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The RRB NTPC CBT 1 Exam Analysis 2026 provides candidates with a systematic, evidence-based view of how the actual exam looked across multiple shifts and dates. For candidates whose exam has already concluded, the analysis helps estimate performance and predict qualifying probability. For candidates whose UG-level exam is still ongoing (May 7 to June 21, 2026), the Graduate-level analysis from March 2026 provides the most current and accurate benchmark of difficulty level, question types, and safe attempt ranges.
This page covers the complete CBT 1 analysis for both Graduate-level (CEN 06/2025, exam dates March 16-27, 2026) and Undergraduate-level (CEN 07/2025, exam from May 7 to June 21, 2026) exams. The data is based on candidate feedback, expert review, and aggregated shift-wise reports from the Railway Recruitment Board-conducted sessions.
As per the Railway Recruitment Board's official instructions, exact questions from the CBT 1 exam cannot be shared or reproduced by any source. The RRB NTPC question papers are released officially only after the final answer key is published, which happens after the exam concludes and the objection window closes. All exam analysis is therefore based on:
This approach complies with official examination conduct rules and ensures candidates receive reliable, directionally accurate information.
| Parameter Detail | |
| Exam Name | RRB NTPC Graduate CBT 1 (CEN 06/2025) |
| Exam Dates | March 16 to 27, 2026 |
| Shifts Per Day | 3 (9:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 4:30 PM) |
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 mark per wrong answer |
| Sections | GA (40), Maths (30), Reasoning (30) |
| Overall Difficulty | Easy to Moderate |
| Good Attempts Range | 79 to 84 (across shifts) |
Based on candidate feedback, the overall difficulty level of the Graduate-level CBT 1 exam was Easy to Moderate, with some sections posing time-management challenges, particularly Mathematics and Reasoning. This difficulty rating is consistent with the historical pattern across the 2021, 2022, and 2024 cycles, where the CBT 1 difficulty has consistently remained easy to moderate.
An easy-to-moderate paper has a direct effect on the cutoff: when papers are accessible, more candidates score above 80, concentrating competition near the 83 to 87 range for the UR category. Candidates should never aim to merely clear the cutoff; targeting 90 or above ensures clearance regardless of normalisation impact.
| Date Overall Difficulty Good Attempts | ||
| March 16, 2026 (all shifts) | Easy to Moderate | 79 to 84 |
| March 18, 2026 (all shifts) | Moderate | 72 to 80 |
| March 22, 2026 (all shifts) | Easy to Moderate | 79 to 84 |
| March 27, 2026 (last day) | Easy to Moderate | 80 to 85 |
Based on feedback shared by candidates, the overall paper difficulty for the March 22 shifts was between easy and moderate. The March 18 paper was rated Moderate in difficulty, with 72 to 80 attempts considered good, and the Reasoning section rated as easier than GA and Maths.
General Awareness was consistently rated the most challenging section across all Graduate-level CBT 1 shifts in March 2026. This is the section with the widest performance spread between well-prepared and underprepared candidates.
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Good Attempts | 28 to 34 out of 40 |
| Primary Focus | Mix of current affairs (6-12 months) and static GK |
The General Awareness section was considered the most challenging across shifts, including current affairs and static GK questions.
Topics observed across Graduate CBT 1 shifts (March 2026):
| Topic Relative Presence | |
| Current Affairs (last 6-12 months) | High; 12 to 16 questions per shift |
| Indian History (Modern and Ancient) | High; 5 to 7 questions |
| Indian Polity and Constitution | Moderate; 3 to 5 questions |
| Geography (India and World) | Moderate; 3 to 5 questions |
| Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) | Moderate; 5 to 7 questions |
| Indian Railways specific GK | Moderate; 2 to 3 questions |
| Economy and Banking | Moderate; 2 to 4 questions |
| Sports, Awards, Culture | Lower; 2 to 3 questions |
Key observation: Current affairs from the preceding 6 to 12 months and Modern History topics had the highest representation. Candidates who maintained consistent current affairs preparation over 6 months before the exam had a significant advantage in this section.
The Mathematics section was of Moderate difficulty level, with questions generally asked from basic arithmetic and quantitative topics. Most questions were calculative in nature.
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Easy to Moderate (most shifts), Moderate (some shifts) |
| Good Attempts | 22 to 27 out of 30 |
| Primary Challenge | Calculation speed; not conceptual difficulty |
Topics observed across Graduate CBT 1 shifts (March 2026):
| Topic Average Questions per Shift | |
| Arithmetic (Percentage, Profit/Loss, SI/CI, TW, TSD, Ratio) | 15 to 20 |
| Number System and Simplification | 3 to 5 |
| Geometry and Mensuration | 3 to 5 |
| Data Interpretation (basic Tables, Pie Charts) | 2 to 4 |
| Algebra | 1 to 2 |
| Trigonometry | 1 to 2 |
| Statistics | 1 |
Mathematics topics asked included Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Percentage, and LCM and HCF.
Key observation: Arithmetic topics dominated Mathematics as expected from historical patterns. Percentage, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, and Simple and Compound Interest together accounted for 50 to 65 percent of the Mathematics questions across all measured shifts.
Reasoning was the most scoring section in the Graduate CBT 1 2026, rated Easy to Moderate across most shifts. Reasoning was the easier section compared to GA and Mathematics in the March 18 exam, contributing to candidates' better performance in this section.
| Observation Detail | |
| Difficulty | Easy to Moderate |
| Good Attempts | 25 to 29 out of 30 |
| Primary Focus | Series, Analogy, Coding-Decoding, Non-verbal |
Topics observed across Graduate CBT 1 shifts (March 2026):
| Topic Average Questions per Shift | |
| Number and Alphabetical Series | 5 to 8 |
| Analogy | 4 to 6 |
| Coding-Decoding | 3 to 5 |
| Classification (Odd One Out) | 3 to 4 |
| Non-verbal (Mirror, Paper Folding, Embedded) | 4 to 6 |
| Syllogism | 2 to 3 |
| Blood Relations | 1 to 2 |
| Direction Sense | 1 to 2 |
| Mathematical Operations | 1 to 2 |
| Venn Diagrams | 1 to 2 |
Key observation: Series and Analogy dominated the Reasoning section as in previous cycles. These two topic types alone accounted for 30 to 45 percent of Reasoning questions across all shifts. Non-verbal reasoning (Mirror Images, Paper Folding, Embedded Figures) consistently produced 4 to 6 questions per shift.
Good attempts for RRB NTPC CBT 1 2026 Graduate Level ranged between 79 and 84, indicating the paper was manageable overall.
| Section Good Attempts (Graduate CBT 1, 2026) | |
| General Awareness (out of 40) | 28 to 34 |
| Mathematics (out of 30) | 22 to 27 |
| Reasoning (out of 30) | 25 to 29 |
| Total (out of 100) | 79 to 84 |
The Undergraduate-level CBT 1 (CEN 07/2025) is scheduled from May 7 to June 21, 2026, with 63,27,474 candidates registered. The May 7, 8, and 9 exam dates have already been conducted at the time of this writing.
| Parameter Detail | |
| Exam Name | RRB NTPC UG CBT 1 (CEN 07/2025) |
| Exam Dates | May 7, 8, 9 and June 13, 14, 16-21, 2026 |
| Total Registered Candidates | 63,27,474 |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate (per May 2026 shifts) |
| Good Attempts Range | 88 to 90 |
Based on student feedback from the May 7, 2026 shift, the overall difficulty level of the UG CBT 1 exam was easy to moderate. The Reasoning section was the easiest, GA tested both static GK and current events, and Mathematics focused on core arithmetic.
As per student feedback, the difficulty level of the RRB NTPC UG CBT 1 exam conducted on May 7, 8, and 9, 2026 was moderate.
| Section Difficulty Good Attempts | ||
| General Awareness (40 Marks) | Moderate | 30 to 35 |
| Mathematics (30 Marks) | Easy to Moderate | 24 to 28 |
| Reasoning (30 Marks) | Easy | 26 to 29 |
| Total | Moderate | 88 to 90 |
UG vs Graduate difficulty comparison: UG-level CBT 1 is consistently easier than Graduate-level CBT 1. The good attempt range of 88 to 90 for UG (versus 79 to 84 for Graduate) confirms this. However, the larger candidate pool for UG (63.27 lakh vs fewer for Graduate) means the cutoff is also competitive despite the easier paper.
The analysis from March 2026 (Graduate) and May 2026 (UG) reveals clear strategic priorities.
GA determines who crosses the cutoff and who falls short. In both Graduate and UG-level CBT 1, GA was the hardest section with the widest performance range. Candidates who prepared current affairs consistently over 6 to 12 months and covered History, Polity, and Science basics scored 33 to 37 in this section. Underprepared candidates scored 18 to 22.
This 15-mark gap in a single section is what makes GA the most high-leverage preparation activity. No other section offers a comparable return on preparation investment.
The 2026 analysis confirms that Mathematics questions were predominantly arithmetic-based, at Class 10 standard, and manageable in terms of conceptual difficulty. The challenge was calculation speed under the 90-minute overall timer.
Candidates who had practised fast mental calculation and approximation methods completed the Mathematics section in 25 to 28 minutes, leaving 60+ minutes for GA and Reasoning. Those who relied on pen-and-paper methods spent 35+ minutes in Mathematics, rushing through GA and Reasoning.
Reasoning was rated Easy to Moderate (Graduate) and Easy (UG) across all 2026 CBT 1 shifts. Candidates who practised Series, Analogy, and Coding-Decoding systematically scored 25 to 29 out of 30 consistently. This section should be treated as a "protect and maximise" section: spend adequate preparation time to ensure near-perfect scores here.
| Exam Cycle Level Overall Difficulty Good Attempts (CBT 1) UR Cutoff Range | ||||
| CEN 06/2025 (2026) | Graduate | Easy to Moderate | 79 to 84 | Expected 83-87 |
| CEN 07/2025 (2026) | UG | Moderate | 88 to 90 | Expected 78-84 |
| CEN 05/2024 (2025) | Graduate | Easy to Moderate | 80 to 86 | 78 to 87 |
| CEN 06/2024 (2025) | UG | Easy to Moderate | 85 to 92 | 75 to 85 |
The trend is consistent: easy-to-moderate papers, good attempts in the 79 to 92 range, and UR cutoffs in the 75 to 87 range depending on level and zone. Candidates can use these benchmarks to calibrate full mock test targets.
The Graduate-level analysis from March 2026 is the best available guide. Key takeaways:
Prioritise GA current affairs: Questions from the 6 to 12 months before exam date dominated GA. Candidates must cover events from May 2025 to June 2026.
Build arithmetic speed: Mathematics was manageable conceptually but time-sensitive. Daily practice of Percentage, Profit/Loss, TW, and TSD calculations is essential.
Target 90+ in full mocks: With UG cutoffs expected between 78 and 84 for UR, consistently scoring 90 or above in the RRB NTPC Tier 1 Test Series provides a comfortable buffer.
Practise 0.33 negative marking discipline: Attempting all 100 questions with 75 percent accuracy yields 63.75 marks, which is borderline. Attempting 90 with 90 percent accuracy yields 75.25 marks, which is safe. The mathematics of negative marking strongly favours accuracy over raw attempt count.
If you appeared in the March 2026 exam and want to estimate your normalised score:
Check the official result on the regional RRB website when released. Download your scorecard to see the exact normalised section-wise marks.
What was the overall difficulty of RRB NTPC CBT 1 2026 Graduate Level? Easy to Moderate overall across most shifts from March 16 to 27, 2026. The March 18 exam was rated slightly harder (Moderate) than other dates. Good attempts ranged from 79 to 84.
Which section was hardest in RRB NTPC CBT 1 2026? General Awareness was consistently rated the most challenging section across both Graduate and UG-level exams. It included a mix of current affairs and static GK that posed difficulty for underprepared candidates.
What was the good attempt range for UG CBT 1 (May 2026)? Based on feedback from the May 7, 8, and 9 exams, good attempts were in the 88 to 90 range overall, with Reasoning being the easiest section.
Does exam analysis include actual questions? No. Per RRB guidelines, exact questions cannot be shared. Analysis covers difficulty level, topic areas tested, and good attempt ranges based on candidate feedback.
How does this analysis help if my exam is in June 2026? The May 2026 UG shifts and March 2026 Graduate shifts establish the difficulty baseline. The June shifts are expected to follow the same easy-to-moderate difficulty pattern. Targeting 90+ in full mocks remains the appropriate preparation benchmark.
Exam analysis data is based on candidate feedback collected across exam shifts, expert review, and official information from Railway Recruitment Boards. Shift-wise difficulty ratings and good attempt ranges are aggregated from multiple post-exam candidate reports. The 2026 Graduate-level analysis covers exams conducted March 16 to 27, 2026. The UG-level analysis covers exams from May 7 to 9, 2026 (Phase 1). June 2026 shift analysis will be updated on this page as exams are conducted.
Stay updated with the latest news and notifications about RRB NTPC CBT 1 Exam Analysis 2026: Difficulty Level, Good Attempts and Section-wise Review and other exams.
ExamUpdateAspirantMitraa
27 May 2026
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24 May 2026
