Pariksha SaathiRRB NTPC 2026: exam pattern, marks, negative marking, age limit
Every figure on this page is copied from an official document linked next to it, with the date we last checked it. Pattern, age limit and dates are from the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification. Last verified: 15 October 2026.
At a glance
- Selection stages
- First Stage CBT (CBT-1) → Second Stage CBT (CBT-2)
- First stage: Questions / Marks / Time
- 100 / 100 / 90 min
- Negative marking
- One-third (1/3) of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
Weekly live mock: Sunday, 8 November 2026, 10:00–12:00 IST · 50 questions in 60 minutes, one paper for everyone · Sit it in the Android app →
Exam pattern
First Stage CBT (CBT-1)
Applies to: All posts in CEN 06/2026 (Graduate) and CEN 07/2026 (Under Graduate)
CBT-1
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 40 | 1 | 40 | — |
| Mathematics | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 30 | 1 | 30 | — |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 90 |
Time allowed: 90 minutes. 120 minutes for PwBD candidates who are eligible for a scribe. Negative marking: One-third (1/3) of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer. This part is qualifying only: it does not add to the merit score.
- Objective multiple-choice questions. The notices say the subject-wise split is only indicative, so the actual paper may vary a little.
- A screening stage. Normalised CBT-1 marks are used to shortlist candidates for CBT-2, RRB-wise, at 15 times the community-wise vacancies (the Railways may raise or lower this limit). Shortlisting for document verification uses the normalised CBT-2 marks.
- When a CBT is held in several sessions, marks are normalised before shortlisting.
Second Stage CBT (CBT-2)
Applies to: All posts in CEN 06/2026 (Graduate) and CEN 07/2026 (Under Graduate)
CBT-2
| Section | Questions | Marks each | Marks | Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 50 | 1 | 50 | — |
| Mathematics | 35 | 1 | 35 | — |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 35 | 1 | 35 | — |
| Total | 120 | 120 | 90 |
Time allowed: 90 minutes. 120 minutes for PwBD candidates who are eligible for a scribe. Negative marking: One-third (1/3) of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
- Objective multiple-choice questions. The subject-wise split is only indicative here too.
- Normalised CBT-2 marks decide who is called for document verification: candidates equal to the vacancies of the RRB (1:1), subject to the minimum percentages below. A medical examination follows.
- The Computer Based Typing Skill Test for Senior Clerk cum Typist and Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist (CEN 06/2026) and for Junior Clerk cum Typist and Accounts Clerk cum Typist (CEN 07/2026) has been dispensed with. The notices say typing proficiency will be assessed after joining.
Source: Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 06/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate), and CEN No. 07/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under Graduate) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 (If it shows “Request Rejected”, open rrb.indianrailways.gov.in first, then the link again.) · Report an error
Free RRB NTPC mock tests in this official pattern →
Syllabus: subjects tested
The subjects in short, as the official syllabus lists them. The exam body's own notification is final.
- Mathematics
- Number system, decimals, fractions, LCM and HCF, ratio and proportion, percentage, mensuration, time and work, time and distance, simple and compound interest, profit and loss, elementary algebra, geometry and trigonometry, and elementary statistics.
- General Intelligence and Reasoning
- Analogies, number and alphabetical series, coding and decoding, mathematical operations, similarities and differences, relationships, analytical reasoning, syllogism, jumbling, Venn diagrams, puzzles, data sufficiency, statement-conclusion, statement-courses of action, decision making, maps, and interpretation of graphs.
- General Awareness
- Current events of national and international importance, games and sports, art and culture, Indian literature, monuments and places, general science and life science up to 10th (CBSE) level, history and the freedom struggle, physical, social and economic geography, Indian polity and governance, science and technology including space and nuclear programmes, the UN and other world organisations, environmental issues, basics of computers, common abbreviations, transport systems in India, the Indian economy, famous personalities, flagship government programmes, flora and fauna, and important government and public sector organisations.
Full syllabus, stage by stage → · Official website ↗
Age limit and qualification
18 to 33 years for the Graduate posts (CEN 06/2026) and 18 to 30 years for the Under Graduate posts (CEN 07/2026), as on 1 January 2027. The upper limit is relaxed by 5 years for SC and ST and by 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer); relaxations for ex-servicemen, PwBD, serving railway staff and others are listed in para 5.2 of each notice. Age is counted as on 1 January 2027.
| Posts | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Graduate posts, CEN 06/2026 (3,548 vacancies in all RRBs): Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor, Goods Train Manager, Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist, Senior Clerk cum Typist | Degree from a recognised university or its equivalent. |
| Under Graduate posts, CEN 07/2026 (1,688 vacancies in all RRBs): Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Accounts Clerk cum Typist, Junior Clerk cum Typist, Trains Clerk | 12th (+2 stage) or its equivalent with not less than 50% marks in the aggregate. The 50% marks condition is not insisted on for SC, ST, persons with benchmark disabilities, ex-servicemen, and candidates holding a qualification higher than 12th. |
Minimum percentage of marks in the CBTs: UR and EWS 40%, OBC (non-creamy layer) 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%. The same percentages apply to ex-servicemen and PwBD candidates, as per their community; the notices allow a 2-mark relaxation for PwBD candidates if there are too few of them for the reserved vacancies.
Source: Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 06/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate), and CEN No. 07/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under Graduate) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 (If it shows “Request Rejected”, open rrb.indianrailways.gov.in first, then the link again.) · Report an error
Important dates
| Event | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indicative notice in Employment News (both CENs) | 26 September 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CEN 06/2026 (Graduate): online applications | 8 October 2026 to 6 November 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CEN 06/2026 (Graduate): last date for application fee payment | 8 November 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CEN 06/2026 (Graduate): application modification window | 9 November 2026 to 18 November 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CEN 07/2026 (Under Graduate): online applications | 15 October 2026 to 13 November 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CEN 07/2026 (Under Graduate): last date for application fee payment | 15 November 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CEN 07/2026 (Under Graduate): application modification window | 16 November 2026 to 25 November 2026 | official notice ↗ |
| CBT-1 and CBT-2 | Dates not announced yet. Both notices say CBT dates will be given later on the official RRB website. | official notice ↗ |
Source: Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 06/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate), and CEN No. 07/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under Graduate) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 (If it shows “Request Rejected”, open rrb.indianrailways.gov.in first, then the link again.) · Report an error
Practice questions by section
Free questions, each with its answer, in the subjects this exam tests. Every topic opens a list of question pages.
Quantitative Aptitude
- Geometry: Lines and Triangles 24 questions
- Number System 21 questions
- Percentage 21 questions
- Trigonometry 20 questions
- Boat and Stream 19 questions
- Mensuration: 2D 16 questions
- Permutation and Combination 15 questions
- Probability — Tier II 15 questions
Reasoning
- Syllogism 115 questions
- Blood Relations 89 questions
- Coding-Decoding 88 questions
- Analogy 39 questions
- Direction Sense 38 questions
- Seating Arrangement 29 questions
- Calendar 19 questions
- Clock 19 questions
General Studies
- General Science 480 questions
- Static General Knowledge 240 questions
- Indian Geography 239 questions
- Physical and World Geography 239 questions
- Indian Polity and Constitution 238 questions
- Environment and Ecology 237 questions
- Modern Indian History and Freedom Struggle 235 questions
- Indian Art and Culture 234 questions
All practice questions by topic →
Free notes (PDF)
Notes for every topic in this exam’s syllabus, one PDF per subject: each lesson ends with a quick-revision box, and each PDF ends with a revision sheet. Written by an AI assistant and not reviewed by a subject-matter expert.
- Quantitative Aptitude (89 pages, 1.1 MB)
- Reasoning (74 pages, 954 KB)
- General Awareness (208 pages, 2.3 MB)
- Computer Knowledge (18 pages, 314 KB)
Latest notices
- RRB NTPC Undergraduate (CEN 07/2025): typing skill test (CBTST) date notice; test tentatively on 27 November 2026notification · 2 November 2026
- RRB NTPC Undergraduate (CEN 07/2025): CBT-2 result out board by board; typing skill test (CBTST) tentatively on 27 November 2026result · 31 October 2026
- RRB Bilaspur NTPC Graduate (CEN 05/2024): provisional part panel-1 of 461 candidates for SECR and Central Railway; 187 called for a second DV on 15-17 December 2026result · 30 October 2026
- RRB Bilaspur NTPC Graduate (CEN 05/2024): 104 candidates declared unfit in medical standard A-2 can appeal for a re-medical by 28 November 2026deadline · 30 October 2026
- RRB Jammu NTPC Undergraduate (CEN 06/2024): provisional panel for Northern Railway, DLM Patiala and RCF; 25 delisted, medical appeal by 29 November 2026result · 30 October 2026
- RRB Siliguri NTPC Graduate (CEN 05/2024): provisional part panel-2 of 18 candidates for N. F. Railway, with cut-offsresult · 29 October 2026
- RRB Siliguri NTPC Undergraduate (CEN 06/2024): provisional part panel of 28 candidates for N. F. Railway, with cut-offsresult · 29 October 2026
- RRB Gorakhpur NTPC Graduate (CEN 05/2024): provisional panel for Categories 1, 3 and 5 (Notice No. 34/2026)result · 28 October 2026
RRB NTPC admit card, result and answer key: every notice →
Recent current affairs for this exam
- Indian Navy frees hijacked fishing vessel 'Azini' from armed pirates off Somalia; all 20 crew members safe3 November 2026
- 5th edition of India-US tri-service HADR exercise Tiger Triumph opens at Visakhapatnam; an NDRF team to take part for the first time3 November 2026
- Aditya-L1's VELC shows a solar eruption expanded asymmetrically, not like a simple symmetric bubble: IIA study3 November 2026
- Health Ministry proposes amending Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 to add ICDs, an SEZ and Noida International Airport as authorised import gateways3 November 2026
- TRAI releases Telecommunication Interconnection (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026: shift to LSA-level and IP-based interconnection, effective 1 January 20273 November 2026
Prepare
- Exam calendar: official dates across every exam
- Syllabus and subjects tested
- Job profile and salary
- Free lessons
- Start practising
Frequently asked questions
What are the selection stages of RRB NTPC?
First Stage CBT (CBT-1) → Second Stage CBT (CBT-2), as per the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification.
How many questions are in the RRB NTPC first stage?
First Stage CBT (CBT-1): 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes, as per the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification.
Is there negative marking in RRB NTPC?
First Stage CBT (CBT-1), as per the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification: One-third (1/3) of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
Is there negative marking in RRB NTPC Second Stage CBT?
Second Stage CBT (CBT-2), as per the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification: One-third (1/3) of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
Which parts of the RRB NTPC exam are qualifying?
As per the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification, these are qualifying: First Stage CBT (CBT-1): CBT-1.
What is the age limit for RRB NTPC?
18 to 33 years for the Graduate posts (CEN 06/2026) and 18 to 30 years for the Under Graduate posts (CEN 07/2026), as on 1 January 2027. The upper limit is relaxed by 5 years for SC and ST and by 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer); relaxations for ex-servicemen, PwBD, serving railway staff and others are listed in para 5.2 of each notice. Age is counted as on 1 January 2027.
What are the minimum qualifying marks in RRB NTPC?
Minimum percentage of marks in the CBTs: UR and EWS 40%, OBC (non-creamy layer) 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%. The same percentages apply to ex-servicemen and PwBD candidates, as per their community; the notices allow a 2-mark relaxation for PwBD candidates if there are too few of them for the reserved vacancies.
When is the last date to apply for RRB NTPC?
CEN 06/2026 (Graduate): online applications: 8 October 2026 to 6 November 2026. CEN 07/2026 (Under Graduate): online applications: 15 October 2026 to 13 November 2026. As per the CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026 notification.
Which subjects does the RRB NTPC exam test?
The official syllabus lists: Mathematics; General Intelligence and Reasoning; General Awareness.
Source: Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 06/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Graduate), and CEN No. 07/2026, Non-Technical Popular Categories (Under Graduate) ↗ · Last verified: 15 October 2026 (If it shows “Request Rejected”, open rrb.indianrailways.gov.in first, then the link again.) · Report an error
How this page is made
These facts are transcribed from the official documents linked above and checked against them on the date shown. If anything here differs from the official notification, the official notification is right. Please tell us through the Contact page. See also our editorial standards. Contact · Editorial standards