RRB Notification for NTPC CBT-1 Result: On 14 January 2022, results of Indian Railways’ Non Technical Popular Categories, Computer Based Test 1 were announced. However, concerns were raised by some candidates over the process of shortlisting of candidates for the second stage of the ongoing recruitment examination under the Railway Recruitment Board’s Centralized Employment Notice (CEN) Number 01/2019 (for Non Technical Popular Categories – Graduate and Undergraduate candidates). Thus, the Ministry of Railways has recently issued clarifications in order to address these concerns of candidates, which are as follows:
- Concern expressed on level wise & post wise result declaration: The Railway Ministry stated that the candidate shortlisting procedure for the second stage CBT had already been given elaborately under Paraghaph 13 of the original notification i.e., CEN 01/2019 published on 28 February 2019. In this, 13 categories were advertised which were open to graduates and six of these categories for undergraduate candidates. These categories were further segregated into five groups on the basis of seventh CPC pay-scale levels as well as the stage-wise recruitment process for each category has already been indicated clearly in CEN’s para 13.6. Each and every candidate was free to choose all or any of these categories subject to eligibility conditions. The result, according to the ministry, is as per provision laid down in notification.
- Concerns expressed by candidates that in the exam notification, the Railway Board mentioned that CBT stage 1 will be qualifying exam and for CBT 2, candidates 20 times the vacancies will be shortlisted: Paragraph 13.2 clearly mentions that there would be a separate examination for each group in the second stage CBT with differing graded difficulty levels. Accordingly, there will be a common second stage CBT for all posts falling within the same level. Thus, if an eligible candidate has opted for more than one level, he or she will have to appear in the corresponding second stage CBT for each level as given in Paragraph 13.6 since the standard for each group of posts will be different.
- Concern for shortlisting for 7 lakh candidates not 7 lakh roll numbers: The Railway Ministry claimed that nowhere it was stated that for 2nd stage CBT, 7 lakh distinct candidates will get shortlisted. Since a second stage comprises CBT of five different levels and a candidate can be shortlisted for more than one level as per the eligibility, merit, as well as option, the 7 lakh roll numbers’ lists, will have some names appearing in more than one list.
- Concern that RRBs have shortlisted candidates only four-five times of notified vacancies: As elaborated in paragraph 13 of notification, the shortlisting of candidates has been done level/post wise at the rate of 20 times notified vacancies. The list comprises nearly 7 lakh roll numbers which is 20 times notified vacancies of approx. 35000.
- Concern that 10 candidates used to fight for a single post and now one candidate will fight for 10 posts: The ministry said about 35000 distinct candidates will be selected and depending upon merit and preference, one candidate will be appointed against only one post. Hence, there will be no vacant post.
- Concern that some are declared qualified for more than one level: Since there will be a separate second stage CBT with graded difficulty for each level, a shortlisted candidate for higher level post cannot be debarred from appearing in CBT of lower level if he/she is otherwise coming in merit.
- Concern over very high cut offs: The Cut offs are based on normalized marks that are normally higher than raw score. Also, it depends upon the number of vacancies announced for that level or post. Since nearly 10,500 vacancies have been notified for 10+2 candidates across 21 Railway Recruitment Boards as against about 35000 where Graduates are eligible, cut offs for 10+2 have been higher than Graduates based on normalized score.
- Concern that graduates are getting the undue benefit of becoming eligible for both Graduate as well as 10+2 level posts: The integration of Graduate and 10+2 level recruitment posts have been done in order to save time and energy. Also, CBT 1 standards have been kept of 10+2 level so as to not to put disadvantage to students of 10+2 level and only in CBT 2, the standards will be different across levels.
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