RRB JE Exam Pattern 2026: CBT 1 & CBT 2 Marks, Questions and Duration
RRB JE 2026 has two Computer Based Tests. CBT-I has 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes, while CBT-II has 150 questions for 150 marks in 120 minutes. Both tests use objective multiple-choice questions and 1/3 mark is deducted for every wrong answer. CBT-I is a screening test; candidates shortlisted from CBT-II proceed towards Document Verification and Medical Examination.
What Is the RRB JE 2026 Selection Process?
The recruitment process consists of 1st Stage CBT → 2nd Stage CBT → Document Verification (DV) → Medical Examination (ME). CBT-I is used for screening candidates for CBT-II. The second-stage examination carries the larger and more technical paper.
RRB JE Exam Pattern 2026 at a Glance
| Exam | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking | Main Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBT-I | 100 | 100 | 90 min | ⅓ per wrong answer | Screening for CBT-II |
| CBT-II | 150 | 150 | 120 min | ⅓ per wrong answer | Major merit/shortlisting stage |
RRB JE CBT 1 Exam Pattern 2026
CBT-I contains four sections. The question distribution indicated in CEN 04/2026 is:
CBT 1 Is a Screening Stage — But You Still Need to Clear It
CBT-I is used to shortlist candidates for the second-stage CBT. Candidates therefore need to meet the applicable qualifying requirement and rank sufficiently in the normalized first-stage performance to move to CBT-II.
Will RRB JE Marks Be Normalized?
Where a CBT is conducted in multiple sessions, RRB applies its prescribed normalization methodology for shortlisting and merit-related processing. Candidates should therefore distinguish raw attempt scores from the normalized marks used by RRB.
Know the Recruitment Before You Prepare for the Paper
Exam pattern tells you how the paper works. Use the connected guides for the actual syllabus, eligibility and complete recruitment lifecycle.
Do not prepare CBT-I as if all four sections have equal weight. Mathematics and General Science together account for 60 of the 100 questions, while every wrong answer can cost one-third of a mark.
RRB JE CBT 2 Exam Pattern 2026: 150 Questions, 150 Marks
RRB JE CBT-II has 150 questions for 150 marks and a duration of 120 minutes. The most important difference from CBT-I is the Technical Abilities section: 100 of the 150 questions come from the applicable technical exam group. The remaining 50 questions cover General Awareness, Physics & Chemistry, Basics of Computers and Applications, and Basics of Environment and Pollution Control.
RRB JE CBT 2 Subject-Wise Exam Pattern
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Share of Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 15 | 15 | 10% |
| Physics & Chemistry | 15 | 15 | 10% |
| Basics of Computers and Applications | 10 | 10 | 6.67% |
| Basics of Environment and Pollution Control | 10 | 10 | 6.67% |
| Technical Abilities | 100 | 100 | 66.67% |
| Total | 150 | 150 | 100% |
100 Out of 150 Questions Are Technical
Technical Abilities alone contributes about 66.67% of all CBT-II questions. The four non-technical sections combined contribute only 50 questions.
Which Technical Syllabus Will You Get in CBT 2?
The Technical Abilities questions are based on the exam group mapped to the educational qualification prescribed for the post. Candidates should therefore prepare according to their applicable technical exam group rather than assuming that every JE candidate receives the same technical paper.
Use the qualification-to-exam-group mapping prescribed in the official CEN. This is particularly important for allied engineering disciplines that may be grouped under one of the four broader technical examination groups.
Check CEN 04/2026 →Virtual Calculator Is Available in CBT 2
A virtual calculator is made available on the computer monitor during the second-stage CBT. Candidates should become comfortable solving technical calculations efficiently within the computer-based examination environment.
Negative Marking Applies in CBT-II Too
One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong answer. With 150 questions, uncontrolled guessing can erase the benefit of several correct responses.
150 Questions in 120 Minutes = About 48 Seconds per Question
That is only the overall average. Technical calculations can take longer, while some awareness or computer questions may be answered much faster. Your practice strategy should therefore focus on section-wise speed and question selection, not simply dividing 120 minutes equally across all 150 questions.
Block 3 covers minimum qualifying percentages, shortlisting, normalization and how CBT-I and CBT-II affect progression.
Do not split your CBT-II preparation equally across five sections. Technical Abilities alone accounts for 100 of the 150 questions. Build the technical section as your scoring core, while using the remaining four sections to protect and extend your total score.
RRB JE Qualifying Marks 2026: Minimum Marks, 15× Shortlist & DV Merit
The minimum qualifying percentage is 40% for UR and EWS, 30% for OBC-NCL and SC, and 25% for ST. But simply crossing this percentage does not guarantee selection for the next stage. CBT-I is used to shortlist candidates for CBT-II, while later shortlisting depends on merit, normalization and the applicable vacancy position.
The applicable community-wise qualifying standard also applies to Ex-Servicemen. For PwBD candidates, the qualifying threshold may be relaxed by up to 2 marks where permitted by the CEN in case of shortage against PwBD vacancies.
Minimum Qualifying Marks Are Not the RRB JE Cutoff
These percentages are the minimum standards needed to remain eligible. The actual marks needed to move forward can be higher because shortlisting depends on relative merit, normalized marks, vacancies and category-wise competition.
How Many Candidates Are Shortlisted for RRB JE CBT 2?
Candidates are shortlisted for CBT-II on the basis of normalized CBT-I marks. The CEN provides for shortlisting at approximately 15 times the community-wise vacancies, subject to the Railway Recruitment Board’s prescribed process and availability of eligible candidates.
What Is Normalization in RRB JE 2026?
When a CBT is conducted in multiple shifts, RRB uses its prescribed normalization process. This means candidates are not compared only by the raw number of marks obtained in different shifts. Normalized marks are used for the applicable shortlisting and merit process.
Why Does RRB JE Use a Merit Index?
Candidates from different technical exam groups can sometimes compete for common eligible posts. CEN 04/2026 therefore provides a Merit Index mechanism to create a comparable relative score across different exam groups.
For this guide, the important point is the purpose of the Merit Index: it helps RRB compare eligible candidates across exam groups rather than simply comparing raw technical-paper marks.
How Many Candidates Are Called for Document Verification?
CEN 04/2026 states that candidates are shortlisted for Document Verification and Medical Examination RRB-wise at the rate of 1:1 of the vacancies. The shortlist is based on CBT merit, with normalization applied where the CBT was held in multiple shifts. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Your Exam Score Gets You to DV — Your Documents Still Have to Support Your Application
If shortlisted, your qualification, age, category and other applicable claims are verified against the prescribed original documents.
Never use the minimum qualifying percentage as your target score. It is only an eligibility floor. Your real objective is to score high enough in normalized merit to survive the vacancy-based shortlisting for the next stage.
RRB JE 2026 Selection Journey: CBT 1 → CBT 2 → DV → Medical
The full RRB JE 2026 selection path is CBT-I → CBT-II → Document Verification → Medical Examination. CBT-I screens candidates for the second stage, while CBT-II carries the much heavier technical component and drives later merit-based shortlisting.
RRB JE Exam Pattern 2026 — Final Checklist
CBT-I: 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes.
CBT-II: 150 questions, 150 marks, 120 minutes.
Negative marking: 1/3 mark deducted for each wrong answer.
Technical Abilities: 100 of the 150 CBT-II questions.
Qualifying marks: 40% UR/EWS, 30% OBC-NCL/SC, 25% ST.
Shortlisting: about 15× vacancies for CBT-II and about 1:1 for DV/Medical.
Exam-Pattern Mistakes Candidates Should Avoid
- Preparing CBT-II like a general aptitude paper instead of a technical-heavy exam.
- Using minimum qualifying marks as a target score.
- Ignoring 1/3 negative marking while attempting doubtful questions.
- Guessing the technical exam group instead of checking official qualification mapping.
- Ignoring normalization when comparing raw shift-wise scores.
- Forgetting that DV and Medical still decide final candidature after CBT performance.
Now Move to the Exact RRB JE 2026 Syllabus
The pattern tells you how many questions come from each area. The next step is to study the actual topics for CBT-I and your applicable technical exam group in CBT-II.
Exam Pattern Is One Part of the Recruitment
Use the connected QuickPDFNow guides for eligibility, documents, application, upload preparation and the complete RRB JE lifecycle.
QuickPDFNow is an independent document-preparation platform and is not an official Railway Recruitment Board website.
Build your preparation around the exam weight, not just the syllabus length. In CBT-II, Technical Abilities contributes 100 of 150 questions, so your technical section should remain the core of your scoring strategy.