GDCE for filling up 25% of the Direct Recruitment Quota Vacancies- clarifications on Examination Pattern and Syllabus: Railway Board Order RBE No. 28/2026 dated 23.03.2026
RBE No. 28/2026
भारत सरकार GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
रेल मंत्रालय MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(रेलवे बोर्ड RAILWAY BOARD)
No.E(NG)1/2025/PM1/3
New Delhi, dated 23.03.2026
The General Manager (P), All Zonal Railways /PUs.
Sub: General Department Competitive Examination (GDCE) for filling up 25% of the Direct Recruitment Quota Vacancies- clarifications on Examination Pattern and Syllabus regarding.
Attention is invited to Board’s letter No. E(NG)1/2025/PM1/3 dated 23.12.2025 (Para- 3 of the RBE No. 128/2025), wherein it has been stipulated that GDCE shall be conducted at the Zonal Railway level through an Examination Conducting Agency (ECA). Instructions for setting of Question Papers in GDCE by ECA as enumerated in Railway Board’s letter no. E(NG)1/2021/PM1/8, dated 29/11/2022 (Para- 26 of Master Circular 69/2024) may also be referred.
2. Certain clarifications regarding the modalities for conducting GDCE, Examination Pattern and Syllabus etc. were sought by some of the Zonal Railways and RRBs. It has now been decided that following instructions shall henceforth be adopted for the Examination Pattern and Syllabi to be used for the purposes of GDCE: –
Table-A:-
| GDCE Examination Parameter | Clarifications |
| Number of Question Papers/Stages of examination | There shall be a Single Stage CBT/TBT for each category or group of posts and one MCQ based Question Paper on the same pattern as is being followed presently for Direct Recruitment by RRBs in it’s second stage. The categories involved shall be – (1)Technicians (All Departments), (2) Junior Engineers (All Departments), (3) NTPC Graduate Quota, (4) NTPC Non-Graduate Quota. (5) Section Controllers, (6) Ministerial & other Isolated Categories. (7) Asstt. Loco Pilot (ALP), the Examination Pattern, Stages & Syllabus for ALP category is separately shown below in Table-B. |
| Modality for grouping of zones | There will be no grouping of zones. The Railways will plan and execute GDCE as per their requirements as stipulated in RBE 128/2025. However the ECA may resort to grouping of different zones for different stages of Examination for its operational requirements. |
| Whether a calendar based approach would be adopted? |
All Zonal Railways/PUs have already been advised to plan and conduct all selections through the system of SELECTION CALENDAR, this covers GDCEs as well |
| Syllabus and Examination Pattern for GDCE vis-a-vis Direct Recruitment | The syllabus and Examination pattern is same as prescribed by RRB for the Direct Recruitment except ALP category for which a revised examination pattern is being given below (Table-B). |
| Implementation of present GDCE Scheme or any changes are being made. | No change in the existing frame work of instructions for conduct of GDCE is required. The GDEs shall continue to be organised in accordance with the extant instructions and guidelines as amended from time to time and reiterated in the Master Circular No. 69/2024 and RBE No. 128/2025 recently. |
4. The following examination structure shall be adopted for GDCE in the ALP category: –
Table-B:-
| Examination Parameters | Details |
| Number of Question Paper | One |
| Type of Question Paper | MCQ (Four options for each question to be given, one of them being the correct answer; the candidate will be required to indicate his one choice out of four choices given and his answers shall be evaluated on the basis of correctness of that indicated choice. |
| Number of Total Questions | Total maximum 100 Multiple Choice Questions in the Question Paper. |
| Marks | Total Maximum 100 (Each question shall be of one mark). |
| Maximum Time Allowed | 120 Minutes |
| Negative Marking System | Yes, 1/3 mark to be deducted from the total marks obtained by a candidate for every wrong answer indicated by him. |
| Parts of Question Paper | Each Question Paper shall have questions from following four Parts, the weightage of each part shall roughly be as shown below: – (i) Mathematics – 25% (ii) General Intelligence & Reasoning – 25% (iii) Basic Science & Engineering – 25% (iv) Trade Specific Section – 25% |
| Syllabus | The syllabus will be the same as that prescribed by the RRB for direct recruitment in ALP category from open market for Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning and Basic Science & Engineering. For the fourth part of the Question Paper (i.e. Trade Specific Section) around 25 questions shall be asked based on the common topics of the syllabus as prescribed by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under MSDE for the relevant trades combinedly (15 Trades are specified for ALP Direct Recruitment Educational Qualification from open market). |
| Difficulty Matrix | As per matrix fixed by the RRB for direct recruitment for ALP category. |
| Criteria to qualify | As per RRB standards for direct recruitment for ALP category. |
| CBAT |
As prescribed for direct recruitment by RRB for ALP category in consultation with the RDSO. |
4. These instructions for conducting GDCE through CBT/TBT mode through designated ECA in the prescribed manner herein shall come into force with immediate effect. Therefore, all fresh notifications issued hereinafter shall conform to these instructions.
5. On the issue of pending GDCEs (including GDCE for ALP Category) which have already been notified but not yet finalised (that means where CBTs are held but rest of the stages remain to be completed and panels are not formed yet), in such cases the Railways may decide to continue existing pending GDCEs but in such cases where CBTs have not been held the Railways may decide to hold GDCEs afresh or otherwise depending on their local circumstances. However, in cases of pending GDCE for ALP posts where no CBT has been held yet as on date, either a fresh notification or an opportunity for fresh applications through a modification in the notification, as the case may be, shall have to be provided. The instructions pertaining to assignment and nomination of the ECA for conduct of GDCE shall be issued separately shortly.
Hindi version will follow
Please acknowledge receipt
Sd/-
(Ajay Goyal)
Deputy Director- III/E(NG)I
Railway Board
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