The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has officially released the Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) No. 03/2026, announcing the recruitment of Section Controllers in various Zonal Railways across India. This recruitment drive offers a golden opportunity for graduate candidates aspiring to establish a prestigious career in the Indian Railways. The Section Controller is a Level-6 post carrying high responsibilities related to train operations, safety, and puncture management.
Eligible candidates are invited to submit their online applications starting from July 15, 2026. The closing date for submission of online applications is August 14, 2026. Below, we cover all the necessary details regarding the RRB Section Controller CEN 03/2026 notification, laid out in sequential, easy-to-read tables for your convenience.
Table of Contents (Sections)
1. Important Dates (Schedule)
Aspirants must keep track of the important timeline to avoid missing deadlines. The application registration and payment must be completed strictly within the scheduled dates. Here is the schedule for RRB Section Controller Recruitment 2026:
| Event / Milestone | Scheduled Dates & Times |
|---|---|
| Date of Indicative Notice | June 27, 2026 |
| Opening Date of Online Applications | July 15, 2026 (00:00 Hours) |
| Closing Date of Online Applications | August 14, 2026 (23:59 Hours) |
| Last Date for Online Fee Payment | August 16, 2026 (Sunday) |
| Application Modification Window | August 17, 2026 to August 26, 2026 (Correction fee: Rs. 250/-) |
| Scribe Details Submission Window | August 27, 2026 to August 31, 2026 |
2. Application Fee & Refund Terms
Candidates must pay the application fee online. A significant portion of the application fee is refunded after the candidate appears for the Computer Based Test (CBT). All categories are listed in separate rows below:
| Candidate Category | Exam Fee (Rs.) | Refund Amount (Rs.) | Refund Policy / Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) / OBC Male Candidates | Rs. 500/- | Rs. 400/- | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam (bank charges will be deducted). |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) Candidates | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam. |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) Candidates | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam. |
| Female Candidates (All Categories) | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam. |
| Transgender Candidates | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam. |
| Ex-Servicemen (ExSM) Candidates | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam. |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam. |
| Minority Communities (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis) | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam (Must furnish Minority Community Affidavit during DV). |
| Economically Backward Class (EBC) (Family income < Rs. 50,000/annum) | Rs. 250/- | Rs. 250/- (Full) | Refunded to Aadhaar-seeded bank account after appearing in the CBT exam (Must hold EBC certificate/BPL card on the date of application). |
3. Age Limit & Relaxations (as on July 1, 2026)
The age criteria must be met as of the cut-off date. Here are the age boundaries and category relaxation rules:
| Category | Upper Limit of Birth Date (Not earlier than) | Lower Limit of Birth Date (Not later than) | Age Relaxation Granted |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / UR & EWS | July 2, 1993 | July 1, 2006 | No relaxation (Normal limit: 20 to 33 years) |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | July 2, 1990 | July 1, 2006 | 3 Years (Max age: 36 years) |
| SC / ST | July 2, 1988 | July 1, 2006 | 5 Years (Max age: 38 years) |
| PwBD (UR/EWS) | July 2, 1983 | July 1, 2006 | 10 Years (Max age: 43 years) |
| PwBD (OBC-NCL) | July 2, 1980 | July 1, 2006 | 13 Years (Max age: 46 years) |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | July 2, 1978 | July 1, 2006 | 15 Years (Max age: 48 years) |
4. Educational Qualification
Candidates must check the educational prerequisites carefully before applying:
| Parameter | Requirement Details |
|---|---|
| Required Degree | Graduate Degree (Bachelor's Degree) in any discipline from a recognized University or its equivalent. |
| Result Status | Candidates awaiting their final results of the prescribed educational qualification on the closing date (14.08.2026) are NOT eligible to apply. |
5. Detailed Vacancies & Regional Distributions
The total number of vacant seats for Section Controllers in this recruitment cycle is 119. These vacancies are distributed across various Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and Zonal Railways:
| Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) | Railway Zone | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | WR | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Ajmer | WCR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Prayagraj | NCR & NR | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bengaluru | SWR | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Bhopal | WCR & WR | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Bhubaneswar | ECR | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Bilaspur | CR & SECR | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Chandigarh | NR | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Chennai | SR | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Gorakhpur | NER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Guwahati | NFR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kolkata | ER & SER | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Malda | ER & SER | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Mumbai | CR & SCR | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Muzaffarpur | ECR | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Patna | ECR | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Ranchi | ECR & SER | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Secunderabad | SCR | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Siliguri | NFR | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | SR | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Grand Total (All RRBs) | 50 | 19 | 12 | 29 | 9 | 119 | |
6. Medical Fitness Standards (A-2 Category)
Since the Section Controller role is crucial to train operations and passenger safety, candidates must fulfill the A-2 medical fitness standards:
| Medical Metric | Required Fitness Standard |
|---|---|
| General Health | Physically fit in all respects to carry out Section Controller duties. |
| Distant Vision | 6/9, 6/9 without glasses (Must pass the fogging test). |
| Near Vision | Sn 0.6, 0.6 without glasses. |
| Visual Abilities | Must pass tests for Colour Vision, Binocular Vision, Night Vision, and Myopic Vision. |
| Corrective Eye Surgery | Candidates who have undergone LASIK surgery or any other refractive surgery are strictly not eligible. |
7. CBT Exam Pattern & Syllabus Details
The exam contains a single-stage CBT followed by a Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT). Below is the structured exam pattern and details of the syllabus:
| Subject Area / Section | Questions | Marks | Exam Details & Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analytical and Mathematical Capability | 60 Questions | 60 Marks | * Duration: 120 Minutes (2 Hours) * Negative Marking: 1/3rd mark deduction for each incorrect answer in CBT. * CBAT: Shortlisted candidates (8 times vacancies) must get a minimum T-score of 42 in each battery. |
| Logical Capability | 20 Questions | 20 Marks | |
| Mental Reasoning | 20 Questions | 20 Marks | |
| Total | 100 Questions | 100 Marks | CBT (70% weightage) + CBAT (30% weightage) |
Syllabus Topics Overview
| Subject Section | Detailed Syllabus Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Mathematics & Data Interpretation | Number System, Ratio & Proportions, Averages, Percentages, Profit, Loss & Discounts, Time, Speed & Distance, Power & Work, Algebra, LCM, HCF, Geometry, Probability/Statistics, and data representation (charts, graphs, pie charts, Venn diagrams). |
| Logical Capability | Binary Logic, Syllogisms, Clocks & Calendars, Assumptions, Blood Relations, Family Tree, and English Reading Comprehension (Main/Supporting ideas, Logical structure). |
| Mental Reasoning | Analogies, Series Completion, Coding-Decoding, and Ranking/Arrangement-based puzzles. |
8. How to Apply Online
Aspirants must follow these steps to register and apply online:
- Visit the official RRB online application portal at rrbapply.gov.in.
- Click on "Create an Account" and complete the registration process using a valid mobile number and email ID.
- If you already have an account from previous 2024/2025/2026 recruitments, use those same credentials to log in.
- Authenticate your identity using Aadhaar or DigiLocker for a smoother verification process.
- Fill in all the required details, including educational qualifications and Zonal Railway preferences.
- Live Photo Capture: Capture a live photograph using your webcam or front camera. Ensure you are wearing dark clothing, sitting in front of a plain background, and not wearing caps or glasses.
- Upload your scanned signature in running handwriting (black ink, JPG format, size between 30KB and 49KB).
- Pay the application fee and submit the form. Take a printout of the submitted application form for future reference.
Start preparing early to secure your seat as a Section Controller in the Indian Railways. Good luck!