The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) have released the detailed notification for the Isolated Categories recruitment under Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 09/2026. A total of 191 vacancies will be filled across seven posts, and online applications are open from 5 November 2026 to 4 December 2026 at 11:59 PM through the RRB application portal, rrbapply.gov.in. The detailed notification was published on 5 November 2026, and it replaces the indicative notice that had appeared in Employment News on 24 October 2026. Candidates should note the corrected vacancy total: the indicative notice had suggested about 195 posts, but the detailed CEN confirms 191 vacancies, and 191 is the figure used in this post.
The seven posts cover a wide range of qualifications. The largest share belongs to Junior Translator (Hindi) with 79 posts, followed by Lab Assistant Grade III (Chemist and Metallurgist) with 36 posts and Staff and Welfare Inspector with 27 posts. There are also posts for law graduates — Chief Law Assistant with 17 posts and Public Prosecutor with 21 — along with Senior Publicity Inspector with 8 posts and Scientific Assistant (Training) with 3 posts. The pay runs from Level 2, with an initial pay of Rs. 19,900, to Level 7, with an initial pay of Rs. 44,900. Selection is through a single-stage computer-based test, followed for Junior Translator (Hindi) by a qualifying Translation Test, and then document verification and a medical examination.
Candidates can apply to only one Railway Recruitment Board under this notification. The notification is clear that multiple applications to the same or different RRBs will lead to rejection and possible debarment, so candidates must choose their RRB carefully before submitting. The RRB-wise and Railway or Production Unit-wise distribution of the vacancies is given in Annexure B of the notification, and candidates should check it before choosing an RRB, because the same post may have different numbers of vacancies in different boards. The vacancies are provisional and may increase or decrease according to the requirements of the Railway Administration.
RRB Isolated Categories CEN 09/2026: Overview
| Conducting Authority | Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Ministry of Railways |
|---|---|
| Notification | Centralised Employment Notification (CEN) No. 09/2026 |
| Posts | Isolated Categories — 7 posts |
| Total Vacancies | 191 (provisional) |
| Indicative Notice | Employment News, 24 October 2026 (about 195 posts) |
| Detailed Notification Released | 5 November 2026 |
| Online Applications | 5 November to 4 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | 6 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Modification Window | 7 to 16 December 2026 |
| Application Mode | Online only, at rrbapply.gov.in |
| Official Websites | rrbapply.gov.in, rrb.indianrailways.gov.in |
The modification window from 7 to 16 December 2026 allows corrections to the submitted application, but two details cannot be modified in that window: the “Create an Account” details and the “Chosen RRB”. Candidates should therefore get those two right at the time of submission, because they cannot be changed later even during the correction window.
RRB Isolated Categories Vacancy 2026: Post-Wise Details
| Post | Department | Pay Level | Initial Pay (Rs.) | Medical Standard | Age Limit | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Law Assistant | Personnel | Level 7 | 44,900 | C1 | 18–40 years | 17 |
| Public Prosecutor | Personnel | Level 7 | 44,900 | C1 | 18–32 years | 21 |
| Senior Publicity Inspector | Commercial | Level 6 | 35,400 | C1 | 18–33 years | 8 |
| Junior Translator / Hindi | Personnel | Level 6 | 35,400 | C2 | 18–33 years | 79 |
| Staff and Welfare Inspector | Personnel | Level 6 | 35,400 | C1 | 18–33 years | 27 |
| Scientific Assistant (Training) | RDSO | Level 6 | 35,400 | B1 | 18–35 years | 3 |
| Lab Assistant Grade III (Chemist & Metallurgist) | Mechanical (CMT) | Level 2 | 19,900 | B1 | 18–30 years | 36 |
| Total | 191 | |||||
The arithmetic checks out: 17 + 21 + 8 + 79 + 27 + 3 + 36 equals 191. Junior Translator (Hindi) alone accounts for more than 40% of the vacancies, and together with Lab Assistant Grade III it accounts for 115 of the 191 posts. The medical standards — C1, C2 and B1 — are the railway medical categories prescribed for each post, and candidates must meet the standard for the post they apply for at the medical examination stage.
RRB Isolated Categories 2026: Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Indicative Notice in Employment News | 24 October 2026 |
| Detailed Notification (CEN 09/2026) Released | 5 November 2026 |
| Online Application Opens | 5 November 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 4 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | 6 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Application Modification Window | 7 to 16 December 2026 |
| CBT Exam Date | To be announced |
The computer-based test date has not been announced in the detailed notification, and no exam date is stated in this post. Candidates should watch the RRB websites for the exam schedule after the application window closes.
RRB Isolated Categories 2026: Application Fee
The application fee is Rs. 500 for all candidates except those in the Rs. 250 category. Of the Rs. 500, an amount of Rs. 400 is refunded, after bank charges, to candidates who appear in the computer-based test. The fee is Rs. 250 for SC, ST, ex-servicemen, persons with benchmark disabilities, female, transgender, minority and economically backward class candidates, and the full Rs. 250 is refunded, after bank charges, to candidates in this category who appear in the test. Payment is online only, through internet banking, debit or credit card, or UPI. The refund is tied to appearing in the examination — a candidate who pays the fee but does not appear in the test does not get the refund.
RRB Isolated Categories 2026: Age Limit
The age limit is reckoned as on 1 January 2027. The age range differs by post: 18 to 40 years for Chief Law Assistant, 18 to 32 years for Public Prosecutor, 18 to 33 years for Senior Publicity Inspector, Junior Translator (Hindi) and Staff and Welfare Inspector, 18 to 35 years for Scientific Assistant (Training), and 18 to 30 years for Lab Assistant Grade III. The notification gives the corresponding date-of-birth limits for each age band, and candidates should check the limit for their own post rather than assuming a common range.
Age relaxation is available as per the rules in the notification. SC and ST candidates get 5 years and OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates get 3 years. Persons with benchmark disabilities get 10, 13 or 15 years depending on category. Ex-servicemen get relaxation after deducting their service, and serving railway Group C and Group D staff with three or more years of service can apply up to a maximum age of 40, 43 or 45 years depending on category. Widowed and divorced women get relaxation up to 35, 38 or 40 years. The relaxations are not cumulative — only the maximum applicable relaxation applies. SC/ST and OBC candidates who apply against unreserved vacancies get no age relaxation.
RRB Isolated Categories 2026: Eligibility and Qualification
The qualifications must be held by the closing date of the application window, and candidates who are awaiting their final results should not apply. The essential qualification for each post is given in Annexure A of the notification, and the summary below follows it.
| Post | Essential Qualification |
|---|---|
| Chief Law Assistant | University degree in Law with 3 years’ standing practice as a Pleader at the Bar. Serving railway employees who are law graduates with at least 5 years in any branch of Railway Administration are also eligible, and direct-recruitment vacancies are also open to Railway Magistrates who fulfil the prescribed qualification. |
| Public Prosecutor | Bachelor’s degree in Law from a recognised university, with five years’ standing as an advocate at the Bar. |
| Senior Publicity Inspector | Degree from a recognised university plus a diploma in Public Relations, Advertising, Journalism or Mass Communication from a recognised institution or university. Two years’ experience in related fields is desirable. |
| Junior Translator / Hindi | Master’s degree in Hindi or English with the other language as a compulsory or elective subject or as the medium at degree level, or a Master’s degree in any other subject with Hindi or English as the medium and the other as a compulsory or elective subject or medium at degree level, or a Master’s degree in any other subject with Hindi and English as compulsory or elective subjects at degree level; AND a recognised diploma or certificate course in translation (Hindi–English and vice versa), OR 2 years’ translation experience in Central or State Government offices, including Government of India undertakings. |
| Staff and Welfare Inspector | Graduation plus any one of: a diploma in Labour or Social Welfare; a diploma in Labour Laws; an LLB with papers in Labour Laws; a PG diploma in Personnel Management; an MBA with papers in Personnel Management; an MBA in HR; or a PG diploma in Human Resource Management whose curriculum includes relevant Personnel Management papers, from an institution recognised by the Government of India. |
| Scientific Assistant (Training) | Master’s degree in Psychology with 50% marks in aggregate. Desirable: specialisation in Industrial, Organisational or Clinical Psychology, experience in organising counselling or guidance programmes, and working knowledge of computers. |
| Lab Assistant Grade III (Chemist & Metallurgist) | 12th (+2 stage) or equivalent with Science (Physics and Chemistry) as subjects, or equivalent. |
The Junior Translator post has the most detailed eligibility in the notification, because it combines a language-combination condition at the Master’s and degree levels with a translation qualification or experience condition. Candidates for that post should read Annexure A in full and check both conditions against their own degrees before applying, since a Master’s degree alone is not enough without the translation diploma, certificate or experience.
RRB Isolated Categories 2026: Selection Process and Exam Pattern
Selection is through a single-stage computer-based test, followed as applicable by a Translation Test and then document verification and a medical examination. There is no second written stage and no interview in this recruitment. The computer-based test has 100 objective multiple-choice questions, carries 100 marks, and runs for 90 minutes — 120 minutes for candidates eligible for a scribe. Each question carries 1 mark, and there is negative marking of one-third of a mark for every wrong answer.
For all posts except Junior Translator (Hindi), the test is divided into five sections: Professional Ability with 50 questions for 50 marks, General Awareness with 15, General Intelligence and Reasoning with 15, Mathematics with 10, and General Science with 10. The minimum qualifying marks in the computer-based test are 40% for unreserved and EWS candidates, 30% for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) and SC candidates, and 25% for ST candidates. For persons with benchmark disabilities, the qualifying marks can be relaxed by 2 marks if there is a shortage of candidates.
For Junior Translator (Hindi), the computer-based test is followed by a Translation Test. At least 50% of the computer-based test questions for this post test language proficiency — 20% English and 30% Hindi. Candidates equal to 10 times the number of vacancies are called for the Translation Test on the basis of their merit in the computer-based test. The Translation Test is qualifying only, with a pass mark of 60%, and the final merit is based on the computer-based test alone. Document verification calls candidates equal to the number of vacancies, in merit order. Ties are resolved first by older age and then alphabetically, from A to Z, by given name. Empanelment follows merit, document verification and medical fitness.
How to Apply for RRB Isolated Categories CEN 09/2026
- Visit the RRB application portal at rrbapply.gov.in and read the detailed notification, CEN No. 09/2026, in full before starting.
- Create an account on the portal. Remember that the account details cannot be changed later, even during the modification window.
- Choose one Railway Recruitment Board only. Check the RRB-wise vacancy distribution in Annexure B of the notification before choosing, and remember that the chosen RRB also cannot be changed later.
- Fill in the application form for the post you are eligible for, and upload the photograph, signature and documents in the prescribed format and size.
- Pay the application fee online — Rs. 500, or Rs. 250 if you belong to a category covered by the lower fee — by 6 December 2026 at 11:59 PM.
- Submit the form before 4 December 2026 at 11:59 PM, and save the submitted application and the fee payment receipt for your records.
- If you need to correct anything, use the modification window from 7 to 16 December 2026, keeping in mind that the account details and the chosen RRB cannot be modified.
Candidates should apply only through rrbapply.gov.in. Any other website claiming to accept applications for CEN 09/2026 is not the official portal. Candidates should also keep their registered mobile number and email address active, since the RRBs send the exam city details, admit card information and other communications through those channels.
Important Links
| Link | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Notification PDF — CEN 09/2026 | 59-page detailed notification, official RRB apply portal |
| Apply Online — RRB Apply Portal | Online application, last date 4 December 2026 |
| RRB Official Website | rrb.indianrailways.gov.in — all RRBs |
The notification PDF link above is the official CEN 09/2026 document hosted on rrbapply.gov.in, and the same link is listed on the portal homepage under Latest Updates with an Apply button and the closing date of 4 December 2026.
FAQs — RRB Isolated Categories Recruitment 2026
How many vacancies are there in RRB Isolated Categories CEN 09/2026?
There are 191 vacancies across seven posts. Junior Translator (Hindi) has the highest number with 79 posts, followed by Lab Assistant Grade III with 36 and Staff and Welfare Inspector with 27. The earlier indicative notice had suggested about 195 posts, but the detailed notification confirms 191.
What is the last date to apply for RRB Isolated Categories 2026?
The last date to apply online is 4 December 2026 at 11:59 PM, through rrbapply.gov.in. The last date for fee payment is 6 December 2026 at 11:59 PM.
What is the application fee for RRB CEN 09/2026?
The fee is Rs. 500 for most candidates and Rs. 250 for SC, ST, ex-servicemen, persons with benchmark disabilities, female, transgender, minority and economically backward class candidates. The fee is refunded after bank charges to candidates who appear in the computer-based test — Rs. 400 of the Rs. 500, and the full Rs. 250 for the lower-fee category.
What is the age limit for RRB Isolated Categories 2026?
The age limit is reckoned as on 1 January 2027 and differs by post, from 18 to 30 years for Lab Assistant Grade III to 18 to 40 years for Chief Law Assistant. Relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) applies, along with the other relaxations given in the notification.
What is the exam pattern for RRB Isolated Categories 2026?
There is a single-stage computer-based test of 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes, with negative marking of one-third of a mark per wrong answer. For Junior Translator (Hindi) there is also a qualifying Translation Test with a 60% pass mark. There is no interview.
Can I apply to more than one RRB for CEN 09/2026?
No. A candidate can submit one online application to only one Railway Recruitment Board. Multiple applications to the same or different RRBs will lead to rejection and possible debarment.
What is the qualification for Junior Translator (Hindi)?
A Master’s degree in Hindi or English with the other language as a compulsory or elective subject or as the medium at degree level, or an equivalent combination given in the notification, plus a recognised diploma or certificate in Hindi–English translation or 2 years’ translation experience in a Central or State Government office, including a Government of India undertaking.
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When will the RRB Isolated Categories CBT be held?
The exam date has not been announced in the detailed notification. Candidates should watch rrbapply.gov.in and the RRB websites for the exam schedule after the application window closes.