One of the largest recruitment exams for non-technical popular categories (NTPC) posts of the Railway Recruitment Board for 2025 has officially started. This year's NTPC exam will be held to fill a total vacancy of 5810 posts across India. This includes roles like station master, chief commercial cum ticket supervisor, Goods train manager, junior accountant assistant cum typist, and more. Aspiring candidates can apply for the Indian Railways' undergraduate and graduate posts on the official site.
Railway Recruitment Board non-technical popular categories (NTPC) exams 2025 details-
Eligibility criteria
According to the Indian Railways notification, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) recruitment for non-technical popular categories (NTPC) will be held in two categories. 'Undergraduate level' for candidates with an educational qualification of 12th pass, and 'Graduate level.'
RRB NTPC age limit
Each category has a specific age limit prescribed by the Indian Railways.
Undergraduate level - 18 to 33 years
Graduate level - 18 to 30 years
The RRB NTPC eligibility criteria also provide an age limit relaxation for candidates of reserved categories.
OBC (NCL) - 3 years.
SC/ST - 5 years
Ex-Serviceman (UR & EWS) - 3 years (after deducting length of service from age)
Ex-Serviceman (OBC-NCL) - 6 years (after deducting length of service)
Ex-Serviceman (SC/ST) - 8 years (after deducting length of service)
PwD (UR & EWS) - 10 years
PwD (OBC-NCL) - 13 years
PwD (SC/ST) - 15 years
For Railway Staff (Group C & erstwhile Group D) with a minimum of 3 years of service
UR & EWS – up to 40 years
OBC (NCL) – up to 43 years
SC/ST – up to 45 years
While candidates working in Quasi-Administrative Railway Offices (Canteens, Cooperative Societies, Institutes) the relaxation is of up to service rendered or 5 years, whichever is less.
And for women candidates (widowed, divorced, or judicially separated but not remarried)
UR & EWS – up to 35 years
OBC (NCL) – up to 38 years
SC/ST – up to 40 years
RRB NTPC educational qualification criteria
Depending on the position for which the candidate is applying, the educational qualification requirements differ. In the 2025 RRB NTPC recruitment notification, educational qualifications are -
For graduate level -
Commercial Apprentice - Degree in any discipline from a recognised university or
equivalent.
Station Master - Degree in any discipline from a recognised university or
equivalent
Goods Guard - Degree in any discipline from a recognised university or equivalent
Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist - Degree from a recognised university, along
with typing proficiency in English/Hindi on
computer
Senior Clerk cum Typist - Degree from a recognised university, typing proficiency
in English/Hindi on computer
Senior Commercial cum Ticket Clerk - Degree in any discipline from a recognised
university or equivalent
Senior Time Keeper - Degree from a recognised university, typing proficiency in
English/Hindi on computer
Traffic Assistant - Degree in any discipline from a recognised university or
equivalent
For undergraduate level -
Commercial cum Ticket Clerk - 12th pass or equivalent with at least 50% marks
(Not required for SC/ST/PwD/Ex-Servicemen)
Account Clerk cum Typist - 12th pass or equivalent with at least 50% marks
(Relaxation for SC/ST/PwD/Ex-Servicemen),typing
proficiency in English/Hindi on computer
Junior Clerk cum Typist - 12th pass or equivalent with at least 50% marks
(Relaxation for SC/ST/PwD/Ex-Servicemen), typing
proficiency in English/Hindi on computer
Junior Time Keeper - 12th pass or equivalent with at least 50% marks (Relaxation
for SC/ST/PwD/Ex-Servicemen), typing proficiency in
English/Hindi on computer
Trains Clerk - 12th pass or equivalent with at least 50% marks (Relaxation for
SC/ST/PwD/Ex-Servicemen)
RRB NTPC nationality criteria
An aspiring candidate must fulfil the nationality requirements to apply for the RRB NTPC exams -
As per the notification, a candidate needs to be an Indian citizen, OR a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or a person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Vietnam, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, or Malawi with the intention of permanently residing in India.
RRB NTPC medical fitness standards
The RRB NTPC notification also specifies a set of medical fitness standards that the candidates need to meet to ensure they are medically fit for the role they are applying for. This includes meeting the physical fitness and vision standards.
RRB NTPC physical fitness standards
Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor - B2
Station Master - A2
Goods Train Manager - A2
Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist - C2
Senior Clerk cum Typist - C2
RRB NTPC vision standards
A2
Distance vision: 6/9 with or without glasses (no fogging test). Near vision: Sn = 0.6 with or without glasses. Must qualify in colour vision, binocular vision, night vision, and myopic vision tests.
A3
Distance vision: 6/9 with or without glasses (lens power ≤ 2D). Near vision: Sn = 0.6 with or without glasses. Must pass colour vision, binocular vision, night vision, and myopic vision tests.
B2
Distance vision: 6/9, 6/12 with or without glasses (lens power ≤ 4D). Near vision: Sn = 0.6 with or without glasses for reading/close work. Must clear field of vision (binocular vision) test.
C2
Distance vision: 6/12, 6/18 with or without glasses. Near vision: Sn = 0.6 with or without glasses for reading/close work.
How to apply for RRB NTPC online
Eligible candidates can apply for the RRB NTPC exams online, starting from 21 October 2025 till 22 November 2025. The modification window for the application will stay open from 23 November 2025 to 2 December 2025. While the last day for the application fee payment is going to be on 22 November 2025.
Application process -
Candidates need to first visit the official website of the Railway Recruitment Board >>>
Click on the 'Apply' button next to the notification >>>
Fill in the required information like personal info, education, category, and post preferences >>>
Upload photo, signature, certificates for verification >>>
Complete the payment of the application fee >>>
Verify the application details before final submission >>>
Download the confirmation form of the application and keep a printout of the same for future reference.
RRB NTPC exam pattern
The exam for RRB NTPC will consist of two parts, CBT 1 and CBT 2.
Exam type - Objective
CBT 1 part will consist of general awareness, mathematics, and reasoning skills, and the CBT 2 part will consist of advanced-level questions based on the CBT 1 syllabus, according to a TOI report. While posts that require typing skills to meet the eligibility criteria will also have a typing test.