Railway recruitment exams at a glance
Recruitment to the Indian Railways is conducted through the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), which publish a Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) for each recruitment. The two exams that attract the most candidates are the Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) recruitment, with posts for graduates (for example Station Master, Goods Guard and Traffic Assistant) and for undergraduates (for example clerk and accounts clerk posts), and the Group D recruitment for entry-level posts in the technical and engineering departments. Both begin with a computer-based test (CBT) and then, depending on the post, further stages such as a second CBT, a skill or aptitude test, a physical efficiency test, document verification and a medical examination. The pattern and eligibility are given in each CEN, so use this page for orientation and read the CEN for the post you are applying to.
| Detail | RRB NTPC, CBT-1 | RRB Group D, CBT (CEN 09/2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 100, one mark each | 100, one mark each |
| Duration | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Sections | General Awareness 40; Mathematics 30; General Intelligence and Reasoning 30 | Mathematics 25; General Intelligence and Reasoning 30; General Science 25; General Awareness and Current Affairs 20 |
| Negative marking | One-third of a mark per wrong answer | One-third of a mark per wrong answer |
| Role of the test | First-stage screening for NTPC; later stages follow | The main written test; later stages include a physical efficiency test |
The NTPC figures come from RRB notifications on the RRB websites (for example rrbcdg.gov.in), which describe CBT-1 as 100 questions in 90 minutes with the section split above. The Group D figures are as reported for CEN 09/2025; the exact split can differ between notices, so confirm it in the CEN. The extra time for eligible candidates (such as persons with benchmark disabilities who use a scribe) is also set out in the notice.
Who takes railway exams and eligibility basics
Lakhs of candidates apply for each recruitment, so competition for each vacancy is intense. The educational qualification depends on the post: graduate-level NTPC posts need a degree, undergraduate NTPC posts need Class 12, and Group D posts generally require Class 10 or an ITI qualification or equivalent. Age limits, relaxations, medical standards and the number of vacancies are in the CEN. Read the CEN for your post before you start preparing, because the stages after the first CBT depend on the post.
The sections and what they reward
Mathematics
School-level arithmetic, algebra, geometry and mensuration, with direct questions that reward speed. See railway Mathematics.
General Intelligence and Reasoning
Analogies, series, coding-decoding, relations, directions, Venn diagrams and puzzles. A scoring section with steady practice. See railway Reasoning.
General Awareness and General Science
Static GK, polity, history, geography, economy, current affairs and, for Group D, a full section of general science drawn from school-level physics, chemistry and biology. See railway General Awareness.
Why mock tests matter so much for railway exams
With 100 questions in 90 minutes, you have 54 seconds per question on average, and the questions are direct. The challenge is breadth and speed: a candidate who knows the syllabus but takes 70 seconds per question will not finish. Competition is also tight, so small differences in accuracy decide the cut-off. Mock tests give you:
- Pace. How many questions you can really do per section in your time.
- Order. Whether you do better starting with Reasoning, Awareness or Mathematics.
- Accuracy under penalty. Each wrong answer costs a third of a mark, so careless errors are concrete losses.
- Stamina. Ninety minutes of continuous screen work.
Types of mock tests and when to use each
| Type | Typical length | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| Topic tests | 10-20 questions | Speed on a topic: percentage, series, a science chapter |
| Sectional tests | 25-40 questions | Pace and accuracy within a section |
| Full-length CBT tests | 100 questions, 90 minutes | Order, stamina and attempt policy |
| Awareness quizzes | 20-40 questions | Revising static GK, science and current affairs |
| Later-stage practice | CBT-2 or skill-test style | After CBT-1 or the first CBT is steady |
The plan for using them is in the railway mock test strategy.
Free and paid railway mocks
Free tests are good for a baseline and to sample an institute's style. Paid series usually offer many full-length CBT papers, sectional tests and analytics. The lists below show what is currently published on TestMint, and the free railway mock tests page explains how to use a free attempt. For what to look for, read what makes a good mock test.
Test-taking strategy for a 100-question, 90-minute CBT
Because all questions carry equal marks, take the quickest first. A common plan for NTPC CBT-1 is General Awareness first (40 questions in about 20 minutes, since they are recall-based), then Reasoning (30 questions in about 28 minutes), then Mathematics (30 questions in about 32 minutes), leaving about ten minutes to return to marked questions. For Group D, a similar plan applies: General Science and General Awareness quickly, then Reasoning, then Mathematics. These timings are starting points; your own mocks should decide your order and time per section.
- First pass: answer questions you can finish in under 40 seconds; mark the rest.
- Second pass: return to the marked questions in order of ease.
- Last ten minutes: check marked answers and make sure nothing you can answer is blank.
Negative marking: the arithmetic
With one mark for a correct answer and one-third of a mark deducted for a wrong one, the break-even accuracy is 25% (the penalty of ⅓ against the gain of 1). If you can eliminate one option of four, your chance of being right is a third, and the expected value of an attempt is (⅓ × 1) − (⅔ × ⅓) = +0.11 marks; with two options eliminated it is +0.33. A blind guess is neutral. The practical rule: guess only after eliminating options, and prefer accurate answers to many attempts. See our negative marking guide and accuracy versus attempts.
Analysing a railway mock
| Cause | What it looks like | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Concept or fact gap | You did not know the method or fact | Study; 10-15 questions on the topic within a week |
| Calculation error | Right method, wrong number | Daily calculation drills |
| Speed problem | Unfinished questions you could have solved | Timed sectionals; faster methods |
| Reading error | You missed "not" or a condition | Underline the key word |
| Guess error | Marked without elimination | Compute net marks by section |
| Outdated fact | A current-affairs answer that has changed | Use a recent summary; note dates |
See how to review incorrect questions and how to build an error log.
Common mistakes in railway exam preparation
- Studying without timed practice. A syllabus completed at 70 seconds a question does not finish the paper.
- Ignoring General Science for Group D, when it is a full 25-question section from school-level material.
- Guessing blindly after three wrong answers in a row.
- Not tracking the stage after CBT-1. For NTPC, later stages have their own tests.
- Not reviewing. A mock without review gives a score, not an improvement.
A preparation timeline using mocks
Six to four months out: topic tests and one diagnostic full CBT. Four to two months: sectional tests two or three times a week and a weekly full CBT. The last two months: two full papers a week at most, with revision of formula sheets and fact lists. The last week: a final paper four or five days before, light revision and rest. Because RRBs publish an annual calendar and each CEN gives dates, plan from the CEN of your post. For shorter horizons see the 30-day plan and the last-week plan.
Related reading
For the structure see the railway exam pattern. For a worked review read how to use mock tests for railway exams. Sections: Mathematics, Reasoning and General Awareness. Topic drills: percentage, HCF and LCM, direction sense and static GK.
Official information: the Centralised Employment Notice on the RRB website for your region is the authority for the pattern, eligibility, vacancies and dates. This page was checked in October 2026; please confirm every detail in the CEN.
