Discussions continue on social media regarding RAC class seats, which are often found on trains. Users express the opinion that if a passenger has paid the full fare, they should not be issued an RAC ticket instead of a guaranteed seat. With the RAC system, two passengers are forced to travel on the same berth.
A recent viral post on social media concerned this system, claiming that after paying the full fare, the passenger is only provided half a seat. In such cases, users demand either a discount on the fare or a full refund if a confirmed seat cannot be obtained.
Specifically, one passenger raised this issue on the X platform, expressing dissatisfaction that they were allocated an AC seat despite full payment. They requested assurance of a confirmed seat as soon as possible.
DRM (Mumbai Central, Western Railway) responded to this post, explaining that RAC seats are distributed among passengers based on availability if other passengers cancel their tickets or do not board the train. They also noted that the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) allocates vacant seats according to passenger priorities on board. The railway company stated that the relevant TTE had been notified to assist the passenger.
Following the railway's response, many users called on Indian Railways to review the RAC system. They believe that sharing one berth between two strangers creates inconvenience and violates privacy, especially for female passengers. Users demanded either confirmation of the entire berth or a full refund in case of ticket cancellation. It was also suggested that at least fifty percent of the cost should be refunded if an RAC ticket is issued.
Furthermore, some passengers criticized the practice of issuing tickets by TTEs, arguing that this system should be abolished. In their view, TTEs prefer to give seats to general class passengers instead of allocating vacant seats for RAC passengers. One user also reported that some TTEs demand an extra fee for finding vacant seats, giving the passengers a receipt in return.