is Jaipur, and its four divisions are Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner. The official CAG page for the Principal Director of Audit, North Western Railway, Jaipur states that North Western Railway, Jaipur was formed with four divisions: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Ajmer. Therefore, when the question asks which railway division has its headquarters at Ajmer, the precise answer is the Ajmer Division under North Western Railway, not Northern, Central or Western Railway.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Northern Railway is not the relevant zone here; its headquarters is at Delhi, while Ajmer belongs to the North Western Railway structure.
- (B) Central Railway is headquartered in Mumbai, so it does not explain Ajmer's divisional headquarters.
- (D) Western Railway is also headquartered in Mumbai, whereas the Ajmer division is listed under North Western Railway.
Concept
This tests the administrative geography of Indian Railways in Rajasthan, a recurring RAS economy and infrastructure theme. Such questions often check whether candidates can distinguish a railway zone from its divisions and headquarters.