The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) have released the RRB Paramedical Recruitment 2026 notification under CEN No. 05/2026 for 590 vacancies across various medical and paramedical posts.
The recruitment includes Nursing Superintendent, Pharmacist, Health & Malaria Inspector, Lab Assistant, Radiographer/X-Ray Technician, ECG Technician, Optometrist, Dialysis Technician, and Audiologist & Speech Therapist posts.
The online application process begins on 15 September 2026 and eligible candidates can submit their forms until 14 October 2026. Candidates should check the post-wise educational qualification, age limit, vacancy details, application fee, CBT pattern and medical requirements before applying for these Railway paramedical posts.
RRB Paramedical Recruitment 2026 (CEN No. 05/2026) – Overview
590 Para-Medical Category Posts — Nursing Superintendent, Pharmacist, Dialysis Technician, Lab Assistant & More | Apply Online 15 September – 14 October 2026
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| Particulars | Details |
| Organization Name | Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Ministry of Railways, Government of India |
| Recruitment Name | Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) for Various Para-Medical Categories |
| CEN Number | CEN No. 05/2026 |
| Post Names | Nursing Superintendent, Dialysis Technician, Health & Malaria Inspector Gr. II, Audiologist & Speech Therapist, Pharmacist (Entry Grade), Radiographer/X-Ray Technician, ECG Technician, Optometrist, Lab Assistant Gr. II |
| Total Vacancies | 590 Posts |
| Application Mode | Online Mode Only |
| Job Location | All India — Various Railway Zones under different RRBs |
| Selection Process | Computer Based Test (CBT) → Document Verification → Medical Examination |
| Pay Level | Level 3 to Level 7 (7th CPC), post-wise |
| Official Website | rrb.indianrailways.gov.in (Apply at rrbapply.gov.in) |
About This Recruitment
The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, have released the detailed Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 05/2026 for various Para-Medical Category posts, announcing a total of 590 vacancies across nine distinct paramedical disciplines — from Nursing Superintendent to Lab Assistant. This drive is one of the largest paramedical recruitment cycles conducted by Indian Railways in recent years, and offers a great opportunity for nursing, pharmacy, radiography, laboratory, audiology, and other allied health qualified candidates to secure a Central Government job. An earlier indicative notice (8 September 2026) had signalled around 560 tentative posts, which the detailed CEN released on 14 September 2026 has now confirmed at 590 posts.
Important Dates 2026
- Indicative Notice in Employment News: 12 September 2026
- Detailed CEN 05/2026 Released: 14 September 2026
- Online Application Start Date: 15 September 2026
- Last Date for Online Application: 14 October 2026, 23:59 Hrs
- Last Date for Application Fee Payment: 16 October 2026
- Modification Window for Corrections: 17 October – 26 October 2026
- Scribe Details Submission Window: 27 October – 31 October 2026
- CBT Exam Date: To be announced separately via admit card
Key Highlights of This Recruitment
- Covers 9 different paramedical categories — Nursing, Dialysis, Health & Malaria Inspection, Audiology, Pharmacy, Radiography, ECG, Optometry, and Lab Technology
- Nursing Superintendent alone accounts for 365 of the 590 posts — by far the largest category in this CEN
- Application fee is partially refundable — ₹400 out of ₹500 (UR/OBC/EWS) or the full ₹250 (SC/ST/PwBD/ExSM/Female/Transgender/Minorities/EBC) is refunded if the candidate actually appears in the CBT
- A modification/correction window (17–26 October 2026) is provided after the application closes — a useful safety net for minor errors
- Candidates are advised to authenticate identity via DigiLocker or Aadhaar during account creation for smoother verification
Post-Wise Vacancy, Pay Level & Medical Standard
| Post | Pay Level | Initial Pay (₹) | Medical Standard | Total Vacancies |
| Nursing Superintendent | 7 | 44,900 | C1 | 365 |
| Pharmacist (Entry Grade) | 5 | 29,200 | C2 | 118 |
| Health & Malaria Inspector Gr II | 6 | 35,400 | C1 | 43 |
| Lab Assistant Gr. II | 3 | 21,700 | B1 | 31 |
| Radiographer/X-Ray Technician | 5 | 29,200 | B1 | 25 |
| ECG Technician | 4 | 25,500 | C1 | 04 |
| Optometrist | 4 | 25,500 | B1 | 02 |
| Dialysis Technician | 6 | 35,400 | B1 | 01 |
| Audiologist & Speech Therapist | 6 | 35,400 | B1 | 01 |
| Total | — | 590 | ||
Age Limit — Post-Wise (As on 01.01.2027)
| Post | Lower Age | Upper Age (UR/EWS) | Upper Age (OBC-NCL) | Upper Age (SC/ST) |
| Nursing Superintendent | 20 | 40 | 43 | 45 |
| Dialysis Technician | 20 | 33 | 36 | 38 |
| Health & Malaria Inspector Gr II | 18 | 33 | 36 | 38 |
| Audiologist & Speech Therapist | 21 | 30 | 33 | 35 |
| Pharmacist (Entry Grade) | 20 | 35 | 38 | 40 |
| Radiographer/X-Ray Technician | 19 | 33 | 36 | 38 |
| ECG Technician | 18 | 33 | 36 | 38 |
| Optometrist | 18 | 33 | 36 | 38 |
| Lab Assistant Gr. II | 18 | 33 | 36 | 38 |
Age Relaxation: SC/ST — 5 years; OBC (NCL) — 3 years; PwBD (UR/EWS) — 10 years; PwBD (OBC-NCL) — 13 years; PwBD (SC/ST) — 15 years; Ex-Servicemen — as per rules.
Educational Qualification — Post-Wise
| Post | Essential Qualification |
| Nursing Superintendent | Certificate as Registered Nurse and Midwife having passed a 3-year course in General Nursing and Midwifery, OR B.Sc. Nursing. |
| Dialysis Technician | B.Sc. plus (a) Diploma in Haemodialysis, OR (b) two years of satisfactory in-house Training/Experience in Haemodialysis work. |
| Health & Malaria Inspector Gr II | B.Sc. having studied Chemistry as Main/Optional subject + One year Diploma of Health/Sanitary Inspector, OR One year NTC in Health Sanitary Inspector. |
| Audiologist & Speech Therapist | Bachelor in Audiology, Speech Language Pathology (BASLP) from a recognized University, registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). |
| Pharmacist (Entry Grade) | Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy (Allopathic) from a recognized University, registered as Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act 1948, OR Doctor of Pharmacy. |
| Radiographer/X-Ray Technician | 10+2 with Physics and Chemistry, plus Diploma in Radiography/X-Ray Technician/Radiodiagnosis Technology (2-year course). |
| ECG Technician | 10+2/Graduation in Science with Certificate/Diploma/Degree in ECG Laboratory Technology/Cardiology/Cardiology Technician/Cardiology Techniques. |
| Optometrist | B.Sc. in Optometry or Diploma in Ophthalmic Technician (3–4 years duration) with Registration with the concerned Council/licensing body. |
| Lab Assistant Gr. II | 12th (10+2 stage) in Science, plus Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT), OR Certificate Course in Medical Lab Technology. |
Which Post Should You Apply For?
| Candidate Profile | Suitable RRB Paramedical Post |
| Registered Nurse and Midwife / B.Sc Nursing | Nursing Superintendent |
| B.Sc. with Diploma in Haemodialysis | Dialysis Technician |
| B.Sc with Chemistry + Health/Sanitary Inspector Diploma | Health & Malaria Inspector Gr II |
| BASLP with RCI Registration | Audiologist & Speech Therapist |
| Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy | Pharmacist (Entry Grade) |
| 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry + Radiography Diploma | Radiographer/X-Ray Technician |
| 10+2/Graduation in Science + ECG Certificate/Diploma | ECG Technician |
| B.Sc Optometry / Diploma in Ophthalmic Technician | Optometrist |
| 12th in Science + DMLT | Lab Assistant Gr. II |
Application Fee
| All Candidates (UR/OBC/EWS) | ₹500/- (₹400/- refunded on appearing in CBT) |
| SC / ST / Ex-Servicemen / PwBD / Female / Transgender / Minorities / EBC | ₹250/- (Full ₹250/- refunded on appearing in CBT) |
Note: The fee refund applies only to candidates who actually appear in the CBT. EBC (Economically Backward Class) refers to candidates whose annual family income is less than ₹50,000.
Selection Process
- Stage 1 — Computer Based Test (CBT): 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes duration (120 minutes for PwBD candidates eligible for scribe facility)
- Negative Marking: 1/3rd mark deducted for every wrong answer
- Minimum Qualifying Marks: UR/EWS — 40%; OBC(NCL) & SC — 30%; ST — 25%
- Shortlisting for Document Verification is done at the rate of 1:1 of vacancies, based on merit in the CBT
- Stage 2 — Document Verification (DV): Candidates equal to the number of vacancies are called; all original documents must be produced
- Stage 3 — Medical Examination: Conducted by Railway Administration as per the prescribed medical standard for each post (B1/B2/C1/C2, as applicable)
CBT Exam Pattern
| Subject | No. of Questions | Marks |
| Professional Ability | 70 | 70 |
| General Awareness | 10 | 10 |
| General Arithmetic, General Intelligence & Reasoning | 10 | 10 |
| General Science | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Tip: “Professional Ability” (70 out of 100 marks) is entirely based on your specific paramedical discipline — so focus most of your preparation time on your own subject (Nursing/Pharmacy/Radiography/Lab Technology, etc.) rather than spreading effort evenly across all four sections.
How to Apply Online — Step by Step
- Visit the official website: www.rrbapply.gov.in or rrb.indianrailways.gov.in
- Create an Account with RRBs (if not already created) — authenticate via DigiLocker or Aadhaar for smoother verification
- Log in using your credentials and fill up the online application form
- Capture a live photograph and upload your signature as per the specified format
- Upload SC/ST certificate if applicable (needed separately for free train travel pass)
- Select your preferred RRB and indicate preferences for Railway Zones and posts
- Pay the examination fee online through Net Banking/Debit Card/Credit Card/UPI
- Review all details carefully, submit the application, and take a printout for future reference
- Use the Modification Window (17–26 October 2026) if you need to correct any details after submission
Documents Required
- Live photograph (captured during application)
- Signature — JPG/JPEG format, 30 KB to 49 KB
- SC/ST Certificate — PDF format, less than 400 KB (for free train travel pass)
- Educational qualification certificates/mark sheets relevant to the post applied for
- Caste/Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS), if applicable
- PwBD certificate, if applicable
- Ex-Servicemen documents, if applicable
- Valid photo ID — Voter ID/Aadhaar/Driving Licence/PAN Card/Passport
Job Profile — What RRB Paramedical Staff Do
- Nursing Superintendent: Overseeing nursing care and staff at Railway hospitals/health units
- Pharmacist: Dispensing medicines, maintaining pharmacy records at Railway hospitals/dispensaries
- Radiographer/X-Ray Technician: Conducting X-ray and imaging procedures for patient diagnosis
- Lab Assistant Gr. II: Conducting pathology/laboratory tests and maintaining lab records
- ECG Technician: Conducting ECG tests and cardiology-related diagnostic support
- Health & Malaria Inspector: Sanitation inspection and vector-borne disease control at Railway premises
- Optometrist: Eye examination and vision-care services at Railway hospitals
- Dialysis Technician / Audiologist & Speech Therapist: Specialized clinical support in dialysis units and speech/hearing therapy departments
- All posts offer postings across various Railway Zones/hospitals throughout India, with standard Central Government service benefits
Important Instructions
- Applications must be submitted through online mode only — no offline/paper applications accepted
- Ensure your Aadhaar Name and Date of Birth exactly match your 10th class certificate before applying, to avoid delays during verification
- Keep all educational and category certificates ready in advance since the vacancy figures and details in the detailed CEN may vary slightly from earlier indicative notices
- The email ID and mobile number used during registration should remain active throughout the recruitment process for all future communication
- Any addendum/corrigendum related to this CEN will be published only on the official RRB websites — check regularly
Important Links |
|
| Apply Online (CEN 05/2026) | Click Here (Active 15 Sep – 14 Oct 2026) |
| Official Notification | click here for pdf |
| Official Website | Click Here |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Q. How many total vacancies are there in RRB Paramedical Recruitment 2026? 590 vacancies across 9 paramedical categories, as per the detailed CEN 05/2026 released on 14 September 2026.
- Q. When can I apply online? From 15 September 2026 to 14 October 2026 (23:59 hrs).
- Q. What is the selection process? Computer Based Test (CBT), followed by Document Verification and Medical Examination.
- Q. Is there negative marking in the CBT? Yes, 1/3rd mark is deducted for every wrong answer.
- Q. What is the application fee? ₹500 for UR/OBC/EWS (₹400 refunded on appearing in CBT) and ₹250 for SC/ST/PwBD/ExSM/Female/Transgender/Minorities/EBC (fully refunded on appearing in CBT).
- Q. Which post has the highest vacancy? Nursing Superintendent, with 365 out of the total 590 posts.
- Q. What is the age limit? Varies post-wise from 18 to 45 years (category-wise), as on 01.01.2027.