The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) under the Government of India, Ministry of Railways have officially released the Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 02/2026 for the recruitment of Technician Grade-I Signal and Technician Grade-III posts across Indian Railways. A total of 6,565 vacancies have been announced — 323 posts for Technician Grade-I Signal and 6,242 posts for Technician Grade-III. The online application process begins on 30 June 2026 and the last date to apply is 29 July 2026 (23:59 hrs). All applications must be submitted exclusively through the official portal rrbapply.gov.in. This is one of the largest Railway technical recruitment drives of 2026 and a golden opportunity for candidates with ITI, Diploma, or Engineering qualifications.

About Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs)

Indian Railways, one of the world's largest rail networks, operates across 21 Railway Recruitment Zones spread throughout India. The Railway Recruitment Boards conduct centralised examinations to fill technical and non-technical posts across all zones and production units. CEN 02/2026 is specifically focused on filling Technician-level vacancies in the Signal & Telecommunications and other operational departments of Indian Railways. The short indicative notification was released on 18 May 2026, and the detailed CEN PDF with complete zone-wise, category-wise vacancy breakdown, full syllabus, and eligibility was released on 29 June 2026 on all regional RRB websites.

Vacancy Details: Technician Grade-I Signal

The Technician Grade-I Signal post falls under Pay Level 5 of the 7th Central Pay Commission pay matrix, with an initial basic pay of Rs. 29,200/- per month. A total of 323 vacancies are available for this post across all participating RRBs. The medical standard required is B-1, which involves specific vision and physical fitness standards. The age limit for this post is 18 to 33 years as on 01 July 2026, with relaxation for reserved categories as per Government of India rules. Candidates must hold a B.Sc. degree in Physics, Electronics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or Instrumentation, or a Degree/Diploma in Engineering in relevant disciplines from a recognized institution. This post is ideal for engineering and science graduates who want a stable technical career in the Indian Railways Signal & Telecom department.

Vacancy Details: Technician Grade-III

The Technician Grade-III post is the bulk recruitment of this CEN, with 6,242 vacancies across all RRB zones. This post falls under Pay Level 2 of the 7th CPC, with an initial basic pay of Rs. 19,900/- per month. The age limit is 18 to 30 years as on 01 July 2026. Educational eligibility requires candidates to hold a Matriculation/SSLC certificate plus ITI in a relevant trade from NCVT/SCVT-recognized institutions, or have completed an Act Apprenticeship in the concerned trade. Eligible trades include a wide range of technical streams such as Electrician, Fitter, Welder, Mechanic, Electronic Mechanic, and several others as specified in the detailed CEN. Candidates with 10+2 (Physics & Mathematics) are also eligible for certain Grade-III Signal & Telecom posts.

Salary and Benefits

Both posts under CEN 02/2026 come with structured government pay under the 7th Central Pay Commission. Apart from the basic pay, selected candidates are entitled to Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per city classification, Transport Allowance (TA), and free railway passes for self and family. These are permanent Group C positions within Indian Railways and come with National Pension System (NPS) coverage, government medical benefits, paid leave, and long-term job security — making this one of the most sought-after government employment opportunities in the technical category.

Selection Process

The selection process for RRB Technician CEN 02/2026 consists of three stages. The first stage is a Computer Based Test (CBT) comprising 100 objective-type multiple-choice questions to be solved in 90 minutes. There is a negative marking of 1/3rd mark for each incorrect answer; unanswered questions carry no penalty. The question paper will be available in Hindi, English, and 13 regional Indian languages. There is no separate Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) and no interview for these posts. Candidates shortlisted based on CBT merit will be called for Document Verification (DV), followed by a Medical Fitness Examination as per prescribed Railway medical standards. The final merit list will be prepared zone-wise and category-wise.

CBT Syllabus Overview

For Technician Grade-I Signal, the CBT will include questions from Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Science, General Awareness & Current Affairs, and Technical subjects from relevant engineering disciplines including Physics, Electronics, Basic Electricity, and Computer Science. For Technician Grade-III, the CBT will cover Mathematics, Reasoning, General Science, General Awareness, and trade-specific technical knowledge based on the candidate's ITI trade. All questions are objective MCQ type and will be at the difficulty level of Class 10th to 12th standard.

Application Fee

The application fee for General, OBC, and EWS candidates is Rs. 500/-, out of which Rs. 400/- will be refunded after appearing in the CBT. For SC/ST, Ex-Servicemen, PwBD, Female, Transgender, Minorities, and Economically Backward Class (EBC) candidates, the fee is Rs. 250/-, which will be fully refunded after appearing in the CBT. Payment must be made online through Net Banking, Debit/Credit Card, or UPI. Applications submitted without payment will be treated as incomplete and rejected.

How to Apply Online

Candidates must apply only through rrbapply.gov.in. Start by registering with your name, date of birth, valid email ID, active mobile number, and Aadhaar card. Verify the account via OTP. Log in, select CEN No. 02/2026, and choose your preferred RRB zone — note that only one RRB per Pay Level is allowed per candidate. Fill in all personal, educational, and contact details. Upload your recent passport-size photograph, scanned signature, and relevant educational/category certificates as per the specified format. Pay the application fee online and submit the form before the deadline of 29 July 2026. Download and save the confirmation PDF for future reference.

This CEN 02/2026 is a massive opportunity for lakhs of ITI holders, Diploma engineers, and Science graduates across India to join Indian Railways in a permanent technical capacity. Candidates are strongly advised not to wait till the last day, ensure their Aadhaar details match their educational certificates, and apply at the earliest through the official portal.