RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026: Age Limit, Qualification, Relaxation

RRB NTPC Eligibility 2026 lists the rules for Non-Technical Popular Category posts. The rules cover nationality, age, age relaxation, education, and medical fitness. They differ for Graduate posts under CEN 06/2026 and Undergraduate posts under CEN 07/2026. Both are open now, and both close in November.

This year, 5,236 vacancies are listed: 3,548 for Graduate posts and 1,688 for UG posts. Graduates need a degree and to be aged 18 to 33. UG candidates need Class 12 with 50% and an age of 18 to 30.

The 2025 cycle had 8,868 vacancies. The 2026 total is 5,236, which is about 41% lower. Graduate posts fell from 5,810 to 3,548. UG posts fell from 3,058 to 1,688.

A candidate who fails any RRB NTPC eligibility criteria is rejected at any stage, even after selection. RRB checks original documents only at Document Verification. Vacancies are provisional and may change. No CBT date has been announced yet for either notice.

RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026 at a Glance

RRB NTPC 2026 Graduate has 3,548 vacancies, requires a degree, and allows ages 18 to 33. On the other hand, UG has 1,688 vacancies, requires Class 12 with 50%, and allows ages 18 to 30. Each notice has four posts; this year, the typing test has been removed.

The date of birth must match the Class 10 certificate. Each rule is explained below with exact dates.

Posts Covered for Graduate RRB NTPC 2026

Graduate posts have four categories, numbered 1 to 4. Station Master and Traffic Assistant are not notified this year. So there is no Category 5 and no CBAT. Medical standards differ by post.

Posts Covered for UG RRB NTPC 2026

There are 4 UG posts for RRB NTPC 2026. These posts are Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Accounts Clerk cum Typist, Junior Clerk cum Typist, and Train Clerk.

RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Nationality

A candidate must be an Indian citizen. Subjects of Nepal and Bhutan can also apply. So can persons of Indian origin who moved from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries or Vietnam to settle in India.

Nepal, Bhutan, and Indian origin applicants need a Certificate of Eligibility from the Government of India. They may sit the exam provisionally. The certificate must be shown at Document Verification, or the candidature is rejected.

Age Limit for RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026

Under RRB NTPC Eligibility 2026, age is counted on 1 January 2027 for both levels. The minimum age is 18 years. The maximum is 33 years for Graduate posts and 30 years for UG posts, before any relaxation.

Both dates are inclusive. The date of birth in the form must match the Class 10 certificate. No change is allowed later. Any mismatch leads to disqualification. Name and parents’ names must match too.

RRB NTPC Age Relaxation 2026

SC and ST get 5 years' age relaxation. OBC-NCL gets 3 years, and PwBD gets 10, 13, or 15 years' relaxation. Ex-servicemen get 3, 6, or 8 years extra. Serving railway staff, widowed or divorced women, and quasi-administrative staff have special age caps.

Note: Age relaxation for RRB NTPC eligibility for females is the same as for males

Relaxations are not added together. The highest one applies. SC, ST and OBC-NCL candidates applying for unreserved seats get no community relaxation. PwBD candidates on unreserved seats get the PwBD (UR) relaxation only.

Ex-servicemen need at least six months of continuous service after attestation. Serving defence staff due for release within one year of the closing date can also apply. They must hold the required qualification by the closing date.

RRB NTPC Educational Qualification 2026

For RRB NTPC Graduate posts, a Bachelor’s degree in any subject from a recognised university or equivalent. The degree must be completed by 6 November 2026. Final-year students waiting for results cannot apply.

UG posts require Class 12 or equivalent from a recognised board, with at least 50% aggregate marks. The result must be declared by 13 November 2026. Final-year students waiting for results cannot apply.

The 50% rule is not insisted on for SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates. It also does not apply to those holding a higher qualification than Class 12. Both rules come from CEN 07/2026.

Certificates must show a date of issue. If the date falls after the closing date, the mark sheets with result declaration dates must be shown. If no date appears, a certificate from the board or university is needed.

RRB NTPC Typing Skill Requirement 2026

The typing skill test is removed for 2026. Para 13(c) of CEN 06/2026 drops it for Senior Clerk cum Typist and Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist. The UG notice does the same for both typist posts.

Basic computer and typing skills are still expected. These are checked after joining. Poor performance may delay confirmation or promotion. The old limits of 30 words per minute in English and 25 in Hindi do not apply this year.

RRB NTPC Physical Eligibility 2026

Medical fitness is checked after the CBTs, at the Document Verification stage. Railway medical authorities conduct the test. Each post has a fixed standard. A candidate who fails gets no alternative post.

Candidates who have had LASIK or other eye surgery are not eligible for A-2 and A-3 posts. They can apply for B-2 and C-2 posts under Railway Board conditions, with a self-declaration.

A candidate who fails the first medical test may get one final appeal on payment of the prescribed charges. The appeal result is final. The standards are indicative, so Chapter 5 of the Railway Medical Manual has full details.

RRB NTPC 2026 Category-Wise Eligibility Rules

OBC-NCL: OBC candidates need a Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued on or after 1 April 2026 and on or before the closing date. The caste must be in the central OBC list. State-list castes alone do not qualify.

A self-declaration in Annexure IIA is also needed at Document Verification. Without these papers, the OBC claim is dropped. The candidate is then treated as unreserved if all unreserved conditions are met. Creamy layer candidates also compete as unreserved.

EWS: EWS needs a family income below INR 8 lakh for 2025-26, counted from all sources. The Income and Asset Certificate must be valid on the closing date. Candidates covered by SC, ST, or OBC-NCL reservation are not EWS.

Family assets can remove EWS status, whatever the income. Owning any one of the assets below is enough. Assets in different places are added together. Family means the applicant, parents, siblings under 18, spouse and children under 18.

EBC: EBC is different from OBC and EWS. It needs a family income below INR 50,000. It gives a fee concession only. It does not give job reservation. A valid income certificate, BPL card or Izzat MST is needed.

SC and ST: SC and ST candidates need a caste or tribe certificate in the prescribed format. Only communities recognised by the Government of India qualify. The category claimed in the form cannot be changed later.

PwBD: PwBD benefits need at least a 40% benchmark disability. A certificate through the UDID portal is mandatory. Temporary conditions marked “likely to improve” are not eligible. The disability type chosen in the form cannot be changed.

Who Cannot Apply for RRB NTPC 2026?

Some conditions end a candidature at once. Rejection can happen at any stage, even after selection. The fee is not refunded for rejected applications. Reasons can be seen by logging in to the RRB website.

• Waiting for the final result of the required qualification
• Sending more than one application, which leads to rejection of all and future debarment
• Choosing more than one RRB
• Being debarred by any RRB or RRC
• Dismissal from government, state or PSU service
• Age outside the limit after relaxation
• Giving false or hidden information

Minimum Qualifying Marks in the CBTs RRB NTPC 2026

These marks are the minimum to qualify. They are not the cutoff. PwBD candidates may get up to 2 marks of relaxation if they fall short. CBT 2 shortlisting is usually 15 times the number of seats.

How Eligibility Is Checked in RRB NTPC 2026

RRB NTPC eligibility is provisional at the time of applying. RRB does not check details at that stage. Original documents are checked only after a candidate clears all CBTs and is shortlisted for Document Verification.

Any claim that papers do not support gets cancelled. The same applies to false or hidden facts found at any stage. If already appointed, the candidate can be removed from service and debarred for life.

Candidates already working in a central or state government department or a public sector unit can apply. A No Objection Certificate from the employer is needed at Document Verification. Without it, the candidature is cancelled.

Name, parents’ names, and date of birth must match the Class 10 certificate. Mobile number and email ID cannot be changed after account creation. DigiLocker or Aadhaar identity check is advised. Other photo IDs face stricter scrutiny.

RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026 FAQs