The Ministry of Railways, Government of India, has officially announced the centralized recruitment drive for 4,660 vacancies in the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) under Centralized Employment Notice (CEN RPF 01/2026 for Sub-Inspectors and CEN RPF 02/2026 for Constables). As the premier armed force dedicated to the security of Indian Railways passengers and infrastructure, RPF provides permanent central government career pathways with excellent pay structures, residential facilities, and nationwide operational postings.
This authoritative dossier breaks down the dual-tier vacancy structure, educational prerequisites, Computer Based Test (CBT) question blueprint, rigorous Physical Efficiency & Measurement Standards (PET/PMT), and step-by-step registration protocols.
RPF Recruitment 2026: Executive Overview
| Recruitment Feature | Official Details & Specifications |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Authority | Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB) on behalf of Ministry of Railways |
| Security Force | Railway Protection Force (RPF) & Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) |
| Notified Cadres | Sub-Inspector (Executive) & Constable (Executive) |
| Total Openings | 4,660 Vacancies (Constable: 4,208 | Sub-Inspector: 452) |
| Pay Scale & Matrix | Constable: Level-3 (₹21,700 – ₹69,100) | Sub-Inspector: Level-6 (₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400) + Central Perks |
| Educational Qualification | Constable: 10th Pass (Matriculation) | Sub-Inspector: Graduate Degree from recognized University |
| Selection Methodology | Computer Based Test (CBT) ➔ Physical Efficiency Test (PET) & PMT ➔ Document Verification & Medical |
| Official Portals | indianrailways.gov.in / Regional RRB Websites |
Cadre-Wise Vacancy & Reservation Distribution
| Cadre / Position | Male Vacancies | Female (15% Quota) | Total Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| RPF Sub-Inspector (Executive) | 384 | 68 | 452 |
| RPF Constable (Executive) | 3,577 | 631 | 4,208 |
| Combined Grand Total | 3,961 | 699 | 4,660 |
Eligibility Conditions: Educational Criteria & Age Relaxations
- Educational Qualifications:
- Constable (Executive): Passed 10th Standard (Matriculation) from a recognized Board of Education.
- Sub-Inspector (Executive): Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or equivalent.
- Age Limits (Crucial Cutoff Date):
- Constable: 18 to 28 Years.
- Sub-Inspector: 20 to 28 Years.
- Statutory Relaxations: SC/ST candidates receive 5 years relaxation (up to 33 years), OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) receive 3 years relaxation (up to 31 years), and Ex-Servicemen receive deductions as per Central civil services rules.
RPF Computer Based Test (CBT) Scheme & Sectional Weightage
Both Constable and Sub-Inspector examinations adhere to a standardized 120-question objective assessment delivered in 90 minutes across multilingual options (English, Hindi, and 13 regional languages):
| Subject / Section | Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness (Indian History, Polity, Geography, Economy, General Science, Current Affairs) | 50 | 50 Marks |
| Arithmetic / Mathematics (Number Systems, Percentages, Ratio, Profit & Loss, Mensuration) | 35 | 35 Marks |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning (Analogies, Coding-Decoding, Syllogisms, Non-Verbal Series) | 35 | 35 Marks |
| Total Composite Test | 120 Questions | 120 Marks |
Marking Rule: Each correct response yields 1 mark. A penalty of 1/3rd (0.33) marks is deducted for each incorrect attempt. Multi-shift score normalization applies.
Physical Measurement (PMT) & Physical Efficiency Test (PET) Standards
Shortlisted candidates (10 times the number of vacancies based on CBT scores) must clear mandatory physical benchmarks:
Physical Measurement Standards (PST)
| Category | Male Height | Female Height | Male Chest (Unexpanded / Expanded) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR / EWS / OBC | 165 cm | 157 cm | 80 cm / 85 cm (+5 cm expansion) |
| SC / ST | 160 cm | 152 cm | 76.2 cm / 81.2 cm (+5 cm expansion) |
| Garhwalis, Gorkhas, Marathas, Dogras | 163 cm | 155 cm | 80 cm / 85 cm (+5 cm expansion) |
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) Running & Jumping Norms
- Constable (Male): 1600 metres run in 5 minutes 45 seconds; Long Jump: 14 feet; High Jump: 4 feet.
- Constable (Female): 800 metres run in 3 minutes 40 seconds; Long Jump: 9 feet; High Jump: 3 feet.
- Sub-Inspector (Male): 1600 metres run in 6 minutes 30 seconds; Long Jump: 12 feet; High Jump: 3 feet 9 inches.
- Sub-Inspector (Female): 800 metres run in 4 minutes; Long Jump: 9 feet; High Jump: 3 feet.
Step-by-Step RPF Application Roadmap
- Access the centralized online portal of any regional Railway Recruitment Board (RRB).
- Create your primary RRB Account with verified Aadhaar Number, mobile number, and active email.
- Select your target notification (CEN RPF 01/2026 for SI or CEN RPF 02/2026 for Constable).
- Enter academic percentages, community reservation category, and territorial preferences.
- Upload clear passport photograph and digital signature conforming to RRB technical specifications.
- Pay the application fee of ₹500 (₹250 for SC, ST, Female, Minorities, and ESM; ₹400/₹250 refunded upon CBT attendance).
- Submit the registration and download the final acknowledgment PDF for documentation records.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Are final year college students eligible to apply for RPF Sub-Inspector?
No. Candidates must possess the qualifying graduation degree certificate/provisional degree on or before the closing date of application submission.
Q2: Can candidates apply for both RPF Constable and SI posts?
Yes, eligible candidates meeting the educational and age requirements for both posts can apply separately under CEN RPF 01/2026 (SI) and CEN RPF 02/2026 (Constable) by paying the respective application fees.
Q3: Does the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) have marks for merit ranking?
No, PET is strictly qualifying in nature. Final merit for appointment is prepared exclusively on the basis of marks scored in the Computer Based Test (CBT), subject to qualifying PET/PMT and medical fitness.
Q4: What is the medical category required for RPF?
Candidates must meet the B-1 Medical Standard with distant vision 6/9, 6/12 with or without glasses, alongside clear color perception and binocular vision tests.
Q5: What is the service training duration for RPF recruits?
Selected Constable recruits undergo 6 months of rigorous foundational training at RPF Training Centres, while Sub-Inspectors undergo approximately 9 to 12 months of training at the Jagjivan Ram RPF Academy, Lucknow.
Ram Avtar is the Founder and Lead Career Analyst at Govt Results Alert. With over 6 years of experience analyzing Government Recruitment Notifications, SSC, Banking, and Railway examination patterns, he leads our fact-checking team to deliver authentic, timely, and verified job alerts directly from official government gazettes.
