RRB Group D Exam Pattern 2026, Latest CBT Pattern, Negative Marking

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has released the official RRB Group D Exam Pattern 2026 along with the notification for Level 1 posts under the 7th CPC Pay Matrix. It mentions number of questions, total marks, subject-wise weightage, time duration, and negative marking scheme.

The Group D selection process consists of three stages: Computer Based Test (CBT), Physical Efficiency Test (PET), and Document Verification. This article covers the complete Group D Exam Pattern in detail, including marking scheme and subject-wise breakdown.

RRB Group D Exam Pattern 2026

The CBT comprises 100 questions carrying 100 marks to be attempted in 90 minutes, covering four subjects: Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Science, and General Awareness & Current Affairs. Each subject has a weightage out of 100 and candidates must note that there is a negative marking of 1/3rd mark.

RRB Group D Exam Pattern (Detailed)

Candidates can check the Exam Pattern for the CBT below:

• The CBT is the first stage of the recruitment process.
• The exam carries a total of 100 marks.
• Candidates get 90 minutes to complete the test.
• The question paper includes four sections.
• All questions are objective-type multiple-choice questions.
• Candidates receive 1 mark for every correct answer.
• A negative marking of 1/3 mark is applicable for each wrong answer.

RRB Group D Marking Scheme

The RRB Group D Exam 2026 marking scheme is straightforward and important to understand. Each correct answer will be awarded with +1 mark. There is a negative marking of -1/3rd for each incorrect answer. No marks are deducted for unattempted questions.

RRB Group D Qualifying Marks

Candidates have to score a minimum percentage of marks required to qualify for the exam. For the UR and EWS category it is 40%, and for SC, ST, and PwD it is 30%. For PwBD candidates, the eligibility percentage may be relaxed by 2% if there is a shortage of PwBD candidates for reserved vacancies.

RRB Group D Normalisation Process

1. Shortlisting of Candidates for the DV shall be based on the marks obtained by them in the CBT.
2. If multiple sessions of Computer-Based Tests (CBT) are conducted, then the marks will be normalised.
3. In such a scenario, shortlisting of candidates for the DV shall be based on the normalised marks.

RRB Group D Exam Medium

The RRB Group CBT Exam is conducted in 15 languages, and candidates can choose the medium that they are more comfortable with. Check the languages below.

• Hindi
• English
• Urdu
• Assamese
• Bengali
• Gujarati
• Kannada
• Konkani
• Malayalam
• Manipuri
• Marathi
• Odia
• Punjabi
• Tamil
• Telugu

RRB Group D Selection Process

The selection process consists of 3 stages as mentioned here.

RRB Group D PET Pattern

All candidates who successfully clear the CBT Round will be called for a PET or Physical Efficiency Test. The criteria for PET are slightly different for male and female candidates. The criteria for the PET is given below.

Physical Test for Male Candidates

• Should be able to lift and carry 35 Kg of weight for a distance of 100 metres in 2 minutes in one chance without putting the weight down
• Should be able to run for a distance of 1000 metres in 4 minutes and 15 seconds in one chance.

Physical Test for Female Candidates

• Should be able to lift and carry 20 Kg of weight for a distance of 100 metres in 2 minutes in one chance without putting the weight down
• Should be able to run for a distance of 1000 metres in 5 minutes and 40 seconds in one chance.

Points To Note For RRB Group D PET

Candidates need to note the following points for the RRB Group D PET. Check the points below.

• The PET Exam is qualifying and no marks will be granted for the examination. The final merit list will be prepared based on the CBT exam only.
• The number of candidates called for PET will be three times the community-wise total vacancy of the Posts notified against RRBs/RRCs
• Railways reserve the right to increase/decrease this ratio as required to ensure the availability of an adequate/ reasonable number of candidates for all the notified posts
• No change in criteria will be entertained by the Governing Body.

RRB Group D Document Verification

1. Based on the performance of candidates in CBT and PET, candidates with twice the number of vacancies will be called for Document Verification (DV) as per their merit and options.
2. In case of two or more candidates securing the same marks, their merit position shall be determined by age criteria, i.e., the older person shall be placed at a higher merit and in case age is the same, alphabetical order (A to Z) of the name shall be taken into account to break the tie.
3. Candidates who are successful in DV are sent for a medical examination.