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TheJobKart brings you the complete details of the RRB Station Master Recruitment 2026. This is important to get right from the start, because Station Master is no longer part of the general NTPC recruitment this year. It now has its own separate notification, and that change also brings a new exam pattern.

The Railway Recruitment Boards have opened applications for Station Master posts across India under Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 08/2026. If you are a graduate and you want a responsible, operational railway job with Level 6 pay, this is one of the most important railway notifications of the year, and the last date to apply is 25 November 2026.

Table of Contents

• RRB Station Master Recruitment 2026 at a Glance
• A Separate Notification, Not Part of NTPC
• Vacancy Details
• Category-wise and RRB-wise Vacancy Details
• Who Can Apply? Eligibility Criteria
• Salary and Benefits
• Important Dates
• Application Fee and Refund
• Selection Process and Exam Pattern
• How to Apply Online: Step-by-Step
• Documents to Keep Ready
• About the Railway Recruitment Boards
• Why This Recruitment Stands Out
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Important Links
• Disclaimer

RRB Station Master Recruitment 2026 at a Glance

A Separate Notification, Not Part of NTPC

This point causes a lot of confusion, so it is worth stating clearly. Station Master is not included in RRB NTPC Graduate CEN 06/2026, and it is not included in RRB NTPC Undergraduate CEN 07/2026 either. Those two notifications cover the NTPC clerk, typist, ticket clerk and goods train manager posts.

Station Master is recruited separately under CEN 08/2026. That also means the selection process is different from NTPC: instead of two CBT stages, Station Master now has a single-stage CBT, followed by an aptitude test. If you have prepared for NTPC before, do not assume the old pattern still applies here.

Vacancy Details

The vacancy figure needs a short explanation, because different summaries published at different stages show different numbers. The indicative notice spoke of about 1,250 posts, and the detailed notification summary initially showed 1,215 posts, while the category-wise and RRB-wise tables in Annexure-B added up to 1,265 posts.

Corrigendum No. 1 to CEN 08/2026, dated 27 October 2026, revised the total Station Master vacancy to 1,265 instead of 1,215, with all other terms unchanged. The post below therefore uses 1,265 as the revised total, and candidates should still check the official RRB website for any further clarification before the last date.

This is a single-post recruitment, so there is no post-wise split to compare. The real choice for candidates is which RRB to apply to, because vacancies are distributed across RRBs and railway zones.

What a Station Master does, in simple terms

A Station Master is responsible for the safe and smooth running of train operations at a station. The work includes managing train movements, signals and station operations, coordinating with train crews and control offices, handling passenger-related operational matters, and following strict safety procedures. It is a shift-based, responsibility-heavy role, which is why the medical standard and the aptitude test are given so much importance.

Category-wise and RRB-wise Vacancy Details

The category-wise breakup, as published in the detailed vacancy tables for CEN 08/2026, is given below. Ex-servicemen vacancies are included within these category totals, not in addition to them.

RRB-wise, Mumbai has the largest share in Annexure-B, followed by Jammu-Srinagar, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram. The main RRB-wise figures are:

Candidates should check the full Annexure-B table for the exact railway-zone split under each RRB, because a single RRB can cover more than one railway zone. You can apply to only one RRB under this notification, so the RRB choice should be made carefully.

Who Can Apply? Eligibility Criteria

Educational qualification

You need a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification accepted under the notification. The degree must be complete by the closing date of the application, which is 25 November 2026.

Candidates who are awaiting their final semester or final year results on or before the closing date are not eligible to apply. If a provisional certificate or consolidated marksheet is issued after the closing date, it must show the exact date of declaration of the final result, as specified in the notification.

Age limit

• Minimum age: 20 years
• Maximum age: 33 years, for UR and EWS candidates
• Age counted as on: 1 January 2027

For UR and EWS candidates, the date of birth range given in the notification summaries is broadly from 2 January 1994 to 1 January 2007. Some older summaries still show 20 to 30 years, but the detailed CEN 08/2026 summaries use 20 to 33 years, so candidates should follow the detailed notification for their category.

Age relaxation, as given in the notification summaries, includes:

Age relaxations are not cumulative, and the date of birth entered in the application must match the date of birth in the Matriculation, SSLC, Class 10 or equivalent certificate.

Medical standard: A-2

This is a crucial eligibility condition, and it disqualifies some otherwise eligible candidates. Station Master requires the A-2 medical standard, which includes distant vision of 6/9, 6/9 without glasses, near vision of Sn. 0.6, 0.6 without glasses, and passing tests for colour vision, binocular vision, field of vision, night vision and myopic vision. No fogging test is allowed for this standard.

Candidates who have undergone LASIK surgery or any other corrective eye surgery are not eligible for this post under the notification summaries. If you have any doubt about your vision or medical fitness, check the A-2 standard in the detailed notification before applying, because medical fitness is checked at a later stage and cannot be fixed after selection.

Other important conditions

• You can apply to only one RRB under CEN 08/2026.
• Aadhaar verification is important in this recruitment. Applications that are not verified with Aadhaar may go through detailed scrutiny at every stage, which can cause delays, and the name and date of birth in Aadhaar must match the Class 10 certificate exactly.
• Candidates who are already in government service should follow the rules for informing their employer, as given in the notification.

Salary and Benefits

Station Master is placed in Level 6 of the 7th Pay Commission Pay Matrix, with a pay scale of Rs. 35,400 to Rs. 1,12,400 per month.

• Initial basic pay: Rs. 35,400 per month
• Allowances: Dearness allowance, house rent allowance, transport allowance, night duty allowance and other allowances as per Indian Railways rules, depending on posting

Secondary summaries estimate the gross monthly salary at joining at roughly Rs. 55,000 to Rs. 60,000 in many posting cities, but the exact gross figure will depend on the city, allowances and railway rules in force at the time of joining, so it should be treated as an estimate rather than a promised figure. Railway employees also get the usual service benefits associated with a regular central government job, and there is a clear promotion path in station operations, for example towards Senior Station Master and Station Superintendent roles.

Important Dates

Some secondary summaries report the CBT in January 2027, but the detailed notification summaries used here list the CBT date as to be announced, so candidates should treat January 2027 as unconfirmed until the RRBs publish the exam schedule.

The correction window allows changes to certain details for a fee of Rs. 250 per modification, which is non-refundable. Candidates cannot change their chosen RRB or the details entered during account creation in the correction window, so verify those parts carefully before submitting. Do not wait until the last day, because the portal often slows down near the deadline.

Application Fee and Refund

The fee must be paid online only, through debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI, by 27 November 2026. No other payment mode is permitted, and applications without the prescribed fee will be rejected.

Refund rules, as given in the notification summaries, are:

• Candidates paying Rs. 500 will receive a refund of Rs. 400, after deduction of applicable bank charges, on appearing in the CBT.
• Candidates paying the Rs. 250 concession fee will receive a full refund of Rs. 250, after deduction of applicable bank charges, on appearing in the CBT.

Refunds are credited to a bank account seeded with the candidate’s Aadhaar number through the NPCI portal, which is another reason Aadhaar details must be correct in the application. EBC candidates should note that EBC is different from OBC and EWS: EBC gives a fee concession only, not job reservation, and a valid EBC certificate must have been issued on or before 25 November 2026.

Selection Process and Exam Pattern

Selection is done in four stages, and you need to clear each stage to move to the next:

1. Single-stage Computer Based Test (CBT): The only CBT stage in this recruitment.
2. Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT): An aptitude test for candidates shortlisted from the CBT.
3. Document Verification: Checking of original certificates and eligibility documents.
4. Medical Examination: As per the A-2 medical standard.

The new single-stage CBT

This is the biggest change in 2026. Earlier, Station Master candidates went through two CBT stages. Now there is one CBT of 100 questions, 100 marks, in 120 minutes, with negative marking of one-third mark for each wrong answer.

The section-wise pattern, as given in the new syllabus summaries, is:

In broader grouping, Basic Science, Mathematics and Analytical Capability together carry 60 marks, Logical Capability carries 20 marks, and Mental Reasoning carries 20 marks.

Two syllabus points are especially important for preparation. First, there is no separate General Awareness and Current Affairs section in this new CBT, which is a major change from the old NTPC pattern. Second, English Reading Comprehension has been added for the first time in this railway exam, under Logical Capability, so candidates who ignored English in earlier railway exams should not ignore it now.

CBAT and final merit

Candidates are shortlisted for the CBAT from the CBT, at up to eight times the RRB-wise vacancies, as given in the exam pattern summaries. The CBAT has its own qualifying requirement, reported as a minimum T-score of 42 in every test battery, and there is no negative marking in the CBAT itself.

Final merit is based on a combined weightage of 70% from the CBT and 30% from the CBAT, for candidates who qualify in the CBAT. That means the CBT alone does not decide the final merit, and a weak CBAT performance can still affect the final ranking even after a strong CBT score.

How to Apply Online: Step-by-Step

1. Visit the official RRB apply portal, rrbapply.gov.in, and also check rrb.indianrailways.gov.in for RRB-wise information.
2. Read the detailed CEN 08/2026 notification carefully, including the vacancy tables, eligibility, A-2 medical standard, fee rules and exam pattern.
3. Choose one RRB. Remember, you can apply to only one RRB in this recruitment.
4. Create an account with a valid email ID and mobile number, and complete Aadhaar verification carefully, because account-creation details cannot be changed later in the correction window.
5. Fill in your personal details, educational details, post and RRB choice, and communication address.
6. Upload a live-captured photograph with a plain white background and a signature in black ink, along with other required documents in the prescribed format and size, as given in the notification.
7. Pay the application fee online for your category, by 27 November 2026.
8. Review the complete form once before submitting, especially your name, date of birth, category, RRB choice and Aadhaar details.
9. Submit the form and download or print the confirmation page for your records.

Keep your registration number and login details safe. You will need them to download the admit card, check application status and follow later updates.

Documents to Keep Ready

• Degree certificate and marksheets, or equivalent qualification documents
• Class 10 certificate, for date of birth verification
• Valid photo identity proof
• Aadhaar details, matching your name and date of birth exactly
• Recent live-captured photograph with a plain white background and scanned signature in black ink
• Category certificate, if you are claiming reservation or fee concession
• EBC certificate, if you are claiming the EBC fee concession, issued on or before 25 November 2026
• PwBD certificate or ex-serviceman documents, if applicable

Original documents will be checked during document verification, so the details you enter in the form should match them exactly.

About the Railway Recruitment Boards

The Railway Recruitment Boards work under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. There are 21 RRBs across the country, and they recruit Group C staff for zonal railways and production units through centralised notifications and a common online portal.

Station operations are one of the core safety functions of Indian Railways. A Station Master does not just sit in an office: the role involves real-time decisions about train movements, safety and passenger operations, often in shifts and under pressure. That is why this post carries Level 6 pay, an A-2 medical standard and an aptitude test, even though it is open to graduates from any discipline.

Why This Recruitment Stands Out

For graduates, this is a rare combination: a single, well-defined post, Level 6 pay, and a large number of vacancies in one notification. The separate CEN also means the competition is more focused than in a combined NTPC notification, because only candidates who specifically want the Station Master role are likely to apply.

The new exam pattern also changes preparation in a useful way. With no separate General Awareness section and a strong weight on science, mathematics, data analysis and reasoning, candidates with strong analytical skills have a clearer advantage, while candidates who relied mainly on memorised current affairs will need to adjust. At the same time, the A-2 medical standard and the LASIK rule mean that eligibility should be checked before preparation begins, not after the CBT.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the last date to apply for RRB Station Master Recruitment 2026?
The last date is 25 November 2026, up to 11:59 PM. Applications are accepted online only through rrbapply.gov.in.

How many vacancies are there?
There are 1,265 vacancies, as revised by Corrigendum No. 1 to CEN 08/2026. The indicative notice spoke of about 1,250 posts, and the detailed notification summary initially showed 1,215 posts, but the revised total is 1,265.

Is Station Master part of RRB NTPC Graduate or Undergraduate recruitment?
No. Station Master is recruited separately under CEN 08/2026. It is not included in NTPC Graduate CEN 06/2026 or NTPC Undergraduate CEN 07/2026.

What qualification is needed?
A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, complete by 25 November 2026. Candidates awaiting final results are not eligible.

What is the age limit?
Candidates should be between 20 and 33 years as on 1 January 2027, for UR and EWS, with relaxation for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), SC, ST, ex-servicemen and other eligible groups under the rules.

What is the salary?
Station Master is in Level 6 of the 7th Pay Commission, with a pay scale of Rs. 35,400 to Rs. 1,12,400 per month and an initial basic pay of Rs. 35,400 per month, plus allowances.

What is the application fee?
Rs. 500 for most candidates, and Rs. 250 for female, transgender, ex-servicemen, SC, ST, minority community and EBC candidates, with refunds on appearing in the CBT as given in the notification.

What is the selection process?
A single-stage CBT of 100 questions in 120 minutes, followed by CBAT, document verification and medical examination under the A-2 standard. Final merit carries 70% weightage from the CBT and 30% from the CBAT.

Are candidates who have had LASIK surgery eligible?
No, under the notification summaries, candidates who have undergone LASIK or any other corrective eye surgery are not eligible for this post, because of the A-2 medical standard.

Where do I apply?
Through the official portal rrbapply.gov.in. Use only the official portal and avoid third-party application links.

Important Links

• Apply online: rrbapply.gov.in
• Official RRB website: rrb.indianrailways.gov.in
• Recruitment notification: CEN No. 08/2026, available on the official RRB portal

Disclaimer

This post is written to help candidates understand the recruitment in simple language. It is not a substitute for the official notification. Vacancies, dates, fee, eligibility, medical standards and selection details are subject to change by the Railway Recruitment Boards, and candidates should verify every detail in the official CEN 08/2026 notification and its corrigendum before applying. Follow TheJobKart for the latest government and private jobs in India.