RRB NTPC Previous Year Question Paper with Answers PDF

RRB NTPC Previous Year Question Paper with Answers PDF: Quick Answer

The fastest way to practise real RRB NTPC papers is on this page: 8 official papers from the Graduate CBT-1 shifts of 16 March 2026 are playable on this site, 2 full papers and 6 section-wise papers, all from the official answer key. Older papers from the 2019 cycle (CEN 01/2019) are not hosted here; they circulate as PDFs through third-party collections, listed below and clearly labelled as third-party. CBT-1 has 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes, CBT-2 has 120 questions for 120 marks in 90 minutes, and both deduct one-third of a mark for each wrong answer. As of 7 November 2026, the current NTPC cycle is CEN 06/2026 (Graduate) and CEN 07/2026 (Undergraduate), whose CBT dates have not yet been announced.

RRB NTPC Previous Year Question Papers on This Site

The eight papers below are hosted on this site and can be attempted question by question with answers and explanations. They are labelled official in the site's files and carry the official answer key, from the Graduate CBT-1 shifts held on 16 March 2026. The two full papers cover all three CBT-1 sections; the six section-wise papers split the same two shifts by subject, so attempt the full paper first and use the section-wise papers for targeted revision.

A note on honesty: the "official" label on these eight papers rests on the files' own metadata, which records the official answer key and the exam date. This site has not audited every question against the Railway Recruitment Board's response sheets. Treat the papers as real exam papers for practice, and if any single answer looks wrong, check it against the RRB answer key for that shift.

If you have already attempted both shifts, move to full-length practice in the current pattern: the RRB NTPC CBT-1 full mock test 01 follows the same 100-question structure, and the RRB NTPC CBT-2 full mock test 01 follows the 120-question CBT-2 structure. The RRB NTPC syllabus 2026 note explains what each section covers.

RRB NTPC Previous Year Question Paper Year-Wise

The 2019 cycle is the largest source of previous year papers. Its CBT-1 ran in seven phases because of the number of applicants, and its CBT-2 was held separately for each pay level, from Level 2 to Level 6, between 9 May and 17 June 2022. When you download a 2019 CBT-2 paper, check which level it belongs to: a Level 6 paper is harder than a Level 2 paper, and preparing from the wrong level gives a false picture of the exam.

The current cycle is different. CEN 06/2026 covers Graduate posts (3,548 vacancies; applications 8 October to 8 November 2026, extended from 6 November by Corrigendum-1 of 6 November 2026) and CEN 07/2026 covers Undergraduate posts (1,688 vacancies). There is no Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) in this cycle, and the typing test for clerk-cum-typist posts has been dispensed with. The RRB NTPC cut-off and RRB NTPC salary 2026 notes carry the level-wise pay details: Graduate posts sit mainly in Pay Levels 5 and 6.

RRB NTPC CBT-1 vs CBT-2 Exam Pattern

Previous year papers only help if you attempt them under the real pattern. The two stages differ in length, section weights and purpose.

CBT-1 is a screening test. Clearing it only gets you to CBT-2; it is the CBT-2 score, together with any aptitude test, typing test or skill test the post requires, that decides the final merit list. Scores are normalised across shifts, so a hard shift does not punish you. That is why attempting papers from several shifts matters more than repeating one shift: you learn the range of difficulty, not just one paper's level.

General Awareness is the largest section in both stages, and it is also the section where previous year papers teach the most. Roughly half the GA questions in NTPC papers come from static topics (history, geography, polity, science, economy) and the rest from current affairs of the exam period. When you attempt a 2021 or 2022 paper, expect its current affairs questions to feel dated; that is normal. Judge yourself on the static questions and on speed, and cover current affairs separately from recent material.

How to Use RRB NTPC Previous Year Papers

Solving papers without a method wastes the best material you have. Use this order.

First, attempt a full paper timed. Sit for the full 90 minutes, in one stretch, without checking answers midway. CBT-1 gives you 54 seconds per question on average, so if a question takes more than a minute, mark it and move on. Negative marking of one-third means a blind guess is exactly break-even on average: with four options, a random guess has a one-in-four chance of gaining one mark and a three-in-four chance of losing one-third, so its expected value is (1/4 × 1) − (3/4 × 1/3) = 0.25 − 0.25 = 0 — guess only when you can eliminate at least one option, and never leave a question blank you could narrow down.

Second, analyse by section, not by total. A total of 70 out of 100 tells you little. Split it: GA out of 40, Maths out of 30, Reasoning out of 30. In NTPC papers, Reasoning is usually the highest-scoring section for prepared candidates, Maths rewards formula speed, and GA decides the rank because it is the largest section and the least predictable. The RRB NTPC maths formulas note covers the formula list that the Maths section draws on.

Third, re-attempt only your errors. A week after the first attempt, redo just the questions you got wrong or skipped, without looking at the answers. If you still get a question wrong, that topic goes on your revision list. Repeating a whole paper from memory teaches nothing; the score rises because you remember the answers.

Fourth, use sectional papers for weak areas. If Maths is slow, take the 30-question Maths papers from both 16 March shifts under 27 minutes each. If GA is weak, take the 40-question GA papers and then read up the topics behind every question you missed. Sectional practice under the real sectional time is what converts knowledge into marks.

RRB NTPC Previous Year Question Paper PDF Download

Railway Recruitment Boards publish the question paper and answer key for each CBT shift on their regional websites after the exam, and candidates can download them during the objection window. Those official PDFs are the source from which third-party sites build their collections. As of 1 November 2026, this site does not host downloadable PDFs of the 2019-cycle papers; the links below go to third-party collections that host shift-wise PDFs with answer keys. They are labelled third-party because this site has not verified each PDF against the RRB originals.

• Prepp: RRB NTPC 2019 question papers with answer key, CBT-1 and CBT-2, shift-wise (third-party collection)
• Adda247: RRB NTPC previous year question papers, free PDF download (third-party collection)
• GovtJobsAlert: RRB NTPC previous year question papers, 366 sets (third-party collection)

When downloading from any third-party site, check three things before trusting a PDF: the CEN number (01/2019 for the 2019 cycle), the stage (CBT-1 or CBT-2) and the shift date on the paper itself. Papers labelled only "NTPC" with no date or stage are often mixed compilations, and some sites label memory-based reconstructions as previous year papers. A genuine RRB paper carries the shift timing and the question set from the actual exam. If a PDF has no answer key, use it for timed practice only and verify answers from a second source.

RRB NTPC Previous Year Question Paper FAQs

Where can I download the RRB NTPC previous year question paper PDF?

Attempt the 8 official 2026 CBT-1 papers on this site first (table above). For the 2019 cycle, use the third-party PDF collections linked above, and check the CEN number, stage and shift date on each PDF before trusting it.

Is CBT-1 or CBT-2 more important for selection?

Both, in different ways. CBT-1 shortlists you for CBT-2; CBT-2 marks decide the final merit list, together with any aptitude or skill test your post requires. Prepare for CBT-1 to qualify and for CBT-2 to rank.

How many questions are in the RRB NTPC CBT-1 and CBT-2 papers?

CBT-1 has 100 questions (GA 40, Maths 30, Reasoning 30) in 90 minutes. CBT-2 has 120 questions (GA 50, Maths 35, Reasoning 35) in 90 minutes. Both deduct one-third of a mark per wrong answer.

Are the papers on this site the official RRB papers?

The 8 papers from the 16 March 2026 Graduate CBT-1 shifts are labelled official in the site's files and carry the official answer key. Older-cycle PDFs linked from this page are third-party collections and have not been verified question by question against RRB originals.

In which languages are NTPC question papers available?

The computer-based tests are offered in English and Hindi, with other regional languages as per the RRB's arrangements for the cycle. The papers on this site are in English.

Should I solve 2019 papers if I am appearing in the 2026 cycle?

Yes. The pattern and section weights are the same, and the 2019 papers are the largest bank of real questions available. Use them for timed practice and topic analysis, and cover current affairs from recent material instead of relying on the current affairs questions in old papers.

Sources: RRB NTPC file metadata on this site (8 official papers, exam date 16 March 2026); Prepp, RRB NTPC 2019 question papers with answer key; Adda247, RRB NTPC previous year papers; GovtJobsAlert, RRB NTPC previous year question papers collection. Last checked 7 November 2026. Check rrbcdg.gov.in and your regional RRB website for official notices and answer keys.