RRB NTPC Age Limit 2026: Quick Answer
As per the official RRB notifications, the RRB NTPC age limit 2026 is 18 to 33 years for Graduate posts (CEN 06/2026) and 18 to 30 years for Undergraduate posts (CEN 07/2026), counted as on 01.01.2027. Graduate posts need a degree from a recognised university; Undergraduate posts need 12th (+2) or equivalent with at least 50% marks (the 50% condition does not apply to SC/ST, PwBD, Ex-servicemen and candidates with a higher qualification). OBC-NCL candidates get 3 years and SC/ST candidates 5 years of upper age relaxation.
Key takeaway: Check three things before you apply: your date of birth falls inside the range below, you already hold the qualification on the last date to apply (06.11.2026 for Graduate, 13.11.2026 for Undergraduate), and you meet the medical (vision) standard of the posts you choose.
Sources for every figure on this page: the detailed CEN No. 06/2026 and CEN No. 07/2026, published on the unified official RRB website rrb.indianrailways.gov.in. Para numbers are given in each table.
RRB NTPC Eligibility 2026 at a Glance
| Criterion | Graduate posts (CEN 06/2026) | Undergraduate posts (CEN 07/2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Posts | Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor, Goods Train Manager, Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist, Senior Clerk cum Typist | Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Accounts Clerk cum Typist, Junior Clerk cum Typist, Trains Clerk |
| Age limit (as on 01.01.2027) | 18-33 years | 18-30 years |
| Qualification | Degree from a recognised university or its equivalent | 12th (+2 stage) or equivalent with not less than 50% marks in aggregate |
| Medical standard | B2, A2, C2, C2 | B2, C2, C2, A3 |
| Nationality | Citizen of India, or subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or eligible person of Indian origin (Para 4.0) | Same |
| Last date to apply | 06.11.2026 (23:59 hours) | 13.11.2026 (23:59 hours) |
| Vacancies | 3,548 | 1,688 |
RRB NTPC Age Limit 2026: Date of Birth Range
Para 5.1 of each CEN gives the date of birth range (both dates inclusive):
| Notification | Lower limit (not born after) | UR / EWS (born not earlier than) | OBC-NCL (born not earlier than) | SC / ST (born not earlier than) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEN 06/2026, Graduate (18-33) | 01.01.2009 | 02.01.1994 | 02.01.1991 | 02.01.1989 |
| CEN 07/2026, Undergraduate (18-30) | 01.01.2009 | 02.01.1997 | 02.01.1994 | 02.01.1992 |
How to read it: a UR candidate for a Graduate post must be born on or between 02.01.1994 and 01.01.2009. An OBC-NCL candidate for an Undergraduate post must be born on or between 02.01.1994 and 01.01.2009.
RRB NTPC age limit for OBC, SC and ST
| Category | Graduate maximum age | Undergraduate maximum age |
|---|---|---|
| UR / EWS | 33 years | 30 years |
| OBC-NCL | 36 years | 33 years |
| SC / ST | 38 years | 35 years |
These maximums follow from the 3-year (OBC-NCL) and 5-year (SC/ST) relaxation in Para 5.2 and match the date of birth columns above.
RRB NTPC Age Relaxation 2026 (Para 5.2)
The relaxation table is the same in both CENs:
| Category | Relaxation in upper age limit / maximum age |
|---|---|
| SC and ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen with at least 6 months' continuous service after attestation | UR/EWS 3 years, OBC-NCL 6 years, SC/ST 8 years, after deducting length of service from age |
| PwBD | UR/EWS 10 years, OBC-NCL 13 years, SC/ST 15 years |
| Serving Group C and erstwhile Group D Railway staff, and Substitutes, with at least 3 years' service | Up to 40 years (UR/EWS), 43 years (OBC-NCL), 45 years (SC/ST) |
| Staff of Quasi-Administrative offices of the Railways (Railway canteens, co-operative societies, institutes) | Length of service or 5 years, whichever is less |
| Women who are widowed, divorced or judicially separated and not remarried | Up to 35 years (UR/EWS), 38 years (OBC-NCL), 40 years (SC/ST) |
Rules attached to the table:
- If you qualify for relaxation on more than one ground, you get only the largest one; relaxations are not added together.
- SC, ST and OBC-NCL candidates who apply against UR vacancies get no age relaxation.
- Your date of birth must match your 10th class (Matriculation) certificate; no later change is accepted (Para 5.3).
RRB NTPC Educational Qualification 2026
Graduate posts (CEN 06/2026)
All four posts need a degree from a recognised university or its equivalent (Annexure A). There is no minimum percentage for the degree in the notification.
Undergraduate posts (CEN 07/2026)
All four posts need 12th (+2 stage) or its equivalent with not less than 50% marks in aggregate (Annexure A). The 50% condition is not insisted on for SC/ST candidates, Persons with Benchmark Disability, Ex-servicemen, and candidates who have a qualification higher than 12th.
Final-year students: can you apply?
No. Para 6.0 of both CENs says candidates must already hold the prescribed qualification on the last date for online application, and those awaiting the result of their final examination should not apply.
Typing test: the Computer Based Typing Skill Test for the typist posts has been dispensed with for both CENs (Para 13.0 (c)). Typing proficiency is checked after joining, and poor performance can delay confirmation or promotion. Details: RRB NTPC typing test 2026.
RRB NTPC Medical Standards 2026 (Vision)
Para 3.0 of each CEN lists these vision standards. Every standard also needs you to be physically fit in all respects.
| Medical standard | Posts in 2026 | Distant vision | Near vision and other tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-2 | Goods Train Manager | 6/9, 6/9 without glasses (no fogging test) | Sn 0.6, 0.6 without glasses; must pass colour, binocular, night and myopic vision tests |
| A-3 | Trains Clerk | 6/9, 6/9 with or without glasses (lens power up to 2D) | Sn 0.6, 0.6 with or without glasses; must pass colour, binocular, night and myopic vision tests |
| B-2 | Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor, Commercial cum Ticket Clerk | 6/9, 6/12 with or without glasses (lens power up to 4D) | Sn 0.6, 0.6 with or without glasses for close work; must pass field of vision (binocular) test |
| C-2 | Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist, Senior Clerk cum Typist, Accounts Clerk cum Typist, Junior Clerk cum Typist | 6/12, nil with or without glasses | Sn 0.6 combined, with or without glasses, for close work |
LASIK rule: candidates who have had LASIK or any other surgery to correct refractive error are not eligible for the A-2 post (Goods Train Manager) or the A-3 post (Trains Clerk). They are eligible for B-2 and C-2 posts subject to the conditions of the Railway Board letter of 25.08.2022 (Annexure VII (A)).
Practical tip: if you wear glasses, Goods Train Manager is not open to you, because A-2 requires 6/9, 6/9 without glasses. Choose your post preferences with this in mind, since preferences cannot be changed after submission.
RRB NTPC Nationality Rules (Para 4.0)
You must be one of the following:
- A citizen of India
- A subject of Nepal
- A subject of Bhutan
- A person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam to settle permanently in India
Candidates in groups 2 to 4 need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India, to be produced at document verification.
RRB NTPC 2026 Application Fee
| Category | Fee | Refund after appearing in 1st stage CBT |
|---|---|---|
| All candidates except those below | ₹500 | ₹400 (minus bank charges) |
| SC, ST, Ex-servicemen, PwBD, Female, Transgender, Minorities, Economically Backward Class (EBC) | ₹250 | ₹250 (minus bank charges) |
Source: Para 7.0 of CEN 06/2026. EBC is not the same as OBC or EWS.
RRB NTPC Eligibility: Common Mistakes
- Counting age on the wrong date. Age is reckoned as on 01.01.2027, not on the date you apply.
- Applying to more than one RRB. You can choose only one RRB; multiple applications lead to rejection of all of them and debarment.
- Assuming the 50% rule applies to graduates. The 50% aggregate condition is only for the 12th-level posts in CEN 07/2026.
- Ignoring the vision standard. Goods Train Manager (A-2) and Trains Clerk (A-3) are closed to LASIK cases, and A-2 needs vision without glasses.
- Adding relaxations. If you are, say, OBC-NCL and PwBD, you get the larger relaxation (13 years), not 3 + 13.
RRB NTPC Eligibility and Age Limit FAQs
What is the RRB NTPC age limit for 2026?
18-33 years for Graduate posts (CEN 06/2026) and 18-30 years for Undergraduate posts (CEN 07/2026), as on 01.01.2027.
What is the RRB NTPC age limit for OBC?
36 years for Graduate posts and 33 years for Undergraduate posts, because OBC-NCL candidates get 3 years of relaxation.
What is the RRB NTPC age limit for SC and ST?
38 years for Graduate posts and 35 years for Undergraduate posts, with 5 years of relaxation.
Can a final-year student apply for RRB NTPC 2026?
No. Candidates awaiting the result of their final qualifying exam should not apply; you must hold the qualification by the last date (06.11.2026 Graduate, 13.11.2026 Undergraduate).
Is 50% in 12th compulsory for RRB NTPC?
Only for Undergraduate posts, and not for SC/ST, PwBD, Ex-servicemen or candidates with a qualification higher than 12th.
Can a candidate with spectacles become a Goods Train Manager?
No. Goods Train Manager needs medical standard A-2, which requires distant vision of 6/9, 6/9 without glasses. Clerical posts (C-2) and ticketing posts (B-2) allow glasses within limits.
Is there any limit on the number of attempts in RRB NTPC?
The CENs do not set an attempt limit; your eligibility depends on the age limit and other criteria in each notification.
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