Railway Protection Force SI

The RPF SI exam is the recruitment test for Sub-Inspector (Executive) in the Railway Protection Force, the armed force of the Union responsible for protecting railway property, passengers and passenger areas. Recruitment is run by the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) through a Centralized Employment Notification (CEN). The most recent completed cycle is CEN RPF 01/2024.

This page gives you the full picture in one place: vacancy, eligibility, selection stages, CBT pattern, physical standards, pay and a preparation plan. Facts from the 2024 cycle are labelled as such, because no newer official RPF SI notification could be confirmed when this page was prepared (October 2026). Always confirm current details on the official RRB and RPF websites.

Table of Contents

• RPF SI at a glance

• Notification and timeline (CEN RPF 01/2024)

• Vacancy details

• Eligibility

• Application fee and documents

• Selection process

• CBT exam pattern

• PET and PMT standards

• Syllabus summary

• Salary and career growth

• How to prepare for the RPF SI exam

• Cut-off reference

RPF SI at a glance

Notification and timeline (CEN RPF 01/2024)

The 2024 notification covered two posts together: Sub-Inspector under CEN RPF 01/2024 and Constable under CEN RPF 02/2024. The table below shows the dates reported for the SI cycle.

Tentative dates come from news reports and notice listings and can change. Track the RRB notices on rrbcdg.gov.in and your registered email and mobile number for the authoritative schedule.

Is a new RPF SI notification out? No official RPF SI notification for a newer cycle could be confirmed as of 19 October 2026. Some media reports speak of a future RPF recruitment, but vacancy numbers and dates in those reports are expectations, not official facts. Treat them as such until an RRB notice is published.

Vacancy details

The 2024 cycle announced 452 Sub-Inspector posts. The category-wise split reported from the notification is below. Vacancy numbers can be revised, so the figures should be read as indicative.

The male and female split of posts and the zone-wise break-up are given in the official notification and are not reproduced here.

Eligibility

Educational qualification

Candidates need a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. In the 2024 cycle the degree had to be held by the application deadline, so final-year students awaiting results were not treated as eligible. Confirm the exact cut-off date in the notification of the cycle you apply for.

Age limit

The 2024 cycle set the age range at 20 to 28 years, counted from a reference date stated in the notification. Different reports quote 1 July 2024 and 1 August 2024, so check the notification before calculating your age. Upper-age relaxation applies to reserved categories, ex-servicemen and some government employees as per the rules.

Other conditions

• Nationality: Indian citizens.

• Physical standards: Height and chest measurements must meet the standards in the PET and PMT section below.

• Medical fitness: Candidates must meet the medical standard set in the notification.

Application fee and documents

A part of the fee is refunded to candidates who appear in the CBT, after bank charges. The refund amounts reported are Rs. 400 for the Rs. 500 category and Rs. 250 for the Rs. 250 category, but verify this in the notification of the cycle you are applying for.

Keep a scanned photograph, signature, ID proof, and education and category documents ready before the application window opens. Common reasons for rejection are mismatched names across documents, an unclear signature scan and a category certificate that is not in the prescribed format.

Selection process

1. Computer-based test (CBT): A qualifying score is needed, and candidates are shortlisted for the next stage in the ratio laid down in the notification (reported as about ten times the vacancies).

2. Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and Physical Measurement Test (PMT): These are qualifying in nature and do not add marks to the merit. Ex-servicemen are reported to be exempt from PET but must go through PMT.

3. Document verification: Original documents are checked for age, qualification, category and other claims.

The final merit is reported to be prepared on the basis of CBT marks. Successful candidates then go through training and a medical examination as per the rules.

CBT exam pattern

The test is 90 minutes long. Each correct answer earns 1 mark and each wrong answer costs one-third of a mark. Unattempted questions carry no penalty. The minimum qualifying marks reported are 35 percent for UR, OBC and EWS and 30 percent for SC and ST. When the test runs in several shifts, marks are normalised.

What this means for you: General Awareness is the largest section at 50 marks and the easiest to improve with steady reading. Arithmetic and Reasoning together carry 70 marks, so speed in these two decides who clears the shortlisting cut-off.

Older pages may still show the Constable or earlier-cycle pattern, so follow the official notification.

PET and PMT standards

The physical tests reported for the SI (Executive) post are given below. Check the official PET/PMT notice of your cycle, because standards and schedules can be updated.

Syllabus summary

The RRB notification names the three CBT sections but does not publish a topic-wise syllabus. The topics below are drawn from the notification and from questions asked in earlier RPF exams. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list.

Salary and career growth

The Sub-Inspector post is placed at Pay Level 6 of the 7th Pay Commission with a basic pay of Rs. 35,400 per month, as reported for the 2024 cycle. Allowances such as dearness allowance and house rent allowance are paid on top as per central government rules. In-hand salary varies with city and allowances, and any take-home figure you see online is an estimate, not an official number.

The SI post is the entry rank for the executive cadre of the force, with promotions to higher ranks as per the service rules.

How to prepare for the RPF SI exam

With a 90-minute paper and a one-third negative mark, accuracy and time split matter as much as knowledge. A simple plan works well for most graduates.

• Start with Arithmetic and Reasoning: Build basics first, then move to speed drills. These sections reward daily practice.

• Read for General Awareness every day: Keep short monthly notes on current affairs and revise static topics weekly.

• Begin physical practice early: The PET is qualifying, but failing it ends your candidature. Practise the race and jumps from the first month.

• Attempt full-length mocks: Switch to 90-minute full tests in the last phase and review each one the same day.

Cut-off reference

The RRB published the normalised CBT cut-off (scaled to 100) for PET/PMT shortlisting in March 2025. The values below are for the 2024 cycle only and are a benchmark, not a target.

follow notices on the official RRB Secunderabad page for CEN RPF 01/2024 and the official RPF website.