RRB Group D 2024 Exam Pattern: Check Exam Duration & Marking Scheme

The question paper of RRB Group D CBT is formulated in 15 languages Hindi English Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipur, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. The RRB paper, or Railway Recruitment Board paper, can be in various languages depending on the region or the specific examination. However, the majority of RRB papers are in the official language of the state in which the examination is taking place. For example, if the examination is taking place in Tamil Nadu, the paper is likely to be in Tamil. Likewise, if the exam is taking place in Kolkata, the language of the question paper will be in Bengali. Candidates can opt to choose the exam language while filling the application form.

In RRB Group D exam, there are 25 questions each in General Science and Mathematics. There are 30 questions in the General Intelligence and Reasoning and 20 questions in General Awareness and Current Affairs. We have provided below the topic-wise weightage.

Maths

General Awareness

General Intelligence and Reasoning

General Science

RRB Group D exam pattern is divided into CBT, Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Document Verification and Medical Exam. The CBT is conducted for 100. The PET is qualifying in nature, whereas it is important to qualify the exam. Candidates qualifying the PET are called for document verification and medical exam. The final selection of candidates is done based on the CBT provided they qualify PET, medical exam and document verification. The structure of RRB Group D exam pattern is given below:

Candidates must begin their RRB Group D preparation by going through the exam pattern as it is regarding the overall structure of the test. After going through the exam pattern, candidates should go through the topics given in the syllabus. Candidates should also go through the previous years' question papers to know the types of questions asked in the exam as well as the important topics. The exam pattern of RRB Group D comprises-CBT, Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Document Verification and Medical Exam. The total marks allotted to CBT are 100. The PET is qualifying in nature, however, it is mandatory to clear this stage. The medical exam is conducted to assess whether the candidates is physically fit to perform the job assigned to him. The final empanellment is done based on the performance in CBT provided candidates qualify PET, Document Verification and Medical Exam.

There is a negative marking in the RRB Group D exam. 1/3 of marks are deducted for wrong answers. Candidates for correct answers are awarded one mark. The total marks of candidates are calculated based on the number of correct and incorrect answers. RRB Group D marking scheme is given below.

The percentile score is the normalized score for the examination (instead of the raw marks of the candidate) and is used for the preparation of the merit lists. The percentile score of a candidate for a particular shift is calculated below:

Percentile Score=Number of candidates appeared in the ‘Shift’ with  raw score EQUAL TO or LESS than the candidate/The total number of the candidates who appeared in the ’Shift’ X 1000

The percentile scores for the raw score of all the candidates for all the shifts are merged and called the RRC scores which then is used for the compilation of results and further processing for deciding the merit allocation. The Percentile Scores will be calculated up to 5 decimal places to avoid the bunching effect and reduce ties.

In case of two or more candidates secure same Normalized Percentile Score, their merit position will be determined by age criteria i.e., the older person will be placed at higher merit, and in case age being same, then alphabetical order (A to Z) of the name shall be taken into account to break the tie.

Percentile scores are scores based on the relative performance of all those who appear for the examination. The marks obtained are transformed into a scale ranging from 100 to 0 for each shift of examinees. The percentile score is not the same as the percentage of marks obtained. The percentile score indicates the percentage of candidates that have scored equal to or below (same or lower raw scores) that particular percentile in that examination. Therefore, the topper (the highest score) of each shift will get the same percentile of 100 which is desirable. The marks obtained in between the highest and the lowest scores are also converted to appropriate percentiles. According to the revised marking scheme, the boards have decided to interpolate the raw marks into the base shift. 

‘Base Shift’ is a shift having the ‘the highest Mean’ (Average) among all the shifts of CBT with a condition that its ‘Present Candidate Count’ should be 70 per cent or more than the average of all shifts. In case the ‘the highest Mean’ of two shifts is the same then the shift having ‘the highest Individual Marks’ is considered as ‘Base Shift’.

In case both ‘the highest Mean’ and ‘the highest Individual Marks’ are the same then the shift having ‘the highest Present Candidate Count’ is considered as ‘Base Shift’ to break the tie.

To prepare for RRB Group D exam, candidates can prioritise some important topics that are carries the maximum weightage. The important topics for RRB Group D are given below:

• Mathematics: HCF and LCM, Ratio & Proportion, Mensuration, Time & Distance, Profit & Loss, BODMAS, Percentages, Time & Work, Simple Interest and Compound Interest, Age Calculations
• General Science: Topics from Physics, Chemistry, and Life Sciences
• General Intelligence and Reasoning: Coding-Decoding, Relationships, Alphabetical Series, Venn Diagram, Statement and Conclusion, Numerical Series, Distance, and Directions.
• General Awareness and Current Affairs: Indian History, Sports, Current Affairs, events, important days and events

The standard of the RRB Group D syllabus is of the Class 10 level. Therefore, candidates can refer to their high school books for clearing the basic concepts. The questions asked in the exam are basic and candidates can solve them easily if they have practiced the previous years' question papers. Candidates must also solve the mock tests to know how to attempt an online test. RRB Group D syllabus is given below.

It is ideal to begin preparing for RRB Group D six months prior to the date of the exam. The first and foremost step toward preparation is going through the RRB Group D exam pattern. The exam pattern helps candidates to know the marking scheme, qualifying marks, section-wise topics, total marks, etc. The right time to begin the RRB Group D preparation depends on the current level of knowledge and preparation. Generally, it is best to start early, giving yourself enough time to cover all the topics thoroughly. If candidates are just starting and have solid understanding of the subjects then they can begin their preparation 6 to 12 months before the exam date. This allows for consistent and comprehensive preparation, ensuring that candidates have ample time to practice, revise and build confidence in the exam topics. Candidates should create a study schedule and stay consistent throughout the preparation journey.