RRB NTPC is conducted by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and covers Maths, Reasoning and General Awareness. This page summarises the RRB NTPC exam pattern, marking scheme and syllabus as a study snapshot for previous year question practice. Confirm eligibility, dates and marking in the latest official notification on rrbcdg.gov.in.
Official brochure wins
Pattern and syllabus notes below are a study snapshot for PYQ practice. Always cross-check the latest notification and information bulletin on rrbcdg.gov.in before you finalise eligibility, fees, or marking assumptions.
Pattern snapshot
Railway notifications (CEN) define the live pattern. Use past CBTs for skill; read the new CEN for structure.
| Section | Duration | Questions (typical) | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Shared CBT timer | As notified | Negative marking common - verify CEN |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | Shared CBT timer | As notified | Confirm CEN |
| General Awareness | Shared CBT timer | As notified | Confirm CEN |
Normalisation may apply across shifts. Compare preparation quality via accuracy, not raw shift gossip alone.
Marking scheme (study snapshot)
| Question type | Correct | Wrong | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBT MCQ | As notified | Often 1/3 negative | Read CEN carefully |
| Later stages | As notified | N/A | CBAT/typing etc. post-wise |
Numbers above are typical of recent cycles. Confirm exact marks, negatives, and sectional rules in the current brochure.
Detailed syllabus bullets (for mapping PYQ misses)
Mathematics
- Number system and arithmetic
- Elementary algebra/geometry
- Data interpretation basics
Reasoning
- Analogies, series, coding
- Syllogism, ranking, directions
- Miscellaneous reasoning as tested
General Awareness
- Current events
- Indian geography/history/polity basics
- General science
- Sports, culture, and miscellaneous GK
Eligibility snapshot
- Educational qualifications vary by NTPC post (undergraduate/graduate) as per CEN
- Age limits post-wise as notified
- Medical and document standards for railway posts apply later
Eligibility can change by year (age, attempts, degree, category rules). Treat this as orientation only.
Who runs it and how often
- Exam: Railway Recruitment Board NTPC (RRB NTPC)
- Conducted by: RRBs
- Typical frequency: As per railway recruitment cycles
- Category: Government
- Official site: rrbcdg.gov.in
Link PYQs to syllabus
- Take one recent full paper under realistic timing.
- Map every miss to a syllabus bullet above.
- Study that bullet from your primary resource (notes/textbook).
- Re-solve only those PYQs before the next full paper.
- Update your error log with the syllabus tag so weak areas compound correctly.
Brochure caution
Do not rely on undated coaching PDFs for duration, number of questions, or negative marking. Screenshot or bookmark the current information bulletin. If a PYQ set disagrees with the latest pattern, still use it for skill practice, but do not treat its structure as the live exam.