RRB NTPC Cut-Off: CBT 1, CBT 2 Zone-Wise Category Marks

RRB NTPC (Non-Technical Popular Categories) is one of the most massive recruitment drives conducted by Indian Railways. With 35,000+ vacancies and over 1.25 crore applicants in the 2024-25 cycle, understanding the cut-off structure is essential for anyone serious about landing a railway job.

What makes RRB NTPC cut-offs particularly confusing is the zone-wise variation. India has 21 Railway Recruitment Boards, and each sets its own cut-off based on local competition. A score that gets you selected in RRB Guwahati might fall short in RRB Allahabad. Let me break this down comprehensively.

RRB NTPC Selection Process

1. CBT 1 (First Stage): 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes — screening
2. CBT 2 (Second Stage): 120 questions, 120 marks, 90 minutes — merit ranking
3. Typing Skill Test / Computer Based Aptitude Test: Qualifying (for specific levels)
4. Document Verification and Medical Examination

CBT 1 is purely a screening test. Your CBT 1 marks do not count in the final merit — only CBT 2 marks determine your rank.

RRB NTPC CBT 1 Cut-Off: Zone-Wise (General Category, 2024-25)

Railway Board	Level 6	Level 5	Level 4	Level 3	Level 2
RRB Allahabad	76.83	72.47	68.14	64.52	58.73
RRB Mumbai	74.28	70.13	66.48	62.17	56.42
RRB Kolkata	73.14	69.47	65.83	61.73	55.84
RRB Chennai	71.53	67.82	64.17	60.28	54.13
RRB Bangalore	70.42	66.73	63.42	59.67	53.47
RRB Bhopal	74.67	70.48	66.83	62.54	56.87
RRB Patna	75.94	71.62	67.38	63.72	57.43
RRB Chandigarh	72.38	68.54	64.73	60.84	54.92
RRB Secunderabad	71.87	67.43	63.82	59.47	53.18
RRB Ajmer	73.42	69.17	65.28	61.43	55.67
RRB Guwahati	64.53	60.87	57.14	53.28	47.62
RRB Jammu	66.17	62.48	58.73	54.87	49.13
RRB Ranchi	72.84	68.53	64.47	60.72	54.83
RRB Bilaspur	71.28	67.14	63.47	59.62	53.74
RRB Thiruvananthapuram	69.73	65.84	62.17	58.34	52.47

RRB Allahabad consistently has the highest cut-off, followed by RRB Patna and RRB Bhopal. RRB Guwahati has the lowest, often 10-12 marks below Allahabad.

Understanding NTPC Levels

NTPC recruitment covers multiple posts at different pay levels:

Level	Posts	Pay Scale
Level 6	Traffic Assistant, Station Master	Rs. 35,400
Level 5	Accounts Clerk, Junior Clerk, Goods Guard	Rs. 29,200
Level 4	Commercial Apprentice, Typist	Rs. 25,500
Level 3	Trains Clerk, Junior Time Keeper	Rs. 21,700
Level 2	Junior Clerk, Junior Account Assistant	Rs. 19,900

Higher levels have higher cut-offs because the pay is better and vacancies are fewer. Level 6 (Station Master) is the most coveted NTPC post.

CBT 2 Cut-Off: Zone-Wise (General, Level 6, Recent Cycles)

Railway Board	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
RRB Allahabad	92.47	95.83	98.72
RRB Mumbai	89.83	93.17	96.42
RRB Kolkata	88.14	91.53	94.87
RRB Patna	91.72	94.84	97.63
RRB Bhopal	90.28	93.47	96.18
RRB Guwahati	78.43	81.72	84.53

CBT 2 cut-offs have been climbing 3-4 marks per year across all zones. The Level 6 cut-off at RRB Allahabad is approaching 100 out of 120, which is an extremely high bar.

Category-Wise Cut-Off Comparison (RRB Allahabad, CBT 1, Level 6)

Year	General	OBC	SC	ST	EWS
2022-23	72.84	64.53	52.17	43.82	62.47
2023-24	74.67	66.28	54.43	45.67	64.18
2024-25	76.83	68.47	56.72	47.84	66.53

The General-SC gap is approximately 20 marks, and General-ST gap is about 29 marks. These gaps have remained stable, meaning cut-offs are rising proportionally across all categories.

Normalisation in RRB NTPC

Railways use a normalisation formula to adjust scores across shifts. Given that NTPC CBT 1 runs over 20+ days with multiple shifts per day, normalisation has a substantial impact.

The Railways use a percentile-based normalisation:

• Your raw score is converted to a percentile within your shift


• That percentile is then mapped to a normalised score based on the master shift

I have observed normalised score variations of 4-8 marks from raw scores in RRB exams. Candidates in a difficult shift can gain marks, while those in easier shifts may lose marks.

Section-Wise Preparation Targets

CBT 1 (100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes):

Section	Questions	Target (Gen, Level 6)
Mathematics	30	24-27
General Intelligence & Reasoning	30	25-28
General Awareness	40	30-35
Total	100	80-85

CBT 2 (120 questions, 120 marks, 90 minutes):

Section	Questions	Target (Gen, Level 6)
Mathematics	35	28-32
General Intelligence & Reasoning	35	29-33
General Awareness	50	40-45
Total	120	100-105

General Awareness is the largest section in both stages and where most candidates either gain or lose their competitive edge.

Why Your RRB Choice Matters

You select your RRB during registration, and it cannot be changed later. Your cut-off is determined by competition within that RRB's zone. If you have a choice (for example, if you have valid addresses in multiple states), consider these factors:

• RRB Guwahati, Jammu, Ranchi tend to have lower cut-offs
• RRB Allahabad, Patna consistently have the highest
• RRB Mumbai, Kolkata fall in the middle range

However, your posting will also be within that zone if selected. So choosing a lower-competition zone means working in that region. Factor in both selection probability and your willingness to work in a particular area.

Predictions for RRB NTPC 2026

Assuming 35,000+ vacancies and continued high applicant numbers:

• CBT 1 (General, Level 6, Allahabad): 78-81
• CBT 2 (General, Level 6, Allahabad): 100-104
• CBT 1 (General, Level 6, Guwahati): 66-69
• CBT 2 (General, Level 6, Guwahati): 86-89

Track RRB NTPC results, zone-wise cut-offs, and answer key updates on sarkarinaukri.in. We provide zone-wise breakdowns that help you understand exactly where you stand in your region.

The Bottom Line

RRB NTPC is a zone-level competition, not a national one. Your strategy must account for where you are competing, not just how well you prepare in absolute terms. Know your zone's cut-off history, target 10% above the expected cut-off, and allocate special attention to General Awareness — it is the largest section and the biggest scoring opportunity in both stages.