The RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026 explains who can apply for Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) posts in Indian Railways. Candidates must meet the prescribed age limit, educational qualification, nationality and medical standards for their chosen post. The recruitment has two levels: Graduate and Undergraduate. Graduate posts require a recognised university degree, while Undergraduate posts generally require a Class 12 qualification. The age limit is 18 to 33 years for Graduate posts and 18 to 30 years for Undergraduate posts, calculated as of 1 January 2027, subject to applicable age relaxation.
The RRB NTPC eligibility criteria differ according to the recruitment level and post. Candidates should check their age, qualification and medical fitness before applying.
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Name | RRB NTPC 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) |
| Recruitment Levels | Graduate and Undergraduate |
| Graduate Notification | CEN 06/2026 |
| Undergraduate Notification | CEN 07/2026 |
| Graduate Age Limit | 18 to 33 years |
| Undergraduate Age Limit | 18 to 30 years |
| Age Calculation Date | 1 January 2027 |
| Graduate Qualification | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent |
| Undergraduate Qualification | Class 12 or equivalent |
| Nationality | Indian citizen and other eligible categories specified in the notification |
| Age Relaxation | Available to eligible categories under recruitment rules |
| Medical Standards | Depend on the selected post |
| Application Mode | Online |
The Graduate and Undergraduate recruitments have separate notifications. Candidates should read the relevant notification before submitting an application.
The RRB NTPC eligibility criteria are the rules candidates must meet to apply for railway NTPC posts. These rules help the Railway Recruitment Boards check whether an applicant is suitable for a particular post.
Candidates must meet the following conditions:
Meeting the basic eligibility requirements does not guarantee selection. Candidates must also qualify in the applicable examination stages and satisfy the other recruitment conditions.
The RRB NTPC age limit 2026 depends on whether a candidate applies for a Graduate or Undergraduate post. The age is calculated as of 1 January 2027 for the current recruitment cycle.
| Recruitment Level | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
| Graduate Level | 18 years | 33 years |
| Undergraduate Level | 18 years | 30 years |
The upper age limit may be higher for candidates who qualify for category-based age relaxation. Candidates should check their date of birth against the relevant notification before applying.
The following date-of-birth ranges apply to the basic age limits before adding any eligible age relaxation.
| Recruitment Level | Category | Date of Birth Should Not Be Earlier Than | Date of Birth Should Not Be Later Than |
| Graduate | UR/EWS | 2 January 1994 | 1 January 2009 |
| Graduate | OBC-NCL | 2 January 1991 | 1 January 2009 |
| Graduate | SC/ST | 2 January 1989 | 1 January 2009 |
| Undergraduate | UR/EWS | 2 January 1997 | 1 January 2009 |
| Undergraduate | OBC-NCL | 2 January 1994 | 1 January 2009 |
| Undergraduate | SC/ST | 2 January 1992 | 1 January 2009 |
These dates reflect the upper-age relaxations for OBC-NCL and SC/ST candidates. Other eligible categories may have different age limits under the notification. Candidates should confirm the exact dates and applicable rules in the relevant CEN before applying.
The Railway Recruitment Boards provide age relaxation to eligible candidates in certain categories under the RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria. This allows them to apply beyond the standard upper age limit, subject to the conditions mentioned in the official notification.
The common category-wise age relaxations are given below.
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| OBC-NCL | 3 years |
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| PwBD – UR/EWS | 10 years |
| PwBD – OBC-NCL | 13 years |
| PwBD – SC/ST | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | As prescribed in the notification, based on category and qualifying military service |
| Eligible serving Railway employees | As prescribed for the relevant category and length of service |
| Eligible Quasi-Administrative Railway employees | As prescribed in the notification |
| Eligible widowed, divorced or judicially separated women who have not remarried | As prescribed for the relevant category |
Important: Age relaxation is subject to the rules and conditions of the relevant recruitment notification. Candidates must have the required certificates to claim a relaxation. They should not assume that every category or concession applies to every post.
Candidates can use these simple steps to check their age RRB NTPC eligibility conditions:
For example, the standard upper age limit for an Undergraduate post is 30 years. An eligible OBC-NCL candidate may receive three additional years, subject to the recruitment rules. The candidate must still meet all other eligibility conditions.
Candidates applying for Graduate-level NTPC posts must have a degree from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification as prescribed in the notification.
For CEN 06/2026, the notified Graduate posts include Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor, Goods Train Manager, Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist and Senior Clerk Cum Typist.
The post-wise RRB NTPC educational requirements are given below.
| Post Name | Educational Qualification |
| Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent |
| Goods Train Manager | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent |
| Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent |
| Senior Clerk Cum Typist | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent |
Candidates must possess the required qualification by the closing date specified in the notification. Those waiting for their final degree results should check the rules carefully, as candidates who do not hold the required qualification by the prescribed date may not be eligible.
Candidates should read the latest notification rather than rely on older recruitment rules. Under the current CEN 06/2026, the Computer Based Typing Skill Test has been discontinued for Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist and Senior Clerk Cum Typist.
The post names still include the word “Typist”, so candidates should check the notification for any other applicable requirements, including the conditions for computer and typing proficiency after appointment.
As per the RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria, candidates applying for Undergraduate NTPC posts must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board.
The general requirement is at least 50% aggregate marks in Class 12. However, the minimum 50% condition is not insisted upon for SC/ST candidates, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), Ex-Servicemen and candidates who possess a qualification higher than Class 12, as specified in the notification.
The post-wise qualification details are given below.
| Post Name | Educational Qualification |
| Commercial cum Ticket Clerk | Class 12 or equivalent, subject to the prescribed marks requirement and exceptions |
| Accounts Clerk cum Typist | Class 12 or equivalent, subject to the prescribed marks requirement and exceptions |
| Junior Clerk cum Typist | Class 12 or equivalent, subject to the prescribed marks requirement and exceptions |
| Trains Clerk | Class 12 or equivalent, subject to the prescribed marks requirement and exceptions |
Candidates must possess the required qualification by the closing date of the application. Those awaiting the results of their qualifying examination should check the notification carefully before applying.
The Computer Based Typing Skill Test has been discontinued for Accounts Clerk cum Typist and Junior Clerk cum Typist under CEN 07/2026.
Candidates should still read the detailed notification for any other conditions linked to their selected posts. The requirements for a new recruitment cycle may differ from those of earlier NTPC examinations.
The Graduate and Undergraduate NTPC recruitments differ mainly in educational qualification, age limit and the posts offered.
| Particulars | Graduate NTPC | Undergraduate NTPC |
| Notification Number | CEN 06/2026 | CEN 07/2026 |
| Minimum Qualification | Degree from a recognised university or equivalent | Class 12 or equivalent |
| Age Limit | 18 to 33 years | 18 to 30 years |
| Age Calculation Date | 1 January 2027 | 1 January 2027 |
| Suitable For | Degree holders | Class 12-pass candidates |
| Example Posts | Goods Train Manager, Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor, Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist, Senior Clerk Cum Typist | Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Accounts Clerk cum Typist, Junior Clerk cum Typist, Trains Clerk |
| Medical Standards | Depend on the selected post | Depend on the selected post |
| Age Relaxation | As prescribed in the notification | As prescribed in the notification |
Candidates should apply under the correct recruitment level. A Class 12 qualification alone does not meet the general educational requirement for Graduate-level posts.
Nationality is another important part of the RRB NTPC eligibility criteria. Candidates must belong to a category permitted by the recruitment rules.
Eligible categories may include:
Candidates in categories that require a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India must produce the prescribed certificate when required.
Nationality rules can include specific conditions, so candidates should refer to the official notification to confirm whether they qualify.
Candidates must meet the RRB NTPC medical fitness standards prescribed for the post they choose. These standards help ensure that a person can safely perform the duties of the job.
The required medical category is not the same for every NTPC post. The table below lists the standards for the posts included in the current recruitment notifications.
| Post Name | Medical Standard |
| Chief Commercial Cum Ticket Supervisor | B2 |
| Goods Train Manager | A2 |
| Junior Accounts Assistant Cum Typist | C2 |
| Senior Clerk Cum Typist | C2 |
| Post Name | Medical Standard |
| Commercial cum Ticket Clerk | B2 |
| Accounts Clerk cum Typist | C2 |
| Junior Clerk cum Typist | C2 |
| Trains Clerk | A3 |
Candidates should check the medical standard of their preferred post before filling in their preferences. A candidate who does not meet the prescribed medical requirements may be considered medically unsuitable for that post.
Vision requirements are an important part of the railway medical examination. The required eye standard depends on the medical category assigned to the post.
The RRB NTPC medical examination may assess:
A2, A3, B2 and C2 have different medical requirements. Candidates should not assume that the same eyesight rules apply to every post or that wearing glasses automatically makes them eligible.
For exact visual-acuity limits, lens-power rules and other tests, check the medical standards in the official CEN for the post you intend to select.
Candidates should keep all required documents ready before applying under the RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria. These documents help the Railway Recruitment Boards verify age, educational qualifications, nationality and claims for reservation or age relaxation.
Commonly required documents include:
The exact documents depend on the candidate’s category and the recruitment rules. Names, dates of birth and other details should match across the documents wherever required.
Candidates can follow these steps to check whether they are eligible to apply.
Candidates should use the detailed notification and any official corrigendum as the final source for eligibility decisions.
The RRB NTPC Eligibility Criteria 2026 covers age limit, educational qualification, nationality, category-based age relaxation and medical fitness. Graduate-level candidates generally need a recognised degree and must be 18 to 33 years old, while Undergraduate candidates generally need Class 12 and must be 18 to 30 years old. Both age limits are calculated as of 1 January 2027, subject to the applicable rules.
Candidates should check the post-wise medical standards and read the relevant CEN before applying. Once they confirm their eligibility, they can begin preparing with the latest syllabus, previous year questions and mock tests. Visit PracticeMock for railway exam preparation resources and free mock tests.
Candidates must meet the prescribed age limit, educational qualification, nationality and medical standards. Other conditions, including category-based age relaxation and document requirements, also apply.
The minimum age is 18 years for both Graduate and Undergraduate NTPC posts. The age is calculated as of 1 January 2027 for the current recruitment cycle.
The standard maximum age limit is 33 years for Graduate-level posts. Eligible candidates may receive age relaxation under the applicable recruitment rules.
The standard age limit is 18 to 30 years for Undergraduate posts, calculated as of 1 January 2027. Age relaxation may apply to eligible categories.
Candidates must hold a degree from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification as prescribed in the relevant notification.
Yes. Class 12-pass candidates can apply for eligible Undergraduate NTPC posts if they meet the age, marks, nationality and other requirements specified in CEN 07/2026.
A subject of Nepal may be eligible under the nationality rules. The candidate must meet the applicable conditions and provide any required certificate of eligibility.
The usual upper-age relaxation for eligible OBC-NCL candidates is three years. Candidates must meet the non-creamy layer and other conditions specified in the notification.
Eligible SC/ST candidates generally receive five years of upper-age relaxation, subject to the relevant notification.
Yes. Candidates must meet the medical standards prescribed for their selected post. The applicable category may be A2, A3, B2 or C2, depending on the post.
No. Vision and other medical requirements vary by medical category and post. Candidates should check the official medical standards before selecting their preferences.
Candidates must possess the prescribed educational qualification by the date specified in the relevant notification. Those awaiting final results should check the notification carefully, as they may not be eligible if they do not hold the required qualification by the closing date.
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