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Railways | RPF

RPF Constable Latest notified cycle

Armed force recruitment for the Railway Protection Force, open at class 10 level, decided by a Computer Based Test followed by physical measurement and efficiency tests.

Awaiting notification4 stages

Overview

Conducting body
RPFrpf.indianrailways.gov.in
Age limit
18 years and above, upper limit varies by post
Application fee
₹250 to ₹500
Vacancies
To be announced
First stage duration
1 hr 30 min
Negative marking
1/3 mark per wrong answer

Railway Protection Force Recruitment of Constables (Executive) is conducted by Railway Protection Force, Ministry of Railways. Selection runs through 4 stages: Computer Based Test, Physical Efficiency Test, Physical Measurement Test, Document Verification and Medical Examination.

  1. Clear the Computer Based Test, meeting the minimum qualifying percentage for your category.
  2. Qualify the Physical Efficiency Test, which is pass or fail.
  3. Meet the height and chest standards at the Physical Measurement Test.
  4. Attend Document Verification in merit order for your group.
  5. Pass the medical examination applicable to an armed force post before appointment.

Important dates

Important dates
EventDateStatus
Notification release

RPF recruitment is notified irregularly rather than annually, and Constable and Sub-Inspector posts are usually advertised together.

To be announcedNot announced
Online application window

Usually open for about a month from the notification date.

To be announcedNot announced
Computer Based Test

Held across many shifts, with scores normalised.

To be announcedNot announced
Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Measurement TestTo be announcedNot announced
Document VerificationTo be announcedNot announced
Medical ExaminationTo be announcedNot announced
Final result and panelTo be announcedNot announced

Eligibility

Educational qualification

A pass in class 10, that is matriculation, from a recognised board.

Only class 10 is required, and a higher qualification neither disqualifies you nor earns additional credit. Because the physical stages carry equal weight with the written test in practice, this is a recruitment where fitness and eligibility documentation matter as much as study.

Age

18 to 28 years as on the cut-off date stated in the official notification.

Upper age relaxation

  • SC and ST+5 years
  • OBC (non-creamy layer)+3 years
  • Ex-servicemen, after deducting service rendered+3 years
  • Serving railway employees, as specified in the notification+5 years
  • Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated who have not remarried+7 years

Nationality

A candidate must be one of the following:

  • A citizen of India
  • A subject of Nepal or Bhutan
  • A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 intending to settle permanently
  • A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka or specified East African countries intending to settle permanently in India

Application fee

CategoryFee
General, OBC and EWS

Rupees 400 is refunded after you appear in the Computer Based Test, net of bank charges.

₹500
SC, ST, ex-servicemen, women, transgender, minorities and economically backward class

The full amount is refunded after you appear in the Computer Based Test, net of bank charges.

₹250

Fees have been stable across recent cycles but are the kind of detail a notification can revise. Confirm on the official notification before paying.

Exam pattern

Stage by stage structure with question counts, marks, timing and the marking scheme.

Stage 1: Computer Based Test

Computer based test
SectionQuestionsMarks
General Awareness5050
Arithmetic3535
General Intelligence and Reasoning3535
Total120120

Duration: 1 hr 30 min|Negative marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer

  • 120 questions for 120 marks in a composite 90 minutes.
  • General Awareness alone is 50 of the 120 marks, making it the decisive section.
  • Minimum qualifying marks are 35% for UR, OBC and EWS, and 30% for SC and ST.
  • Scores are normalised across shifts, and candidates are shortlisted for the physical stages at a multiple of the vacancies.

Stage 2: Physical Efficiency Test

Skill testQualifying only

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • Purely qualifying: it adds no marks, but failing ends your candidature regardless of your written score.
  • Male candidates are required to run 1600 metres in about five and three quarter minutes, clear a long jump of about 14 feet and a high jump of about 4 feet.
  • Female candidates are required to run 800 metres in about three and two thirds minutes, clear a long jump of about 9 feet and a high jump of about 3 feet.
  • Ex-servicemen are exempted from the Physical Efficiency Test but must still meet the measurement standards.
  • Confirm the exact timings and distances from the current notification, where they are stated precisely.

Stage 3: Physical Measurement Test

Skill testQualifying only

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • Height is measured for all candidates, and chest measurement, both unexpanded and expanded, is taken for male candidates.
  • The required standards differ by gender and by category, with lower height requirements for SC and ST candidates and for candidates from specified hill communities such as Garhwalis, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas and Kumaonese.
  • This is a hard physical threshold that no amount of preparation changes, so check the table in the notification against your own measurements before applying.

Stage 4: Document Verification and Medical Examination

Document and medicalQualifying only

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • Candidates are called in merit order against the vacancies for their group.
  • The medical standard for this post is that applicable to an armed force role, including vision, hearing and general fitness requirements.
  • Appointment follows only after both verification and medical clearance.

Syllabus

General Awareness

  • Indian history and the freedom struggle
  • Indian polity and the constitution
  • Indian and world geography
  • Indian economy basics
  • General science at school level
  • Sports, awards and honours
  • Art, culture and important days
  • Government schemes and flagship programmes
  • Indian Railways: organisation, zones and the role of the RPF
  • Current affairs of the previous six to twelve months

Mathematics

  • Number system and simplification
  • Decimals and fractions
  • LCM and HCF
  • Ratio and proportion
  • Percentage
  • Average
  • Profit and loss
  • Simple and compound interest
  • Discount
  • Time and work
  • Time, speed and distance
  • Mensuration
  • Tables and graphs at basic level

General Intelligence & Reasoning

  • Analogies
  • Similarities and differences
  • Spatial visualisation and spatial orientation
  • Visual memory and discrimination
  • Observation and relationship concepts
  • Arithmetical reasoning and figural classification
  • Arithmetic number series
  • Non-verbal series
  • Coding and decoding
  • Statement and conclusion
  • Syllogistic reasoning

How to apply

  1. Measure yourself against the physical standards first

    Height and chest requirements are absolute and category-specific. Check the table in the notification against your own measurements before spending anything, because this eliminates candidates at a late stage and cannot be prepared for.

  2. Register on the recruitment portal

    Recent RPF recruitment has been conducted through the centralised railway application system. Follow the link given in the notification rather than assuming a portal.

  3. Choose your group of zonal railways

    You apply against a group, and merit is drawn group by group. This determines both your competition and where you are likely to be posted.

  4. Upload your photograph, signature and certificates

    The portal specifies dimensions and file sizes. Category certificates must be in the prescribed central government format.

  5. Pay the fee and keep the receipt

    Most of the fee is refunded after you appear for the CBT, so provide accurate bank details and save the transaction record.

Documents to keep ready

  • Class 10 mark-sheet and pass certificate
  • Valid photo identity proof such as Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence or voter ID
  • Caste or EWS certificate in the prescribed central government format, where applicable
  • Certificate evidencing membership of a specified hill community, where claiming relaxed height standards
  • Ex-servicemen discharge certificate, where applicable
  • Certificate of marital status, where claiming relaxation as a widow or divorced woman
  • Recent passport-size photograph and signature matching the images uploaded
  • Bank account details for the fee refund

Salary and job profile

Pay and allowances

Pay scale:
Level 3 of the 7th Central Pay Commission pay matrix
Initial basic pay:
To be announced
Approximate in-hand:
To be announced

Allowances

  • Dearness Allowance revised periodically
  • House Rent Allowance based on the city classification of the posting
  • Transport Allowance
  • Ration money allowance
  • Uniform and kit maintenance allowance
  • Night duty allowance where applicable

Perks

  • Railway quarters or barrack accommodation
  • Free or concessional railway passes for self and family
  • Railway hospital and dispensary medical facilities
  • Pension under the National Pension System
  • Provident fund and gratuity
  • Canteen and welfare facilities

Confirm the current basic pay and allowance rates from the notification and the applicable rules, since allowances specific to a uniformed force change independently of the pay level.

What the job involves

  • Protecting railway property, passenger areas and passengers in transit.
  • Patrolling trains, stations, yards and bridges, often at night.
  • Acting against theft of railway property, ticketless travel offences and touting.
  • Assisting in crowd control at stations during festivals and large movements.
  • Escorting passenger trains, particularly on vulnerable sections.
  • Working under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act and related legislation.
  • Duties involve shift work, transfers and deployment away from home station.
  • Promotion to Head Constable, Assistant Sub-Inspector and beyond through departmental examinations and seniority.

How to prepare for RPF Constable

  • Begin running and jumping practice on day one, not after the CBT result. There is often only a short window between the written result and the physical test, which is not enough time to build stamina.
  • General Awareness is 50 of the 120 marks. Build a daily revision habit across static topics and the last year of current affairs, since this section rewards breadth over depth.
  • Arithmetic is pitched at school level. Speed and accuracy on basic calculation matter far more than advanced technique.
  • With a one-third mark penalty and a 35% qualifying floor, disciplined skipping is better than guessing broadly. Guess only when two options can be ruled out.
  • Read up on the RPF's own role and the legislation it works under. Questions on the railways and the force appear in General Awareness and are easy marks for anyone who has looked.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest reason candidates fail RPF Constable?

The physical stages, not the written test. The efficiency test is pass or fail, and the measurement test applies fixed height and chest standards that cannot be improved by preparation. Candidates who focus only on the CBT are the ones most often eliminated.

Do the physical test marks count towards merit?

No. The Physical Efficiency and Measurement Tests are purely qualifying. Merit comes from the Computer Based Test, so a strong written score matters, but only for candidates who clear the physical gates.

Are the height standards the same for everyone?

No. They differ by gender and category, with lower requirements for SC and ST candidates and for candidates from specified hill communities such as Garhwalis, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas and Kumaonese. Read the table in the notification for your own combination rather than the headline figure.

Is General Awareness really that important?

Yes. It is 50 of the 120 marks, more than either of the other sections, and it is the most improvable through revision. Candidates who allocate their time as if all three sections were equal are under-preparing the largest one.

Are women eligible, and are there reserved vacancies?

Yes. Recent notifications have reserved a substantial share of Constable vacancies for women, with separate and lower physical standards. The written paper is identical.

How is RPF Constable different from RPF Sub-Inspector?

The written paper has the same structure, but Sub-Inspector requires a graduate degree against class 10 for Constable, has a higher minimum age, starts at a higher pay level and is a supervisory rank. The Sub-Inspector physical standards are in some respects more lenient than the Constable ones.

Last verified 28 July 2026(today, by editorial)

Not yet confirmed for this cycle: the schedule, the vacancy count, the upper age limit, basic pay, gross pay, in-hand pay and the application fee. Where we have a figure from previous cycles we show it and label it as expected; where we do not, the page says "to be announced". Check the official source below before you rely on any of it.

Official sources

Found something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it, citing the source.