Railway Pharmacist Exam Pattern 2026: Marks and Time

The Railway Pharmacist exam pattern is simple: one computer-based test (CBT) of 100 multiple-choice questions for 100 marks, to be solved in 90 minutes. There is negative marking, and the test is followed by document verification and a medical examination.

This page explains the CEN 05/2026 pattern as given in the official notification, what each number means for your strategy, and how final selection works. It also shows what has changed from older paramedical pages that still circulate.

Table of Contents

Exam Pattern at a Glance

CBT Pattern

• Indicative split: The notification calls the section-wise distribution indicative, so the paper may vary slightly.

• Single timer: The 90 minutes apply to the whole paper, so you decide how long each section gets.

• Medium: The paper is offered in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages.

• Scribe: Candidates eligible for a scribe get 120 minutes.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

Every question carries one mark. For each wrong answer, one-third of a mark is deducted. Unanswered questions carry no penalty. The deduction is about 0.33 marks per wrong answer, so a wrong guess costs you more than a skipped question gains you, unless you can eliminate at least one option.

Worked example: if you attempt 90 questions, get 72 right and 18 wrong, your score is 72 minus 6, which is 66 marks.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Pharmacy decides the result: 70 marks come from one section, so a strong technical score is the biggest advantage.

• The small sections are scoring: The remaining 30 marks come from three ten-question sections that need less study time per mark.

• Guess with care: With a one-third penalty, guess only when you can rule out at least one option.

• Under one minute per question: At 100 questions in 90 minutes, you have about 54 seconds each, so aim for quick recall in factual pharmacy questions.

Qualifying Marks

These percentages are the minimum to be considered. They are not the cut-off, which is decided RRB-wise by merit. For PwBD candidates, the notification says the percentage may be relaxed by 2 marks if enough PwBD candidates are not available.

Later Stages

1. Document verification: Candidates are shortlisted RRB-wise in the ratio of the vacancies called.

2. Medical examination: Conducted at document verification against the C2 standard, which includes vision requirements.

3. Empanelment: Based on CBT merit, subject to successful verification and medical fitness.

Merit and Tie-break

Final merit is based only on CBT marks within each RRB. There is no weightage for any other stage. If two candidates score equally, the older candidate ranks higher. If the age is also the same, the alphabetical order of the given name is used.

Time Management in the CBT

1. First pass, about 55 minutes: Answer the pharmacy questions you know at once.

2. Second pass, about 25 minutes: Attempt the general sections, which are quick to solve.

3. Final 10 minutes: Return to marked questions and guess only where you can eliminate options.

Practise this routine in timed tests. You can attempt Railway Pharmacist mock tests on Testkart, then compare your accuracy and time per section after each attempt. The Railway Pharmacist syllabus page lists what each section covers.

Older pages may still show the pattern of earlier paramedical cycles, so follow the official notification on the official RRB website.