The Railways Ministry has said that media reports suggesting that the Indian Railways are taking steps towards compulsorily retiring a sizeable number of Railway employees is without any substance. <br />''<br />''The Ministry in a release yesterday clarified that the directive issued to Railway Zones is for conducting a routine performance review of all employees which is a routine exercise like previous years.<br />''<br />''The release said Indian Railways have recruited over one lakh eighty thousand employees in various categories during the period from 2014 to 2019. The Ministry said, the exercise for recruitment of over two lakh eighty thousand persons is underway and the process shall be completed within the next two months. <br />