Railways Exam Pattern – The Indian Railways is one of the largest employers in the world and conducts various exams for recruitment in different departments.
If you are planning to appear for any of these exams, it is important to be familiar with the exam pattern to score well.
Here is a general overview of the exam pattern for various exams conducted by Indian Railways.
Contents
Railways Exam Pattern
- Junior Engineer (JE): The JE exam is conducted in two stages – CBT 1 and CBT 2. CBT 1 consists of 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes, and CBT 2 consists of 150 questions to be answered in 120 minutes. The questions are based on subjects such as Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, and General Science.
- Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP): The ALP exam is conducted in three stages – CBT 1, CBT 2, and Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT). CBT 1 consists of 75 questions to be answered in 60 minutes, and CBT 2 consists of 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. The questions are based on subjects such as Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, Basic Science and Engineering, and General Awareness. The CBAT is conducted for candidates who have qualified in CBT 2.
- Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC): The NTPC exam is conducted in two stages – CBT 1 and CBT 2. CBT 1 consists of 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes, and CBT 2 consists of 120 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. The questions are based on subjects such as Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, and General Science.
- Group D: The Group D exam is conducted in two stages – CBT 1 and PET. CBT 1 consists of 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. The questions are based on subjects such as Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Science, and General Awareness. After clearing CBT 1, candidates have to appear for the Physical Efficiency Test (PET), which consists of various physical tasks such as running, lifting weights, and more.
The exam pattern for both NTPC and Group D exams is quite similar, with the main difference being that the Group D exam has a PET stage after CBT 1.
Candidates should focus on practicing questions related to the above-mentioned subjects and also prepare themselves for the physical tasks that will be included in the PET, if they are appearing for the Group D exam.
It is also essential to manage time effectively during the exam, as the time limit for each stage is limited.
Junior Engineer (JE) Exam Pattern
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) conducts the Junior Engineer (JE) exam in multiple stages.
The exam consists of four stages – CBT 1, CBT 2, Document Verification, and Medical Examination. The detailed exam pattern for each stage is given below:
| Stage | Mode of Exam | Duration | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBT-1 | Online | 90 min | 100 | 100 | 1 mark for each correct answer, 1/3 mark deduction for each incorrect answer |
| CBT-2 | Online | 120 min | 150 | 150 | 1 mark for each correct answer, 1/3 mark deduction for e |
CBT 1:
The CBT 1 exam consists of 100 questions, and candidates have 90 minutes to complete the exam.
The questions are of multiple-choice type, and the exam is conducted online. The section-wise distribution of marks is given below:
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 30 | 30 |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 25 |
| General Awareness | 15 | 15 |
| General Science | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
CBT-1 Exam Pattern:
- The CBT-1 exam consists of 100 multiple choice questions (MCQs).
- The exam is conducted online.
- The total duration of the exam is 90 minutes.
- The questions are asked from the following subjects: Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, and General Science.
- The maximum marks for the exam are 100.
- Candidates must secure the minimum qualifying marks to be eligible for the next stage of the selection process.
- The marking scheme for the CBT-1 exam is as follows: 1 mark for each correct answer, and a 1/3 mark deduction for each incorrect answer.
CBT 2:
The CBT 2 exam also consists of 150 questions, and candidates have 120 minutes to complete the exam.
The questions are of multiple-choice type, and the exam is conducted online. The section-wise distribution of marks is given below:
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 15 | 15 |
| Physics and Chemistry | 15 | 15 |
| Basics of Computers and Applications | 10 | 10 |
| Basics of Environment and Pollution Control | 10 | 10 |
| Technical Abilities | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
CBT-2 Exam Pattern:
- The CBT-2 exam consists of 150 multiple choice questions (MCQs).
- The exam is conducted online.
- The total duration of the exam is 120 minutes.
- The questions are asked from the following subjects: General Awareness, Physics and Chemistry, Basics of Computers and Applications, Basics of Environment and Pollution Control, Technical Abilities.
- The maximum marks for the exam are 150.
- Candidates must secure the minimum qualifying marks to be eligible for the next stage of the selection process.
- The marking scheme for the CBT-2 exam is as follows: 1 mark for each correct answer, and a 1/3 mark deduction for each incorrect answer.
Document Verification:
Candidates who qualify for the CBT 2 exam are called for document verification. In this stage, candidates have to provide their original documents to verify their eligibility for the post.
Medical Examination:
Candidates who clear the document verification stage are called for a medical examination. The medical examination is conducted to ensure that the candidate is medically fit to perform the duties of the post.
In conclusion, the Junior Engineer (JE) exam conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) consists of four stages – CBT 1, CBT 2, Document Verification, and Medical Examination.
The exam is conducted online, and the questions are of multiple-choice type. Candidates who clear all the stages and are found medically fit are appointed to the post of Junior Engineer.
Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) Exam Pattern
The exam pattern for the Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) exam conducted by the Indian Railways:
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| General Science | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| General Awareness and Current Affairs | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Technical Ability | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| Total | 105 | — | 105 |
- The duration of the exam is 90 minutes.
- The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
- There is negative marking for incorrect answers; for each wrong answer, 1/3 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted.
- The minimum qualifying marks for the exam are as follows:
- UR – 40%,
- OBC-30%,
- SC-30%,
- ST-25%.
- Candidates who clear the written exam are then required to appear for a Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT), followed by a document verification process.
Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) Exam Pattern
The exam pattern for the Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) exam conducted by the Indian Railways:
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 40 | 1 | 40 |
| Mathematics | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| Total | 100 | — | 100 |
- The duration of the exam is 90 minutes.
- The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
- There is negative marking for incorrect answers; for each wrong answer, 1/3 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted.
- The minimum qualifying marks for the exam are as follows:
- UR – 40%,
- OBC-30%,
- SC-30%,
- ST-25%.
- Candidates who clear the written exam are then required to appear for a Skill Test (Typing Test) or an Aptitude Test, followed by a document verification process.
Group D Exam Pattern
The exam pattern for the Group D exam conducted by the Indian Railways:
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| General Science | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| General Awareness and Current Affairs | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Total | 100 | — | 100 |
- The duration of the exam is 90 minutes.
- The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
- There is negative marking for incorrect answers; for each wrong answer, 1/3 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted.
- The minimum qualifying marks for the exam are as follows:
- UR – 40%,
- OBC-30%,
- SC-30%,
- ST-25%.
- Candidates who clear the written exam are then required to appear for a Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and a document verification process.
Railways Exam Pattern FAQs
What is the exam pattern for RRB NTPC?
The RRB NTPC exam consists of four sections: General Awareness, Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, and Computer-Based Aptitude Test (for certain posts).
The exam is of 90 minutes duration and is conducted in multiple stages.
What is the exam pattern for RRB Group D?
The RRB Group D exam consists of four sections: Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Science, and General Awareness and Current Affairs.
The exam is of 90 minutes duration and is conducted in multiple stages.
What is the exam pattern for RRB ALP?
The RRB ALP exam consists of two stages: First Stage CBT and Second Stage CBT.
Both exams have four sections: Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, Basic Science and Engineering, and General Awareness and Current Affairs.
What is the exam pattern for RRB JE?
The RRB JE exam consists of two stages: First Stage CBT and Second Stage CBT.
Both exams have four sections: Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness and Current Affairs, and Basics of Environment and Pollution Control.
What is the exam pattern for RRB Paramedical?
The RRB Paramedical exam consists of four sections: Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness and Current Affairs, and Professional Knowledge.
The exam is of 90 minutes duration and is conducted in a single stage.
What is the exam pattern for RRB Ministerial and Isolated Categories?
The RRB Ministerial and Isolated Categories exam consists of four sections: Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness and Current Affairs, and Professional Knowledge.
The exam is of 90 minutes duration and is conducted in a single stage.
What is the marking scheme for RRB exams?
RRB exams have a negative marking scheme, where one-third of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
No marks are deducted for unanswered questions.
Is there any sectional cutoff in RRB exams?
There is no sectional cutoff in RRB exams.
The overall cutoff is decided based on the total marks obtained by the candidates.
Is there any normalization process in RRB exams?
Yes, there is a normalization process in RRB exams.
The scores of candidates are normalized based on the difficulty level of the exam and the number of candidates appearing for it.
Is there any separate cutoff for Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) in RRB exams?
Yes, there is a separate cutoff for the Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) for certain posts in RRB exams.
Candidates must clear the CBAT cutoff in addition to the overall cutoff to qualify for the post.
| RRB NTPC 2024 | RRB ALP 2024 |
| RRB JE 2024 | RRB ASM 2024 |
| RRB TC 2024 | RRC Group D 2024 |
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