RRB Group D Recruitment 2026 | 22,195 Level-1 Posts | Online Form, Eligibility, Exam Date & Complete Guide
The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) have officially published the notification for RRB Group D / Level-1 Recruitment 2026 under Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) No. 09/2025. This is one of the largest single recruitment drives by Indian Railways in recent years, offering 22,195 permanent vacancies for entry-level posts such as Track Maintainer Grade-IV, Pointsman-B, Helper/Assistant (Workshop), Assistant (Track Machine), Assistant (Bridge), Assistant (C&W), Assistant (TRD), Assistant (S&T), and similar Level-1 roles across all railway zones.
The online application process opened on 31 January 2026 and closes on 2 March 2026 (up to 11:59 PM). The last date for fee payment is 4 March 2026, and there is a short correction window from 5 March to 14 March 2026. The Computer Based Test (CBT) date will be announced later, but it is expected sometime between April and July 2026.
This recruitment is perfect for candidates who have passed Class 10 (High School) or hold ITI / Course Completed Act Apprenticeship qualification and are looking for a permanent government job in Indian Railways with good starting pay, job security, pension benefits, free travel passes, medical facilities and long-term career stability.
Important Dates – RRB Group D 2026 (CEN 09/2025)
| Event | Date / Status |
|---|---|
| Official Notification Release | Late January 2026 |
| Online Application Start Date | 31 January 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 2 March 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Last Date for Online Fee Payment | 4 March 2026 |
| Application Form Correction Window | 5 March to 14 March 2026 |
| CBT Exam Date | To be announced (likely April–July 2026) |
| Admit Card Release | 10–15 days before exam |
| CBT Result & Scorecard | 4–8 weeks after exam |
| PET (Physical Efficiency Test) | After CBT result |
| Document Verification & Medical | After PET |
| Final Merit List & Appointment | Expected July–December 2026 |
Note: All dates are confirmed from the official notification. Regularly visit the regional RRB websites or indianrailways.gov.in for any updates or changes.
Application Fee – RRB Group D 2026
| Category | Application Fee | Refund Amount (after appearing in CBT) |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | ₹ 500 | ₹ 400 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen / Female / Transgender / Minority / EBC | ₹ 250 | ₹ 250 |
Payment mode: Online only (Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, UPI, IMPS, Mobile Wallet). Important: Fee is non-refundable except the refund amount for candidates who appear in the CBT.
Age Limit (as on 01 January 2026)
| Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 18 years | 33 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 18 years | 36 years |
| SC / ST | 18 years | 38 years |
| PwBD | 18 years | 43 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 18 years | Service rendered + 3 years |
Age relaxation rules (additional as per government norms):
- Widows / divorced women: Up to 35–40 years (category-wise)
- Jammu & Kashmir domiciled candidates (1980–1989): +5 years
Final age is calculated as on 01 January 2026. Always check exact cut-off dates in the official CEN notification.
Educational Qualification
| Post Category | Minimum Qualification Required |
|---|---|
| All Level-1 Posts (Track Maintainer, Pointsman, Helper/Assistant, etc.) | Class 10th (High School) pass from a recognized board OR ITI / Course Completed Act Apprenticeship from NCVT / SCVT approved institute |
Note:
- Candidates must have passed Class 10 with Mathematics and at least one language subject
- ITI is not mandatory for all posts but gives preference in some categories
- Final-year students are not eligible unless they complete exams before the application closing date
Vacancy Details – 22,195 Posts (Zone-wise Approximate)
Total vacancies: 22,195
Here is an approximate zone-wise distribution (exact figures are in the official CEN notification):
| Railway Zone / RRB | Approximate Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Northern Railway (Delhi) | 3,537 |
| Western Railway (Mumbai) | 3,148 |
| Central Railway (Mumbai) | 2,012 |
| Northeast Frontier Railway (Guwahati) | 1,776 |
| Other major zones (Southern, Eastern, South Central, etc.) | Balance up to 22,195 |
Note: Final zone-wise, post-wise, category-wise (UR, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, Ex-Servicemen, PwBD) and division-wise break-up is published in the official notification PDF on the respective RRB websites.
Salary & Pay Scale After Selection
Post Name: Level-1 Posts (Track Maintainer, Pointsman, Helper/Assistant, etc.)
Pay Matrix: Level-1 (7th Pay Commission)
- Basic Pay: ₹18,000
- Approximate in-hand salary: ₹26,000 – ₹29,000 per month (after NPS & insurance deductions)
- Annual CTC: ₹4–5 lakh in starting years
Major Allowances & Benefits
- Dearness Allowance (DA) revised every 6 months
- House Rent Allowance (HRA) based on posting city
- Transport Allowance
- Night Duty Allowance / Overtime Allowance (OTA)
- Free medical facilities at Railway Hospitals for self & family
- Free / concessional railway travel passes (Privilege Pass & PTOs)
- Children education allowance & hostel subsidy
- Pension under National Pension System (NPS)
- Group insurance, concessional loans, canteen facilities
After probation (usually 2 years) and satisfactory service, salary increases regularly with promotions to higher grades (Track Maintainer → Senior Track Maintainer → Supervisor → higher technical roles).
Selection Process – RRB Group D 2026
The selection is done in four stages:
- Computer Based Test (CBT) – Single online objective exam
- Physical Efficiency Test (PET) – Qualifying in nature
- Document Verification – Original certificates checked
- Medical Examination – Final fitness check
CBT Exam Pattern
| Subject | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Science | 25 | 25 | |
| Mathematics | 25 | 25 | |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 30 | 30 | |
| General Awareness & Current Affairs | 20 | 20 | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 90 min |
Negative marking: 1/3 mark deducted for each wrong answer.
PET Standards (Qualifying only)
Male
- Lift & carry 35 kg weight for 100 meters without stopping
- Run 1,000 meters in 4 minutes 15 seconds
Female
- Lift & carry 20 kg weight for 100 meters without stopping
- Run 1,000 meters in 5 minutes 40 seconds
How to Apply Online – Step-by-Step Guide
- Visit your regional RRB website (e.g., rrbcdg.gov.in, rrbahmedabad.gov.in, etc.) or indianrailways.gov.in
- Click on “CEN 09/2025 – Level-1 (Group D)” link
- Click “New Registration”
- Enter mobile number and email ID
- Verify OTP
- Fill personal details, education, category, preferred RRB
- Upload scanned photo (20–50 KB) and signature (10–20 KB)
- Choose preferred exam centre
- Preview the application carefully
- Pay fee online (if applicable)
- Submit and take printout of application / registration number
Note: Keep Aadhaar number, 10th marksheet, mobile and email active. Fill name, father name, DOB exactly as per 10th certificate.
Documents Required During Verification
- Recent passport-size photo & signature
- 10th marksheet & passing certificate
- ITI marksheet & certificate (if applicable)
- Caste / category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS – if applicable)
- PwBD certificate (if applicable)
- Ex-serviceman discharge certificate (if applicable)
- Aadhaar card / any photo ID
- Domicile certificate (if required by some RRBs)
Keep originals and self-attested photocopies ready.
Preparation Tips for RRB Group D CBT 2026
The CBT is 100 marks and 90 minutes. Negative marking applies.
Subject-wise strategy
- General Science: Physics, Chemistry, Biology (NCERT 6th–10th level)
- Mathematics: Percentage, profit-loss, time & work, speed-distance, ratio, average, SI/CI, mensuration
- General Intelligence & Reasoning: Analogy, series, coding-decoding, blood relation, direction sense, puzzle
- General Awareness & Current Affairs: Last 6–8 months current affairs, static GK (Indian polity, geography, history, economy)
Best books
- Arihant / Disha RRB Group D Guide
- Lucent General Knowledge
- RS Aggarwal Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning
- NCERT Science & Maths books (Class 8–10)
- Previous year papers & mock tests
Practice – Solve 2–3 mock tests every week. Aim for 75–85 marks to be safe.
| Some Useful Important Links | |||
| Apply Online | Click Here | ||
| Download Notification | Click Here | ||
| Official Website | Click Here | ||
Final Advice for Candidates
RRB Group D 2026 with 22,195 vacancies is one of the largest government job drives for 10th-pass and ITI candidates. The job is permanent, offers decent starting salary, pension, medical benefits, free railway travel and postings mostly in your home zone.
Start preparing now — revise 10th syllabus, practice aptitude and keep documents ready. Apply early (31 January – 2 March 2026) to avoid server rush. Fill the form carefully because correction window is limited.
