RRB JE Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026: CBT 1, CBT 2 Topics

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) conducts the RRB JE Exam for Junior Engineer (JE), Depot Material Superintendent (DMS), and Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant (CMA) posts. For the CEN 04/2026 cycle — application window opened 14 August 2026 — the exam runs in two stages, CBT 1 and CBT 2, each testing different subjects and difficulty levels.

Quick Overview

Conducting Body	Railway Recruitment Board (RRB)
Recruitment Cycle	CEN 04/2026
Selection Stages	CBT 1, CBT 2, Document Verification, Medical Examination
CBT 1	100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes
CBT 2	150 questions, 150 marks, 120 minutes
Negative Marking	1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer, both stages

 

CBT 1 Syllabus (Screening Stage)

• Mathematics (30 questions) — Number systems, BODMAS, fractions, ratio/proportion, percentages, mensuration, time & work, interest, algebra, geometry, trigonometry
• General Intelligence & Reasoning (25 questions) — Analogies, coding-decoding, series, syllogism, Venn diagrams, classification, directions
• General Awareness (15 questions) — Current affairs, Indian geography, history, polity, economy, environment, sports
• General Science (30 questions) — Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences up to 10th standard CBSE level

CBT 2 Syllabus (Technical Stage)

• General Awareness, Physics & Chemistry (12th-level), Basics of Computer Applications, Basics of Environment & Pollution Control — common sections
• Technical Abilities (100 of 150 marks) — branch-specific, covering Civil, Electrical, Electronics & Telecommunication, Mechanical, Computer Science & IT, Printing Technology, or Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant syllabus depending on your discipline

Preparation Tips

• Map CBT 1 subjects first since it’s the qualifying stage, then move to your Technical Abilities branch for CBT 2.
• Allocate more study time to Technical Abilities, since it alone carries 100 of 150 CBT 2 marks.
• Use previous year question papers to understand difficulty and recurring topics.
• Take sectional mock tests as you finish each subject rather than waiting for full syllabus completion.
• Practice negative-marking-aware attempts, skipping low-confidence questions in timed mocks.

Official Links

Syllabus PDF (within CEN 04/2026): Download Notification

Official Website: rrbapply.gov.in

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are in the RRB JE exam?

100 in CBT 1 and 150 in CBT 2, a combined 250 across both stages.

Is there negative marking?

Yes — 1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer, in both CBT 1 and CBT 2.

Does CBT 1 count toward final merit?

No — CBT 1 is a qualifying/screening stage; final merit is based on CBT 2.

Where can I download the full syllabus PDF?

It’s included within the detailed CEN 04/2026 notification on the official RRB website.

Since Technical Abilities alone carries two-thirds of the CBT 2 marks, prioritize deep preparation in your specific engineering branch over broad revision of the common sections.