The reservation fee is a flat amount per passenger that depends only on the class, from ₹15 in Second Sitting to ₹60 in AC First, and is added to the basic fare on every reserved ticket. It is not refunded on cancellation: the flat cancellation charge is deducted from the total fare, of which it forms part.
It is separate from the IRCTC convenience fee, which is charged only on e-tickets and is also non-refundable.
Also written or searched as: reservation charge · reservation charges by class · booking fee