RRB Group D is India's largest railway recruitment by volume — the last cycle (CEN RRC 01/2019) drew over 1.15 crore applicants for around 1.03 lakh Level-1 posts. It is the most accessible entry point into Indian Railways for 10th-pass and ITI candidates and the foundation pipeline that staffs almost every Zonal Railway across the country. A fresh recruitment cycle is pending notification as of 2026.

Group D recruits for Level-1 (₹18,000 grade pay) posts of the 7th CPC pay matrix — Track Maintainer Grade IV (Trackman), Helper / Assistant in Electrical, Mechanical, S&T and Stores departments, Pointsman, Assistant (Workshop), Assistant Bridge, Assistant Loco Shed (Diesel / Electrical), Assistant Operations (Electrical), Assistant TL & AC, Assistant Carriage & Wagon, Assistant Track Machine and similar posts. Selection is via four stages: Computer Based Test, Physical Efficiency Test, Document Verification and Medical Examination.

While Level-1 is the starting grade, Group D is often the first step toward higher Railway posts. After a few years of service, candidates can move up to Technician, ALP-equivalent and supervisory positions through internal Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations (LDCE) and GDCE pathways. Combined with job security, free travel passes, quarters, medical for self and family, and pension benefits, this makes Group D one of the most sought-after entry-level government jobs in India.

Conducted by: Railway Recruitment Cells (RRCs), Ministry of Railways, Government of India — Group D is recruited by RRCs (not the RRBs that handle NTPC, ALP, JE etc.)

Eligibility

General eligibility

Age:: 18-33 years (typical, as per last notification). Age relaxation: SC/ST +5 yrs, OBC-NCL +3 yrs, PwBD +10 yrs (UR) / +13 yrs (OBC) / +15 yrs (SC/ST), ex-servicemen as per rules.
Education:: 10th-pass from a recognised board OR ITI (NCVT/SCVT) in any relevant trade OR National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) granted by NCVT. Some posts may specifically require ITI in a particular trade — check notification post-wise.
Nationality:: Indian citizen, or subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 Jan 1962, or person of Indian origin who has migrated from specified countries.

Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — Male

Age:: Same as above.
Education:: Same as above.
Nationality:: Same as above.
Attempts:: 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 run 1000 metres in 4 minutes 15 seconds in one chance. Both events must be cleared to qualify.

Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — Female

Age:: Same as above.
Education:: Same as above.
Nationality:: Same as above.
Attempts:: 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 run 1000 metres in 5 minutes 40 seconds in one chance. Both events must be cleared to qualify.

Medical fitness

Age:: Same as above.
Education:: Same as above.
Nationality:: Same as above.
Attempts:: Most Group D posts fall under medical category B-1, B-2, C-1 or C-2 depending on the role (Trackman is typically B-1; Helper posts are usually C-1 / C-2). Vision, hearing and overall physical fitness as per Indian Railway Medical Manual.

Exam Pattern

Stage-by-stage breakdown of the recruitment process.

Stage 1: Computer Based Test (CBT)

Mode: Online CBT
Sections: Mathematics · General Intelligence & Reasoning · General Science · General Awareness and Current Affairs
Questions: 100 (Mathematics 25 · Reasoning 30 · General Science 25 · General Awareness + CA 20)
Marks: 100 (1 mark per correct answer)
Duration: 90 minutes (120 minutes for PwBD candidates with scribe)
Negative marking: -1/3 mark per wrong answer

CBT is conducted in multiple shifts across the country; normalisation is applied across shifts. Minimum qualifying marks: UR 40%, EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%. Candidates shortlisted for PET in ratio of 3:1 (three times the number of vacancies).

Stage 2: Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

Mode: Physical test (lift-and-carry + run)
Sections: Lift-and-carry event + 1000m run
Questions: —
Marks: Qualifying only
Duration: Male: 35 kg / 100m / 2 min + 1000m / 4 min 15 sec · Female: 20 kg / 100m / 2 min + 1000m / 5 min 40 sec
Negative marking: —

PET is purely qualifying — marks are not added to merit. Both events must be cleared in one chance each. Failing PET disqualifies regardless of CBT score. Final merit is decided by CBT marks alone (subject to PET clearance).

Stage 3: Document Verification (DV)

Mode: Physical document check
Sections: Verification of educational, age, category, identity and ITI / NAC documents
Questions: —
Marks: Qualifying only
Duration: —
Negative marking: —

Candidates shortlisted post-PET in order of CBT merit are called for DV. Any discrepancy or fake document leads to immediate disqualification and possible legal action.

Stage 4: Medical Examination (ME)

Mode: Medical fitness check
Sections: Vision, hearing, blood pressure, general physical fitness, post-wise medical category check (B-1 / B-2 / C-1 / C-2)
Questions: —
Marks: Qualifying only
Duration: —
Negative marking: —

Failing the medical for the applied post may allow allocation to a different post with a lower medical category if available, or disqualification. Common reasons for failure: poor uncorrected vision (especially for Trackman / safety posts), colour blindness, knock-knees, flat foot.

Syllabus

Tap any section to see the full list of subtopics.

Mathematics14 topics

Number system (whole numbers, fractions, decimals)
BODMAS / simplification (single step)
LCM and HCF
Percentages (basic)
Ratio and proportion (unitary method)
Average
Profit and loss (single step)
Simple interest and compound interest (basic, 1-3 years)
Time and work (basic)
Time, speed and distance (basic)
Basic mensuration (perimeter, area of rectangle, square, triangle, circle)
Basic algebra (linear equation in one variable)
Pipes and cisterns (basic)
Calendar and clock (basic)

General Intelligence & Reasoning13 topics

Number / letter / alphabet series (find next term)
Coding and decoding (single letter shift)
Analogies (word, number, alphabet)
Odd-one-out / classification
Blood relations (single-step)
Direction sense (simple 2-step paths)
Mathematical operations (symbol substitution)
Syllogisms (2-statement direct)
Statement and conclusions / arguments (basic)
Venn diagrams (2-3 set basic)
Mirror and water image
Ranking and seating arrangement (linear)
Decision making (basic)

General Science5 topics

Physics — motion, force, work, energy, heat, light, sound, electricity basics, magnetism basics (NCERT Class 9-10 level)
Chemistry — atomic structure basics, elements and compounds, acids, bases and salts, common chemical formulas (water, salt, baking soda, washing soda)
Biology — cell structure, life processes (respiration, digestion, circulation, excretion), human body systems, common diseases and their causes, vitamins and deficiencies
Environment — natural resources, basic ecology (food chain, food web)
Science in everyday life (common applications)

General Knowledge7 topics

Indian History — major rulers (Akbar, Ashoka, Shivaji), freedom struggle (1857 revolt, Quit India Movement, Dandi March), key freedom fighters (Gandhi, Nehru, Bhagat Singh, Subhash Bose)
Indian Geography — states and capitals, major rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Godavari), mountain ranges, climate basics
Indian Polity — President, PM, Parliament basics, basic Fundamental Rights and Duties
Indian Economy — RBI, currency, major schemes (PMJDY, MGNREGA, PMAY)
Static GK — national symbols, sports (cricket, hockey, Olympic Games), famous monuments, books and authors
Indian Railways — number of zones (currently 18 including Metro), major routes, well-known facts (longest platform Hubli, fastest train Vande Bharat, etc.)
Current Affairs — last 6-12 months major national events, awards, appointments, sports, ISRO missions

Preparation Strategy

Start physical training in PARALLEL with study from Day 1. A surprisingly high number of strong CBT scorers fail PET — especially the 35 kg / 100m / 2 min lift-and-carry, which catches lean candidates off guard. Build grip strength, shoulder endurance and basic cardio (1 km run) at least 12-16 weeks before the PET date.

For Mathematics, NCERT Class 8-10 textbooks cover everything in the CBT. R.S. Aggarwal Quantitative Aptitude (10th-pass chapters only — percentage, ratio, average, profit-loss, SI/CI, time-work, time-speed-distance, basic mensuration) is more than enough. Skip advanced shortcuts — Group D doesn't reward them.

Reasoning rewards practice volume over technique. 20-30 questions a day from series, coding, analogies, blood relations and direction sense for 60-90 days makes a real difference. R.S. Aggarwal Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning is the standard book.

General Science — read NCERT Class 9 and 10 Science (Physics + Chemistry + Biology chapters) cover to cover. Don't skip diagrams or in-text examples. Lucent's General Science is a good quick-revision supplement.

GK and Current Affairs — Lucent's General Knowledge (Hindi or English) is the bible for static GK. For current affairs, read one daily summary (Adda247 free PDFs, Career Power monthly bulletin, or Pratiyogita Darpan / Manorama Yearbook for deeper context). Indian Railways general facts (zones, major routes, well-known records) are high-yield — don't skip them.

Hindi-medium aspirants have a slight advantage in this exam — official notification, question paper and most prep books are widely available in Hindi. Use whichever language you are most comfortable in; don't switch mid-prep just because friends do.

Take 3-5 full-length mock tests in the last 4 weeks to handle the 90-minute pressure across 100 questions. Aim for 70-75+ attempts with 90%+ accuracy — negative marking is -1/3, so blind guessing on 5+ questions hurts.

Recent Changes to Know

Last full cycle was CEN RRC 01/2019 — CBT was conducted across multiple phases in 2022, with PET in 2022-23 and final results / DV / Medical extending into 2023-24. A fresh recruitment cycle is pending notification as of 2026.
Group D is conducted by RRCs (Railway Recruitment Cells), NOT RRBs (Railway Recruitment Boards) — RRBs handle NTPC, ALP, Technician, JE etc. This is a common point of confusion.
CBT pattern from the last cycle: 100 questions / 100 marks / 90 minutes with -1/3 negative marking. Section split: Mathematics 25, Reasoning 30, General Science 25, GK + CA 20.
PET norms (lift-and-carry weights, distances and timings) have remained consistent across recent cycles, but candidates must always check the fresh notification for any revision.

Important Dates

Notification: A fresh Group D notification has been pending as of 2026 — last full cycle was CEN RRC 01/2019. Check rrbcdg.gov.in and individual RRC websites for the latest update.
Exam: CBT: typically 6-12 months after notification, conducted in multiple phases across the country · PET: 2-4 months after CBT result · DV and Medical: 3-6 months after PET
Results: CBT result 2-3 months after exam · PET result 1-2 months after PET · Final selection list after DV and Medical

Group D cycles are infrequent and dates have varied widely (the last cycle took 4+ years end-to-end). Always verify with the fresh CEN notification on rrbcdg.gov.in and your zonal RRC website before planning prep timelines.

RRB Centralised Portal (Chandigarh — coordinating RRB)Indian Railways — Recruitment RRC Northern Railway RRC Western Railway RRC South Central Railway

Widely-Used Reference Books

Popular books many aspirants use — pick what fits your level.

NCERT Mathematics Class 8, 9 and 10 (foundation)
R.S. Aggarwal — Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations (10th-pass chapters)
R.S. Aggarwal — A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
NCERT Science Class 9 and 10 (Physics + Chemistry + Biology)
Lucent's General Science (quick revision)
Lucent's General Knowledge (Hindi or English — static GK + freedom struggle)
Kiran Publications — RRB Group D Practice Workbook / Previous Year Papers
Pratiyogita Darpan / Manorama Yearbook (current affairs reference)
Disha / Arihant — RRB Group D Solved Papers and Practice Sets

RRB Group D (Level-1) mock test — frequently asked questions

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4 topics are covered for RRB Group D (Level-1), including Mathematics, General Science, General Intelligence & Reasoning and more. Each topic can be practised on its own as a quick test or combined into a full-length mock.

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