Vikalp is a scheme launched by Indian Railways to help wait listed passengers. Which of the following statements about the Vikalp scheme is NOT correct?

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your understanding of a specific passenger friendly scheme of Indian Railways called Vikalp, also known as the Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme. Many exams test fine details of such schemes, especially when one option subtly misstates the scope or conditions of the facility.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Vikalp is meant for wait listed passengers.
- It offers accommodation in alternate trains when seats are available.
- The options describe key features such as confirmed berths, extra charges, booking mode, and eligible trains.
- You must identify the statement that is not correct in the context of the original design of the scheme.

Concept / Approach:
When launched, the Vikalp scheme was intended to provide confirmed accommodation to wait listed passengers in alternate trains of the same category, mainly within the pool of mail and express trains on selected routes. The facility was introduced for e tickets booked through the IRCTC website and did not promise automatic accommodation in premium trains like Rajdhani or Shatabdi for passengers who booked normal mail or express trains. Therefore any statement that suggests guaranteed use of high end premium trains as part of the basic scheme is not correct.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Check statement a. The core idea of Vikalp is that wait listed passengers may get confirmed berths in alternate trains without extra cost, so statement a correctly reflects the scheme. Step 2: Examine statement b. Indian Railways announced that no extra charges would be taken if you are shifted under Vikalp, so this is also correct. Step 3: Look at statement d. At the time of introduction, the scheme was indeed limited to e tickets booked online, which matches official announcements, so statement d is correct. Step 4: Consider statement e. One clear objective of the scheme was to reduce the number of vacant seats running in other trains while some trains remained overbooked, so statement e is also correct. Step 5: Evaluate statement c. The original scheme did not broadly allow automatic shifting from ordinary mail and express trains to high end premium trains like Rajdhani or Shatabdi. It largely applied across trains of similar category on chosen routes. Therefore statement c overstates the benefit and is not correct.

Verification / Alternative Check:
To verify, think of the pricing and reservation logic of Indian Railways. Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains have higher fares and different quota structures compared to regular mail or express trains. A scheme that routinely shifted passengers from cheaper trains to expensive premium services without any extra charge would be very difficult to manage financially. Official press notes on Vikalp carefully describe the eligible trains and emphasise same class and similar train categories, not automatic upgrades into all premium services.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a is a core feature and therefore correct, not the incorrect statement.
Option b correctly states that no additional fare is charged for accommodation through Vikalp, so it is true.
Option d correctly mentions that Vikalp started for e tickets booked online, making it a true statement.
Option e expresses the rational goal of using available capacity in alternate trains more efficiently, which is a correct description of the scheme objective.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners do not read scheme details closely and may assume that any facility automatically applies to all types of trains. This leads to the belief that every wait listed passenger can be shifted into premium trains such as Rajdhani or Shatabdi, which is not the case. Another pitfall is to pick a statement that looks new or unfamiliar, rather than carefully checking the logic of each feature against how rail pricing works.

Final Answer:
The statement that is NOT correct is Wait listed passengers can avail travel in Rajdhani, Shatabdi, or special trains under Vikalp even when the original booking is in a different mail or express train, because the scheme does not broadly guarantee such premium shifts.