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Railways | RRB

RRB Section Controller Latest notified cycle

Graduate-entry safety recruitment for the staff who regulate train movement from control offices, decided by a Computer Based Test together with a psychological aptitude test.

Awaiting notification3 stages

Overview

Conducting body
RRBwww.rrbapply.gov.in
Age limit
20 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 Recruitment of Section Controllers is conducted by Railway Recruitment Boards, under the Railway Recruitment Control Board. Selection runs through 3 stages: Computer Based Test, Computer Based Aptitude Test, Document Verification and Medical Examination.

  1. Clear the Computer Based Test, meeting the minimum qualifying percentage for your category.
  2. Qualify the Computer Based Aptitude Test, scoring at least 42 in each battery with no relaxation.
  3. Merit is drawn from the Computer Based Test and the aptitude test taken together.
  4. Attend Document Verification in merit order for your board.
  5. Pass the safety category medical examination before appointment.

Important dates

Important dates
EventDateStatus
Centralised Employment Notice release

Section Controller has been notified both within the NTPC graduate-level notices and through dedicated notices, so check which route the current cycle uses.

To be announcedNot announced
Online application window

Usually open for about a month from the notice date.

To be announcedNot announced
Computer Based Test

Held across many shifts, with scores normalised.

To be announcedNot announced
Computer Based Aptitude TestTo be announcedNot announced
Document Verification and Medical ExaminationTo be announcedNot announced
Final result and panelTo be announcedNot announced

Eligibility

Educational qualification

A degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification.

Some notices have additionally opened this post to serving railway employees with specified experience, and a few cycles have accepted a diploma with relevant experience in place of a degree. The eligibility clause for this post has varied more than for most railway posts, so read the current notice closely.

Age

20 to 33 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
  • Persons with Benchmark Disability (UR)+10 years
  • Persons with Benchmark Disability (OBC)+13 years
  • Persons with Benchmark Disability (SC and ST)+15 years
  • Ex-servicemen, after deducting service rendered+3 years
  • Serving railway employees, as specified in the notice+5 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, PwBD, 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

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 Intelligence and Reasoning3030
General Science2525
Mathematics2525
General Awareness and Current Affairs2020
Total100100

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

  • 100 questions for 100 marks in a composite 90 minutes.
  • Minimum qualifying marks are 40% for UR and EWS, 30% for OBC and SC, and 25% for ST.
  • Scores are normalised across shifts.
  • The section split for this post has varied between notices and between the dedicated and NTPC-linked routes, so confirm it from the current notice before planning your timing.

Stage 2: Computer Based Aptitude Test

Skill test

Duration: Varies|Negative marking: None

  • A psychological aptitude assessment made up of several test batteries, applied because controlling train movement is safety critical.
  • You must score at least 42 marks in each individual battery, with no relaxation for any category.
  • There is no negative marking here.
  • The final merit combines the Computer Based Test and the aptitude test, with the aptitude test carrying substantial weight. Confirm the exact ratio from the notice.
  • Only Section Controller, Station Master and Assistant Loco Pilot among the major railway posts require this test.

Stage 3: 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 board.
  • A safety category medical standard applies, stricter than for clerical posts though not as demanding as the A1 standard for loco crew.
  • Appointment follows only after both verification and medical clearance.

Syllabus

Mathematics

  • Number system, BODMAS, decimals and fractions
  • LCM and HCF
  • Ratio and proportion
  • Percentage
  • Mensuration
  • Time and work
  • Time, speed and distance
  • Simple and compound interest
  • Profit and loss
  • Algebra, geometry and trigonometry at school level
  • Elementary statistics
  • Square root, age calculations, calendar and clock, pipes and cistern

General Intelligence & Reasoning

  • Analogies and classification
  • Alphabetical and number series
  • Coding and decoding
  • Mathematical operations
  • Relationships and blood relations
  • Syllogism
  • Jumbling and Venn diagrams
  • Data interpretation and sufficiency
  • Conclusions and decision making
  • Analytical reasoning, directions and statement with argument or assumption
  • Puzzles and seating arrangement

General Science

  • Physics at class 10 level: motion, force, work, energy, light, sound, electricity and magnetism
  • Chemistry at class 10 level: matter, atomic structure, acids, bases and salts, metals and non-metals
  • Life Sciences at class 10 level: cell structure, human body systems, nutrition and environment
  • Basic environmental science and pollution

Current Affairs

  • Indian polity and constitution
  • Indian and world geography
  • Indian history and freedom struggle
  • Indian economy and Union Budget basics
  • Science and technology developments
  • Sports, awards and important days
  • Government schemes and flagship programmes
  • Indian Railways: organisation, zones and terminology
  • Current affairs of the previous six to twelve months

How to apply

  1. Check which notice covers the post this cycle

    Section Controller has appeared both inside NTPC graduate-level notices and in dedicated notices. Confirm which applies, because the exam structure and shortlisting differ between the two routes.

  2. Create your account on the centralised RRB portal

    Applications go through rrbapply.gov.in. Register once and enter details carefully, since many fields cannot be edited later.

  3. Choose your Railway Recruitment Board

    Merit is drawn board by board, and vacancies for this post are small, so the board choice has a large effect on your odds.

  4. Upload your photograph, signature and certificates

    The portal specifies dimensions and file sizes, and your degree documents must support the eligibility claimed.

  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

  • Degree certificate and all semester or year mark-sheets
  • Class 10 and class 12 certificates
  • 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
  • PwBD certificate issued by the competent authority, where applicable
  • Ex-servicemen discharge certificate, where applicable
  • Service certificate, for serving railway employees claiming that route
  • 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 6 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
  • Night duty allowance, which is significant given round-the-clock control office working
  • Additional allowances applicable to safety category staff

Perks

  • Railway quarters, subject to availability
  • 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
  • Access to railway schools and institutes at subsidised rates

Section Controller starts at Level 6, the same level as Junior Engineer, which makes it among the better paid posts open to a general graduate in the railways. Confirm current figures from the notice.

What the job involves

  • Regulating the movement of trains across a section from a divisional control office.
  • Deciding precedence and crossings between trains to keep the section fluid and punctual.
  • Coordinating with station masters, loco crew and engineering staff during works and blocks.
  • Managing incidents, breakdowns and diversions in real time, including at night.
  • Maintaining the control chart and logging train timings and causes of delay.
  • Round-the-clock shift working, since a control office never closes.
  • Promotion to Deputy Chief Controller and Chief Controller through departmental channels.

How to prepare for RRB Section Controller

  • Prepare this alongside RRB NTPC graduate posts. The written syllabus is effectively the same, so one preparation covers several applications.
  • Take the aptitude test seriously from the start. It is the stage that eliminates most otherwise well-prepared candidates, because the 42-mark floor applies to each battery with no relaxation.
  • Reasoning is the largest written section and is also what the aptitude test rewards. Time invested there pays twice.
  • Vacancies are small, so cut-offs run high. Aim well above the minimum qualifying percentage rather than at it.
  • Read about how railway control offices work. It will not appear directly in the paper, but it makes the aptitude test's judgement scenarios far more intuitive.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Section Controller actually do?

You regulate train movement across a section from a divisional control office, deciding which train goes first, managing crossings and handling disruptions in real time. It is a decision-making job under time pressure rather than a desk or field job, which is why an aptitude test is part of the selection.

Is the Computer Based Aptitude Test compulsory?

Yes, and it cannot be relaxed. You need at least 42 marks in every battery separately, for every category. A single weak battery ends your candidature regardless of your written score.

How does this compare with Station Master?

Both are safety posts at Level 6 requiring the aptitude test, and both are open to any graduate. A Station Master runs a station; a Section Controller coordinates movement across a whole section from the control office. Preparation overlaps almost completely.

Is it notified separately from NTPC?

It has been done both ways. Some cycles include Section Controller among the graduate-level NTPC posts, others notify it separately. Check the current notice, since shortlisting and the number of test stages differ between the two routes.

Does the job involve night shifts?

Yes, necessarily. Control offices operate around the clock and controllers work rotating shifts, including nights. The night duty allowance reflects this, but candidates should weigh the lifestyle before applying.

Last verified 28 July 2026(today, by editorial)

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