RRB Section Controller 2026
What is the RRB Section Controller exam, who can take it, and how do the CBT, the aptitude test and the eyesight standard decide selection?
Section Controller is a Level 6 post on Indian Railways, filled through the Railway Recruitment Boards. CEN 03/2026 notified 119 vacancies across 28 RRB and zone rows. Online applications ran from 15 July to 14 August 2026, so this cycle is closed; the RRBs will announce the computer-based test (CBT) dates on their websites. You needed a graduate degree and an age of 20 to 33 on 1 July 2026, with 3 more years for OBC-NCL and 5 for SC and ST. Selection runs in four stages: a 100-question CBT, a computer-based aptitude test (CBAT) for 8 times the vacancies, document verification and a medical test at standard A-2. That standard is measured without glasses, and anyone who has had LASIK is not eligible. The final merit is 70% CBT and 30% CBAT.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 30 June 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
Applications closed on 14 August 2026. CBT dates will be announced on the RRB websites.
Exam at a glance
- Notification
- Centralised Employment Notice CEN 03/2026, Section Controller (indicative notice 27.06.2026)[1]
- Posts
- 119 vacancies: UR 50, OBC 29, SC 19, ST 12, EWS 9; 5 of them for ex-servicemen[1]
- Applications
- 15 July to 14 August 2026 (closed); modification window 17 to 26 August 2026[1]
- Qualification
- A graduate degree from a recognised university or its equivalent, held when you applied[1]
- Age on 1 July 2026
- 20 to 33 years; OBC-NCL 3 more years, SC and ST 5 more[1]
- Pay
- 7th CPC Level 6, initial pay Rs 35,400[1]
- Fee
- Rs 500 (Rs 400 refunded after you sit the CBT); Rs 250 for women, transgender, ex-servicemen, SC, ST, minority, EBC and PwBD candidates (refunded after the CBT)[1]
- Medical standard
- A-2: distance vision 6/9, 6/9 and near vision Sn 0.6, 0.6, both without glasses; no LASIK[1]
- CBT
- 100 questions, 120 minutes, minus 1/3 mark for a wrong answer[1]
- Final merit
- 70% CBT marks plus 30% CBAT marks[1]
- CBT date
- Not announced; the RRBs will publish it on their websites[1]
How the final merit is weighted
| Community | Born on or after | Born on or before |
|---|---|---|
| UR and EWS | 2 July 1993 | 1 July 2006 |
| OBC-NCL | 2 July 1990 | 1 July 2006 |
| SC and ST | 2 July 1988 | 1 July 2006 |
Both dates count. The OBC-NCL, SC and ST windows already include the community relaxation, which applies only against reserved vacancies. Other relaxations: PwBD 10 years (UR and EWS), 13 (OBC-NCL) or 15 (SC and ST); serving Group C and former Group D railway staff with 3 years' service up to 40, 43 or 45; widowed, divorced or judicially separated women not remarried up to 35, 38 or 40; ex-servicemen 3, 6 or 8 years after deducting service. Only the single highest relaxation applies.[1]
| Stage | What it is | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| CBT | 100 objective questions in 120 minutes: Analytical and Mathematical Capability 60, Logical Capability 20, Mental Reasoning 20 | UR and EWS 40%, OBC-NCL and SC 30%, ST 25% to be eligible |
| CBAT | Computer-based aptitude test batteries, in English and Hindi only, no negative marking | T-score of 42 in every battery, for every candidate; no relaxation |
| Document verification | Called in merit order, as many candidates as vacancies | Original certificates; vision certificate already shown at CBAT |
| Medical | Railway medical test at standard A-2 | Pass it, or no alternative post is offered |
The CBT shortlists 8 times the vacancies in each community (UR, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, ex-servicemen included) for the CBAT. Ties are broken by age, older first, then by given name in A to Z order.[1]
| RRB | Zones | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | WR | 11 |
| Ajmer | WCR | 1 |
| Prayagraj | NCR 2, NR 2 | 4 |
| Bengaluru | SWR | 8 |
| Bhopal | WCR 4, WR 2 | 6 |
| Bhubaneswar | ECoR | 6 |
| Bilaspur | CR 2, SECR 2 | 4 |
| Chandigarh | NR | 6 |
| Chennai | SR | 9 |
| Gorakhpur | NER | 5 |
| Guwahati | NFR | 1 |
| Jammu-Srinagar | NR | 0 |
| Kolkata | ER 4, SER 4 | 8 |
| Malda | ER 3, SER 4 | 7 |
| Mumbai | CR 6, SCR 0 | 6 |
| Muzaffarpur | ECR | 3 |
| Patna | ECR | 6 |
| Ranchi | ECR 8, SER 6 | 14 |
| Secunderabad | SCR | 5 |
| Siliguri | NFR | 5 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | SR | 4 |
Total 119. The notice says the numbers may go up or down as the Railway Administration needs. No vacancy is reserved for PwBD in this CEN.[1]
Section Controller is a graduate-level post at Level 6 of the 7th CPC pay matrix, recruited for the zonal railways through the RRBs. The notice does not describe the duties, but its rules show what the job asks for: a strict eyesight standard with colour, night and binocular vision tests, and a computer-based aptitude test. For the aptitude test the notice sends candidates to RDSO's psychology pages.
You apply to one RRB only and rank the zones under it. Choosing more than one RRB gets every application rejected.[1]
- It suits a graduate of any stream who is good with numbers, data and reasoning: 60 of the 100 CBT questions are maths and data interpretation.
- Eyesight decides a lot. If you need glasses for distance, fail a colour or night vision test, or have had LASIK or any surgery to correct your eyes, you cannot be appointed, whatever your marks.
- The CBAT has a fixed pass mark in every battery and no community relaxation, so a strong CBT score alone is not enough.
- With 119 posts across India and some RRBs at 0 or 1, the RRB you chose decides how many seats you compete for.
Source[1]
Analytical and Mathematical Capability (about 60 questions): number system, ratio and proportion, averages, percentages, profit and loss, time, speed and distance, work, algebra and linear equations, progressions, LCM and HCF, geometry, area and volume, basic probability and statistics, and data interpretation from tables, charts and Venn diagrams, including data sufficiency.
Logical Capability (about 20): syllogisms, binary logic, clocks and calendars, assumptions, blood relations and puzzles, plus English reading comprehension passages. Mental Reasoning (about 20): analogies, series, coding-decoding, ranking and arrangement.
The CBT is offered in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages; the CBAT only in English and Hindi.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Get your eyes checked against standard A-2 before you spend months on preparation: 6/9 in each eye for distance and Sn 0.6 for near, both without glasses.[1]
- Practise data interpretation with charts and tables. It sits inside the biggest CBT section.[1]
- Read RDSO's candidate's corner on the psychology tests before the CBAT; the notice points candidates there.[1]
- Keep checking the website of the RRB you applied to. The CBT, CBAT, document verification and medical dates come only through the RRB sites.[1]
Questions people ask
What is the age limit for RRB Section Controller 2026?
20 to 33 on 1 July 2026: born between 2 July 1993 and 1 July 2006 for UR and EWS. OBC-NCL candidates can be born from 2 July 1990 and SC and ST from 2 July 1988.[1]
What qualification is needed for RRB Section Controller?
A graduate degree from a recognised university or its equivalent. Candidates still waiting for their final-year result could not apply.[1]
Can I become a Section Controller if I wear glasses?
Not if you need them to meet the standard. A-2 asks for 6/9, 6/9 distance and Sn 0.6, 0.6 near vision without glasses, and candidates who have had LASIK or other surgery to correct refractive error are not eligible.[1]
What is the CBAT in RRB Section Controller?
A computer-based aptitude test for candidates shortlisted from the CBT, 8 times the vacancies in each community. You need a T-score of at least 42 in every test battery, with no relaxation for any category, and there is no negative marking.[1]
How many vacancies are there in RRB Section Controller 2026?
119: UR 50, OBC 29, SC 19, ST 12 and EWS 9. RRB Ranchi has the most, 14, and RRB Ahmedabad 11.[1]
When is the RRB Section Controller exam?
Not announced yet. Applications closed on 14 August 2026, and the RRBs will publish the CBT dates on their official websites.[1]
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Official and partner links
- Official bodyRailway Recruitment Boards (official website)
Sources
- Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) No. 03/2026: Section Controller, 58 pages, Railway Recruitment Boards, Ministry of Railways. Important dates p. 3; paras 5-6 pp. 10-11; para 8 pp. 11-12; paras 9-10 pp. 13-15; para 16 pp. 25-28; para 17.4 p. 28; Annexure-A p. 37; Annexure-B p. 38 (printed page numbers). Accessed 28 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 28 October 2026.