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long with the RRB NTPC UG CBT 1 Result on 24th August 2026, the Railway Recruitment Board also released the category-wise and zone-wise cut-off marks for CEN 07/2025. If you appeared for the exam, the cut-off is what actually decides whether you’ve made it to CBT 2 — not just your raw score. This blog breaks down the minimum qualifying marks, expected/indicative ranges, the factors that push cut-offs up or down, and how to check your zone’s official figures.
RRB NTPC UG CBT 1 Cut Off 2026: Quick Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) |
| Exam | RRB NTPC Undergraduate (UG) |
| Advertisement Number | CEN 07/2025 |
| CBT 1 Exam Dates | 7th May – 20th June 2026 |
| Result & Cut-Off Released | 24th August 2026 |
| Scorecard Released | 26th August 2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 3,058 (UG posts) |
| Candidates Shortlisted for CBT 2 | 45,898 |
| CBT 2 Exam Date | 17th September 2026 |
| Cut-Off Basis | Zone-wise and category-wise |
What Is the RRB NTPC UG CBT 1 Cut Off 2026?
1: The electron was discovered by________.
The cut-off is the minimum normalized mark a candidate must secure in CBT 1 to be shortlisted for CBT 2. It isn’t a single number for the whole country — RRB releases a separate cut-off for each of its 21 regional zones, and within each zone, a separate cut-off for every reservation category. This means your qualifying mark depends entirely on which zone you applied under and which category you belong to.
RRB NTPC Cut Off 2026 – Minimum Qualifying Percentage (Before Normalization)
Before zone and category cut-offs even come into play, RRB has a baseline minimum qualifying percentage that every candidate must clear:
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| UR (General) / EWS | 40% |
| OBC-NCL / SC | 30% |
| ST | 25% |
Clearing this baseline percentage doesn’t automatically guarantee a CBT 2 seat — you still need to meet or beat your specific zone-and-category cut-off, which is usually higher than this baseline once normalization and competition are factored in.
RRB NTPC 2026 – Indicative Cut-Off Ranges by Category
Based on this year’s trend across zones, here’s a general sense of where cut-offs are landing (these are indicative averages — always confirm against your own zone’s official PDF):
| Category | Approximate Cut-Off Range |
|---|---|
| General/UR | 65–75 marks |
| OBC | 60–70 marks |
| SC | 50–60 marks |
| ST | 45–55 marks |
The gap between General and reserved-category cut-offs can run to 20–25 marks in some zones, so don’t benchmark your performance against a friend’s without checking whether you’re in the same category and zone.
Why Do RRB NTPC Cut-Offs Differ Across Zones & Categories?
Several factors decide how high or low a particular zone/category cut-off lands:
- Number of candidates who appeared: More applicants for the same vacancies generally pushes the cut-off up.
- Exam difficulty per shift: CBT 1 was conducted across multiple shifts and dates; tougher shifts tend to produce lower raw scores, which normalization then adjusts for.
- Normalization of scores: Since difficulty varies shift to shift, RRB converts everyone’s raw marks into normalized marks before applying cut-offs — this is what ultimately decides who qualifies.
- Number of vacancies in that zone/category: More vacancies available generally makes it easier to clear the cut-off; fewer vacancies increases competition and raises it.
- Reservation rules: Cut-offs are calculated separately for General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS categories as per applicable reservation norms.
- Cancelled or wrong questions: If any questions are dropped or corrected during evaluation, it can shift final cut-off marks slightly.
How to Check Your Zone-Wise RRB NTPC UG Cut Off 2026
- Visit the official website of the RRB zone you applied under (Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bilaspur, Chandigarh, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Jammu, Kolkata, Malda, Mumbai, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Ranchi, Secunderabad, Siliguri, or Thiruvananthapuram).
- Navigate to the CEN 07/2025 NTPC Undergraduate section.
- Look for the CBT 1 Result and Cut Off notification/link.
- Open the cut-off PDF for your zone.
- Check the marks against your specific post/category number.
- Download and save the PDF for future reference.
Since the cut-off PDF is published separately by each regional RRB, there’s no single all-India download link — always check the specific zone you applied to.
RRB CBT 1 Cut Off vs. Scorecard: How They Connect
Your cut-off tells you the qualifying threshold for your zone and category. Your scorecard (available since 26th August) shows your actual normalized marks. Comparing the two is how you confirm your CBT 2 status:
- If your normalized score ≥ your category’s cut-off in your zone → you’re shortlisted for CBT 2.
- If it’s below → you haven’t qualified this round, though it’s still worth reviewing your scorecard’s section-wise breakdown to identify gaps before your next attempt.
What’s Next After Clearing the RRB NTPC CBT 1 Cut-Off 2026?
Candidates who’ve cleared the cut-off move on to:
- CBT 2 Exam: 17th September 2026, online mode, 90 minutes, 120 questions for 120 marks (General Awareness, Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning)
- City Intimation Slip: Expected roughly 10 days before the exam
- E-Call Letter/Admit Card: Expected roughly 4 days before the exam
- Further stages (post-dependent): Skill Test/Computer-Based Aptitude Test, Document Verification, Medical Examination
About RRB NTPC UG Recruitment (CEN 07/2025)
This cycle covers 3,058 vacancies for Undergraduate-level Non-Technical Popular Categories posts:
- Junior Clerk cum Typist
- Accounts Clerk cum Typist
- Trains Clerk
- Commercial cum Ticket Clerk (CCTC)
Open to 12th-pass candidates, it’s one of the largest and most competitive railway recruitment drives this year.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the RRB NTPC UG CBT 1 Cut Off 2026 released?
Along with the result, on 24th August 2026.
Is the cut-off the same across all RRB zones?
No — it’s released zone-wise and category-wise, and varies depending on vacancies, competition, and exam difficulty in that zone.
What's the minimum qualifying percentage for CBT 1?
40% for UR/EWS, 30% for OBC-NCL/SC, and 25% for ST — before applying zone/category-specific cut-offs.
Where can I check my zone's exact cut-off marks?
On the official website of the RRB region you applied under, in the CEN 07/2025 CBT 1 Result and Cut Off section.
Does normalization affect the cut-off?
Yes. Since CBT 1 ran across multiple shifts with varying difficulty, marks are normalized first, and cut-offs are then applied to the normalized scores.
I cleared the minimum qualifying percentage — does that mean I've qualified for CBT 2?
Not necessarily. You also need to meet or exceed your specific zone-and-category cut-off, which is typically higher than the baseline minimum qualifying percentage.
