What is RRB JE (Railway Junior Engineer) Exam? - Full Form, Salary, Work Profile and Pattern

Last updated: 14 May 2025

RRB JE (Junior Engineer)

Table of Contents

What is RRB JE Exam? Why Choose RRB JE? RRB JE Exam Summary RRB JE Eligibility Criteria RRB JE Exam Pattern RRB JE Selection Process Branches of RRB JE RRB JE Promotion RRB JE Work Profile RRB JE Salary RRB JE Perks and Allowances RRB JE Advantage RRB JE Disadvantage

What is RRB JE Exam?

Railway Recruitment Board Junior Engineer is also commonly known as RRB JE. It is a group C non-gazated central government service of Indian Railways. It is one of the most prestigious government job exams in India. This exam is conducted by the Railway Department of Government of India for the recruitment of Junior Engineer posts in Indian Railways. In simple language, it recruits diploma or degree holder engineers from various technical and non-technical fields like civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics and IT sectors. RRB JE exam is conducted by Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) once every year.

Main Responsibilities of RRB JE

Maintenance and regular inspection of railway tracks.
Monitoring and improvement of signal and telecommunication systems.
Design and construction of railway infrastructure.
Repair and upgrade of machines, equipment and technical systems.
Ensuring smooth and safe rail operations.

Why Choose RRB JE?

RRB JE (Railway Junior Engineer) job is not just a government post but is the backbone of railway operations. The role of a Junior Engineer in Indian Railways is extremely important as this post is directly related to the infrastructure and technical operations of the railway.

RRB JE Exam Summary

Detail	Information
Exam Name	RRB JE
Full Form	Railway Recruitment Board - Junior Engineer (RRB JE)
Conducting Body	Railway Recruitment Board (RRB)
Purpose	Recruitment for Junior Engineer posts in Indian Railways
Target Candidates	Diploma/Degree holders in Engineering aspiring for JE posts
Exam Level	National
Frequency	Once a year
Application Mode	Online
Official Website	Website

RRB JE Eligibility Criteria

All the candidates preparing for the RRB JE exam must be fully aware of its eligibility criteria. The details of age limit, educational qualification, and medical standard are given in the table below:

RRB JE Eligibility Criteria

Detail	Information
Age Limit	Minimum: 18 years Maximum: 33 years (Relaxation is available as per reservation category).
Educational Qualification	Diploma or Bachelor Degree in Engineering (BE/B.Tech) from a recognized institute.
Medical Standard	Candidate should be physically and mentally fit.

RRB JE Exam Pattern

RRB JE Exam is conducted in two main stages. Both these stages are conducted in online mode and are based on multiple choice questions (MCQs).

CBT 1 (Computer Based Preliminary Test 1)
CBT 2 (Computer Based Mains Test 2)

1. CBT 1 (Computer Based Preliminary Test 1)

CBT 1 is the preliminary stage of RRB JE examination, which is conducted as a screening test. The objective is to shortlist eligible candidates for the next phase (CBT 2). The marks of CBT 1 do not add to the final merit, but it is important to take it seriously as it gives you the way to reach the next level.

1. CBT 1 (Computer Based Preliminary Test 1)

Exam Mode	Online (CBT)
Paper Name	Computer Based Test (CBT) - 1
Question type	Objective (MCQ)
Section	Mathematics General Intelligence and Reasoning General Awareness General Science
Total questions	100
Total Marks	100
Duration	1.5 hours (90 minutes)

2. CBT 2 (Computer Based Main Test 2)

CBT 2 is the second and most important phase of RRB JE Exam. Candidates who have successfully cleared CBT 1 (Preliminary Exam) can participate in this phase.

2. CBT 2 (Computer Based Main Test 2)

Exam Mode	Online (CBT)
Paper Name	Computer Based Test (CBT) - 2
Question type	Objective (MCQ)
Section	Technical Abilities Physics and Chemistry Basics of Computers and Applications Basics of Environment and Pollution Control General Awareness
Total questions	150
Total Marks	150
Duration	2 hours (120 minutes)

RRB JE Selection Process

Candidates are selected for the post of RRB Junior Engineer (RRB JE) through a multi-stage process. At each stage the knowledge, aptitude and health of the candidates are evaluated. The selection process for RRB Junior Engineer (JE) is in the following stages:

CBT 1 Exam (Preliminary Exam): This is a screening test that tests candidates' general knowledge, math, and logical ability. Passing CBT 1 is mandatory, but its marks are not included in the final merit.
CBT 1 Result: Merit list of successful candidates in CBT 1 is released, based on which they are invited for CBT 2.
CBT 2 Exam (Main Exam): This main exam focuses on technical subjects and the marks obtained in it count towards the final selection.
Final Result: A final merit list is prepared based on the performance in CBT 2.
Document Verification: Selected candidates have to submit original copies of all required documents like educational certificate, birth certificate, caste certificate (if applicable), Aadhaar card etc.
Medical Test: Finally, the candidate has to submit his own general medical report.

Branches of RRB JE

JE RRB JE exam is conducted for various technical and non-technical branches. Below is the list of all branches whose candidates are considered eligible for RRB JE:

1. Engineering Branches

Civil Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Electronics and Communication Engineering
Computer Engineering
Information Technology
Instrumentation and Control Engineering
Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering
Production Engineering
Automobile Engineering
Control Engineering
Tools and Machining

2. Computer and IT related qualification

B.Tech (Computer Science)
B.Tech (IT - Information Technology)
B.Tech (Computer Science)
BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications)

3. Degree related to science subjects

B.Sc Physics
B.Sc Chemistry

RRB JE Promotion

After being selected for the post of Junior Engineer (RRB JE) in Indian Railways, the candidate gets promotion to various higher posts based on experience, seniority and departmental examinations. The journey from RRB JE to SDE is based on technical proficiency, experience, and departmental evaluation. Here below are some promotions of RRB JE.

Junior Engineer (JE) - Initial post of recruitment
Senior Section Engineer / Senior Engineer (SSE / SE)
Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADE)
Divisional Engineer (DE)
Senior Divisional Engineer (SDE)

RRB JE Work Profile

RRB JE (Junior Engineer) is a technical post in Indian Railways, whose responsibilities are mainly related to maintenance, inspection, repair, and technical supervision. This is a Group C level government job suitable for candidates with engineering background.

Work Supervision: RRB JE starts with work supervision. In this the Junior Engineer has to monitor the work of technicians and workers, ensuring that all work is as per railway standards.
Maintenance of Railway Assets: The Junior Engineer carries out regular maintenance and testing of various assets of Railways like Railway Track, Bridge (Bridge), Signal System, Rolling Stock (Coaches and Engines).
Repairs and Trouble Solutions: If there is any malfunction in electrical system, mechanical parts, signal equipment of railway, then JE has to repair and solve them immediately.
Upgradation and Implementation of New Technology: In order to make the functioning of railways more modern and safe, JE has to upgrade the old system and implement new technology.
Upgradation and Implementation: The JE upgrades existing systems and implements new technologies.

RRB JE Department wise Work Profile

RRB JE's responsibilities vary department wise. Below are the details of the work profile of each major department:

Civil Engineering: Civil JE in Civil Engineering Department is responsible for construction, quality control, inspection, supervision and provision of materials required for railway tracks, bridges, tunnels, station buildings and projects.
Electrical Engineering: RRB JE Electrical Engineers plan, repair, maintain and supervise electrical systems and infrastructure (such as transformers, circuit breakers, lighting, air conditioning and power supply systems) for railways.
Electronic Engineering: Electronic JEs in the Electronics Engineering Department repair railway signal equipment such as relays, track circuits, point machines and interlocking systems, as well as install and maintain railway communication networks.
Mechanical Engineering: RRB JE Mechanical in the Mechanical Engineering Department plans, repairs and maintains railway mechanical infrastructure and rolling stock (such as locomotives, coaches, wagons, engines and suspensions).
Information Technology: IT JE in IT department is responsible for software/website development and updating, network security, IT infrastructure, troubleshooting etc. for digitalization of railway operations.

RRB JE Salary

RRB JE (Junior Engineer) salary is 35,400 per month under 7th Pay Commission of Government of India and Pay Level-6. If you add other allowances and benefits, the gross salary is 42,000 to 45,000 per month.

RRB JE Perks and Allowances

The allowence and perks available under RRB JE (Junior Engineer) post make it attractive. Below are the major benefits of RRB JE:

Dearness Allowance (DA)
House Rent Allowance (HRA)
Transport Allowance (TA)
Medical Allowance (free or concessional treatment in Railway Hospitals)
Special Duty Allowance
Night Duty Allowance
Overtime Allowance
Pension (NPS)
Retirement Benefit
Leave Benefit
Free Railway Travel Pass

RRB JE Advantage

Long Term Career: Like other Government service the position of Junior Engineer (JE) in Railways offers excellent job security.
Good Salary and Pension: JEs receive a competitive salary during their tenure and are entitled to a pension after retirement.
Fixed Working Hours: Compared to private companies RRB JE have fixed working hours, meaning they work within a set schedule.
Contribution to Major Projects: Indian Railways builds many infrastructure projects such as new railway lines, signals, electric transmission lines, rail bridges and stations. JE gets a chance to work in big and complex projects.
Employment for Family Member: In the unfortunate event of an employee death while in service, Indian Railways provides employment opportunities to a family member of the deceased.

RRB JE Disadvantage

Competitive Exam: Every year recruitment for the post of JE in railways comes out for a limited number of JE posts, but lakhs of people from all over the country apply for these few posts.
Infrastructure Challenges: RRB JE job also has infrastructure challenges. Indian Railways has old and complex infrastructure projects Upgrading them is quite challenging.