Phase 1: The Advance City Intimation Slip

• Activation Window: This digital document is activated approximately 10 to 15 days prior to the commencement of your scheduled examination block.
• Information Displayed: It provides a macroscopic view of your exam schedule, revealing your assigned Exam City, the exact Date of Examination, and your specific Shift Timing.
• Strategic Concealment: It deliberately conceals the name and exact pinpoint address of your specific test center to prevent tampering.
• Primary Utility: The sole purpose of the City Slip is to allow outstation candidates sufficient time to book their train or bus tickets and secure local accommodation.
• SC/ST Travel Authority: For candidates belonging to the SC and ST categories who opted for the free travel facility during their initial application, the City Slip dynamically integrates the Free Sleeper Class Railway Pass (Travel Authority). This pass must be printed and physically presented to the Ticket Examiner along with the original caste certificate during travel.
• Warning: The City Intimation Slip is NOT your hall ticket. It cannot be used to gain entry into the examination center under any circumstances.

Phase 2: The Definitive E-Call Letter (Admit Card)

• The 96-Hour Rule: The download link for this critical document is programmed to activate strictly 4 days (96 hours) prior to your individual exam date. If your City Slip indicates that your CBT-2 is scheduled for October 25th, your admit card download button will only become active on October 21st.
• Contained Information: The E-Call Letter is your official, inviolable entry mandate. It contains the exact geolocation of your TCS iON digital zone or partner college, your unique roll number, a specialized barcode/QR code for mandatory biometric scanning, your reporting time, and the strict gate closing time.

1. Navigate to your Regional RRB Hub: Open a secure web browser and visit the specific regional website of the RRB zone you applied to (e.g., rrbsecunderabad.gov.in for RRB Secunderabad or rrbcdg.gov.in for RRB Chandigarh). Do not rely on third-party unofficial websites.
2. Locate the Active Notice Link: On the regional homepage, scan the latest updates ticker or the dedicated CEN (Centralized Employment Notice) section for a flashing link that reads: "Click here to Download City Intimation Slip / E-Call Letter for CBT-2 / CBAT against CEN 01/2026 (ALP) or CEN 06/2026 (NTPC)".
3. Secure Redirection: Clicking this link will redirect you to the encrypted rrb.digialm.com candidate login portal.
4. Enter Authoritative Credentials: Input your unique Registration Number in the first field. In the password field, enter your User Password, which is exclusively your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format without any slashes or spaces (e.g., if you were born on July 5, 1998, enter 05071998).
5. Captcha Verification: Accurately solve the alphanumeric captcha code displayed on the screen to verify human interaction, then click the "Login" button.
6. Accessing the Dashboard: Upon successful login, you will see a candidate dashboard featuring multiple tabs. Click on the "City Slip" tab to view your exam city and date. If your exam date falls within the next 4 days, an additional tab labeled "E-Call Letter" will be visible.
7. Download and Print: Click on the E-Call Letter tab and press the download icon. Save the generated PDF document securely to your device. It is an absolute mandate to print this document clearly on standard A4 paper. While black and white prints are accepted, a color printout is highly recommended to ensure the facial recognition algorithms at the exam center can process your photograph without delay.

ALP CBT-2 (Part A): The Merit Generator

• Structure: Part A consists of 100 objective-type questions to be completed in 90 minutes.
• Syllabus Scope: The questions cover Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, and a highly challenging section dedicated to Basic Science and Engineering. This latter section includes topics like Engineering Drawing, Projections, Views, Instruments, Lines, Geometric figures, Units, Measurements, Mass Weight and Density, Work Power and Energy, Speed and Velocity, Heat and Temperature, Basic Electricity, Levers and Simple Machines, Occupational Safety and Health, Environment Education, and IT Literacy.
• The Stakes: The normalized marks scored in Part A alone are utilized to dictate your progression to the subsequent stages of the recruitment process. It is the absolute core of your merit standing.

ALP CBT-2 (Part B): The Qualifying Trade Test

• Structure: Part B consists of 75 questions to be completed in 60 minutes.
• Syllabus Scope: This section strictly adheres to the trade syllabus prescribed by the Director General of Training (DGT). Candidates answer questions based on the specific technical trade they selected during their application (e.g., Electrician, Fitter, Mechanic Diesel, Electronics Mechanic).
• The Crucial Qualifier: Part B is strictly qualifying in nature. However, a candidate must secure a minimum of 35% marks in this section. This 35% threshold is absolute; no relaxation is provided for any category (including SC/ST/OBC). If you score a brilliant 95/100 in Part A but fail to achieve 35% in Part B, you are immediately eliminated from the entire recruitment process.

The CBAT (Computer Based Aptitude Test)

Candidates who clear CBT-2 (qualifying Part B and scoring high in Part A) are shortlisted for the CBAT at a ratio of 8 times the total ALP vacancies. The CBAT is a psychological evaluation designed by the RDSO to ensure candidates possess the cognitive reflexes required to operate a massive locomotive safely.

• The Test Batteries: The exam comprises five separate test batteries evaluating Memory, Following Directions, Depth Perception, Concentration, and Perceptual Speed.
• The T-Score Mandate: A candidate must secure a minimum T-Score of 42 marks in each of the five test batteries separately to qualify. This applies to all candidates irrespective of community or category.
• No Negative Marking: Uniquely, the CBAT features no negative marking for incorrect answers.
• The Vision Certificate (Vital): Candidates appearing for the CBAT must produce a specialized Vision Certificate strictly in the format provided in the official notification (usually Annexure VI), signed by an eye specialist. Without this original, stamped certificate, entry to the CBAT hall is strictly prohibited.

The NTPC CBT-2 Merit Decider

• Exam Blueprint: The NTPC CBT-2 scales up the difficulty significantly. It consists of 120 questions to be completed in a composite time of 90 minutes.
• Sectional Breakdown: The paper is divided into General Awareness (50 Questions), Mathematics (35 Questions), and General Intelligence and Reasoning (35 Questions).
• Negative Penalty: A strict negative marking of 1/3rd mark is deducted for every incorrect response. Accuracy is paramount; blind guessing will destroy your normalized score.

The Typing Skill Test (TST)

For clerical posts such as Senior Clerk cum Typist, Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist, and Accounts Clerk cum Typist, candidates must clear a high-pressure typing test.

• Speed Benchmarks: Candidates must demonstrate a typing speed of 30 words per minute (WPM) in English or 25 WPM in Hindi on a personal computer.
• Font Dynamics: Candidates opting for Hindi typing are required to use the Kruti Dev or Mangal font. Editing tools and spell-check facilities are completely disabled during the test.
• Error Margins: The evaluation is highly unforgiving. Only a 5% mistake margin is ignored. Mistakes beyond 5% result in severe penalty calculations that drastically reduce the net typing speed, often leading to disqualification.

Station Master & Traffic Assistant: The CBAT

• Candidates shortlisted for Station Master and Traffic Assistant roles must undergo a Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) identical in structure to the ALP aptitude test (requiring a minimum T-Score of 42).
• Final Merit Formula: For these specific posts, the final merit list is drawn by giving 70% weightage to the marks obtained in the CBT-2 and 30% weightage to the marks obtained in the CBAT.

• Aadhaar-Based Biometric Verification: The RRB has instituted mandatory voluntary Aadhaar authentication. Your thumb impressions and facial biometrics will be captured upon entry. Ensure your fingers are clean, free of mehendi, ink, or dirt to avoid biometric failure.
• The ID Name Mismatch Trap: You must carry the printed E-Call Letter alongside a valid, original Photo ID Proof (Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, PAN Card, Driving License). CRITICAL RULE: The exact spelling of your Name and your complete Date of Birth (DD-MM-YYYY) printed on your original ID MUST perfectly match the details printed on your E-Call Letter. If there is a mismatch, or if your Aadhaar only displays your year of birth, you will be denied entry unless you can immediately produce an additional original government document (like a 10th-grade matriculation certificate) that indisputably proves your full date of birth.
• The Inviolable Gate Closing Time: The reporting time and gate closing time are absolute. If the gate closing time is stated as 08:30 AM, arriving at 08:31 AM means the gates will be locked. The center administration has zero authority to allow late entry. Plan to arrive at the test center at least 60 to 90 minutes prior to the reporting time to account for traffic or logistical delays.
• Contraband and Dress Code: Electronic gadgets, mobile phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth earpieces, calculators, and even pen drives are strictly prohibited. The RRB mandates a simple dress code. Heavy jewelry, belts with large metallic buckles, and shoes with excessively thick soles will be flagged during the frisking process and must be removed. The center will provide authorized rough sheets and a pen inside the computer lab.

Bonus Advice: To refine your test-taking speed and reduce negative marking penalties before your shift, utilize our Daily Government Exam Mock Test & Quiz Portal.

Q1: My CBT-2 exam is being conducted in multiple shifts. How will the RRB ensure fairness in marking?
A: For examinations conducted across multiple shifts, the RRB utilizes a sophisticated statistical Normalization Formula to equate the difficulty levels of different question papers. Your raw score will be normalized, and this normalized score will be used to determine your merit and cut-off eligibility.

Q2: I have been allotted an exam city 500 kilometers away from my hometown. Can I request a change in my exam center?
A: No. The allocation of examination centers, cities, and shifts is done automatically by the RRB software based on administrative feasibility and capacity constraints. The RRB explicitly states that under no circumstances will any request for a change of exam center, city, or date be entertained.

Q3: For the ALP exam, what happens if I score exceptionally high in Part A of CBT-2 but fail to secure 35% in Part B?
A: Part B of the ALP CBT-2 is a qualifying trade test. Scoring a minimum of 35% is a non-negotiable prerequisite. If you fail to achieve this minimum threshold in Part B, your Part A score becomes irrelevant, and you will be completely disqualified from the recruitment process.

Q4: Is negative marking applicable during the Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) for ALP and Station Master?
A: No. A unique feature of the psychological CBAT is that there is absolutely no negative marking for incorrect answers. Candidates are encouraged to attempt all questions within the specific time limits of each test battery.

Q5: I belong to the SC category and opted for the free travel pass. Do I need to carry anything else with the pass on the train?
A: Yes. The free sleeper class travel authority printed on your City Intimation Slip or Admit Card is only valid if you travel carrying your original SC/ST caste certificate issued by the competent authority, along with an original valid photo ID proof. The Ticket Examiner will verify all three documents.

Q6: Do I really need to get the vision certificate specifically in the Annexure VI format for the CBAT? Can I use a generic doctor's letterhead?
A: No. You must strictly use the exact format provided in Annexure VI of the official RRB notification. It must be filled out completely, signed, and officially stamped by a registered eye specialist. Producing a generic medical certificate on a private doctor's letterhead will lead to immediate denial of entry to the CBAT hall.

Q7: Will I get extra time during the Typing Skill Test if my keyboard malfunctions?
A: If a hardware malfunction occurs, you must notify the invigilator immediately without panicking. The TCS iON system automatically logs disruptions, and you will be accommodated accordingly. However, candidates cannot claim extra time for self-induced errors or slow typing speeds.

Q8: How is the final merit list calculated for the NTPC Station Master post?
A: The final merit list for the Station Master (and Traffic Assistant) post is formulated by creating a composite score. Exactly 70% weightage is given to your normalized marks secured in the CBT-2 examination, and the remaining 30% weightage is derived from your performance (T-Score) in the CBAT.