RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria for Graduate and 12th Level Posts

Posts at each level

The posts offered and their numbers change from one notice to the next, so check the vacancy table for your board before applying.

RRB NTPC eligibility: age band and category relief

For the latest notices the age band is 18 to 30 years for undergraduate posts and 18 to 33 years for graduate posts, both reckoned on 1 January of the stated year.

Further relaxations exist for ex-servicemen, serving railway staff, widows and divorced women, and some other groups, each with its own conditions. These are listed in the notice.

Educational qualification

Undergraduate posts

A pass in class 12 (the 10+2 stage) or an equivalent exam is the base requirement. Earlier notices asked unreserved and some other categories for a minimum percentage in class 12, with exemptions for SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates, so look for any such rule in the current annexure.

Graduate posts

Any graduate degree from a recognised Indian university, or a qualification treated as equal to one, will do. The stream does not matter for these posts.

Typist posts at both levels

Posts with "typist" in their name also need proficiency in typing English or Hindi on a computer. This is tested later in a qualifying typing test, so you can apply first and prepare your speed alongside the CBT.

Candidates whose final result is still awaited on the closing date are not eligible, so final year students should apply only if they will have the result in hand by then.

Nationality

Indian citizens can apply. Central recruitment rules also admit a few other groups, for instance people from Nepal and Bhutan, under conditions that each notice spells out, and some of them must also show a certificate from the Centre confirming they may apply. Applicants without Indian citizenship should read that clause in full before paying the fee.

RRB NTPC physical eligibility and medical standards

NTPC has no running or physical efficiency test. Instead, every post has a medical category, and you must meet it at the medical examination after document verification. Operating posts such as Station Master, Traffic Assistant and Goods Train Manager need higher categories with strict eyesight standards, including colour vision, while clerical and accounts posts sit in more relaxed categories.

This matters when you choose your post preferences. If your eyesight would not meet an operating post's category, putting that post first can cost you a seat you could otherwise have taken. The annexure on medical standards in the notice lists the category for each post.

Application rules and documents

• Apply to only one RRB for each level; multiple applications can be rejected.
• Use a valid photo identity document and keep it for the exam day.
• Keep class 10 certificate for date of birth, class 12 or degree marksheets, and a caste or EWS certificate issued in the format meant for central jobs.
• Keep a disability certificate if applying as PwBD, and a discharge certificate if an ex-serviceman.

The fee has been Rs 500 for general candidates, with Rs 400 refunded after appearing in CBT 1, and Rs 250 for SC, ST, PwBD, women and some other groups, refunded in full after appearing. Bank charges are deducted from refunds.

Next steps once you know you qualify

When you are sure of your level and posts, study the RRB NTPC syllabus and practise with RRB NTPC previous papers. To judge your target score, read how the NTPC cut off varies by board. For other railway jobs with different qualifications, see RRB Group D eligibility and RRB ALP eligibility, or compare exams on our eligibility checker. Notices for every board are linked from indianrailways.gov.in.