The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has released the detailed notification for the Group D Level 1 Recruitment 2026 under Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) No. 09/2025. This recruitment drive aims to fill 22,195 vacancies across 16 Zonal Railways in various technical, operational, and maintenance roles.
Whether you are looking for post-wise vacancy distributions, medical criteria, scoring formulas, or application procedures, this guide covers all critical aspects of the recruitment drive.
Key Overview & Important Dates
Registration for this cycle opened in late January 2026, followed by an application correction and status review window.
| Event / Milestone | Official Date / Timeline |
| Notification Issue Date | January 30, 2026 |
| Online Application Window | January 31, 2026 – March 9, 2026 |
| Fee Payment Deadline | March 11, 2026 |
| Form Correction Window | March 12, 2026 – March 21, 2026 |
| Application Status Released | July 9, 2026 |
| City Intimation Slip | July 24, 2026 |
| Computer Based Test (CBT) Schedule | August 3, 2026 – August 25, 2026 |
Post-Wise & Category-Wise Vacancy Breakup
The total 22,195 posts are distributed across 11 key designation profiles and 16 Zonal Railways.
Department & Post Distribution
- Track Maintainer Grade IV (Engineering): 11,000 posts
- Pointsman-B (Traffic Department): 5,000 posts
- Assistant Signal & Telecom / S&T: 1,500 posts
- Assistant Carriage & Wagon / C&W (Mechanical): 1,000 posts
- Assistant Traction Distribution / TRD (Electrical): 800 posts
- Assistant Track Machine (Engineering): 600 posts
- Assistant Bridge (Engineering): 600 posts
- Assistant Operations (Electrical): 500 posts
- Assistant Train Lighting & AC / TL & AC (Electrical): 500 posts
- Assistant Permanent Way / P-Way (Engineering): 300 posts
- Assistant Loco Shed – Electrical (Electrical): 200 posts
Community Category Reservation Summary
| Category | Vacancy Allocation |
| Unreserved (UR) | 9,322 |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) | 5,240 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 3,239 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 2,250 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 1,726 |
| Total | 22,195 |
(Top railway zones by vacancy volume include Northern Railway, New Delhi with 3,537 posts, Western Railway, Mumbai with 3,148 posts, and Central Railway, Mumbai with 1,979 posts).
Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit & Qualification
To apply for Level 1 posts, candidates must meet specific educational background, age limits, and medical fitness parameters.
1. Educational Qualification
Applicants must possess any one of the following qualifications from a recognized board or institution:
- Class 10th (Matriculation) Pass Certificate, OR
- ITI Certificate granted by NCVT / SCVT, OR
- National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) granted by NCVT.
2. Age Limits (As of January 1, 2026)
- Minimum Age: 18 Years (Born on or before Jan 1, 2008)
- Maximum Age (UR/EWS): 33 Years (Born on or after Jan 2, 1993)
Upper Age Relaxation Limits:
- OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 Years (Up to 36 years)
- SC / ST Candidates: 5 Years (Up to 38 years)
- Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): 10 to 15 Years (depending on community)
- Ex-Servicemen: Service period + 3 years
- Group C/D Railway Staff (min. 3 years service): Up to 40 years (UR), 43 years (OBC), 45 years (SC/ST)
3. Medical Standards
Because many Level 1 jobs involve track safety or technical yard duties, candidates must meet distinct visual acuity standards:
- A-2 (e.g., Pointsman): Distance vision of 6/9, 6/9 without glasses. Must pass tests for color vision, binocular vision, night vision, and mesopic vision.
- A-3 / B-1 (e.g., Track Machine, Track Maintainer): Distance vision of 6/9, 6/9 or 6/12 with or without glasses (power limit up to 2D to 4D).
- C-1: Distance vision of 6/12, 6/18 with or without glasses.
Pay Scale & Salary Structure
All posts in this recruitment drive fall under Level 1 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix.
- Basic Pay: ₹18,000 per month
- Allowances: Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance (TA), and Night Duty / Track Maintenance Allowance (where applicable).
- Approximate Starting Gross Pay: ₹26,000 to ₹32,000 per month (varying by city tier classification: X, Y, or Z).
Selection Stages & Marking Rules
The selection flow comprises four sequential stages:
[Computer-Based Test (CBT)] ➔ [Physical Efficiency Test (PET)] ➔ [Document Verification (DV)] ➔ [Medical Exam (ME)]
Stage 1: Computer Based Test (CBT)
- Duration: 90 Minutes (120 Minutes for eligible PwBD candidates using a scribe)
- Total Questions: 100 Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark per question)
Sectional Breakdown:
- General Science (Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences – Class 10th standard): 25 Questions
- Mathematics: 25 Questions
- General Intelligence & Reasoning: 30 Questions
- General Awareness & Current Affairs: 20 Questions
Negative Marking & Minimum Qualifying Thresholds
- Negative Marking: 1/3rd mark is deducted for every wrong answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
- Minimum Qualifying Percentages:
- UR / EWS: 40%
- OBC-NCL: 30%
- SC: 30%
- ST: 25%
Stage 2: Physical Efficiency Test (PET)
Shortlisted candidates equivalent to 3 times the vacancy count are called for the physical screening. PET is qualifying in nature.
- Male Candidates:
- Lift and carry a weight of 35 kg for a distance of 100 meters in 2 minutes without dropping the weight.
- Run a distance of 1000 meters in 4 minutes and 15 seconds in a single lap/attempt.
- Female Candidates:
- Lift and carry a weight of 20 kg for a distance of 100 meters in 2 minutes without dropping the weight.
- Run a distance of 1000 meters in 5 minutes and 40 seconds in a single lap/attempt.
Application Fees & Fee Refund Policy
RRB maintains a structured fee model that refunds a portion of the application fee after a candidate sits for the CBT:
- General, EWS, and OBC Candidates: ₹500
- Refund Amount: ₹400 is refunded to the bank account after appearing in the CBT exam.
- SC, ST, PwBD, Female, Transgender, Ex-Servicemen, and Economically Backward Class (EBC) Candidates: ₹250
- Refund Amount: Full ₹250 is refunded after appearing in the CBT exam.
Step-by-Step Online Application Procedure
When application windows or correction forms are active, submit your details through the central portal (rrbapply.gov.in):
- New Registration: Visit
rrbapply.gov.in, select New Registration, and enter your Aadhaar details, Full Name, DOB, Father’s Name, Mobile Number, and Active Email ID. - Account Verification: Verify your registration using the OTP sent to your registered mobile number and email ID.
- Application Details: Log in with your generated credentials and fill in educational qualification, community category, and preferred Zonal Railway.
- Photo & Signature Upload:
- Upload a clear, recent color passport-size photograph with a white background.
- Upload a digital signature image taken on white paper with a black or blue pen.
- Fee Payment: Pay the applicable registration fee using Net Banking, UPI, Credit, or Debit cards.
- Confirmation Printout: Save a PDF copy of your completed application form and retain the transaction receipt.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Is 10th pass eligible for RRB Group D without an ITI?
Yes. Candidates with a 10th pass certificate from a recognized board are fully eligible for Group D Level 1 positions. Having an ITI or NAC certificate is an alternative qualification, not a mandatory requirement for all posts.
Q2. How is the fee refunded after the exam?
When filling out the online application form, you enter your bank account details (Account Number and IFSC Code). Once you attend the CBT exam, the Railway Recruitment Board credits the partial/full refund directly to that bank account.
Q3. Can I apply to multiple Railway Zones?
No. Candidates are allowed to choose and apply to only one Zonal Railway. Submitting multiple applications across different zones using different credentials can lead to rejection of all applications.
Q4. Is there any interview round in the selection process?
No. There is no interview stage for Level 1 Group D posts. Selection relies strictly on your CBT performance, followed by clearing PET, Document Verification, and Medical Fitness.
