Indian Railways has clarified concerns raised by candidates regarding the shortlisting process (for 2nd stage) of Non Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) under the Railway Recruitment Board’s (RRB) Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) No. 01/2019 (for Non-Technical Popular Categories – Graduate and Under-graduate).
Results were announced on January 14,2022. To address eight different types of concerns raised by candidates, Ministry of Railways clarified as follows:-
| Sl No. | Concerns | Clarification |
| 1 | Candidates have expressed concern on level wise and post wise result declaration. | The procedure for shortlisting of candidates for the second stage computer based test (CBT) had already been given elaborately under Para 13 of the original notification i.e., CEN 01/2019 published on 28.02.2019. In this employment notification, thirteen categories were advertised which were open to graduates and six of these for under-graduates. These thirteen categories were segregated into five groups based on 7th CPC pay-scale levels (viz., Levels 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) and the stage-wise procedure of recruitment for each category has already been indicated clearly in para 13.6 of the CEN. Every candidate was free to opt for all or any of these thirteen categories subject to conditions of eligibility. The result is strictly as per provision laid down in notification. |
| 2 | Concerns have been expressed that the Railway Board had in the exam notification mentioned that CBT stage 1 will be qualifying exam and candidates 20 times the vacancies will be shortlisted for CBT 2. | While the first stage CBT was a common examination for all the candidates, Para 13.2 of the notification clearly states that in the 2nd stage CBT there would be a separate examination for each group (viz., Levels 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) with differing graded levels of difficulty. Accordingly, all posts falling within the same level shall have a common 2nd stage CBT. Therefore, if a candidate is eligible and has opted for more than one level (as per educational qualification), he/she will have to appear in the corresponding 2nd stage CBT for each level as given in Para 13.6 since the standard (difficulty level) for each group of posts will be different (i.e., of graduate or under-graduate level). |
| 3 | Short listing should be done for 7 lakh candidates not 7 lakh roll numbers | Nowhere was it mentioned that 7 lakh distinct candidates will get shortlisted for 2nd stage CBT. Since a 2nd Stage consists of CBT of five different levels and a candidate can be shortlisted for more than one level as per eligibility, merit and option, the lists of 7 lakh roll numbers will have some names appearing in more than one list. |
| 4 | RRBs have shortlisted candidates only 4-5 times of notified vacancies | The short listing has been done level/post wise at the rate of 20 times notified vacancies as elaborated in para 13 of notification. The lists contain about 7 lakh roll numbers which is 20 times notified vacancies of about 35000. |
| 5 | Ten candidates used to fight for one post now one candidate will fight for 10 posts | Finally, about 35000 distinct candidates will be selected and one candidate will be appointed against only one post depending upon merit and preference. Hence no post will remain vacant. |
| 6 | Some candidates have been declared qualified for more than one level. | Since each level will have separate 2nd stage CBT with graded difficultly, a candidate who has been short listed for higher level post cannot be debarred from appearing in CBT of lower level if the candidate is otherwise coming in merit. |
| 7 | Cut offs are very high | The Cut offs have been prepared on the basis of normalized marks that are normally higher than raw score. Also cut off depends upon the number of vacancies notified for that level/post. Since about 10,500 vacancies have been notified for 10+2 candidates across 21 RRBs as against about 35000 where Graduate candidates are eligible, cut offs for 10+2 have been higher than Graduate candidates based on normalized score. |
| 8 | Graduate candidates are getting undue benefit of becoming eligible for both Graduate and 10+2 level posts. Had there been different notifications for Graduate and 10+2 level posts as used to be done earlier, they would have to succeed in two different exams. | The integration of recruitments for Graduate and 10+2 level posts have been done to save time and energy. Also, standards of CBT 1 have been been kept of 10+2 level so as to not to put disadvantage to 10+2 level students and it is only in CBT 2 that standards will be different across levels. |
