In an attempt to improve transparency and curb the misuse of the Tatkal ticket booking facility, the Indian Railways has introduced new rules for booking that includes mandatory Aadhaar-based authentication and the use of a one-time password (OTP).
Implementation schedule
From July 1, 2025, passengers booking Tatkal tickets via the mobile application or website of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will be required to use Aadhaar-based authentication. From July 15 onwards, the passengers will also need to authenticate transaction using OTP for enhanced verification for all online Tatkal bookings.
All Tatkal bookings done physically at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through authorised railway agents will also require OTP-based authentication. Passengers will receive an OTP on their registered mobile number, which must be submitted to complete the booking process.
Will keep use of bots in check
The Railways officials claim that the new rules will offer greater chance for genuine passengers to book tickets on time and keep the misuse of the reservation system by bots and agents in check. Enhanced identity verification through Aadhaar and OTP also lowers the probability of scams or fraud.
Scheme dates back to 1997
The Indian Railways is the world’s fourth largest rail network, running over 13,000 trains every day and ferrying around 2.2 crore persons across 7,325 stations. The Tatkal scheme (which implies instant booking) was started in 1997 to cater to the passengers travelling on short notice and protect them against touts or unscrupulous agents.
Limit for Tatkal seats
A specific percentage of seats in each train are reserved for the ‘Tatkal scheme’ quota. Zonal railways have been delegated the authority to fix the Tatkal quota in various classes by taking into account the availability of seats and the usage patterns.
The Tatkal quota, however, cannot exceed the 30 percent of the capacity of the coach. According to the statistics of the Railways, on an average, around 20 percent of the seats or berths available each day are earmarked for Tatkal bookings.
Tatkal bookings are allowed in all classes except First AC. A person is allowed to book only two tickets per day from 8 am to 12 noon from a particular IP address and only a maximum of four passengers per PNR (Passenger Name Record) can be booked for Tatkal tickets.
Tatkal tickets can be cancelled, but the fare paid is not refundable for confirmed tickets. Fare is refunded only if the passenger is in the waiting list, the train gets delayed or any other technical reason, for which the Railways is responsible.
Ensuring a level playing field
The web services agents of the IRCTC have been permitted to book only one Tatkal ticket per train per day on the Internet. Besides, the agents will not be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of opening the booking window so as to give a better chance to ordinary passengers.
The Ministry of Railways has also directed the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation to implement the necessary system upgrades and coordinate with all zonal railways to ensure a smooth implementation of the new rules.
Steps to follow
While booking the Tatkal ticket under the new system, passengers should keep their Aadhaar card handy, and then choose the origin and destination stations, date of journey and travel class.
Under the quota head, select Tatkal, pick a train and then click on the “Book Now” link. Thereafter, the portal will ask for passenger details and mobile number along with a verification code. The passengers will receive an Aadhaar OTP on their registered mobile phone, which they will have to feed for booking.
After checking the fare and confirming the relevant details, they can complete the payment. On confirmation, they will receive an SMS with the ticket.
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