RRB JE 2026 · Syllabus & exam pattern
RRB JE Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern: Subject-wise Topics
Subjects, number of questions, marks, duration and negative marking for every stage, as printed in the official notice.
RRB JE exam pattern 2026
Stages of selection
- 1CBT-1: screening test common to all posts (normalised score used only to shortlist for CBT-2)
- 2CBT-2: 15 times the community-wise vacancies of each RRB shortlisted from CBT-1
- 3Document verification: candidates equal to the number of vacancies, on CBT-2 merit and options
- 4Medical examination to the medical standard of the allotted post
CBT-1 (screening)
90 minutes (120 minutes for scribe-eligible candidates)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 30 | 30 |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 25 |
| General Awareness | 15 | 15 |
| General Science | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Section-wise split is indicative per the notice. Negative marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer. Minimum for eligibility: UR 40%, EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%.
CBT-2
120 minutes (160 minutes for scribe-eligible candidates)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 15 | 15 |
| Physics & Chemistry | 15 | 15 |
| Basics of Computers and Applications | 10 | 10 |
| Basics of Environment and Pollution Control | 10 | 10 |
| Technical Abilities (your exam group) | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Section-wise split is indicative per the notice. Negative marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer. Same community-wise minimum as CBT-1. A virtual calculator is shown on screen in CBT-2.
Source: CEN No. 04/2026 – Recruitment for various posts of Junior Engineer, Depot Material Superintendent and Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant (title as amended by Corrigendum-1) (published 13 August 2026 (RRB websites); Corrigendum-1 dated 18 August 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
CBT-1 and CBT-2: pattern, negative marking and qualifying marks
CBT-1 is common to all posts: 100 questions in 90 minutes (120 minutes with a scribe) — Mathematics 30, General Intelligence & Reasoning 25, General Awareness 15 and General Science 30. It is a screening test; its normalised score is used only to shortlist for CBT-2.
From CBT-1, candidates equal to 15 times the community-wise vacancies of each RRB are shortlisted for CBT-2. Candidates shortlisted under a community, PwBD or ExSM reservation stay in that category for all later stages.
CBT-2 has 150 questions in 120 minutes (160 minutes with a scribe): General Awareness 15, Physics & Chemistry 15, Basics of Computers and Applications 10, Basics of Environment and Pollution Control 10, and Technical Abilities 100 from your exam group. A virtual calculator is shown on screen in CBT-2; calculators of your own are not allowed.
Both CBTs deduct 1/3 of a question's marks for each wrong answer. The minimum marks for eligibility are UR 40%, EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30% and ST 25%, also applicable to Ex-Servicemen by community; they may be relaxed by 2 marks for PwBD if PwBD candidates are short. The section-wise split is indicative and may vary.
Because candidates from different exam groups compete for common posts, RRB converts CBT-2 marks to a Merit Index (para 13.4.2), using 350 as the score for the general qualifying mark and 900 for the mean of the top 0.1% (or top 10) of the paper. Candidates equal to the number of vacancies are then called for document verification on this merit and their options; ties are broken by age (older first) and then by given name A to Z.
Questions appear in your chosen medium — English, Hindi or one of 13 regional languages (Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu) — and in English.
RRB JE syllabus, topic by topic
The common sections below are printed in paras 13.1 and 13.2. The technical syllabus for each exam group is printed in Annexures VIII (A) to (D), and VIII (E) for CMA (added by Corrigendum-1).
Topics listed in the notice
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| Mathematics (CBT-1) | Number systems, BODMAS, decimals, fractions, LCM and HCF, ratio and proportion, percentages, mensuration, time and work, time and distance, simple and compound interest, profit and loss, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, elementary statistics, square root, age calculations, calendar and clock, pipes and cistern |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning (CBT-1) | Analogies, alphabetical and number series, coding and decoding, mathematical operations, relationships, syllogism, jumbling, Venn diagram, data interpretation and sufficiency, conclusions and decision making, similarities and differences, analytical reasoning, classification, directions, statement – arguments and assumptions |
| General Awareness (CBT-1 and CBT-2) | Current affairs, Indian geography, culture and history of India including the freedom struggle, Indian polity and constitution, Indian economy, environmental issues concerning India and the world, sports, general scientific and technological developments |
| General Science (CBT-1) | Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences up to 10th standard CBSE syllabus |
| Physics and Chemistry (CBT-2) | Up to 10th standard CBSE syllabus |
| Basics of Computers and Applications (CBT-2) | Computer architecture, input and output devices, storage devices, networking, operating systems such as Windows, Unix and Linux, MS Office, data representation, internet and email, websites and web browsers, computer viruses |
| Basics of Environment and Pollution Control (CBT-2) | Basics of environment, adverse effects of pollution and control strategies, air, water and noise pollution, waste management, global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion |
| Civil & Allied (Annexure VIII (A)) | Engineering mechanics, building construction and materials, construction of substructure and superstructure, building finishes and maintenance, building drawing, concrete technology, surveying, CAD, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics, irrigation, mechanics and theory of structures, design of concrete and steel structures, transportation (railway, bridge, tunnel) engineering, highway engineering, environmental engineering, advanced construction techniques and equipment, estimating and costing, contracts and accounts |
| Electrical & Allied (Annexure VIII (B)) | Basic concepts, circuit laws, magnetic circuits, AC fundamentals, measurement and measuring instruments, electrical machines (DC machines, transformers, induction motors), synchronous machines, generation, transmission and distribution with switchgear and protection, estimation and costing, utilisation of electrical energy, basic electronics |
| Electronics & Allied (Annexure VIII (C)) | Electronic components and materials, electronic devices and circuits, digital electronics, linear integrated circuits, microprocessors and microcontrollers, electronic measurements, communication engineering, data communication and networks, computer programming (C and C++, data structures, DBMS), basic electrical engineering |
| Mechanical & Allied (Annexure VIII (D)) | Engineering mechanics, material science, strength of materials, machining, welding, grinding and finishing processes, metrology, fluid mechanics and hydraulic machinery, industrial management, thermal engineering |
| CMA (Annexure VIII (E), Corr-1) | Measurements and units; light; heat; sound; mechanics; magnetism; electricity and electromagnetism; modern physics; electronics and communications; matter; chemical reactions; acids, bases and salts; atomic structure; periodic classification; chemical bonding; carbon and its compounds; environmental chemistry; metallurgy |
Frequently asked questions
What is the RRB JE exam pattern?
CBT-1 (screening): Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, General Science, Total (90 minutes (120 minutes for scribe-eligible candidates)). Section-wise split is indicative per the notice. Negative marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer. Minimum for eligibility: UR 40%, EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%. CBT-2: General Awareness, Physics & Chemistry, Basics of Computers and Applications, Basics of Environment and Pollution Control, Technical Abilities (your exam group), Total (120 minutes (160 minutes for scribe-eligible candidates)). Section-wise split is indicative per the notice. Negative marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer. Same community-wise minimum as CBT-1. A virtual calculator is shown on screen in CBT-2.
What is the RRB JE exam pattern?
CBT-1: 100 questions in 90 minutes on Mathematics, Reasoning, General Awareness and General Science. CBT-2: 150 questions in 120 minutes, of which 100 are technical questions from your exam group. Both deduct 1/3 mark per wrong answer.
What are the RRB JE qualifying marks?
In both CBTs: 40% for UR and EWS, 30% for OBC-NCL and SC, 25% for ST. These may be relaxed by 2 marks for PwBD candidates if reserved PwBD posts cannot otherwise be filled.