Technician Grade 1 Signal & Technician Grade 3

RRB Technician CEN 02/2026 Recruitment: Overview

The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) have released Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 02/2026 for the post of Technician. This is a big central government job across Indian Railways, with a total of 6,557 vacancies. The online application is open from 30 June 2026 to 29 July 2026. Anyone who has passed Class 10th with an ITI (Industrial Training Institute) certificate, or has the higher degree for the Signal post, can apply on the official portal.

There are two levels of Technician in this recruitment. Technician Grade 1 Signal is a Pay Level 5 post, and Technician Grade 3 is a Pay Level 2 post. You must apply separately for each pay level, because a separate Computer Based Test (CBT) is held for each one. Below you will find the full details on vacancies, eligibility, salary, fee and how to apply, all in simple words.

Vacancy Details

The 6,557 posts are split across all 21 Railway Recruitment Boards. The grade-wise break-up is given below. RRBs have said these numbers are provisional and may go up or down as per railway needs.

Technician Grade 3 covers many trades, such as Fitter, Welder, Electrical, Diesel Mechanical, Carriage and Wagon, EMU (Electric Multiple Unit), Crane Driver, Machinist and more. You choose your trade and your preferred RRB while filling the form.

Eligibility: Age and Qualification

Your age and study qualification decide which post you can apply for. The age is counted as on 1 July 2026.

NCVT means National Council for Vocational Training and SCVT means State Council for Vocational Training. Age relaxation is given over the upper age limit as per government rules: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC (Other Backward Classes), and more for Ex-Servicemen and PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) candidates. People waiting for their final result are not eligible; you must already hold the qualification by the closing date.

Salary and Pay Scale

The salary follows the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) pay matrix. Along with the basic pay, you also get Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance and other railway benefits.

The figures above are the starting basic pay as stated in the official notification. Your final in-hand salary will be higher after adding the allowances, and it can change with your posting city. For the exact in-hand amount, refer the official notice, as it depends on current DA and city category.

Application Fee

The exam fee depends on your category. A large part of the fee is refunded to you after you appear in the CBT (Computer Based Test), so it works almost like a booking amount. The refund comes to your Aadhaar-linked bank account after bank charges are deducted. You must pay the fee separately for each pay level you apply for. Fee is paid online through net banking, debit card, credit card, UPI (Unified Payments Interface) or through a Common Service Centre.

• General / OBC / EWS candidates: Rs. 500. Out of this, Rs. 400 is refunded on appearing in the CBT.
• SC / ST / Ex-Servicemen / PwBD / Female / Transgender / Minorities / EBC (Economically Backward Class): Rs. 250. This full Rs. 250 is refunded on appearing in the CBT.

Only candidates who actually attend the CBT get the refund. If your application is rejected or you do not appear, the fee is not refunded.

Selection Process

Selection is done in the following stages:

1. Computer Based Test (CBT): A single online test of 100 questions. There is negative marking — one-third (1/3) mark is cut for every wrong answer, so answer carefully.
2. Document Verification (DV): Candidates are shortlisted RRB-wise on the basis of CBT merit and called for checking of original documents.
3. Medical Examination: The final step, to confirm you meet the medical fitness standard for the post.

Marks are normalised when the CBT is held in more than one shift. There is no application fee for changing your exam city or date, and such requests are not allowed once fixed.

How to Apply for RRB Technician 2026

The application is fully online on the official RRB portal. Follow these steps:

1. Open the official apply portal, rrbapply.gov.in, using the Apply Online link in the Important Links table above.
2. First "Create an Account" with your name, date of birth, mobile number and email exactly as per your 10th class certificate. Remember: account details, mobile number, email and chosen RRB cannot be changed later, so fill them with full care.
3. Log in and fill the application form. Choose your pay level, your one RRB and your post/trade preferences.
4. Upload your live photo and signature as per the given size rules.
5. Pay the exam fee online and submit the form before the last date.

If you had created an account for an earlier RRB exam in 2024, 2025 or 2026, use the same login to apply for this CEN. Between 1 August and 10 August 2026, a modification window lets you correct most details by paying a modification fee of Rs. 250 for each change (this fee is not refunded, and the account details and chosen RRB still cannot be changed).

Important Points to Remember

• Apply separately for each pay level, as the CBT is separate for each.
• Submit only one application per pay level. Sending more than one application for the same pay level can lead to rejection and debarment.
• The exam date will be announced later on the RRB websites. Keep checking for your city, date and admit card.
• Always cross-check every detail with the official CEN 02/2026 notification, as it is the final word.