RRB Group D 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, PET & Free Mocks

RRB Group D is a centralised recruitment examination conducted by the Railway Recruitment Boards to fill Level 1 posts across Indian Railways. These are the frontline operational roles that keep the network running — Track Maintainer Grade IV, Assistant Pointsman, and Helper or Assistant posts in the mechanical, electrical, signal and telecommunication, engineering and stores departments.

It requires only a Class 10 pass or an ITI certificate, making it one of the most accessible government recruitments in India. Selection runs through a single computer-based test, followed by a Physical Efficiency Test, document verification and a medical examination. Because only one CBT carries merit marks, the written stage is decisive.

RRB Group D is popular because it offers a permanent Indian Railways job to Class 10 and ITI candidates with over 32,000 vacancies in a typical cycle, a single written stage, and no interview.

The combination of a very low academic bar, an enormous vacancy count and a single decisive written test makes Group D the most realistic central government opportunity available to a large share of Indian job seekers. There is no interview, so selection is entirely objective.

Railway employment carries benefits that extend well beyond the pay scale — free and concessional travel passes for the employee and family, railway quarters, access to railway hospitals and schools, and a departmental promotion route into higher technical and operational grades.

• Only Class 10 or ITI required — no degree needed
• 32,000+ vacancies in a typical recruitment cycle
• Single CBT decides merit; no interview stage
• Free travel passes, railway quarters, hospitals and schools

Dates are announced by the Railway Recruitment Boards with the centralised employment notice.rrbcdg.gov.in — Official RRB Portal

The most recent RRB Group D cycle carried approximately 32,000+ vacancies.

RRB Group D vacancies are published zone-wise across all Railway Recruitment Boards, and candidates apply to a single RRB. The relevant figure when assessing your chances is the vacancy count for your chosen zone rather than the national total. Confirm current numbers in the centralised employment notice.

Vacancies announced in the most recent RRB Group D centralised employment notice.rrbcdg.gov.in — Official Notification

To apply for RRB Group D 2026 a candidate must have passed Class 10, or hold an ITI certificate from an NCVT/SCVT-recognised institution, or hold a National Apprenticeship Certificate, and be between 18 and 36 years of age as on the date specified in the notification.

Educational Qualification

Passed Class 10 from a recognised board, OR an ITI certificate from an institution recognised by NCVT or SCVT, OR a National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) granted by NCVT.

• Requirements are post-specific — some Level 1 posts require an ITI certificate in addition to Class 10, so check the post-wise table in the notification.
• The Railways have varied the qualification requirement between cycles; confirm against the current employment notice before applying.
• Candidates must possess the qualification as on the closing date of the application.

Age Limit

The age limit for RRB Group D is 18 to 36 years. The upper age limit has varied between cycles, having been revised upward in recent notifications. Confirm the exact range in the current centralised employment notice.

Nationality

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East African countries with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Physical Standards

The Physical Efficiency Test is qualifying and differs by gender. Male candidates must lift and carry 35 kg of weight for a distance of 100 metres in 2 minutes in one chance without putting the weight down, and must run 1,000 metres in 4 minutes 15 seconds in one chance. Female candidates must lift and carry 20 kg of weight for a distance of 100 metres in 2 minutes in one chance without putting the weight down, and must run 1,000 metres in 5 minutes 40 seconds in one chance. Both components must be passed.

RRB Group D has a single computer-based test of 100 questions carrying 100 marks, to be completed in 90 minutes, with one-third of a mark deducted for each wrong answer, followed by a qualifying Physical Efficiency Test.

1. 1Online application through the chosen Railway Recruitment Board’s portal.
2. 2Computer Based Test (CBT) — the only stage carrying merit marks.
3. 3Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — qualifying, with separate lifting and running standards for men and women.
4. 4Document verification against the qualification and category claimed.
5. 5Medical examination as per the fitness standard prescribed for the post.
6. 6Final merit list and allotment of post and railway zone.

The RRB Group D syllabus covers four areas at Class 10 difficulty — General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Science, Mathematics, and General Awareness and Current Affairs — with Reasoning carrying the highest weightage at 30 marks.

RRB Group D posts are placed in Pay Level 1 of the Seventh Pay Commission with a basic pay of ₹18,000, giving an approximate in-hand salary of ₹22,000 to ₹26,000 per month depending on city classification, plus railway travel passes and medical facilities.

Allowances and Benefits

• Dearness Allowance (DA) — revised twice a year
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) or railway quarters
• Transport Allowance (TA)
• Free and concessional travel passes for the employee and family
• Railway hospitals, schools and housing colonies
• Night duty and running allowance where applicable

The decisive RRB Group D strategy is to master General Science and Reasoning, which together carry 55 of the 100 marks, while training for the Physical Efficiency Test in parallel rather than after the result.