Railway Group D Jobs 2026: Eligibility, Exam Pattern and Physical Test

Railway Group D is the largest recruitment for Class 10 and ITI candidates in the country, with posts spread across every railway zone. This hub explains the eligibility, the computer based test, the physical test and the career route.

Railway Group D Jobs 2026 at a Glance

Head	Detail
Posts	Track maintainer, helper, assistant pointsman, assistant and similar grades
Qualification	Class 10 pass or ITI from a recognised institute
Age	18 to 33 years, with category relaxation
Selection	Computer based test, physical efficiency test, document verification, medical
Paper	100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes, four sections
Pay	Level 1, 18,000 rupees basic
Posting	Divisions, depots and sections within the allotted railway zone

Selection Stages in Detail

Stage	What happens	Nature
Computer based test	Four sections with 100 questions in 90 minutes	Competitive, decides the merit
Physical efficiency test	Lifting and carrying weights, running, balancing	Qualifying
Document verification	Certificates verified against the application	Qualifying
Medical examination	Vision and general health standards	Qualifying

The computer based test decides the merit list, and the physical efficiency test is only qualifying. Candidates who clear the written test comfortably sometimes fail the physical test because they never trained for the lifting and carrying standards.

Group D papers apply a penalty of one-third of the marks for each wrong answer. Since there are 100 questions for 100 marks, four wrong answers cost more than one correct answer gains.

Physical Efficiency Test Standards

Event	Male candidates	Female candidates
Weight carrying	35 kg over a distance of 100 metres, twice in the allotted time	20 kg over 100 metres, twice
Running	1000 metres in 4 minutes and 15 seconds	1000 metres in 5 minutes and 40 seconds
Balance and agility	Walking on a beam and similar tasks	Same
General	No physical deformity	No physical deformity

The running and weight-carrying standards are published in the notice of each cycle, and the distances and time limits can be revised. Train with a weighted bag over a measured distance rather than in a gym, because the test is practical.

Exam Pattern and Preparation

Section	Questions	Focus
General science	25 to 30	Class 10 physics, chemistry and biology
Mathematics	25 to 30	Arithmetic, percentages, ratios, time and work
General intelligence and reasoning	25 to 30	Analogies, coding, series, relationships
General awareness and current affairs	15 to 20	Static GK and recent events

General science carries a large weight, so revise Class 10 science NCERT chapters thoroughly.
Practise arithmetic daily; the railway paper rewards speed.
Add railway-specific general awareness, which appears in the awareness section.
Take full-length mocks in 90-minute timing from the third month onwards.

Career Growth After Joining

Stage	How you get there	Timeframe
Group D entry	Direct recruitment	Entry
Technician grade 3	Departmental examination and trade skill	Three to five years
Technician grade 2 and 1	Promotion and trade examination	Senior service
Junior engineer	Departmental examination with a diploma qualification	Eight to fifteen years
Section engineer	Promotion from junior engineer grade	Senior service

Railways promote heavily from within, and departmental examinations are conducted at regular intervals. A Group D employee who completes a diploma through distance education and clears the departmental examination can reach junior engineer grade, which is a substantial jump in pay level and responsibility.

Railway Zones and Posting

Railway recruitment is conducted zone-wise, and a candidate applies to a single railway recruitment board. The zone chosen at the application stage determines where you are posted, so the choice should be made on the basis of where you can genuinely serve for years, and not on the size of the vacancy list alone.

Zone group	Example boards	Typical posting area
Northern and north central	Delhi, Allahabad, Gorakhpur	Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and border sections
Western and central	Mumbai, Bhopal, Jabalpur	Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh
Eastern and south eastern	Kolkata, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar	West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha
Southern	Chennai, Bengaluru, Secunderabad	Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
North eastern	Guwahati, Maligaon	Assam, the north eastern states and hill sections
North western	Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur	Rajasthan and adjoining sections

Postings within a zone can be anywhere in the division, including remote sections and temporary camp postings during track work. Candidates should expect the initial posting to be in a field unit rather than in a station close to home.

Medical Standards for Group D

Railway medical standards are classified into categories according to the nature of the duty, and Group D posts fall mainly in the lower vision categories. Candidates should check the medical classification printed against their post before applying, because the vision standard cannot be relaxed at the medical examination.

Category	Typical duty	Vision standard
A3	Operational and safety related work	Distant vision six by six, with specified colour vision requirements
B1	Technical supervision and workshop work	Distant vision six by nine, with colour vision requirements
B2	Workshop and maintenance support	Distant vision six by nine, relaxed colour vision
C1	Clerical and store work	Distant vision six by twelve
C2	Group D operational posts	Distant vision six by nine, with reasonable colour perception

Candidates who use spectacles should confirm the permitted correction in the category that applies to their post. Laser correction is accepted for several categories after the prescribed observation period, and the rules are stated in the recruitment notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the qualification for railway Group D?

Class 10 pass from a recognised board, or an ITI certificate from a recognised institute, depending on the post mentioned in the notification.

Is there a physical test in railway Group D?

Yes. A physical efficiency test with weight carrying and running is conducted, and it is qualifying in nature.

What is the salary of a Group D railway employee?

Group D posts are placed at pay level 1 with a basic pay of 18,000 rupees, plus dearness allowance, house rent allowance and other applicable benefits.

Which railway zone should I choose for Group D?

Choose the zone where you can actually serve, because the zone selected at the application stage decides your posting. Vacancy size alone is a poor reason to select a distant zone.

Can candidates with spectacles apply for railway Group D?

Yes, if the corrected vision meets the standard for the medical category of the post. Candidates should check the classification printed with the post in the notice.

Related Guides on This Site

These guides cover the stages that follow a notification, from the application form to the physical test and the final salary structure.

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Last updated: 18 September 2026.