RRB Technician (Grade I Signal and Grade III), CEN 02/2026
What does the RRB Technician recruitment cover, who can apply for Grade I Signal or Grade III, what is in the CBT, and how does selection work?
The Railway Recruitment Boards fill Technician posts at two pay levels through one centralised notice. CEN 02/2026 notified 323 Technician Grade I Signal posts at Level 5 and 6,234 Technician Grade III posts at Level 2; Corrigendum 1 of 16 October 2026 raised the Grade III count to 7,002, so the total is now 7,325. Grade I Signal needs a B.Sc in physics, electronics, computer science, IT or instrumentation, or an engineering diploma or degree in those streams. Grade III needs Class 10 plus an ITI or a course-completed Act Apprenticeship in the trade the post names. Selection is one computer-based test for each pay level, then document verification and a medical exam. Applications closed on 29 July 2026 and the CBT ran from 6 to 9 October 2026.
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Applications closed on 29 July 2026 and the CBT ran from 6 to 9 October 2026. Results and document verification dates will follow on the RRB websites.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Ministry of Railways; you apply to one RRB for each pay level[1]
- Posts
- 7,325 across all RRBs: 323 Technician Grade I Signal and 7,002 Technician Grade III (the CEN listed 6,234 Grade III posts; Corrigendum 1 added 768 Carriage and Wagon, Welder and Fitter posts in some zones)[2]
- Pay
- Grade I Signal: Level 5, initial pay Rs 29,200. Grade III: Level 2, initial pay Rs 19,900.[1]
- Education
- Grade I Signal: B.Sc in physics, electronics, computer science, IT or instrumentation (or a mix of these), or a three-year engineering diploma or an engineering degree in those streams. Grade III: Class 10 plus ITI (NCVT/SCVT) or a course-completed Act Apprenticeship in the trade named for the post.[1]
- Age limit
- On 1 July 2026: 18 to 33 for Grade I Signal, 18 to 30 for Grade III. OBC (NCL) gets 3 more years and SC and ST 5 more years.[1]
- Selection
- One CBT for each pay level, then document verification and a medical exam[1]
- CBT dates
- 6 to 9 October 2026; the Grade I Signal CBT was on 9 October[3]
Grade III CBT: 100 questions by section
| Section | Grade I Signal (Level 5) | Grade III (Level 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 20 | 25 |
| General intelligence and reasoning | 15 | 25 |
| General awareness | 10 | 10 |
| General science (Class 10 physics, chemistry, life sciences) | - | 40 |
| Basics of computers and applications | 20 | - |
| Basic science and engineering | 35 | - |
One third of a mark is cut for each wrong answer, and marks are normalised when the CBT runs in several shifts. To qualify you need 40% (UR and EWS), 30% (OBC (NCL) and SC) or 25% (ST); the RRBs may lower this by 2 marks for PwBD candidates if PwBD posts would otherwise stay empty. The split is indicative and the paper may vary.[1]
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC and ST | 5 years |
| OBC (NCL) | 3 years |
| PwBD | 10 years (UR and EWS), 13 years (OBC (NCL)), 15 years (SC and ST) |
| Ex-servicemen with at least 6 months of service | 3, 6 or 8 years (UR and EWS, OBC (NCL), SC and ST) after deducting the length of service |
| Course-completed Act Apprentices (posts that ask for ITI or Act Apprenticeship) | The length of apprentice training, up to 3 years |
Serving railway Group C and erstwhile Group D staff, quasi-administrative railway staff, and widowed, divorced or judicially separated women have their own limits in para 8.1. The base band is 18 to 33 (Grade I Signal) or 18 to 30 (Grade III) on 1 July 2026.[1]
Technician Grade I Signal is a single Level 5 post in the Signal and Telecommunication department. Technician Grade III covers 24 post categories at Level 2 across the engineering, mechanical, electrical and signal departments, such as Carriage and Wagon, Diesel Electrical, Track Machine, Bridge, Blacksmith, Welder and Fitter. Eight of them are merged categories that group several designations with the same rules; Annexure C of the CEN lists the designations inside each one.
Each Grade III category names its own ITI trades. Carriage and Wagon, for example, takes Fitter, Carpenter, Welder, Plumber or Pipe Fitter, while Diesel Electrical takes Electrician, Wireman, Electronics Mechanic and related trades. Check Annexure A for the trade list of every post you plan to choose.[1]
The two pay levels have separate CBTs, so you fill a separate form and pay a separate fee for each level you want. Within a level you choose one RRB and rank every post you are eligible for. A second form for the same level, to any RRB, gets all your forms for that level rejected.
Grade III posts carry different medical standards (A-3, B-1, B-2 or C-1). If the medical exam finds you unfit for your top choices but fit for a lower one in the same level, you get the lower one, and once you are given a post you cannot be considered for any other post in that level.[1]
CBT marks decide the shortlist for document verification, and the RRBs call as many candidates as there are vacancies. If two candidates have the same marks, the older one ranks higher; if the age is also the same, the RRBs go by the first name in alphabetical order.
Appointment also depends on the medical fitness test for the post and a final check of documents and character. Candidates called for document verification upload scanned copies of their photo and signature on oirms-ir.gov.in/rrbdv before their verification date.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Read the trade list of each Grade III post before you rank it. Your ITI trade has to match the post, and the RRBs treat any post you leave out as one you don't want.[1]
- Grade III has 40 general science questions out of 100, all at Class 10 level. That section carries more marks than any other.[1]
- Eligible for both levels? You need two forms and two fees, and you sit two CBTs.[1]
- Leave a question blank when you are guessing blind. A wrong answer costs a third of a mark; a blank costs nothing.[1]
Questions people ask
How many vacancies are there in RRB Technician 2026?
7,325 across all RRBs: 323 Grade I Signal and 7,002 Grade III. The CEN listed 6,234 Grade III posts, and Corrigendum 1 of 16 October 2026 raised that to 7,002.[2]
What is the age limit for RRB Technician 2026?
On 1 July 2026, 18 to 33 years for Grade I Signal and 18 to 30 years for Grade III. OBC (NCL) candidates get 3 more years and SC and ST candidates 5 more years.[1]
Can an ITI holder apply for Technician Grade I Signal?
No. Grade I Signal asks for a B.Sc in physics, electronics, computer science, IT or instrumentation, or an engineering diploma or degree in those streams. ITI or Act Apprenticeship with Class 10 is the qualification for Grade III posts.[1]
Is there negative marking in the RRB Technician CBT?
Yes. One third of a mark is cut for each wrong answer, in both the Grade I Signal and the Grade III CBT.[1]
Is there a second CBT or a skill test?
No. CEN 02/2026 has one CBT for each pay level, followed by document verification and a medical exam.[1]
When was the RRB Technician CBT held?
From 6 to 9 October 2026. The Grade I Signal CBT was on 9 October, and its questions, responses and answer keys were open for objections from 15 to 22 October 2026, at Rs 50 per question.[3]
Connected pages
- Related · PathwayITI after Class 10How ITI training after Class 10 works under DGT's Craftsmen Training Scheme, what the NTC leads to, and the 2026 NIOS route to a Class 10 or 12 certificate.
- Related · DegreeB.Sc (Bachelor of Science)How long a B.Sc takes, the honours and research year, the CUET tests that get you in, and M.Sc at IITs through JAM. From UGC and NTA.
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Official and partner links
- Official bodyRailway Recruitment Boards (official website)
Sources
- Detailed Centralised Employment Notice CEN No. 02/2026, Recruitment of Technician Grade-I Signal and various categories of Technician Grade-III, Railway Recruitment Boards, Ministry of Railways. post table and important dates (p1), paras 3.4-3.10 (pp3-4), 6.2 (medical), 8.0-8.1 (pp6-7), 9.0, 16.0-16.2 (pp17-19), 23.2, Annexure A (pp29-35). Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Corrigendum No. 1 of CEN No. 02/2026: enhancement of notified vacancies for Technician Grade-III, categories 5, 12 and 15 (16.10.2026), Railway Recruitment Boards. paras 1-5 (2 pp). Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Tentative schedule of CBT for CEN 02/2026 and notice on viewing of Technician Grade-I Signal CBT (09.10.2026) questions, responses and answer keys, Railway Recruitment Boards. single page each; answer-key notice: https://rrb.indianrailways.gov.in/-/image/1792060256462Notice_on_viewing_of_obj_tracker_Tech_Grade-I_Signal.pdf/examsDocuments. Accessed 1 November 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 1 November 2026.