Indian Railways Tatkal Booking New Rules: According to the new circular of the Ministry of Railways, from July 1, 2025, only those users will be able to book Tatkal tickets whose IRCTC account is linked to Aadhaar. Apart from this, OTP verification will also be made mandatory at the time of booking from July 15.
If you travel by train and often book Tatkal tickets, then this news is very important for you. Indian Railways has made a big change in the rules related to Tatkal ticket booking (Tatkal booking rule change), which will come into effect from July 1, 2025. Now to book Tatkal tickets, it will be necessary to link IRCTC account with Aadhaar. Without this, ticket booking will not be possible.
Railways has taken this step so that fake booking and the malpractices of agents can be curbed and common people can get its benefit. That is, now only those people will be able to book Tatkal tickets who have linked their IRCTC profile with Aadhaar and its verification is complete.
Aadhaar linking is mandatory from July 1, OTP is also mandatory from July 15
According to the new circular of the Ministry of Railways, from July 1, 2025, only those users will be able to book Tatkal tickets whose IRCTC account is linked to Aadhaar. Apart from this, OTP verification will also be made mandatory at the time of booking from July 15, which will come on the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar. Ticket booking will not be completed without OTP.
Strictness on agents too, booking banned for first half hour
Railways has taken another strict step with this rule. Now railway ticket agents will not be able to book any tickets for 30 minutes before Tatkal booking starts.
Let us tell you that the Tatkal Ticket Booking Time starts at 10 am for AC coaches and 11 am for Sleeper class. That is, agents will now be able to book tickets for AC only after 10:30 am and for Sleeper only after 11:30 am. This change has been made so that the common passenger gets the first chance and agents cannot hijack the system.
How to link IRCTC profile with Aadhaar?
If your account is not yet linked to Aadhaar, then do it immediately. For this, we are telling you easy steps…
- Login to IRCTC website or app.
- Go to ‘My Account’ section and select ‘Link Your Aadhaar’ option.
- Enter your Aadhaar number and name, then enter the OTP received on the registered mobile and submit.
- That’s it, your account will be linked to Aadhaar.
Common people will benefit from the implementation of the new rule
Railways says that the purpose of these changes is to bring transparency in the railway ticket booking system and to benefit the common people. Till now, those who booked tickets through agents or wrong means used to get priority, but in the new rule, the common user will get the first chance.
If you also book Tatkal tickets in trains, then immediately link your IRCTC account with Aadhaar and also complete the OTP verification process. Because after July 1, ticket booking will not be possible without Aadhaar linking and after July 15, ticket booking will not be possible without OTP verification.
