The Railway Recruitment Boards have released two indicative notices for the Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) recruitment 2026, both dated 26 September 2026. Together they carry 5,165 vacancies across all RRBs — 3,477 graduate-level posts under CEN 06/2026 and 1,688 undergraduate-level posts under CEN 07/2026. Online applications open on 08.10.2026 for the graduate level and 15.10.2026 for the undergraduate level, through rrbapply.gov.in only.
Read this first — இதை முதலில் படியுங்கள்
These are indicative notices. They fix the vacancy count, the pay levels, the application window and the age reference date — and nothing else. Age limits, post-wise vacancies, qualifications, medical standards, the fee and the exam pattern come only with the detailed CEN, which the RRBs will publish on rrb.indianrailways.gov.in. Anything quoting exact age bands for 2026 today is guesswork.
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RRB NTPC 2026 at a glance
ஒரே பார்வையில் முக்கியத் தகவல்கள்
| CEN 06/2026 — Graduate | CEN 07/2026 — Undergraduate | |
|---|---|---|
| Advertisement number | RRB/PRY J/Advt./CEN/06/2026 | RRB/ADI/Advt./CEN/07/2026 |
| Notice dated | 26.09.2026 | 26.09.2026 |
| Tentative vacancies (all RRBs) | 3,477 | 1,688 |
| Pay Level (7th CPC) | Level 5 and Level 6 | Level 2 and Level 3 |
| Application opens | 08.10.2026 (tentative) | 15.10.2026 (tentative) |
| Last date to apply | 06.11.2026, 23:59 (tentative) | 13.11.2026, 23:59 (tentative) |
| Age reckoned as on | 01.01.2027 | 01.01.2027 |
| Age limit & medical standard | As per the detailed CEN | As per the detailed CEN |
| Mode of application | Online only — rrbapply.gov.in | Online only — rrbapply.gov.in |
The Aadhaar rule — do this before 8 October
ஆதார் விவரங்களை இப்போதே சரிபார்த்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்
Both notices put the same three points before everything else, and this is the only part of the notification you can act on today. An Aadhaar update is not instant — a biometric or photograph update at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra takes days to reflect. Start now, not on 8 October.
What the notices say
- Candidates are advised to verify their primary details using Aadhaar while filling the online application, to avoid the delays that come from detailed scrutiny at every stage of the recruitment process.
- For the Aadhaar verification to succeed, the name and date of birth in Aadhaar must match 100% with the full name and date of birth in the 10th class pass certificate.
- Aadhaar must also be updated with the latest photograph and the latest biometrics — fingerprint and iris — before the online application is filled.
இதைச் செய்யுங்கள்
ஆதாரில் உள்ள பெயரும் பிறந்த தேதியும் 10ஆம் வகுப்புத் தேர்ச்சிச் சான்றிதழில் உள்ளவாறே சரியாக இருக்க வேண்டும். புதிய புகைப்படம், கைரேகை மற்றும் கருவிழி விவரங்களையும் விண்ணப்பிப்பதற்கு முன்பே ஆதாரில் புதுப்பித்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். இந்தத் திருத்தங்களுக்குச் சில நாட்கள் ஆகும் என்பதால், அக்டோபர் 8ஆம் தேதிக்காகக் காத்திருக்காமல் இப்போதே தொடங்குங்கள்.
A practical checklist:
- Open your 10th marksheet and your Aadhaar side by side. Compare the spelling of the full name, the initials and the date of birth character by character.
- If either differs, book an Aadhaar update appointment this week. Name and date-of-birth corrections need supporting documents and take longer than an address change.
- If your Aadhaar photograph is several years old, or your fingerprints were enrolled when you were a child, get the biometric update done — fingerprint and iris both.
- Keep the Aadhaar-linked mobile number active. The OTP goes there during the application.
Which posts come under each level
எந்த நிலையில் எந்தப் பணியிடங்கள்
The indicative notices say only “various posts”. The list below is the one that ran in the previous cycle — CEN 06/2025 and CEN 07/2025 — and the pay levels in the 2026 notices match it. Treat it as the likely list; the detailed CEN confirms it.
| Level | Posts in the previous cycle | Pay Level |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate CEN 06/2026 |
Goods Train Manager, Station Master, Senior Clerk cum Typist, Junior Account Assistant cum Typist, Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor, Traffic Assistant | Level 5 and Level 6 |
| Undergraduate CEN 07/2026 |
Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Accounts Clerk cum Typist, Junior Clerk cum Typist, Trains Clerk | Level 2 and Level 3 |
Eligibility — what is fixed and what is not
தகுதி: உறுதியானவை, உறுதியாகாதவை
| Nationality | Indian citizen, or as otherwise permitted in the detailed CEN. |
|---|---|
| Age reference date | 01.01.2027 for both CENs. This much the notices fix. The age bands they do not — CEN 06/2025 ran 18–33 years and CEN 07/2025 ran 18–30 years, both reckoned as on 01.01.2026, but the 2026 detailed CEN sets its own. |
| Graduate level qualification | A degree in any discipline from a recognised university. The two typist posts additionally need typing proficiency in English or Hindi on computer. |
| Undergraduate level qualification | 12th (+2 stage) or equivalent with not less than 50% in the aggregate. The 50% is waived for SC, ST, Ex-servicemen and PwBD candidates, and for anyone holding a higher qualification. Typing proficiency is additionally required for the typist posts. |
| Age relaxation | OBC, SC, ST, Ex-servicemen, PwBD and the other listed categories get the usual relaxation. The exact years come with the detailed CEN. |
| Application fee | Announced in the detailed CEN. |
Selection process and exam pattern
தேர்வு முறையும் தேர்வு அமைப்பும்
NTPC selection has run in four stages for several cycles now. The pattern below is the one used in CEN 06/2025 and CEN 07/2025. Expect the 2026 detailed CEN to confirm it, and check the CEN before building a timetable around it.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. First Stage CBT | Screening only. 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes. General Awareness 40 + Mathematics 30 + General Intelligence and Reasoning 30. Negative marking of one-third of a mark per wrong answer. Scores are normalised and used to shortlist for CBT 2 — they do not count towards the final merit. |
| 2. Second Stage CBT | 120 questions, 120 marks, 90 minutes (120 minutes for eligible PwBD candidates). General Awareness 50 + Mathematics 35 + General Intelligence and Reasoning 35. Negative marking of one-third of a mark. |
| 3. Skill test | Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) for Station Master and Traffic Assistant. Typing Skill Test for the typist posts. The other posts skip this stage. |
| 4. Document verification and medical | Document verification, then the medical examination in the standard prescribed for the post. |
Qualifying marks in the CBTs: UR and EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%. These are the percentages that have applied in the NTPC CENs — note that they differ from Group D, where the qualifying mark is 30% for every category.
How to apply
எப்படி விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டும்
- Go to rrbapply.gov.in. This is the single common portal for all RRBs — there is no separate form on the individual board websites.
- Complete the one-time registration with your mobile number, email and Aadhaar, and verify your primary details with Aadhaar at this step.
- Fill the application: personal details exactly as in the 10th certificate, educational qualification, the RRB you want and your post preferences.
- Upload the photograph and signature in the sizes the CEN specifies.
- Pay the fee online and submit before 23:59 on the last date. The portal gets heavy in the final two days — do not leave it to 6 November.
- Save the PDF of the submitted application and the fee receipt.
Keep ready before you start
10th marksheet and certificate · degree or +2 certificate · Aadhaar · community certificate · a recent colour photograph on a white background · signature on white paper · an active mobile number linked to Aadhaar · UPI, card or net banking for the fee.
Beware of touts, brokers and job racketeers
இடைத்தரகர்களிடம் ஏமாந்து விடாதீர்கள்
Both notices close with the Railway Board’s own warning. Recruitment to the Railways is entirely on the basis of the examination — nobody can arrange a post for a fee. There is no management quota, no paid shortlist and no “confirmed selection” package. If anyone asks for money beyond the official application fee paid on rrbapply.gov.in, it is a fraud. Report it rather than paying.
What to do in the next two weeks
இனி வரும் இரண்டு வாரங்களில் செய்ய வேண்டியவை
The form opens on 8 October and the examination follows in 2027. That gap is the whole opportunity — candidates who start only after the form closes are already a month behind.
- Fix Aadhaar this week. Everything else can wait; this one sits in an external queue.
- Collect the certificates listed above and scan them now.
- Start General Awareness. It is the largest section in both CBTs — 40 of 100 marks in CBT 1 and 50 of 120 in CBT 2 — and the slowest to build. Daily current affairs plus static GK from now until the exam beats three months of cramming.
- Work the previous-year papers early. NTPC repeats heavily across shifts and cycles. Solving the previous papers first tells you what the paper actually asks, before you choose study material.
Prepare with Athiyaman Team — அதியமான் குழுவுடன் பயிலுங்கள்
Tamil-medium material for the Railway exams — previous-year question banks, video classes and daily current affairs.
RRB NTPC Previous Year Questions · Tamil Book Video Classes Railway Exam Hub
Frequently asked questions
அடிக்கடி கேட்கப்படும் கேள்விகள்
Is the RRB NTPC 2026 application form open now?
No. The indicative notices only announce the schedule. The form opens on 08.10.2026 for the graduate level (CEN 06/2026) and 15.10.2026 for the undergraduate level (CEN 07/2026), on rrbapply.gov.in. Both dates are tentative.
Can I apply for both CEN 06/2026 and CEN 07/2026?
They are separate notifications with separate application windows, so a graduate who also meets the undergraduate criteria can apply to both. Each needs its own application and its own fee, and the examinations may clash. The detailed CENs state the rule for each.
What is the age limit for RRB NTPC 2026?
The notices fix only the reference date — 01.01.2027 — and say the limit is “as per the detailed CEN”. For reference, the previous cycle ran 18–33 years for the graduate level and 18–30 years for the undergraduate level. Do not plan around those numbers until the detailed CEN is out.
Is a Tamil-medium candidate at a disadvantage?
No. The RRB computer based tests are offered in Tamil along with the other regional languages, and you choose the question paper language during the application. What matters is the preparation material.
What happened to CEN 06/2025 and CEN 07/2025?
They are still running. The CEN 06/2025 CBT 2 result was declared on 27 August 2026, and the CBAT and the typing skill test follow. The CEN 07/2025 CBT 2 was held on 17 September 2026 and its result is awaited. The 2026 notifications are a fresh cycle, not a re-run.
Where will the detailed CEN be published?
On the common RRB website rrb.indianrailways.gov.in, from which you can reach each board’s own page. Any corrigendum appears there too.
Source: RRB Centralised Employment Notification (Indicative) No. 06/2026 (RRB/PRY J/Advt./CEN/06/2026) and No. 07/2026 (RRB/ADI/Advt./CEN/07/2026), both dated 26.09.2026, issued by the Chairpersons, Railway Recruitment Boards. The exam pattern and post lists are taken from CEN 06/2025 and CEN 07/2025 and are marked as such. All terms and conditions will be strictly as per the detailed CEN and any corrigendum issued. Published by Athiyaman Team on 29 September 2026.