About RRB Group D
Group D is the everyday name for the railways’ Level 1 posts in the 7th Pay Commission pay matrix. Sixteen Railway Recruitment Boards, including RRB Chennai, recruit for them through one Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) and one exam. You apply to one board.
Posts in the 2026 notice (CEN 09/2025) include:
- Track Maintainer Grade IV
- Pointsman-B
- Assistant in the Signal & Telecom, Traction (TRD), TL & AC, Bridge, P-Way, Track Machine, Carriage & Wagon and Loco Shed departments
- Assistant Operations (Electrical)
CEN 09/2025 has 22,195 vacancies across 16 railway zones, 1,036 of them in Southern Railway (RRB Chennai), the zone that covers Tamil Nadu. Every post is at Level 1, with a basic pay of ₹18,000 a month plus allowances.
The computer-based test (CBT) was held from 3 to 25 August 2026, and about 52 lakh candidates sat it. The provisional answer key came out on 7 September 2026. As of 11 October 2026 the result had not been announced. Candidates who clear the CBT go on to the physical test. Last cycle’s RRB Chennai marks and how the cut-off works: RRB Group D cut-off.
RRB Group D exam pattern
There is one computer-based test (CBT): 100 objective questions in 90 minutes. Every question carries one mark.
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Science | 25 | 25 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 25 |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 30 | 30 |
| General Awareness and Current Affairs | 20 | 20 |
| Total (90 minutes) | 100 | 100 |
- Negative marking: one third of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions cost nothing.
- Minimum marks: 40% for UR and EWS, 30% for OBC (non-creamy layer), SC and ST, with 2 marks relaxation for PwBD candidates. Clearing the minimum is not selection: the CBT merit list decides who is called for the physical test.
- Marks are normalised across shifts, because the CBT runs over many days.
Eligibility and age limit
- Education: a Class 10 pass, or ITI from an NCVT/SCVT-recognised institute, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) from NCVT.
- Age (CEN 09/2025, as on 1 January 2026): 18 to 33. OBC (non-creamy layer) get 3 more years, SC and ST 5 more; PwBD candidates, ex-servicemen and some other groups get further relaxation as the notice sets out.
- Nationality: Indian citizens, and others as the notice sets out.
- Medical standard: each post has its own (A-2 to C-2), mostly about eyesight. Check it before you choose posts.
Physical Efficiency Test (PET)
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Carry a weight 100 m in 2 minutes | 35 kg | 20 kg |
| Run 1,000 m, one attempt | 4 min 15 s | 5 min 40 s |
Selection process
- Computer-based test (CBT). Merit is decided on normalised CBT marks.
- Physical Efficiency Test (PET), qualifying only.
- Document verification.
- Medical examination to the standard each post needs.
Posts are allotted by merit and the preferences you give in your application.
RRB Group D syllabus
Four subjects, all at about Class 10 level: General Science (physics, chemistry and life sciences), Mathematics (arithmetic, algebra, geometry and statistics), General Intelligence and Reasoning, and General Awareness and Current Affairs.
How to prepare for RRB Group D
- Treat reasoning as your scoring section. It has the most questions (30) and improves fastest with daily timed practice.
- Read the Class 9 and 10 science textbooks. General Science is set at Class 10 (CBSE) level; the Samacheer Kalvi textbooks cover most of it too.
- Mind the negative marking. A wrong answer costs a third of a mark, so skip a question you can’t narrow down to two options.
- Read current affairs for the last 6 to 12 months, especially national schemes, sports, awards and science.
- Start training for the PET early. The weight carry and the 1,000 m run come soon after the CBT result, and you get one attempt.
- Sit full-length timed mock tests and review every wrong answer a few days later.
Free RRB Group D mock tests in Tamil
Thervu’s RRB Group D mock tests are timed, set in both Tamil and English, and marked the moment you submit, with the exam’s negative marking.
- Questions cover Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Science, and General Awareness and Current Affairs.
- A wrong answer costs a third of a mark, as in the real CBT, so you learn when to skip a question.
- Choose any length, from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
- Your result shows your score after negative marking, each subject and the topics that cost you marks.
- The free plan includes 3 tests a day, and no card is needed.
Frequently asked questions
When is the RRB Group D exam in 2026?
The CBT for CEN 09/2025 was held from 3 to 25 August 2026, and the provisional answer key came out on 7 September 2026. As of 11 October 2026 the result had not been announced; it will appear on the regional RRB websites.
What is the age limit for RRB Group D?
18 to 33 as on 1 January 2026 (CEN 09/2025), with 3 extra years for OBC (non-creamy layer) and 5 for SC and ST. PwBD candidates, ex-servicemen and some others get more.
Is there negative marking in RRB Group D?
Yes. One third of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions lose nothing.
What qualification do I need?
A Class 10 pass, or ITI, or a National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) from NCVT.
Can I write RRB Group D in Tamil?
Yes. The CBT is offered in Tamil as well as English, Hindi and other regional languages.
How many Group D posts are there in Tamil Nadu?
In CEN 09/2025, Southern Railway (RRB Chennai), the zone that covers Tamil Nadu, has 1,036 of the 22,195 posts.
What is the PET for RRB Group D?
Men carry 35 kg for 100 metres in 2 minutes and run 1,000 metres in 4 minutes 15 seconds; women carry 20 kg for 100 metres in 2 minutes and run 1,000 metres in 5 minutes 40 seconds. Each is one attempt, and the PET is qualifying only.
Where can I take a free RRB Group D mock test in Tamil?
On Thervu. Sign up free and take timed RRB Group D mock tests in Tamil and English, marked with the exam’s negative marking the moment you submit. The free plan includes 3 tests a day.
Where these facts come from
Pattern, eligibility and selection details are taken from the Centralised Employment Notice 09/2025 (Level 1) published by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB). They can change with each new notification, so check the official notice before you apply.
Official website: www.rrbcdg.gov.in
Thervu is an independent practice platform. It is not affiliated with the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB).
RRB Group D guides
RRB Group D Salary 2026: Level 1 Pay, In-hand in Tamil Nadu, After 5 Years
Every RRB Group D post starts at Level 1 with a basic pay of ₹18,000. Here is what that becomes once DA, HRA and transport allowance are added, town by town in Tamil Nadu, and where it goes in five years.
· 8 min read
RRB Group D Cut Off: RRB Chennai Marks and 2026 Result Status
The official RRB Chennai cut-offs from the last Group D cycle, what they actually decide, and where the CEN 09/2025 result stands as of 11 October 2026.
· 5 min read