The Railway Recruitment Board has officially announced the RRB Group D 2026 exam date through an official notice released on July 3, 2026. The Computer-Based Test (CBT-1) for 22,195 Group D Level-1 vacancies under CEN 09/2025 will be conducted from August 3 to August 21, 2026 across multiple examination centres in three daily shifts. Approximately 87 lakh candidates are registered to appear, making this one of the largest single-recruitment CBT examinations conducted in India this year.
Every candidate who applied under CEN 09/2025 must act immediately. The City Intimation Slip will be available from July 24 onwards, and the Admit Card from July 31 — both accessible only through the candidate login on the official regional RRB portals. The examination is now 30 days away.
This comprehensive guide provides everything you need: the complete official schedule, critical timelines, what to carry on exam day, the revised exam pattern, and a precisely calibrated 30-day preparation plan built specifically for the August CBT.
Official Examination Schedule — Every Key Date
The Railway Recruitment Board has released the RRB Group D Exam Schedule 2026 on July 3 through an official notice on its unified portal. The CBT-1 exam will be held from August 3 to August 21, 2026 in three shifts. The Railway Group D City Slip will be uploaded from July 25 onwards, whereas the admit card will be available from July 31, 2026 at the candidate login portal.
The complete timeline every candidate must track:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Official Exam Date Announcement | July 3, 2026 |
| City Intimation Slip Available | From July 24–25, 2026 (10 days before exam date) |
| Admit Card (E-Call Letter) Available | From July 31, 2026 (4 days before exam date) |
| CBT-1 Examination Begins | August 3, 2026 |
| CBT-1 Examination Ends | August 21, 2026 |
| Examination Shifts | Three shifts daily (Morning, Afternoon, Evening) |
The exam city and date intimation link, along with the Travel Authority download for SC/ST candidates, will be activated around 10 days before each candidate’s scheduled exam date. E-call letters will be available for download around 4 days before the exam date shown in the exam city intimation link.
Critical instruction: All exam dates and updates for CBT, PET, DV, and Medical will be shared through official RRB websites, SMS, and email only. Multiple applications will lead to cancellation and debarment. No request for date or centre change will be accepted. Admit card and updates will be available only on the RRB portals.
Vacancy Overview — 22,195 Level-1 Posts Across 16 Railway Zones
Indian Railways has announced a total of 22,195 vacancies for Group D (Level 1) posts, namely Track Maintainer, Pointsman B, and Assistant posts.
The 22,195 Railway Group D vacancies are distributed across 16 railway zones. Northern Railway has the highest number of vacancies (3,537), followed by Western Railway (3,148) and Central Railway (1,979).
The complete post categories under CEN 09/2025: Track Maintainer Grade IV, Pointsman, Assistant (various trades including Fitter, Electrician, Welder, Carpenter, Painter, Plumber), Assistant Loco Shed, Assistant Operations, and Assistant TL and AC.
Eligibility — Who Is Appearing on August 3
Educational Qualification: Class 10 (High School) pass from a recognised board, OR ITI/National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) issued by NCVT/SCVT. Age Limit (as on 1 January 2026): Minimum 18 years, Maximum 33 years, with age relaxation applicable as per RRB norms for reserved categories.
Aadhaar-linked biometric authentication is mandatory at the exam centre. Candidates must carry their original Aadhaar card or a printout of e-verified Aadhaar, and ensure their Aadhaar is unlocked in the UIDAI system before the exam.
Verify your Aadhaar is active and unlocked at the UIDAI portal before July 31. A locked Aadhaar prevents biometric verification at the exam centre and results in non-admission regardless of a valid admit card.
Complete CBT-1 Examination Pattern
As per the RRB Group D Exam Pattern, candidates must appear for the Computer Based Test (CBT) consisting of 100 MCQs to be completed in 90 minutes.
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 25 | 25 |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 30 | 30 |
| General Science | 25 | 25 |
| General Awareness and Current Affairs | 20 | 20 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
The Group D Exam is conducted for 100 marks, the duration is 90 minutes. The general category candidates must get at least 40% of marks in the 1st Stage CBT Exam.
Minimum qualifying marks: General and EWS — 40%; OBC-NCL — 30%; SC — 30%; ST — 25%.
The questions for RRB Group D 2026 CBT will be available in English, Hindi and 13 regional Indian languages.
Negative marking: One-third (0.33) mark deducted for each incorrect response. Strategic implication: attempt only those questions where you are confident. An accuracy rate below 70% on attempted questions produces a lower net score than a conservative attempt strategy.
The Complete Selection Process — Beyond CBT-1
The selection process for RRB Group D 2026 will take place in multiple stages to shortlist eligible candidates for Level-1 railway posts: Computer-Based Test (CBT), Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Document Verification, and Medical Examination.
Stage 1 — CBT-1 (August 3–21): The merit-generating examination. The top candidates based on CBT-1 normalised scores (in the ratio of 1:3 against vacancies) are shortlisted for PET.
Stage 2 — Physical Efficiency Test (PET): Qualifying in nature. Male candidates: run 1000 metres in 4 minutes 15 seconds in one chance; lift and carry 35 kg of weight for 100 metres in 2 minutes in one chance. Female candidates: run 1000 metres in 5 minutes 40 seconds in one chance; lift and carry 20 kg of weight for 100 metres in 2 minutes in one chance. Failure in PET means elimination regardless of CBT-1 rank. Begin physical fitness preparation today — 30 days of daily training is the minimum for those not already physically active.
Stage 3 — Document Verification: Verification of original Class 10 certificate, ITI/NAC certificate, category certificate, Aadhaar card, and any other eligibility documents.
Stage 4 — Medical Examination: Medical fitness assessment based on the prescribed standards for Level-1 railway posts, including vision standards and general physical fitness.
Salary and Benefits — What Selection Means Financially
The basic salary of candidates selected under RRB Group D Recruitment will be Rs. 18,000. Under the 7th Pay Commission Pay Matrix Level 1, the starting basic pay is Rs. 18,000 per month. With Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance, and other applicable allowances, the approximate in-hand salary is Rs. 22,500 to Rs. 25,380, including allowances.
Beyond the monthly salary, Indian Railways employees receive: free or highly concessional travel passes for self and family, government accommodation at many posting locations, free medical treatment at Railway hospitals for self and dependents, annual increments, and access to Railway schools. For candidates from economically vulnerable backgrounds, the combination of salary, accommodation, medical, and education benefits makes a Railway Group D posting genuinely life-changing.
30-Day Preparation Strategy: July 4 to August 2
With 30 days remaining, the preparation strategy must be precise, disciplined, and calibrated to the examination’s actual demands. Every day from today must be used with purposeful intensity.
General Science — 30% of Paper, Highest Discrimination Potential:
The syllabus for RRB Group D covers topics from General Science, Mathematics, General Awareness, General Intelligence, Current Affairs, and Reasoning.
For General Science: Physics (laws of motion, force, work-energy-power, electricity, magnetism, heat, light and optics — all at Class 9–10 NCERT level), Chemistry (atomic structure, elements and compounds, chemical reactions, acids and bases, carbon chemistry basics, common chemicals and their uses), and Biology (cell structure and function, human body systems — digestive, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, and excretory — common diseases and their prevention, nutrition basics).
Study approach: Complete each NCERT chapter, create a 10-point summary, practice 25 questions immediately after each chapter, then revisit the summary three days later.
Reasoning — Most Learnable Section in 30 Days:
The reasoning section rewards systematic practice more than any other section. Topics: Number series, Letter series, Coding-Decoding, Analogies, Blood Relations, Directions and Distances, Classification and Odd One Out, Mirror and Water Images, Venn Diagrams, Calendars and Clocks, Syllogism. Daily practice target: 40 questions in 30 minutes.
Mathematics — Foundation Arithmetic with Speed:
Topics: Number system, Simplification (BODMAS), HCF and LCM, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Profit and Loss, Simple and Compound Interest, Time and Work, Time-Speed-Distance, Area and Perimeter, and Data Interpretation. Practice 30 questions daily with a target of completing each question in under 90 seconds.
General Awareness and Current Affairs:
Cover national events from July 2025 to June 2026: government schemes announced and their beneficiary counts, important appointments (Governors, Chief Ministers, Chief Justice, RBI Governor), international agreements signed by India, science and technology achievements, India’s sports performance at major events, and railway-specific current affairs (new routes launched, record achievements, scheme announcements). One hour daily on this section from today through July 31.
Weekly Schedule:
Week 1 (July 4–10): Foundation revision of all four sections. Week 2 (July 11–17): Chapter-wise practice at speed — 80 questions daily across sections. Week 3 (July 18–24): Full mock tests — one mock per day in 90-minute timed conditions. Week 4 (July 25 – August 2): Download city slip (July 24), download admit card (July 31), daily mock tests, physical preparation for PET, document organisation.
Exam Day Protocol — What to Carry, What to Leave Behind
Mandatory to carry: Printed admit card (E-Call Letter), original Aadhaar card for biometric verification, one additional valid photo ID (PAN, Voter ID, Passport), two passport-size photographs.
Candidates must carry the printed admit card, a valid original photo ID, Aadhaar (preferred for biometric verification), and passport-size photographs if required.
Prohibited items: Mobile phones, smart watches, earphones, Bluetooth devices, calculators, stationery, food and water. Leave everything except mandatory documents at home or with accompanying family members.
Reach the centre minimum 60 minutes before your shift’s reporting time. Gate closing is strictly enforced — late entry is not permitted under any circumstances.
The announcement of the RRB Group D 2026 exam date marks the beginning of the final countdown. The candidates who use these 30 days with complete strategic discipline — systematic content coverage, daily timed practice, full mock tests, and physical preparation — will walk into an August examination centre with the confidence that comes only from complete preparation.
ProEdgeHub.in will publish the RRB Group D City Slip download guide on July 24 and the Admit Card download guide on July 31. Follow us for daily updates throughout this recruitment cycle.
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