RPF SI Syllabus: Topic-Wise CBT Syllabus and Study Plan
The RPF SI syllabus covers three sections in the computer-based test: General Awareness, Arithmetic and General Intelligence and Reasoning. The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) name these sections in the Centralized Employment Notification but do not publish a topic-wise list. This page turns the section names into a practical checklist so you know what to study and where to start.
Honesty note: The topic lists below are built from the official notification (CEN RPF 01/2024, the latest completed cycle) and from the kind of questions asked in earlier RPF exams. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list. The physical tests have fixed standards, which are listed in the notification and summarised at the end.
Table of Contents
RPF SI syllabus at a glance
Key points to know before you start
General Awareness syllabus
Arithmetic syllabus
Reasoning syllabus
Is there a syllabus for PET, PMT and document verification?
How to cover the syllabus in phases
RPF SI syllabus at a glance
Section | Questions | Marks | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
General Awareness | 50 | 50 | Graduation level, current-affairs heavy |
Arithmetic | 35 | 35 | Basic to moderate |
General Intelligence and Reasoning | 35 | 35 | Basic to moderate |
Total | 120 | 120 | 90 minutes, one-third negative marking |
The section-wise questions and marks follow the 2024 cycle.
Key points to know before you start
General Awareness is the biggest section: It carries 50 of 120 marks, more than either of the other two sections.
There is no separate subject paper: Unlike some state exams, there is no degree-level subject test, so a graduate of any stream can prepare from the same topic list.
Some websites mix up posts: Pages written for the Constable post or older cycles may show a different pattern. Follow the SI notification.
Topic lists on third-party sites differ: Whether General Science is listed separately or inside General Awareness varies. Treat science as part of General Awareness and prepare it at Class 10 level.
General Awareness syllabus
This section tests how well you follow the world around you and how much static knowledge you retain. It is easier to score in than the other sections if you build a daily habit.
Area | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Current affairs | National and international events, government schemes, appointments, awards, summits, defence and railway news | Last 6 to 8 months of monthly compilations |
Sports and culture | Major tournaments, trophies, Indian sports achievements, dance, music, festivals, personalities | Recent tournaments and awards |
Polity and economy | Constitution basics, fundamental rights, institutions, budget, banking terms, major economic concepts | Constitution and parliament |
History and geography | Freedom struggle, modern India, Indian rivers, states and capitals, resources, climate | Freedom struggle and Indian geography |
General science | Physics, chemistry and biology at Class 10 level; everyday science; science and technology news | Life sciences and basic physics |
Railway and security awareness | Indian Railways basics, major projects, railway zones, and the role of the force | Railway zones and recent projects |
Questions on current affairs and sports usually repay the most revision per hour, because they are asked in direct form. Static topics such as polity and geography are best revised in short weekly cycles. Pick one reliable source and one monthly compilation, rather than reading many.
How to make General Awareness notes
Keep one page per month for current affairs and one table per static topic. Revise the page the day after you write it, then again at the end of the week. A running list of wrong answers from mock tests is also useful.
Arithmetic syllabus
Arithmetic questions are based on school-level maths up to Class 10. Speed comes from knowing tables, squares and percentage-fraction equivalents.
Topic group | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Number work | Number system, BODMAS, fractions, decimals, square and cube roots, LCM and HCF, divisibility | BODMAS and number system |
Ratio and percentage | Ratio and proportion, percentages, averages, partnership, mixtures and alligation | Percentages |
Commercial maths | Profit and loss, discount, simple and compound interest | Profit and loss |
Time based | Time and work, pipes and cisterns, time, speed and distance, trains, boats and streams | Time and work |
Geometry and mensuration | Lines, angles, triangles, circles, areas and volumes of common figures | Area and perimeter |
Basic algebra and statistics | Simple equations, identities, basic trigonometry, data tables, bar graphs, mean and median | Simple equations |
High-weight topics in most RPF papers are percentages, profit and loss, time and work, time and distance, and simple and compound interest. Master these five before spending time on geometry and trigonometry. Keep a formula sheet and revise it every week.
Reasoning syllabus
The reasoning section checks logic and pattern recognition. Most topics are scoring if you practise them in timed sets.
Type | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Verbal reasoning | Analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, alphabet tests, ranking and order | Series and analogy |
Relationships and directions | Blood relations, direction sense, seating arrangement, calendar and clock | Blood relations and directions |
Logical reasoning | Syllogism, statements and conclusions, statements and assumptions, decision making, Venn diagrams | Syllogism and Venn diagrams |
Numerical reasoning | Mathematical operations, missing numbers, data interpretation and data sufficiency | Mathematical operations |
Non-verbal reasoning | Figure series, mirror and water images, paper folding, embedded figures (asked occasionally) | Series of figures |
Because reasoning and arithmetic together carry 70 marks, a candidate who finishes both quickly gets extra time for General Awareness. Practise in blocks of 20 minutes per section to build that rhythm.
Overlap with other railway exams
If you are also preparing for other railway or police recruitments, much of the same maths and reasoning carries over. The table shows where to plan separate effort.
Area | RPF SI CBT | Other graduate-level exams | How to plan |
|---|---|---|---|
Arithmetic | 35 questions, school-level | Often higher level with advanced maths | Cover the common core once, then add depth only if needed |
Reasoning | 35 questions, verbal and numerical | Similar but with more non-verbal | One reasoning routine serves both |
General Awareness | 50 questions, current-affairs heavy | Varies by exam | Add exam-specific static topics separately |
Is there a syllabus for PET, PMT and document verification?
These are not written tests, so there is no academic syllabus. They have fixed standards instead. For the SI (Executive) post, the 2024 notification reported a 1600 m race in 6 minutes 30 seconds for men and an 800 m race in 4 minutes for women, along with a long jump and high jump. Height and chest standards apply in the PMT. Verify standards in the official PET/PMT notice of the cycle you apply for, which is posted on RRB Secunderabad page for CEN RPF 01/2024.
How to cover the syllabus in phases
Weeks 1 to 6, foundation: Complete number work, percentages and basic reasoning topics. Start a daily 30-minute current-affairs habit and begin running three to four days a week.
Weeks 7 to 12, coverage: Finish commercial maths, time-based topics, logical reasoning and static General Awareness. Take topic-wise tests after each topic.
Weeks 13 to 16, practice: Move to sectional tests of 20 to 25 minutes. Build a formula sheet and an error log.
Final phase, mocks: Attempt full 90-minute tests, review them the same day and revise only your error log and monthly current-affairs notes.
Keep study notes for RPF SI for quick revision in the last month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to practice? Explore RPF SI mock tests from top educators.
Browse RPF SI Mock Tests