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RRB NTPC Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern

RRB NTPC recruits for non-technical posts — from Junior Clerk and Accounts Clerk at the undergraduate level to Station Master, Goods Guard and Traffic Assistant at the graduate level. The 1st Stage CBT is common to every notified post and purely a screening test; the 2nd Stage CBT is held separately for each 7th CPC pay level, with graded difficulty.

2 papers 40 topics listed Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) RRB NTPC previous year papers

RRB NTPC exam at a glance

Conducting bodyRailway Recruitment Board
Stages1st Stage CBT → 2nd Stage CBT → skill test → DV
1st Stage CBT100 questions · 100 marks · 90 minutes
2nd Stage CBT120 questions · 120 marks · 90 minutes
Negative marking1/3 mark per wrong answer in both stages
PwBD with scribe120 minutes for either stage
Shortlisting ratio20× the community-wise notified vacancies
Normalisation1st Stage scores are normalised before shortlisting
Official websitewww.rrbcdg.gov.in

RRB NTPC selection process

Each phase has to be cleared before the next one opens.

  1. 1

    Phase 1

    1st Stage CBT (common to all posts, screening)

  2. 2

    Phase 2

    2nd Stage CBT (separate per 7th CPC level)

  3. 3

    Phase 3

    Typing Skill Test / Computer Based Aptitude Test, where prescribed

  4. 4

    Phase 4

    Document verification and medical examination

RRB NTPC 1st Stage CBT syllabus

Common to all notified posts. Of screening nature — the standard of questions conforms broadly to the educational standard prescribed for the post. The normalised 1st Stage score is used to shortlist for the 2nd Stage, at 20 times the community-wise notified vacancies. Candidates shortlisted under OBC(NCL)/SC/ST/EWS, PwBD or ExSM reservation continue to be considered against those categories through all subsequent stages.

1st Stage CBT

Questions
100 (each 1 mark)
Duration
90 minutes (120 for PwBD candidates with a scribe)
Negative marking
1/3 mark per wrong answer
SectionQuestionsMarksDuration
General Awareness4040—
Mathematics3030—
General Intelligence and Reasoning3030—
Total10010090 minutes

The section-wise distribution is indicative — the actual question paper may vary somewhat from these counts.

Mathematics

  • Number system, decimals, fractions, LCM, HCF
  • Ratio and proportions, percentage
  • Mensuration
  • Time and work, time and distance
  • Simple and compound interest, profit and loss
  • Elementary algebra
  • Geometry and trigonometry
  • Elementary statistics

General Intelligence and Reasoning

  • Analogies
  • Completion of number and alphabetical series
  • Coding and decoding
  • Mathematical operations
  • Similarities and differences, relationships
  • Analytical reasoning, syllogism, jumbling
  • Venn diagrams, puzzle, data sufficiency
  • Statement–conclusion, statement–courses of action
  • Decision making
  • Maps, interpretation of graphs

General Awareness

  • Current events of national and international importance
  • Games and sports
  • Art and culture of India, Indian literature
  • Monuments and places of India
  • General science and life science (up to Class 10 CBSE)
  • History of India and freedom struggle
  • Physical, social and economic geography of India and the world
  • Indian polity and governance — constitution and political system
  • General scientific and technological developments including the space and nuclear programme of India
  • UN and other important world organisations
  • Environmental issues concerning India and the world at large
  • Basics of computers and computer applications
  • Common abbreviations
  • Transport systems in India
  • Indian economy
  • Famous personalities of India and the world
  • Flagship government programmes
  • Flora and fauna of India
  • Important government and public sector organisations of India

RRB NTPC 2nd Stage CBT syllabus

A separate 2nd Stage CBT is held for each 7th CPC level — Levels 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 — with graded difficulty. All posts within the same level share one 2nd Stage CBT. A candidate eligible for posts at more than one level by qualification sits the common 1st Stage CBT once and the corresponding 2nd Stage CBT for each level.

2nd Stage CBT

Questions
120 (each 1 mark)
Duration
90 minutes (120 for PwBD candidates with a scribe)
Negative marking
1/3 mark per wrong answer
SectionQuestionsMarksDuration
General Awareness5050—
Mathematics3535—
General Intelligence and Reasoning3535—
Total12012090 minutes

The subject syllabus is the same as the 1st Stage CBT; only the weightage and the difficulty level change. The section-wise distribution is indicative.

Same three subjects, higher difficulty

The 2nd Stage CBT draws on the same Mathematics, Reasoning and General Awareness syllabus as the 1st Stage, set at the difficulty graded to the 7th CPC level of the posts in question.

  • Mathematics — arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and elementary statistics
  • General Intelligence and Reasoning — verbal, analytical and logical reasoning
  • General Awareness — current affairs, history, geography, polity, economy, science and technology, and railway-relevant general knowledge

Practise the RRB NTPC syllabus, section by section

Reading the syllabus tells you what is examinable; previous year papers tell you how it is actually asked. Every RRB NTPC paper on AI Test Planet runs in a real exam interface with worked solutions and a topic-wise breakdown of where you lost marks.

RRB NTPC previous year papers Browse all examsNCERT source books

RRB NTPC syllabus — frequently asked questions

How many stages does RRB NTPC have?+

Two computer based tests. The 1st Stage CBT is common to every notified post and is a screening test; the 2nd Stage CBT is held separately for each 7th CPC level with graded difficulty. Some posts additionally require a Typing Skill Test or Computer Based Aptitude Test.

What is the difference between CBT 1 and CBT 2?+

CBT 1 has 100 questions (GA 40, Maths 30, Reasoning 30) and CBT 2 has 120 (GA 50, Maths 35, Reasoning 35). Both run 90 minutes with 1/3 negative marking. The syllabus is the same; CBT 2 is set at a harder level.

How many candidates are shortlisted for the 2nd Stage CBT?+

20 times the community-wise notified vacancies against the RRB, based on normalised 1st Stage marks and the post preferences exercised. The Railways reserve the right to change this limit.

Is the section-wise split guaranteed?+

No. The Board states the distribution is indicative and there may be some variation in the actual question papers.

Syllabus of exams RRB NTPC aspirants also write

RRB Group D Syllabus

The other big railway recruitment — same GK and reasoning syllabus.

View syllabus

SSC CGL Syllabus

The graduate-level central track, sharing the quant and reasoning base.

View syllabus

Where this syllabus comes from

Railway Recruitment Board, RRB NTPC exam pattern and syllabus as published with CEN 01/2019 (1st Stage and 2nd Stage Computer Based Tests). Verify the current cycle on rrbcdg.gov.in.

Last verified on 13 August 2026.Commissions revise patterns between cycles — confirm anything decisive against the current notification on www.rrbcdg.gov.in.