Railway Group D Recruitment Delayed: Proposed Exam Date Passed, Awaiting New Schedule
The recruitment process for over 32,000 Group D posts in the Railways is facing a delay. Consequently, the examination is expected to start late. The final schedule for the CBT First Stage, which was initially set to begin this Monday as per the proposed timetable, has not yet been released.
It is now anticipated that the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) will soon issue a new schedule for this examination. The RRB Allahabad is the nodal agency for this recruitment drive.
Important Update: Railway Group D Exam Delayed (CEN 08/2024)
The Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the Railway Group D (Level-1) recruitment, covering 32,438 vacancies under CEN 08/2024, has been postponed.
The exam was tentatively scheduled to begin on November 17, 2025, but the schedule was paused due to a legal challenge regarding eligibility criteria (10th pass vs. ITI).
The legal hurdle was cleared on November 12, 2025, when the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) delivered its final verdict, ruling in favour of the Railways and affirming that both 10th pass and ITI-qualified candidates are eligible.
With the legal clearance, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) is expected to release the new, revised CBT schedule very soon. Candidates should track only the official RRB websites for the new exam dates and City Intimation Slip.
The Reason for the Delay
The delay stems from a legal case filed in the Allahabad High Court via the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). This case challenged the recruitment concerning the eligibility criteria related to ITI (Industrial Training Institute) qualification. Recently, the CAT ruled in favor of the Railways, clearing the way for the recruitment process to move forward.
Previously, the CBT was scheduled to commence on November 17 and was supposed to be conducted in various phases until the end of December. The article suggests the examination might now stretch until the beginning of the New Year.
👉 Important Note on Vacancy Details
The news clipping states the recruitment is for “32 हज़ार से अधिक पदों” (over 32,000 posts).
However, the most widely known and officially announced Group D recruitment (CEN 02/2018 or CEN RRC 01/2019, depending on the year the article was published) had a much higher number of vacancies, specifically:
- CEN 02/2018 (Group D): Approximately 62,907 vacancies.
- CEN RRC 01/2019 (Group D/Level 1): Approximately 1,03,769 vacancies.
Since the clipping mentions a start date around November 17th, it is highly likely referring to an older recruitment cycle or is incorrect with the specific number 32,000. If you are fixing the details for your website, you should use the officially announced number from the relevant recruitment notification:
- Recommendation: Use the official figure of 1,03,769 if this is the most recent recruitment (RRC CEN 01/2019), or 62,907 if the article is from the context of 2018. Do not use 32,000.
- e confusion is understandable, as there have been multiple Group D recruitments. The legal case mentioned in the clipping appears to relate to the most recent drive.
| Recruitment Notification | CEN No. | Total Vacancies | Note |
| Most Recent | CEN 08/2024 | 32,438 | Search results mention this figure in relation to the recent CAT verdict in Nov 2025. |
| Major Recruitment 2019 | RRC-01/2019 | 1,03,769 | This is the official, large-scale recruitment. |
| Major Recruitment 2018 | CEN 02/2018 | 62,907 | This was the previous large-scale recruitment. |
- Since the news clipping states “32 हज़ार से अधिक पदों” (over 32,000 posts) and references a court case that resolved on November 12, 2025 (very close to the current date), the safest and most accurate number for the currently delayed exam on your page is: 32,438 (approximately).
Important Update: Railway Group D Exam Delayed (CBT Stage 1)
The Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the recent Railway Group D (Level-1) recruitment, which targets approximately 32,438 vacancies, has been postponed.
The exam was originally scheduled to commence this week, around November 17, 2025, but the final schedule was withheld. The delay was primarily caused by an ongoing legal dispute challenging the eligibility criteria concerning the ITI (Industrial Training Institute) qualification.
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) recently provided its final verdict on November 12, 2025, ruling in favour of the Railways. This decision clears the legal hurdle, confirming that all eligible candidates who applied, including both 10th pass and ITI-qualified candidates (as per the official notification), can appear for the exam.
With the legal matter now resolved, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) is expected to release the new, revised CBT schedule shortly. Candidates are advised to ignore any non-official notices and rely only on updates published on the official RRB websites.
