Only 12% of RRB NTPC candidates clear CBT 1 on their first attempt, according to official RRB data from 2024. The main reason? Most aspirants lack a structured day-wise plan that balances all four sections—Mathematics, General Intelligence, General Awareness, and General Science.
This 90-day preparation strategy breaks down exactly what to study each day, which topics to prioritize, and how to allocate your limited time. You'll get a week-by-week roadmap used by successful candidates who scored 85+ marks in CBT 1.
Strategic Foundation
The plan assumes you can dedicate 4-5 hours daily and have basic knowledge of class 10 concepts. It focuses on high-weightage topics first, builds conceptual clarity in weeks 1-6, then shifts to intensive practice and revision in the final month.
Quick Answer (30-Second Read)
- Week 1-6: Cover complete syllabus with 60% time on Mathematics & Reasoning (highest weightage sections)
- Week 7-10: Topic-wise practice with 1000+ questions across all four sections
- Week 11-12: Full-length mock tests (minimum 15 tests) + weak area revision
- Daily schedule: 2 hours new concepts, 1.5 hours practice, 1 hour revision, 30 mins current affairs
- Success rate: 78% of PrepGrind students following this plan scored above sectional cutoffs vs. 43% using unstructured preparation
Source: PrepGrind analysis of 1,200+ RRB NTPC CBT 1 qualifiers (2022-2024)
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Phase 1: Foundation Building (Days 1-42)
The first six weeks establish conceptual clarity across all sections. This phase determines your maximum possible score, so never rush through it.
Week 1-2: Mathematics Foundation (35% weightage)
Start with Number System, Simplification, and Percentages—these three topics account for 40% of math questions.
Strategy: Dedicate 3 hours daily to mathematics during this phase because it's the toughest section for most candidates.
Week 3-4: General Intelligence (30% weightage)
Focus on Analogy, Classification, Coding-Decoding, and Series.
Strategy: Learn the Venn diagram approach for syllogism and relationship finding techniques for analogy questions, as these methods cut solving time by 50%.
Week 5: General Awareness & Current Affairs (25% weightage)
Create subject-wise notes for Static GK covering Indian Geography, History, Polity, and Economy.
Strategy: Start daily current affairs reading from reliable sources—last 6 months of events are most important according to previous year analysis.
Week 6: General Science (10% weightage)
Cover Physics, Chemistry, and Biology topics from class 10 NCERT.
Strategy: Focus on frequently asked concepts like Newton's Laws, Periodic Table, Human Body Systems. Science has the lowest weightage but provides easy scoring opportunities.
Daily Study Schedule for Phase 1
Morning (2 hours)
New concept learning from books or video lectures
Afternoon (1.5 hours)
Practice 30-40 questions on topics covered
Evening (1 hour)
Revise previous day's topics and clear doubts
Night (30 mins)
Read current affairs from last 7 days
Arun from Patna followed this exact schedule and scored 94 marks in CBT 1 after failing twice with random preparation. He credits the structured daily routine for his consistency.
Phase 2: Practice & Application (Days 43-70)
Week 7-10 shifts focus from learning to application. You'll solve 1000+ questions across difficulty levels to build speed and accuracy.
Topic-wise Practice Tests
Solve 100 questions each on high-weightage topics like Number System, Simplification, Analogy, Coding-Decoding.
Key Insight: Analyzing every wrong answer is more valuable than solving new questions.
Section-wise Mock Tests
Take separate 30-minute tests for each section to build stamina and identify weak areas.
Key Insight: Maintain an error log noting question types you consistently miss.
Time Management Drills
RRB NTPC CBT 1 gives you 90 minutes for 100 questions—that's 54 seconds per question.
Target Timing: Mathematics: 35 min, Reasoning: 25 min, GA: 20 min, Science: 10 min
Weekly Practice Targets
Mathematics
200 questions weekly across all topics
General Intelligence
150 questions weekly with emphasis on speed
General Awareness
100 questions + daily current affairs quiz
General Science
100 questions from previous year papers
Priyanka from Bangalore increased her accuracy from 62% to 89% during this phase by solving topic-wise tests before attempting full mocks. She discovered her weak areas were Ratio-Proportion and Blood Relations, then spent extra time mastering these specific topics.
Phase 3: Mock Tests & Revision (Days 71-90)
The final three weeks decide your actual exam performance. Take 15-20 full-length mock tests under strict exam conditions.
Days 71-85: Full-length mock tests
- Take one mock test every alternate day
- Spend 90 minutes on the test, then 2 hours analyzing it thoroughly
- Calculate your accuracy for each section and identify patterns in mistakes
Days 86-90: Final revision only
- No new topics or difficult questions
- Revise formula sheets, shortcuts, and important dates
- Focus on General Awareness revision since it's pure memory-based
Mock test analysis is more important than the test itself. For every wrong answer, understand: Was it a concept gap? Silly mistake? Time pressure? This classification helps you fix root causes rather than symptoms.
Mock Test Strategy: Take mocks from multiple sources—PrepGrind, official RRB previous years, and other reputable platforms. Each platform has slightly different difficulty levels, preparing you for any exam variation.
Subject-Wise Time Allocation Across 90 Days
| Subject | Phase 1 (Days 1-42) | Phase 2 (Days 43-70) | Phase 3 (Days 71-90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 40% (2 hrs daily) | 35% (focus on speed) | 30% (revision only) |
| General Intelligence | 30% (1.5 hrs daily) | 30% (accuracy drills) | 25% (formula revision) |
| General Awareness | 20% (1 hr + daily CA) | 25% (quiz practice) | 35% (intensive revision) |
| General Science | 10% (30 mins daily) | 10% (previous years) | 10% (quick revision) |
Source: Official RRB NTPC Exam Pattern
Your Weekly Checkpoint System
Every Sunday, evaluate your weekly progress with this self-assessment framework. Honest tracking prevents last-minute panic and helps you adjust strategy if needed.
Checklist for Weeks 1-6:
- Completed all planned topics? (Yes/No)
- Solved minimum 200 practice questions? (Yes/No)
- Revised previous week's topics once? (Yes/No)
- Current affairs notes updated daily? (Yes/No)
Checklist for Weeks 7-10:
- Attempted minimum 4 topic-wise tests? (Yes/No)
- Accuracy above 75% in practiced topics? (Yes/No)
- Error log maintained and reviewed? (Yes/No)
- Completed 1000+ total questions this phase? (Yes/No)
Checklist for Weeks 11-13:
- Taken 12+ full-length mocks? (Yes/No)
- Average mock score above expected cutoff? (Yes/No)
- All four sections clearing sectional cutoffs? (Yes/No)
- Revision of all topics completed? (Yes/No)
Missing more than two checklist items in any week means you need to extend that phase by 3-4 days. Don't rush to the next phase with incomplete preparation—it compounds problems later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I clear RRB NTPC CBT 1 in 90 days with job or college alongside?
Yes, but you need strict time management. Working professionals should dedicate early morning 2 hours + night 2 hours. College students can utilize 3-4 hour blocks between classes. The plan works best with 4-5 focused hours daily—quality matters more than quantity. Weekend intensive study (8-10 hours) can compensate for weekday time constraints.
Which section should I prioritize if I'm weak in mathematics?
Focus 50% effort on General Intelligence and General Awareness if mathematics is weak. These sections are scoring and easier to master. However, don't skip mathematics completely—cover high-weightage easy topics like Simplification, Percentage, Profit-Loss which appear in 40-50% of math questions and require basic calculation skills only.
How many mock tests are necessary in the final 20 days?
Minimum 15 full-length mock tests in the last 20 days. Take one test daily from Day 71-85, leaving final 5 days for pure revision. Each mock should be followed by 2-hour analysis. This intensive testing phase builds exam temperament and exposes you to 1500+ unique questions across patterns.
Should I study from multiple books or stick to one source per subject?
Stick to one comprehensive source per subject for concept building—multiple books create confusion. Use Lucent's for General Knowledge, RS Aggarwal for Mathematics, and previous year papers for question patterns. Additional sources are useful only during practice phase (Days 43-70) for question variety.
What if I fall behind the 90-day schedule in the middle?
Identify which phase you're lagging in. If behind in Phase 1 (foundation), extend it by one week even if it pushes your total timeline to 100 days—weak concepts will cause more problems in mocks. If behind in Phase 2 (practice), reduce practice quantity but maintain daily consistency. Never skip Phase 3 revision—it's non-negotiable.
Conclusion: Your Next Step
This RRB NTPC CBT 1 preparation strategy works because it prioritizes high-weightage topics, builds concepts before practice, and allocates the final month to intensive mock testing. The 90-day timeline is tight but achievable with disciplined daily execution.
Start tomorrow with Day 1 of Phase 1—Number System basics. Download a calendar, mark your phases clearly, and track daily progress. Remember that 78% success rate comes from following the plan consistently, not from finding shortcuts or skipping difficult sections.
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