RRB Group D 2026: Notification, 22195 Vacancy, Exam Date, Syllabus, Cut Off

RRB Group D is the recruitment examination conducted by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) on behalf of the Railway Recruitment Cells for Level 1 posts of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix in Indian Railways. Under CEN 09/2025, the RRBs notified 22,195 vacancies. The Computer Based Test was held from 3 to 25 August 2026, and the answer key was released on 7 September 2026.

What is RRB Group D?

Group D — officially "various posts in Level 1 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix" — is the entry grade of Indian Railways. It is the single largest railway recruitment in terms of applicant volume, because the minimum qualification is Class 10 pass. Selected candidates start at a basic pay of ₹18,000 per month and work in the Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, Traffic and S&T departments.

Which posts come under RRB Group D?

CEN 09/2025 covers ten Level 1 posts. Track Maintainer Grade IV accounts for the largest share of vacancies in every zone:

• Track Maintainer Grade IV — Engineering
• Pointsman B — Traffic
• Assistant (S&T) — Signal & Telecommunication
• Assistant P.Way — Engineering
• Assistant Bridge — Engineering
• Assistant Track Machine — Engineering
• Assistant Carriage & Wagon — Mechanical
• Assistant TL & AC — Electrical
• Assistant TRD — Electrical
• Assistant Operations (Electrical) — Electrical

RRB Group D selection process

The recruitment runs in four stages, and every stage must be cleared in sequence:

1. Computer Based Test (CBT) — 100 questions in 90 minutes, with negative marking
2. Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — qualifying in nature, no marks awarded
3. Document Verification (DV)
4. Medical Examination (ME) — to the standard prescribed for the post

Candidates are called for PET at three times the community-wise vacancy count, based on CBT merit.

RRB Group D selection has four stages — Computer Based Test, Physical Efficiency Test, Document Verification and Medical Examination. The CBT decides merit; the PET is purely qualifying; DV and the medical confirm eligibility and fitness for the specific post.

Stage 1: Computer Based Test

100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes, with 1/3 negative marking. Candidates must reach the minimum qualifying percentage for their category (UR/EWS 40%, OBC-NCL/SC/ST 30%) and then clear their zone-and-category cut off on normalised marks.

Stage 2: Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

Candidates are called for PET at three times the community-wise vacancy count based on CBT merit. Passing is mandatory and qualifying in nature — no marks are awarded, so a strong CBT score cannot offset a PET failure.

The order of the PET matters

The weight-carrying test is conducted first. Failing it means elimination at that stage — you do not get to attempt the run. The weight is a sand bag without handles, lifted from a bench at roughly waist height, and you may carry it in whichever manner you choose. There is a recovery gap before the running test.

Two practical consequences: practise with an unhandled bag rather than a gym weight, and note that each test is one chance only.

PwBD exemption

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities are exempt from the PET. After qualifying in the CBT they must instead pass the medical examination prescribed for PwBD candidates.

The notification also makes clear that candidates are responsible for ensuring they are medically fit to attempt the PET, and the Railways is not liable for injury sustained during it.

Stage 3: Document Verification

Original certificates are checked against what was declared in the application — educational qualification, category, age and any concession claimed. Certificates in the prescribed Annexure formats are required, and a mismatch or a certificate issued after the closing date can end the candidature.

Stage 4: Medical Examination

Each Level 1 post carries its own medical standard, listed in Annexure A. Vision requirements in particular differ between posts, so a candidate can be fit for one Level 1 post and unfit for another.

Normalisation of marks

Where the CBT runs in multiple sessions on the same syllabus, shortlisting for every stage uses normalised marks rather than raw scores, so candidates who sat harder shifts are not penalised.

Is there negative marking in RRB Group D?

Yes. One third of a mark is deducted for every wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry no penalty, so blind guessing lowers your score on average.

What are the minimum qualifying marks?

To be shortlisted from the CBT, candidates must score at least 40% (UR and EWS) or 30% (OBC-NCL, SC and ST). These thresholds may be relaxed by 2 marks for PwBD candidates where there is a shortage of PwBD candidates against reserved vacancies.

RRB Group D Eligibility

RRB Group D eligibility requires Class 10 pass, or an ITI certificate / National Apprenticeship Certificate depending on the post, with age between 18 and 33 years as on 1 January 2026. Qualifications are post-specific and listed in Annexure A of CEN 09/2025.

RRB Group D age limit 2026

Age relaxation

Upper age limit relaxation applies as per Government of India rules:

Further relaxations apply to Ex-servicemen, serving railway employees, candidates from Jammu & Kashmir for specified periods, and certain other categories. The exact provisions are in paragraph 5.2 of the CEN.

Educational qualification

Candidates must already hold the prescribed qualification as on the closing date for applications, 9 March 2026 (extended from 2 March 2026 by Corrigendum No. 4). Two points catch people out every cycle:

• Candidates awaiting final results should not apply. The qualification must be complete, not in progress.
• An Engineering Diploma or Degree is not accepted in place of a Course Completed Act Apprenticeship or ITI for Level 1 posts, unless the post specifically allows it. A Graduate Act Apprentice does not substitute for CCAA either.

Nationality

Applicants must be Indian nationals, or fall within the other categories of nationality set out in paragraph 4 of the CEN (which covers Nepal and Bhutan subjects, Tibetan refugees and persons of Indian origin migrating from specified countries).

Medical fitness

Each Level 1 post carries a prescribed medical standard, listed against the post in Annexure A. Vision requirements differ significantly between posts — for instance Pointsman duties require a higher visual standard than some Assistant posts — so check the standard for the post before applying.

RRB Group D Application Form

RRB Group D applications for CEN 09/2025 were open from 31 January 2026 to 9 March 2026 at rrbapply.gov.in, with fee payment until 11 March 2026 and a correction window from 12 to 21 March 2026. Only one online application per candidate is permitted.

RRB Group D important dates

RRB Group D application fee

The fee is largely refundable, but only if you actually sit the CBT. A general candidate who appears pays an effective ₹100. Candidates who skip the exam forfeit the whole amount.

Payment is online only — net banking, debit card, credit card or UPI. There is no offline or challan option, and applications without the prescribed fee are summarily rejected.

Who qualifies for the ₹250 concessional fee?

Beyond SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-servicemen/female/transgender candidates, two groups are worth understanding:

• Minorities — Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis). An affidavit is required at Document Verification.
• Economically Backward Class (EBC) — annual family income below ₹50,000, evidenced by an income certificate, BPL card, or Izzat MST issued by the Railways. EBC is not the same as OBC or EWS, and the certificate must pre-date the application closing date.

How to apply for RRB Group D

1. Create an account on any official RRB website. Candidates who already have an account from a previous RRB CEN must reuse the same credentials.
2. Fill the application form, choosing your RRB and post preferences. The details in "Create an Account" and the chosen Railway cannot be changed later.
3. Complete live photo capture during the application.
4. Upload the mandatory scanned documents.
5. Pay the fee online and submit before the deadline.

Application modification

Corrections were permitted from 12 to 21 March 2026 on payment of a modification fee. Account-creation details and the chosen Railway remain locked, so those need to be right first time.

RRB Group D Vacancy

RRB Group D vacancy 2026 under CEN 09/2025 is 22,195 posts across ten Level 1 categories and all Indian Railways zones. The Railways has reserved the right to revise these vacancies in part or in full.

RRB Group D vacancy at a glance

Railway zones participating in CEN 09/2025

Vacancies are notified railway-wise and post-wise. Candidates apply to one RRB and that choice cannot be modified later. The following zones feature in the vacancy table:

• Central Railway (Mumbai)
• Eastern Railway (Kolkata)
• East Central Railway (Hajipur)
• Northern Railway (New Delhi)
• North Eastern Railway (Gorakhpur)
• Northeast Frontier Railway (Guwahati)
• Southern Railway (Chennai)
• South Central Railway (Secunderabad)
• South Eastern Railway (Kolkata)
• Western Railway (Mumbai)
• East Coast Railway (Bhubaneswar)
• North Central Railway (Prayagraj)
• North Western Railway (Jaipur)
• South East Central Railway (Bilaspur)
• South Western Railway (Hubballi)
• West Central Railway (Jabalpur)

Which post has the most vacancies?

Track Maintainer Grade IV is the largest single category in every zone — for example 653 posts in South Central Railway and 533 posts in South Eastern Railway. Pointsman B and Assistant (S&T) follow. Bridge and Track Machine posts are the smallest, sometimes in single digits per zone.

Reservation

Vacancies are reserved for SC, ST, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), EWS, PwBD, Ex-servicemen and Course Completed Act Apprentices (CCAA) as per the detailed provisions of the CEN. CCAA vacancies apply only to apprentices trained in railway establishments.

The complete railway-wise and post-wise vacancy table is published as Annexure B of the official notification.

RRB Group D Salary & Job Profile

RRB Group D posts carry an initial pay of ₹18,000 per month in Level 1 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix, plus Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance and railway-specific benefits. In-hand pay is higher than the basic figure once allowances are added, and varies by posting city.

RRB Group D salary structure

Because HRA and Transport Allowance are city-linked, two candidates on identical basic pay can take home noticeably different amounts — a metro posting pays more in allowances than a rural one.

Job profile by post

Track Maintainer Grade IV (Engineering)

The largest category. Responsible for inspecting and maintaining railway track — checking alignment and gauge, replacing fittings, and attending to faults. Outdoor, physically demanding work, often in shifts and in all weather.

Pointsman B (Traffic)

Works in the operating department, handling points and shunting movements in yards and at stations, and assisting in safe train movement. Safety-critical, shift-based work.

Assistant (S&T)

Supports maintenance of signalling and telecommunication equipment — the systems that keep train movement safe.

Assistant P.Way / Assistant Bridge / Assistant Track Machine (Engineering)

Permanent-way, bridge maintenance, and track-machine support work respectively, assisting with inspection and repair of railway infrastructure.

Assistant Carriage & Wagon (Mechanical)

Assists in examination and maintenance of coaches and wagons, including brake and running-gear checks.

Assistant TL & AC / Assistant TRD / Assistant Operations (Electrical)

Train lighting and air-conditioning, traction distribution (overhead equipment), and electrical operations support.

Career growth

Level 1 is the entry grade, and promotion to higher levels comes through departmental seniority and selection, alongside Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations. Many railway employees progress well beyond Level 1 over a career, and the railway pass facility and pension benefits are a significant part of the total value of the job.