RRB NTPC: Railway board answers questions on CBT 2, recruitment raised by candidates

NEW DELHI: In response to the concerns raised by the protesting candidates, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has issued a clarification over the shortlisting process for RRB Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) 2021 recruitment and holding two stages of the computer-based test (CBT 2). RRB NTPC CBT 2 and level 1 has been postponed by the board.

A high-power committee comprising of senior officials has already been formed to look into the concerns raised by candidates in regard to the RRB NTPC CBT 1 results, which was declared on January 14, without affecting existing shortlisted candidates and introduction of RRB NTPC CBT 2 .

Candidates can submit their concerns or raise doubt through email id - rrbcommittee@railnet.gov.in or rrbcdg@railnet.gov.in before February 16. They can also visit the RRB office, Chandigarh on any working day before the deadline to raise concerns or suggestions.

Why RRB NTPC CBT 2?

Railway board has clarified that “in case the number of candidates who have applied against the RRB NTPC 2021 notification are large in number and are more than one crore, then, it is advisable to conduct CBT in two stages with 1st stage being used to screen the candidates for 2nd stage”.

The board further said that the decision to conduct RRB NTPC CBT 2 with limited candidates was taken so that extensive normalization is not involved and the final merit is more “just and fair”.

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How many will be shortlisted for RRB NTPC CBT 2?

On the number of candidates being shortlisted for RRB NTPC CBT 2, the railway ministry said, “The 1st stage CBT has been made common for graduates and 10+2 pass candidates, it has been prescribed in the Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) that candidates 20 times the notified vacancies will be called for 2nd stage CBT so that adequate candidates are given the opportunity to appear in RRB NTPC CBT 2.”

In order to clear the confusion over the question “shortlisting should be done for 7 lakh candidates not 7 lakh roll numbers”, nowhere was it mentioned that 7 lakh distinct candidates will get shortlisted for 2nd stage CBT,” the railway board said.

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RRB NTPC CBT 2 consists of five different levels and a candidate can be shortlisted for more than one level as per eligibility, merit and option. The lists of 7 lakh roll numbers will have some names appearing in more than one list, it added.

The shortlisting has been done level, post wise at the rate of 20 times notified vacancies. The RRB NTPC CBT 2 lists contain 7,05,446 roll numbers which are 20 times notified vacancies of 35,281.

Finally, 35,281 distinct candidates will be selected and one candidate will be appointed against only one post depending upon merit and preference. Hence no post will remain vacant, the board clarified.

Who will benefit RRB NTPC CBT 2?

Some undergraduate candidates raised concerns that graduate candidates will benefit more by becoming eligible for both graduate and 10+2 level posts if the new rule of two stages of CBT is followed for RRB NTPC. To which, the board said, “the integration of recruitments for graduate and 10+2 level posts have been done to save time, energy and effort which has been proved useful during COVID-19 pandemic”.

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It further elaborated that the standards of RRB NTPC CBT 1 have been kept of 10+2 level so as to not to put disadvantage to 10+2 level students and it is only in RRB NTPC CBT 2 that standards will be different across levels.

Responding to the delay in the railway recruitment process, the ministry said RRB recruitment process 2021 got delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic as various restrictions imposed on that account by various states since March 2020. The capacity that can be utilized for CBT has also got impacted because of social distancing norms leading to increase in number of shifts in RRB CBT 1.