Skip to content
ExamTrack Prep

Railways | RRB

RRB NTPC Latest notified cycle

Railway recruitment for clerical, commercial, station master and goods train manager posts, selected through two computer based tests and a post-specific skill test.

Awaiting notification5 stages1 free mock test

Overview

Conducting body
RRBwww.rrbapply.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 Recruitment Board Non-Technical Popular Categories is conducted by Railway Recruitment Boards, under the Railway Recruitment Control Board. Selection runs through 5 stages: Computer Based Test 1, Computer Based Test 2, Typing Skill Test, Computer Based Aptitude Test, Document Verification and Medical Examination.

  1. Qualify CBT 1, a screening test whose scores are normalised across shifts.
  2. Appear for CBT 2 for the level of posts you are eligible for.
  3. Clear the typing skill test or the computer based aptitude test where your chosen post requires it.
  4. Attend document verification followed by the medical examination prescribed for the post.
  5. The final merit comes from CBT 2, except for Station Master and Traffic Assistant where the aptitude test carries 30% weight.

Important dates

Important dates
EventDateStatus
Notification release

RRB publishes a centralised employment notice; the exact month varies between cycles.

To be announcedNot announced
Online application window

Usually open for about a month from the notification date.

To be announcedNot announced
Computer Based Test 1

Usually held a few months after applications close, across multiple shifts and days.

To be announcedNot announced
Computer Based Test 2

Held after CBT 1 results and normalisation.

To be announcedNot announced
Skill test and document verificationTo be announcedNot announced

Eligibility

Educational qualification

Graduate-level posts require a degree from a recognised university. Undergraduate-level posts require a pass in the 12th standard or an equivalent examination from a recognised board.

Typing proficiency on a personal computer is required for the clerk-cum-typist and time keeper posts and is tested at the typing skill test stage. Some posts also prescribe specific medical fitness standards.

Age

18 to 33 years as on the cut-off date stated in the official notification.

Upper age relaxation

  • OBC (non-creamy layer)+3 years
  • SC and ST+5 years
  • PwBD, unreserved+10 years
  • PwBD, OBC+13 years
  • PwBD, SC and ST+15 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 CBT 1, net of bank charges.

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

The full amount is refunded after you appear in CBT 1, net of bank charges.

₹250

Exam pattern

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

Stage 1: Computer Based Test 1

Computer based testQualifying only
SectionQuestionsMarks
General Awareness4040
Mathematics3030
General Intelligence and Reasoning3030
Total100100

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

  • 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes, with a single clock for the whole paper.
  • Minimum qualifying marks are 40% for unreserved and EWS, 30% for OBC (non-creamy layer) and SC, and 25% for ST. This can be relaxed by 2% for PwBD candidates where there is a shortage of candidates.
  • Scores are normalised across shifts and days before shortlisting.
  • The duration is 120 minutes for candidates eligible for a scribe.
  • This stage is a screening test only and does not count towards the final merit.

Stage 2: Computer Based Test 2

Computer based test
SectionQuestionsMarks
General Awareness5050
Mathematics3535
General Intelligence and Reasoning3535
Total120120

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

  • 120 questions for 120 marks in 90 minutes.
  • Held separately for undergraduate level and graduate level posts.
  • The duration is 120 minutes for candidates eligible for a scribe.
  • This is the stage that decides the final merit for most posts.

Stage 3: Typing Skill Test

Skill testQualifying only

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • Applies to typist and time keeper posts only.
  • Requires 30 words per minute in English or 25 words per minute in Hindi on a personal computer.
  • Editing tools, spell check and autocorrect are disabled.
  • Qualifying in nature, so the marks do not add to your merit score.

Stage 4: Computer Based Aptitude Test

Skill testQualifying only

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • Applies to the Station Master and Traffic Assistant posts only.
  • You must score at least 42 marks in each test battery, with no relaxation for any category.
  • For these two posts the merit is formed from CBT 2 and this aptitude test in a 70:30 ratio.

Stage 5: Document Verification and Medical Examination

Document and medicalQualifying only

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • Candidates are called in merit order against their post preferences.
  • Medical standards depend on the post, and failing them can cost the appointment even after clearing the written stages.

Syllabus

General Awareness

  • Current events of national and international importance
  • Indian history and the freedom struggle
  • Indian geography and physical features
  • Indian polity and the Constitution
  • Indian economy and basic terminology
  • General science and life science up to class 10
  • Environmental issues concerning India and the world
  • Computers and their applications
  • Art and culture of India
  • Sports and famous personalities
  • Transport systems and the basics of Indian Railways
  • Flagship government programmes and United Nations bodies
  • Monuments and places of India

Mathematics

  • Number system, decimals and fractions
  • LCM and HCF
  • Ratio and proportion
  • Percentage
  • Profit and loss
  • Simple and compound interest
  • Time and work
  • Time, speed and distance
  • Mensuration
  • Elementary algebra
  • Geometry and trigonometry
  • Elementary statistics

General Intelligence & Reasoning

  • Analogies
  • Number and alphabetical series
  • Coding and decoding
  • Mathematical operations
  • Similarities and differences
  • Relationships and blood relations
  • Analytical reasoning
  • Syllogism
  • Jumbling
  • Venn diagrams
  • Puzzles and seating arrangement
  • Data interpretation and sufficiency
  • Conclusions and decision making
  • Statement, argument and assumption
  • Maps and interpretation of graphs

How to apply

  1. Create a single account on rrbapply.gov.in

    Railways moved to one centralised application portal for all boards. Register once with your mobile number, email and Aadhaar details where asked, and reuse that account for later notifications.

  2. Complete your profile

    Fill in personal details, community, qualification and the scanned documents the portal requests. The profile is reused across notifications, so accuracy here saves time later.

  3. Select posts and boards in preference order

    Choose the posts you are eligible for and rank the Railway Recruitment Boards and examination cities. Preferences drive both your posting and your realistic cut-off, so think about them before submitting.

  4. Upload the photograph and signature

    Follow the dimensions and file size stated in the notice. A photograph that does not match at the examination centre can cost you the candidature.

  5. Pay the fee and download the confirmation

    Pay online, then save the confirmation. Remember that most of the fee is refunded after you actually appear in CBT 1, so attendance matters even if you feel underprepared.

Documents to keep ready

  • Valid photo identity proof such as Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence or voter ID
  • Class 10 and class 12 certificates, plus the degree certificate for graduate-level posts
  • Caste, EWS or minority certificate in the prescribed format, where applicable
  • PwBD certificate issued by the competent authority, where applicable
  • Bank account details in your own name for the fee refund
  • Recent passport-size photograph matching the uploaded image

Salary and job profile

Pay and allowances

Pay scale:
Seventh Central Pay Commission pay levels 2 to 6, depending on the post
Initial basic pay:
Initial basic pay ranges from about Rupees 19,900 at Level 2 to about Rupees 35,400 at Level 6
Approximate in-hand:
To be announced

Allowances

  • Dearness Allowance revised periodically
  • House Rent Allowance based on city classification
  • Transport Allowance
  • Night duty allowance where applicable
  • Post-specific allowances for operational roles

Perks

  • Railway travel passes for self and family
  • Railway medical facilities and hospitals
  • Railway quarters subject to availability
  • Pension under the National Pension System
  • Educational assistance for children

Level 2 covers Junior Clerk cum Typist, Accounts Clerk cum Typist and Trains Clerk; Level 3 covers Commercial cum Ticket Clerk; Level 4 covers Traffic Assistant; Level 5 covers Senior Clerk cum Typist, Junior Account Assistant cum Typist and Goods Train Manager; Level 6 covers Station Master and Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor. Gross and in-hand pay vary with city classification and are subject to revision by the next pay commission.

What the job involves

  • Station Master runs train operations at a station, controlling signals, movements and safety.
  • Goods Train Manager accompanies freight trains and is accountable for the load and its safe running.
  • Commercial cum Ticket Clerk and Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor handle ticketing, reservations and passenger services.
  • Junior and Senior Clerk cum Typist handle correspondence, records and establishment work in railway offices.
  • Junior Account Assistant cum Typist works on bills, pay and accounts in the finance branches.
  • Trains Clerk maintains train records, marshalling notes and related documentation.

Previous paper analysis

What was actually asked, topic by topic, so you can see where the marks live.

Free mock tests

Written to this exam's pattern, with the same interface, sectional locking and marking scheme you will face on exam day.

  • RRB NTPC CBT 1: practice set 1 (Hindi and English)

    12 questions | 11 min

    Start

Study material

हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

How to prepare for RRB NTPC

  • General Awareness carries 40 of 100 marks in CBT 1 and 50 of 120 in CBT 2, which makes it the single highest-return section. Treat it as your scoring engine, not an afterthought.
  • Learn the basics of Indian Railways properly: zones and headquarters, important trains, railway budget history and safety systems. These appear almost every cycle and few candidates prepare them.
  • There is no sectional timing, so build a fixed personal order for the paper. Most successful candidates clear General Awareness first, then Reasoning, and leave Mathematics last.
  • With one third negative marking, accuracy beats volume. Practise leaving questions where you cannot eliminate at least two options.
  • If you are aiming at Station Master or Traffic Assistant, start the aptitude test practice early. It needs 42 marks in every battery with no relaxation, and it is the stage where otherwise strong candidates get eliminated.
  • For typist posts, practise typing daily on a plain editor with spell check off, since the real test gives you no correction aids.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my CBT 1 marks change after the result?

RRB normalises scores because the exam runs across many shifts and days with different question sets. Normalisation adjusts for shift difficulty so candidates are compared fairly, which is why your normalised score can differ from your raw score.

Do CBT 1 marks count towards the final merit?

No. CBT 1 only shortlists candidates for CBT 2. For most posts the final merit is based on CBT 2 alone, and for Station Master and Traffic Assistant on CBT 2 and the aptitude test in a 70:30 ratio.

How much of the fee do I get back?

Candidates in the general, OBC and EWS categories get Rupees 400 of the Rupees 500 back, and candidates in the reserved categories listed in the notice get the full Rupees 250 back, in both cases only after actually appearing in CBT 1 and net of bank charges.

Is the exam available in Hindi?

Yes. RRB conducts the computer based tests in Hindi, English and several regional languages, and you choose your question paper language during the application. You can also switch the display language during the test.

What is the negative marking in RRB NTPC?

One third of a mark is deducted for every wrong answer in both CBT 1 and CBT 2. Since the paper has a single overall clock and no sectional timing, a controlled attempt with high accuracy usually beats a high attempt count.

Can I apply to more than one Railway Recruitment Board?

You submit one application and select boards in preference order within it. You cannot submit separate applications to different boards for the same notification.

Last verified 27 July 2026(1 day ago, by editorial)

Not yet confirmed for this cycle: the schedule, the vacancy count, the upper age limit, gross pay and in-hand pay. 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.