RRB Ministerial & Isolated Exam Pattern 2026
The full RRB Ministerial & Isolated exam pattern for 2026 — 3 stages, with the sections, question count, marks, duration and negative marking for each, as set by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs). Then take a free RRB Ministerial & Isolated mock in the real pattern below.
Stage 1: Computer Based Test (CBT)
- Mode
- Online CBT
- Sections
- General Awareness · General Intelligence & Reasoning · General Arithmetic · General Science · Professional Knowledge (post-specific)
- Questions
- 100 (typical split: GA 15 + Reasoning 15 + Arithmetic 15 + General Science 5-10 + Professional Knowledge 45-50)
- Marks
- 100 (1 mark per correct)
- Duration
- 90 minutes (120 minutes for PwBD with scribe)
- Negative marking
- -1/3 mark per wrong answer
Professional Knowledge is the dominant section and is fully post-specific — a PGT (English) candidate gets English literature + pedagogy questions, a Stenographer candidate gets shorthand theory + English language questions, a Junior Translator candidate gets Hindi / English translation and grammar questions, a Chief Law Assistant candidate gets Indian law (Constitution, IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act) questions. Minimum qualifying percentage: UR 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%.
Stage 2: Skill / Performance / Trade Test (only for specific posts)
- Mode
- Practical / skill demonstration (qualifying)
- Sections
- Stenographer — shorthand dictation + transcription on computer · Music Teacher — vocal / instrumental performance and theory · Junior Engineer (Drawing) — drawing trade test · Teaching posts (sometimes) — demonstration lesson
- Questions
- —
- Marks
- Qualifying only — does not add to final merit
- Duration
- Stenographer: 10 minutes dictation at 80 wpm (Hindi) / 100 wpm (English) plus transcription of 40-65 minutes depending on language. Music Teacher: typically 20-30 minutes practical demonstration plus theory viva. JE Drawing: 90-120 minutes drawing test.
- Negative marking
- —
Skill / Performance Test is conducted only for candidates who clear the CBT cutoff for posts that explicitly require demonstrated proficiency. For most ministerial posts (Translator / Teacher / Welfare Inspector / Law Assistant) there is no separate skill test — selection moves directly from CBT to DV. Failing the skill test disqualifies the candidate regardless of CBT marks.
Stage 3: Document Verification & Medical Examination
- Mode
- Document check + medical fitness test
- Sections
- Educational certificates, professional certificates (B.Ed / LL.B / translation diploma / music diploma as applicable), category proof, ID, medical fitness as per post category
- Questions
- —
- Marks
- —
- Duration
- —
- Negative marking
- —
Medical category for most ministerial / isolated posts is C-2 (office category — basic vision and general health standards) since these are desk-based roles. JE Drawing and some welfare / supervisor field roles may attract C-1 standards. Failure to produce original certificates, mismatch in personal details, or failure to meet medical / professional eligibility leads to disqualification at this stage.
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