RRB Technician Syllabus 2026: Grade I Signal and Grade III Subject-wise Topics
The RRB Technician syllabus depends on the post you apply for. In the CEN 02/2026 cycle, Technician Grade I Signal and Technician Grade III sit the same 100-question Computer Based Test format, but the subjects and their weightage differ. Knowing which paper you are preparing for saves weeks of effort.
The notification names the subjects, and the exact topic-wise syllabus is not published in detail. The topic lists below are built from the subject names in the notification and from the areas that commonly appear in railway technical recruitment papers. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list.
Table of Contents
Syllabus at a glance
Subject | Grade I Signal | Grade III |
|---|---|---|
Mathematics | 20 questions | 25 questions |
General Intelligence and Reasoning | 15 questions | 25 questions |
General Science | Not a separate section | 40 questions |
Basic Science and Engineering | 35 questions | Not a separate section |
Basics of Computers and Applications | 20 questions | Not a separate section |
General Awareness | 10 questions | 10 questions |
Each paper has 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes. For marking details, see the RRB Technician exam pattern page.
Key points to know first
Pick your paper: Grade I Signal and Grade III are different papers. Do not prepare from a mixed list.
Level of questions: Maths and science are generally at Class 10 level, and Grade I Signal technical questions go to diploma or B.Sc. basics.
Official check: Older pages may still show earlier-cycle sections, so confirm the section list in the official CEN 02/2026 notification on rrbapply.gov.in.
Grade III syllabus
General Science is the biggest section at 40 questions, so it deserves the largest share of your time.
Section | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
General Science (40) | Physics: motion, force, work, energy, heat, light, sound, electricity and magnetism, simple machines. Chemistry: matter, atoms and molecules, acids, bases and salts, metals and non-metals, carbon compounds. Life science: cells, human body, nutrition, diseases, environment | Electricity, force and motion, acids and bases |
Mathematics (25) | Number system, BODMAS, fractions and decimals, percentage, ratio and proportion, average, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time and distance, mensuration, algebra basics, geometry | Percentage, ratio, time and work |
General Intelligence and Reasoning (25) | Analogies, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogism, Venn diagrams, mathematical operations, statements and conclusions, puzzles | Series, analogies, coding-decoding |
General Awareness (10) | Current affairs of the last six months, Indian Railways basics, Indian polity, geography, history, sports, awards, important days | Current affairs, railway facts |
Where the marks are
Science and maths together make up 65 of the 100 marks. A candidate who is solid in these two and accurate in reasoning can build a strong score even with an average General Awareness result.
Grade I Signal syllabus
Grade I Signal places more weight on technical understanding. Basic Science and Engineering alone carries 35 marks.
Section | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
Basic Science and Engineering (35) | Physics and chemistry fundamentals, units and measurements, electrical basics (Ohm's law, resistance, circuits, AC and DC), magnetism, basic electronics (diodes, transistors, logic gates), engineering materials, tools and measuring instruments, basic mechanics and thermodynamics | Circuits, units, basic electronics |
Basics of Computers and Applications (20) | Computer organisation, input and output devices, memory, operating systems, number systems, networking basics, internet and email, MS Office applications, basic security and cyber awareness | Hardware, memory, number systems |
Mathematics (20) | Number system, percentage, ratio, averages, profit and loss, time and work, mensuration, algebra, basic trigonometry, data interpretation | Percentage, mensuration, algebra |
General Intelligence and Reasoning (15) | Analogies, series, coding-decoding, directions, syllogism, Venn diagrams, non-verbal reasoning | Series, coding-decoding |
General Awareness (10) | Current affairs, Indian Railways, polity, sports, awards, science news | Recent months' current affairs |
Technical topics worth extra attention
Electrical and electronics basics: These appear across both Basic Science and Engineering and Computers, so one clear concept earns marks in two places.
Number systems in computers: Binary, octal and hexadecimal conversion questions are quick marks once practised.
Units and instruments: Questions on units, least count and measuring tools are short and scoring.
Overlap between the two papers
Area | Grade I Signal | Grade III | How to plan |
|---|---|---|---|
Mathematics | 20 questions | 25 questions | Same core topics; study once, practise at your own question count |
Reasoning | 15 questions | 25 questions | Same question types; Grade III needs more volume |
Science | 35 (technical) | 40 (general) | Shared school-level base, then diverge |
General Awareness | 10 questions | 10 questions | Identical preparation |
How to cover the syllabus
Weeks 1 to 4, foundation: Finish Class 8 to 10 science and core maths topics from NCERT. Make short notes and a formula sheet.
Weeks 3 to 6, reasoning and awareness: Add 30 minutes of reasoning daily and begin a monthly current-affairs notebook.
Weeks 5 to 8, technical depth: Grade I Signal candidates should cover electrical, electronics and computer topics. Grade III candidates should deepen science with chapter-wise question practice.
Weeks 8 onward, tests and revision: Move to sectional tests, then full-length mocks, with same-day analysis and error-log revision.
Frequently Asked Questions
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