The wait for the Railway Protection Force (RPF) recruitment is reaching a fever pitch. As of March 29, 2026, millions of aspirants are closely monitoring official portals for the RPF Constable and Sub-Inspector (SI) 2026 notification. With the Ministry of Railways moving towards a more structured annual recruitment calendar, this year’s announcement is expected to be one of the largest uniformed service drives in recent history.
In this exclusive deep-dive on sarkarijobsforyou.com, we cover the latest news on the RPF Constable 2026 notification date, the expected SI vacancy count, and the most discussed topic among students: RPF age relaxation latest news.
RPF Recruitment 2026: Quick Overview
| Feature | RPF Constable Details | RPF SI Details |
| Organization | Railway Protection Force (RPF) | Railway Protection Force (RPF) |
| Notification Date | Expected April 2026 | Expected April 2026 |
| Total Vacancies | ~9,000 – 11,000 (Expected) | ~1,200 – 1,800 (Expected) |
| Qualification | 10th Pass (Matriculation) | Graduate (Any Stream) |
| Pay Level | Level 3 (₹21,700 Basic) | Level 6 (₹35,400 Basic) |
| Selection Process | CBT → PET/PMT → DV | CBT → PET/PMT → DV |
1. RPF Constable 2026 Notification Date: When to Expect?
One of the most searched queries today is the “RPF Constable 2026 notification date.” Based on the official Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) calendar trends and recent short notices, the detailed Centralized Employment Notice (CEN) for RPF is expected to be released in early April 2026.
- Registration Window: Online applications are likely to start in the second week of April 2026 and remain open for 30 days.
- Exam Window: Following the pattern of previous cycles, the Computer-Based Test (CBT) could be scheduled for late 2026 or early 2027.
Note for Aspirants: Keep your Aadhaar-linked mobile number ready for the One-Time Registration (OTR) process, which is now mandatory for all Railway and SSC applications.
2. RPF SI Vacancy 2026: Post-wise Distribution
The “RPF SI vacancy 2026” is expected to see a significant bump compared to the 452 posts in the previous cycle. Current estimates suggest a combined vacancy of over 12,000+ posts for both Constable and SI, with SI posts likely ranging between 1,200 and 1,800.
Expected Category-wise Vacancy (Tentative)
| Category | Constable (Expected) | Sub-Inspector (Expected) |
| Unreserved (UR) | 4,200+ | 650+ |
| OBC (NCL) | 2,800+ | 400+ |
| EWS | 1,000+ | 150+ |
| SC | 1,500+ | 200+ |
| ST | 800+ | 100+ |
A 15% horizontal reservation for Women and 10% for Ex-Servicemen is standard in RPF recruitments.
3. RPF Age Relaxation Latest News 2026
This is the “make or break” section for many candidates. The “RPF age relaxation latest news” suggests that the Ministry may continue the 3-year one-time age relaxation introduced in recent years to compensate for recruitment gaps.
Age Limit as of July 1, 2026 (Expected)
- Constable: 18 – 28 Years (Standard: 18–25 + 3 yrs relaxation)
- Sub-Inspector: 20 – 28 Years (Standard: 20–25 + 3 yrs relaxation)
Category-wise Relaxation
- SC/ST: 5 Years
- OBC (NCL): 3 Years
- Ex-Servicemen: Service Period + 3 Years
- Widows/Divorced Women: Up to 35 Years (UR), 38 (OBC), 40 (SC/ST)
4. Physical Standards & Efficiency Test (PET/PMT)
Since RPF is a uniformed service, the physical requirements are non-negotiable.
Physical Measurement Test (PMT)
| Category | Male Height | Female Height | Male Chest (Unexpanded/Exp) |
| Gen/OBC | 165 cm | 157 cm | 80 cm / 85 cm |
| SC/ST | 160 cm | 152 cm | 76.2 cm / 81.2 cm |
| Garhwalis/Gorkhas | 163 cm | 155 cm | 80 cm / 85 cm |
Physical Efficiency Test (PET)
- 1600m Run (Male): 5 Min 45 Sec (Constable) | 6 Min 30 Sec (SI)
- 800m Run (Female): 3 Min 40 Sec (Constable) | 4 Min 00 Sec (SI)
- Long Jump: 14 Feet (Male) | 9 Feet (Female)
- High Jump: 4 Feet (Male) | 3 Feet (Female)
5. Exam Pattern & Syllabus
The CBT will consist of 120 questions to be solved in 90 minutes. There is a negative marking of 1/3rd for every wrong answer.
- General Awareness (50 Marks): History, Geography, Civics, Economics, General Science, and Current Affairs.
- Arithmetic (35 Marks): Number Systems, Percentages, Ratio & Proportion, Profit & Loss, and Mensuration.
- General Intelligence & Reasoning (35 Marks): Analogies, Coding-Decoding, Syllogism, and Venn Diagrams.
How to Prepare for RPF 2026?
- Start Physical Early: Many candidates pass the CBT but fail the 1600m run. Start jogging 3-4 days a week now.
- Focus on General Science: Railway exams traditionally have a high weightage for NCERT-based Physics and Chemistry.
- Speed Maths: Practice daily calculations to handle the 35 Arithmetic questions within the tight 90-minute window.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can 12th pass students apply for RPF SI?
No, a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline is mandatory for the Sub-Inspector post. However, 12th pass students can apply for the Constable post.
Q2: Will the 2026 exam be conducted by SSC or RRB?
While there were rumors of SSC taking over, current updates indicate the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) will likely continue to issue the CEN and manage the recruitment.
Q3: Is there a weight requirement for RPF?
Yes, your weight should be proportionate to your height as per the medical standards of Indian Railways.
Disclaimer: The information above is based on previous trends and unofficial “Indicative Notices.” Candidates are advised to wait for the official PDF on rpf.indianrailways.gov.in for the final numbers.
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