Call for Admission 03843-314847, 9954907828

RRB CEN 09/2025 Level‑1 Recruitment: Complete Guide to 22,195 Vacancies

  • By RIMARO COACHING AND CAREER INSTITUTE
  • February 9, 2026

RRB CEN 09/2025 Level‑1 Recruitment: Complete Guide to 22,195 Vacancies

The Ministry of Railways has released the Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 09/2025 for Level‑1 posts in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix across various zones of Indian Railways. This is one of the biggest recruitment drives, with 22,195 vacancies for posts like Track Maintainer, Pointsman, Assistant in Electrical/Mechanical/S&T/Engineering, etc.

Below is a clear, exam‑oriented breakdown of the notification.

1. Important Dates

  • Indicative notice in Employment News: 27.12.2025
  • Start of online application: 31.01.2026 (00:00 hrs)
  • Last date to apply online: 02.03.2026 (23:59 hrs)
  • Last date for fee payment: 04.03.2026 (23:59 hrs)
  • Application modification window (with fee): 05.03.2026 to 14.03.2026 (23:59 hrs)
  • Scribe registration window: 15.03.2026 to 19.03.2026
  • CBT, PET, DV, Medical dates: To be notified on RRB/RRC websites (see Para 24 of CEN)

All applications are to be submitted online only through the official RRB websites.

2. Posts, Pay and Vacancies

  • Post category: Various Level‑1 posts (Track Maintainer, Assistant in Electrical, Mechanical, S&T, Engineering, Pointsman, etc.)
  • Initial pay: ₹18,000/- (Level 1 of 7th CPC)
  • Total vacancies: 22,195 (zone‑wise and post‑wise details in Annexure‑B of the notification)
  • Medical standards: As per Annexure‑A – posts fall under A‑2, A‑3, B‑1, C‑1 medical categories.

Reservation is applicable for SC/ST/OBC‑NCL/EWS/PwBD/ExSM/CCAA as per Government rules.

3. Eligibility Criteria

3.1 Nationality

You must be:

  • A citizen of India, or
  • Citizen of Nepal/Bhutan, or
  • Tibetan refugee (came to India before 01.01.1962), or
  • Person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries, with a certificate of eligibility from Govt. of India (for categories ii–v).

3.2 Age Limit (as on 01.01.2026)

  • Minimum: 18 years
  • Maximum: 33 years
  • Date of birth must be between 02.01.1993 and 01.01.2008 (UR/EWS; community‑wise relaxation is included for SC/ST/OBC in the table).

Age Relaxation (main points)

  • OBC‑NCL: +3 years
  • SC/ST: +5 years
  • PwBD: 10 years (UR/EWS), 13 years (OBC‑NCL), 15 years (SC/ST)
  • Ex‑Servicemen: Length of service deducted from age + 3/6/8 years depending on community
  • Railway employees (Group C & erstwhile D) with ≥3 years’ service: Up to 40/43/45 years (UR/OBC‑NCL/SC‑ST)
  • Widows/divorced/judicially separated women: Up to 35/38/40 years (UR/OBC‑NCL/SC‑ST)
  • CCAA in Railway establishments: Relaxation up to apprenticeship period (max 3/6/8 years for UR/OBC‑NCL/SC-ST)

Only one relaxation (whichever is maximum) is allowed if you fall in multiple categories.

3.3 Educational Qualification (as on 02.03.2026)

  • Minimum:
    • 10th pass (Matriculation) or
    • ITI or
    • National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) granted by NCVT
      (as per post parameters in Annexure‑A).

Important:

  • Diploma/Degree in Engineering is NOT accepted in lieu of ITI/CCAA for Level‑1 posts (unless expressly stated).
  • Those awaiting final result of the qualifying exam are not eligible.

4. Medical Standards

Each post has a prescribed medical standard (A‑2, A‑3, B‑1, C‑1) in Annexure‑A. Key points:

  • Vision standards are clearly specified for each medical category.
  • Candidates with LASIK or other refractive surgeries:
    • Not eligible for posts with medical standards A‑2 and A‑3.
    • Eligible for B‑1 and C‑1 as per Railway Board letter (Annexure‑VII).
  • You must pass the Railway medical examination for the post you opt. No alternative post will be given if you fail in medical for that post.

5. Examination Fee and Refund

5.1 Fee Amount

  • ₹500: For all candidates except those listed below
    • Refund: ₹400 (after bank charges), only if you appear in CBT
  • ₹250: For SC/ST/Ex‑Servicemen/PwBD/Female/Transgender/Minorities/Economically Backward Class (EBC)
    • Refund: ₹250 (after bank charges), only if you appear in CBT

Mode of payment: Online only (Net banking, Debit/Credit Card, UPI).

5.2 Fee Refund – Aadhaar‑linked Account

  • Refund will be credited only to an Aadhaar‑seeded bank account.
  • During application, you must validate Aadhaar and confirm the linked bank account, or link in real time via NPCI.
  • You may use a family member’s Aadhaar‑linked account if you don’t have one.
  • No refund if application is rejected or bank account is invalid.

6. Reservation Details

6.1 Vertical Reservation

  • SC, ST, OBC‑NCL, EWS as per Govt. rules (see Annexure‑I, II, III formats).
  • OBC in Creamy Layer are treated as UR.
  • OBC‑NCL certificate:
    • In prescribed format (Annexure‑II)
    • Issued on or after 01.04.2025 and on/before closing date.
    • Must include standard “does not belong to creamy layer” clause.
    • Self‑declaration (Annexure‑IIA) also required at DV.

6.2 EWS

  • Family gross annual income < ₹8 lakh (FY 2024‑25 for this CEN).
  • Property criteria: Not owning specified levels of agricultural land/flat/plot.
  • Must produce Income & Asset Certificate (Annexure‑III) from competent authority, valid as on closing date.

6.3 EBC (Economically Backward Class)

  • Family income < ₹50,000 per annum.
  • EBC gets fee concession only, not reservation.
  • Must have EBC certificate (Annexure‑III A) / BPL / Izzat MST / other poverty‑programme certificate issued on or before 02.03.2026.

6.4 Horizontal Reservation

  • Ex‑Servicemen (ExSM)
  • Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD)
  • CCAA trained in Railway establishments (NAC from NCVT)

Backlog PwBD vacancies may be filled by other disability types suitable for the post, or by regular candidates if no suitable PwBD is available.

7. PwBD, Scribe and Compensatory Time

7.1 Eligible Disabilities

As per the RPwD Act, 2016:

  • Visual impairment (Blindness/Low vision)
  • Hearing impairment (Deaf/Hard of Hearing)
  • Locomotor disability (including CP, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack, muscular dystrophy, spinal deformity/injury without neurological/limb dysfunction)
  • Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, mental illness
  • Multiple disabilities

Only candidates with ≥40% benchmark disability are eligible for reservation and relaxations.

7.2 Scribe Facility

  • Automatically allowed for:
    • Blindness
    • Both Arms Affected (BA)
    • Cerebral Palsy
  • For other PwBD or <40% disability with writing difficulty:
    • Requires certificate from Govt. hospital as per Annexure‑V(G)/V(E) and undertaking (Annexure‑V(D)/V(F)).

Key points:

  • Must opt for scribe in online form.
  • Candidate arranges own scribe; scribe must register at rrbapply.gov.in and get OTR number.
  • Scribe details to be confirmed during 5‑day window after modification period.
  • Both candidate and scribe sign undertaking; scribe’s qualification must be one step below candidate’s.

7.3 Compensatory Time

  • 20 minutes per hour of exam for:
    • Candidates using a scribe, or
    • Eligible candidates who do not use a scribe but request extra time.

8. Recruitment Process – Stage by Stage

The selection has 4 stages:

  1. Computer Based Test (CBT)
  2. Physical Efficiency Test (PET)
  3. Document Verification (DV)
  4. Medical Examination (ME)

8.1 Computer Based Test (CBT)

  • Single CBT (Railway reserves right to introduce multi‑stage).
  • Duration: 90 minutes (120 minutes for scribe‑eligible).
  • Questions: 100 MCQs (1 mark each)
    • General Science – 25
    • Mathematics – 25
    • General Intelligence & Reasoning – 30
    • General Awareness & Current Affairs – 20
  • Negative marking: 1/3 mark deducted for each wrong answer.

Minimum qualifying marks:

  • UR/EWS – 40%
  • OBC‑NCL – 30%
  • SC – 30%
  • ST – 30%
    (2% relaxation in qualifying marks for PwBD if required)

Syllabus highlights:

  • Maths: Number system, BODMAS, fractions, LCM/HCF, ratio & proportion, percentage, mensuration, time & work, time & distance, SI/CI, profit & loss, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, square root, age, calendar, clock, pipes & cistern.
  • Reasoning: Analogy, series, coding‑decoding, math operations, relationships, syllogism, jumbling, Venn diagram, data sufficiency, decision making, classification, directions, statement‑argument/assumption.
  • General Science: Physics, Chemistry, Life Science – 10th standard (CBSE) level.
  • GA & Current Affairs: Science & tech, sports, culture, personalities, economy, politics and other important topics.

If CBT is held in multiple shifts, normalisation of marks will be applied.

8.2 Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

Shortlisted at 3 times the vacancy (Railway may change ratio).

Male:

  • Lift and carry 35 kg for 100 m in 2 minutes, without putting weight down – 1 chance
  • Run 1000 m in 4 min 15 sec – 1 chance

Female:

  • Lift and carry 20 kg for 100 m in 2 minutes
  • Run 1000 m in 5 min 40 sec

Exempted from PET:

  • PwBD candidates
  • CCAA in Railway establishments
  • Ex‑Servicemen (but must meet written, physical standard if prescribed and medical).

PET is qualifying only – no marks.

8.3 Document Verification and Medical

  • Called in the ratio 1:1 based on CBT merit (after PET where applicable).
  • Tie‑breaking: Higher age first; if still same, alphabetical order of the given name (A–Z).
  • Original certificates for age, qualification, caste, PwBD, ExSM, EWS, EBC, CCAA, NOC (if in service), etc. must be produced.
  • Failure to produce documents = cancellation.
  • Medical fitness as per Indian Railway Medical Manual is mandatory.

9. How to Apply – Key Points

  1. Create an Account on any one RRB website (Para 24.0(A)):
    • Use your own mobile number and email ID.
    • If you already created an account for 2024/2025 CENs, use the same credentials.
    • Details in “Create an Account” (name, DOB, mobile, email, chosen RRB/Railway) cannot be changed later.
  2. Identity Authentication (Advisable):
    • Verify via DigiLocker or Aadhaar for smoother verification, otherwise expect stricter scrutiny.
  3. Online Application:
    • Apply only to one RRB/one Railway zone.
    • Choose Railway zone and post preferences carefully (options once given are final).
    • Multiple applications to same/different RRBs = rejection + debarment.
    • Choose exam language from English, Hindi, and 13 regional languages (including Assamese, Bengali, etc.).
  4. Live Photo Capture:
    • The system will capture a live photo via webcam or mobile front camera.
    • No pre‑taken/printed/digital photos allowed.
    • No cap, mask, glasses; clear face; non‑white background recommended.
  5. Signature Upload:
    • Black ink, white paper, running handwriting (no capital/block letters).
    • JPG/JPEG, 30–49 KB, min 140×60 pixels.
    • Signature must match at all stages.
  6. SC/ST travel pass candidates:
    • Upload SC/ST certificate (PDF < 400 KB) if you want free sleeper‑class pass for travel to exam centres.
  7. Modification:
    • After final submission, changes allowed (except Create‑an‑Account data & chosen RRB/Railway) by paying ₹250 per modification from 05.03.2026 to 14.03.2026.
    • If you change from SC/ST to UR/OBC/EWS or from ExSM/Female/PwBD to corresponding non‑concession category, you must also pay fee difference of ₹250.
  8. Use of CSCs:
    • Candidates can use Common Service Centres (CSC) for online form filling and fee payment if needed.

10. Important Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

  • Read the full notification and check Annexure‑A & Annexure‑B for post eligibility and vacancy distribution.
  • Ensure you meet age, educational and medical standards for the posts you choose.
  • Keep Aadhaar‑linked bank account ready for fee refund.
  • Regularly check official RRB/RRC websites only for updates.
  • Preserve your Registration Number, email and mobile carefully.

Don’ts

  • Don’t apply to more than one RRB/Railway zone.
  • Don’t rely on touts or job racketeers – recruitment is purely on merit; unfair means fall under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
  • Don’t bring mobile phones, electronic gadgets, watches, pen/pencil, bags, food, etc. to exam centre – strictly banned.
  • Don’t sign in capital letters or upload unclear photo/signature.
  • Don’t hide facts or submit fake certificates – you can be debarred for life from RRB/RRC exams.

11. Useful Links

  • CEN 09/2025 PDF: (as provided in your notification/file)
  • RRB websites (for application): see Para 24.0(A) of the notification
  • RRC websites (for PET/DV/Medical updates): see Para 24.0(B)

Visit the official application portal: https://www.rrbapply.gov.in/                 

Complete online registration and submit all required documents.

Pay the examination fee and finalize the application before the deadline.

RRB Websitehttps://indianrailways.gov.in/
Apply Linkhttps://www.rrbapply.gov.in/#/auth/landing
Official Notificationhttps://www.rrbapply.gov.in/
Our Websitehttps://rimarocoaching.in/
Whatsapp Channelhttps://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaW9NJhChq6Fv5S7g232 
Arattai Channelhttps://aratt.ai/@rimarocoaching
Telegram Channelhttps://t.me/rimarogovtjobprep 
Youtube Channelhttps://youtube.com/@rimarocoaching?si=2IWuxy0KQMoDk_wv  
Facebook Channelhttps://www.facebook.com/RIMAROCOACHING/
Instagram Channelhttps://www.instagram.com/rimarocoaching?igsh=eHJsZ3FxODYzanNz