RRB Technician 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus & Free Mock Tests

RRB Technician recruitment fills technical maintenance posts across Indian Railways in two distinct grades. Technician Grade I Signal works in the signal and telecommunication department maintaining signalling equipment, interlocking systems and telecom infrastructure. Technician Grade III covers maintenance roles across the mechanical, electrical, and signal and telecommunication departments.

The two grades have different qualifications, different age limits, different pay levels and — importantly — entirely different exam patterns under the same notification. Selection for both runs through a single computer-based test followed by document verification and a medical examination, with no second written stage.

RRB Technician is popular because it offers a permanent railway technical post through a single computer-based test with no second written stage, open to both ITI holders at Grade III and diploma holders at Grade I.

The single-stage written process is the main attraction — unlike ALP and JE, which require two computer-based tests and additional qualifying stages, Technician selection is decided by one paper. That shortens the path from application to appointment considerably.

Technician posts also carry a clear departmental promotion route into higher technical grades and eventually into supervisory Junior Engineer positions, alongside the full package of railway service benefits.

• Single CBT decides merit — no second written stage
• Two entry routes: ITI for Grade III, diploma or degree for Grade I
• Departmental promotion route towards supervisory grades
• 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 Technician cycle carried approximately Notified per cycle vacancies.

RRB Technician vacancies are published separately for Grade I Signal and Grade III, and further split zone-wise and trade-wise. Grade III typically carries far more posts than Grade I. Check the counts for your grade, trade and chosen zone in the centralised employment notice.

Vacancies are notified zone-wise and grade-wise in the centralised employment notice.rrbcdg.gov.in — Official Notification

Technician Grade I Signal requires a three-year diploma or a degree in a relevant engineering discipline, while Technician Grade III requires Class 10 plus an ITI certificate in a notified trade, with age limits of roughly 18 to 36 and 18 to 33 years respectively.

Educational Qualification

Technician Grade I Signal: a three-year diploma in Engineering in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Information Technology, Communication, Computer Science or an allied branch, or a degree in these disciplines. Technician Grade III: Class 10 pass plus an ITI certificate from an NCVT or SCVT-recognised institution in a notified trade, or a Course Completed Act Apprenticeship.

• The list of acceptable diploma branches for Grade I and ITI trades for Grade III is specified in detail in each notification.
• Verify that your exact branch or trade appears in the eligible list for the grade you intend to apply for.
• Candidates must possess the qualification as on the closing date of the application.

Age Limit

The age limit for RRB Technician is 18 to 36 years. Age limits differ by grade and have varied between cycles — Grade I Signal has typically carried a higher upper limit than Grade III. Confirm both 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.

RRB Technician has a single computer-based test of 100 questions worth 100 marks in 90 minutes for both grades, but the section breakdown differs entirely — Grade I Signal is weighted towards computers and engineering, while Grade III is weighted towards General Science.

1. 1Online application through the chosen Railway Recruitment Board’s portal, selecting grade and trade.
2. 2Computer Based Test — pattern differs by grade, and is the only stage carrying merit marks.
3. 3Document verification against the qualification, trade and category claimed.
4. 4Medical examination as per the fitness standard prescribed for the post.
5. 5Final merit list and allotment of post, trade and railway zone.

The RRB Technician syllabus covers Mathematics, Reasoning and General Awareness for both grades, with Grade I Signal adding Basic Science and Engineering plus Computers and Applications, and Grade III weighting General Science at 40 marks.

Technician Grade I Signal is a Pay Level 5 post with a basic pay of ₹29,200 while Technician Grade III is a Pay Level 2 post with a basic pay of ₹19,900, giving approximate in-hand salaries of ₹38,000 to ₹42,000 and ₹28,000 to ₹31,000 respectively.

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
• Overtime and night duty allowance where applicable

The decisive RRB Technician strategy is to prepare for the correct grade, because Grade I Signal and Grade III have entirely different section weightings — 35 marks of engineering versus 40 marks of General Science.