RRB NTPC Exam Pattern 2026 Explained: CBT 1 and CBT 2 Details

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Before beginning their preparation, candidates should familiarise themselves with the latest RRB NTPC Exam Pattern. The selection process includes CBT 1, CBT 2, Document Verification, and Medical Examination. Understanding the exam structure, marking scheme, section-wise weightage, duration, and qualifying requirements can help candidates prepare in a more organised manner.

RRB NTPC Exam Pattern 2026

The RRB NTPC Exam is conducted entirely in online mode and consists of objective-type multiple-choice questions. As there is no descriptive paper or interview, candidates should focus on practicing MCQs regularly. This will strengthen their preparation for both CBT 1 and CBT 2. Since CBT 2 is comparatively more challenging, candidates should also practice advanced-level questions and review their mistakes. Let’s now take a detailed look at the RRB NTPC Exam Pattern.

RRB NTPC CBT 1 Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates receive marks for correct answers, while a penalty is applied for wrong answers. Check the CBT 1 Pattern provided in the table below:

Sl No.	Sections	No. of Questions	Total Marks	Duration
1.	General Awareness	40	40	90 minutes
2.	Mathematics	30	30
3.	General Intelligence and Reasoning	30	30
Total		100	100

NOTES:

CBT 1 is just qualifying in nature.
The normalised score of CBT 1 shall be used for shortlisting of candidates for CBT 2, which will be around 20 times the vacancies.
Questions will be objective, i.e. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
There will be a negative marking of 1/3 Marks for every question wrongly attempted.
No marks will be deducted for a question left unanswered.

RRB NTPC CBT 2 Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates can check the CBT 2 Exam Pattern in the table below.

Sr. No.	Sections	No. of Questions	Total Marks	Duration
1.	General Awareness	50	50	90 minutes
2.	Mathematics	35	35
3.	General Intelligence and Reasoning	35	35
Total		120	120

NOTES:

This is both a screening and scoring round, i.e. the marks of CBT 2 will be included in the final merit list.
It is the merit-deciding round.
Candidates must secure more marks to meet the required RRB NTPC Cut-Off.
The normalised Marks of CBT 2 will be considered for shortlisting candidates for the Skill Test/ Aptitude Test.
RRB NTPC Phase-II will also have MCQs.
Negative marking of 1/3 Marks for every question attempted incorrectly.
No marks will be deducted for a question left unanswered.

RRB NTPC Marking Scheme

Candidates receive 1 mark for every correct answer.
One-third of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
RRB NTPC CBT 1 and CBT 2 are conducted in multiple shifts.
Scores are normalised to account for variations in difficulty levels across different shifts.
The normalisation process ensures a fair evaluation for all candidates

RRB NTPC Exam Stages (Graduate and UG Posts)

RRB NTPC Exam Stages 2026 (Graduate Level)
Sr. No.	Name of the post	Level in 7th CPC	1st stage CBT	2nd stage CBT	Skill Test Requirement
1	Goods Train Manager	5	Common for all posts	Common For all posts	–
2	Senior Clerk cum Typist	5			Typing Skill Test
3	Junior Account Assistant cum Typist	5			Typing Skill Test
4	Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor	6			–
5	Station Master	6			Computer-Based Aptitude Test

RRB NTPC Exam Stages 2026 (Undergraduate Level)
Sr. No.	Name of the post	Level in 7th CPC	1st stage CBT	2nd stage CBT	Skill Test Requirement
1	Junior Clerk cum Typist	2	Common for all posts	Common For all posts	Typing Skill Test
2	Accounts Clerk cum Typist	2			Typing Skill Test
3	Trains Clerk	2			Typing Skill Test
4	Commercial cum Ticket Clerk	3		Separate for the Level 3 post	–

Important Links
RRB NTPC Syllabus	RRB NTPC Preparation Tips
RRB NTPC Previous Year Papers

FAQs

How many stages are there in RRB NTPC Exam?

The RRB NTPC recruitment process consists of several stages, including CBT 1, CBT 2, document verification, and a medical examination.

Is RRB NTPC CBT 1 qualifying?

Yes, RRB NTPC has minimum qualifying marks. Candidates need 40% (General/EWS), 30% (OBC/SC), and 25% (ST) in CBT 1 and CBT 2.

Who is eligible for NTPC?

For undergraduate-level posts, candidates must be between 18 and 33 years old. For graduate-level posts, the age limit is between 18 and 36 years. The minimum age requirement for RRB NTPC is 18 years.