RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026
Who can apply for RRB NTPC 2026 — qualification for both the Undergraduate and Graduate streams, the exact age windows, category-wise relaxation, and nationality rules, all in one place.
Eligibility At a Glance
- UG stream: 12th pass, age 18–33
- Graduate stream: any degree, age 18–36
- Typist posts need 30/25 wpm typing
- No minimum percentage required
Quick answer: RRB NTPC Undergraduate posts need a Class 12 pass with an age of 18–33 years; Graduate posts need a bachelor's degree with an age of 18–36 years, both as on the date fixed in the CEN notification. A graduate can apply for Undergraduate posts, but not the reverse.
Educational Qualification by Stream
| Stream | Qualification Required |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate (12th-level posts) | Passed Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent from a recognised board. Covers Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Junior Clerk cum Typist, Accounts Clerk cum Typist / Trains Clerk. |
| Graduate | A bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Covers Station Master, Goods Train Manager, Senior Clerk cum Typist, Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist. |
Typing-required posts
Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist and Senior Clerk cum Typist additionally require typing proficiency in English or Hindi on a computer, verified at a later qualifying stage.
Qualification cut-off date
Candidates must possess the required qualification as on the closing date of the application — not the exam date.
A graduate may apply for Undergraduate-level posts, since a degree satisfies the 12th-pass floor automatically. A 12th-pass candidate without a degree, however, cannot apply for Graduate-level posts.
Age Limit 2026
Undergraduate posts: 18 to 33 years. Graduate posts: 18 to 36 years. Both are reckoned as on the date specified in the CEN notification — the Railways have revised these limits between cycles in the past, so confirm the exact cut-off date in the current employment notice before applying.
Age Relaxation 2026
| Category | Relaxation Granted |
|---|---|
| Other Backward Classes (OBC — Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) | 5 years |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwD) — Unreserved | 10 years |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwD) — OBC | 13 years |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwD) — SC/ST | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Service rendered plus 3 years |
| Serving railway employees — General | Up to 40 years of age |
| Serving railway employees — SC/ST | Up to 45 years of age |
Relaxation rules are notified per cycle — confirm the exact figures on the official CEN notice before relying on them.
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.
Pick your stream carefully
Undergraduate and Graduate posts are notified as separate CENs with separate vacancies, age limits and pay levels — decide which stream fits your qualification before applying.
One RRB zone only
Candidates may apply to only one Railway Recruitment Board per cycle and compete within that zone — the RRB chosen cannot be changed after registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
18 to 33 years for Undergraduate posts and 18 to 36 years for Graduate posts, as on the date specified in the CEN notification.
The Railways have revised these limits between cycles in the past, so always confirm the exact range in the current employment notice before applying.
Class 12 pass for Undergraduate posts; a bachelor's degree in any discipline for Graduate posts.
Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist and Senior Clerk cum Typist additionally require typing proficiency in English or Hindi on a computer.
Yes — a graduate automatically meets the 12th-pass minimum and remains eligible for Undergraduate posts.
It only runs one way: a 12th-pass candidate without a degree cannot apply for Graduate-level posts.
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) gets 3 years, SC/ST gets 5 years of upper-age relaxation.
PwBD candidates get 10 years (unreserved), 13 years (OBC) or 15 years (SC/ST) — see the full table below.
Indian citizens, subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, pre-1962 Tibetan refugees, and persons of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East Africa intending to settle permanently.
Non-citizens in the latter categories typically need a Government of India eligibility certificate.
Not at the application stage — but Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist and Senior Clerk cum Typist posts require clearing a qualifying Typing Skill Test later.
The requirement is 30 words per minute in English or 25 in Hindi, with no spell check or editing tools allowed during the test.
Eligible?
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