The Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), East Coast Railway, Bhubaneswar has released the East Coast Railway GDCE Recruitment 2026 notification for filling 1421 vacancies across seven post categories under the General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE). The online application process runs from 15 August 2026 to 14 September 2026.
Important: This is not an open-market recruitment. Only regular and eligible serving employees of East Coast Railway (including the erstwhile Waltair Division/SCoR), excluding RPF/RPSF staff, who currently hold a lien in ECoR, are eligible to apply. Candidates from outside ECoR or the general public cannot apply against this notification.
ECoR GDCE Recruitment 2026: Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Authority | Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), East Coast Railway, Bhubaneswar |
| Notification Number | ECoR/Pers/RRC-GDCE/2026 |
| Notification Date | 07.08.2026 |
| Name of Exam | General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE) |
| Purpose | Filling 25% of net Direct Recruitment Quota vacancies in Safety/Non-Safety category posts |
| Total Vacancies | 1421 |
| Mode of Application | Online only |
| Eligible Applicants | Regular/eligible employees with lien in ECoR (except RPF/RPSF) |
| Official Website | www.rrcbbs.org.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Date of Publication of Notification | 07.08.2026 |
| Opening Date for Online Application | 15.08.2026 |
| Closing Date for Online Application | 14.09.2026 |
| CBT/CBAT/Document Verification Dates | To be announced later on the official website |
Vacancy Details (Post-wise)
The GDCE 2026 notification covers 1421 vacancies across seven post categories. One post under Junior Engineer is reserved for PwBD (Locomotor Disability).
| Post | UR | SC | ST | OBC | Total | PwBD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Loco Pilot | 495 | 197 | 104 | 250 | 1046 | – |
| Station Master | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 12 | – |
| Goods Trains Manager | 134 | 47 | 24 | 79 | 284 | – |
| Junior Engineer | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 1 |
| Technicians | 27 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 51 | – |
| Junior Clerk cum Typist | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | – |
| Commercial Clerk cum Ticket Collector | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | – |
| Grand Total | 679 | 256 | 135 | 351 | 1421 | 1 |
Division/unit-wise distribution of vacancies (Annexure-A) is given in the official notification PDF. Vacancies are provisional and may change (increase, decrease or become nil) at the discretion of the Railway Administration.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must be regular and eligible employees of East Coast Railway (including the erstwhile Waltair Division/SCoR), excluding RPF/RPSF staff, holding a valid lien in ECoR. Employees who have resigned from or transferred to another railway from East Coast Railway are not eligible.
- Employees possessing the prescribed Direct Recruitment educational qualification, working in a lower grade/pay scale than the post applied for, are eligible for all categories.
- Employees in the same grade/pay scale as the GDCE post are eligible only for Non-Safety to Safety, or Safety to Safety category posts.
- Candidates awaiting the final result of the prescribed minimum educational qualification should not apply.
Post-wise Educational Qualification (Summary)
| Post | Qualification |
|---|---|
| Assistant Loco Pilot | Matriculation/SSLC plus ITI (NCVT/SCVT) in specified trades, OR Act Apprenticeship, OR 3-year Diploma/Degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics/Automobile Engineering |
| Station Master / Goods Trains Manager | Degree from a recognized University or its equivalent |
| Junior Engineer | 3-year Diploma in the relevant engineering discipline (Civil/Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics, as applicable) from a recognized institute |
| Technicians (various trades) | Matriculation/SSLC plus ITI (NCVT/SCVT) in the relevant trade, OR Act Apprenticeship in the same trade |
| Junior Clerk cum Typist | 12th (+2 Stage) or equivalent with minimum 50% marks aggregate (relaxed for SC/ST/PwBD); typing proficiency in English/Hindi on computer essential |
| Commercial Clerk cum Ticket Collector | 12th (+2 Stage) or equivalent with minimum 50% marks aggregate (relaxed for SC/ST/PwBD) |
Complete post-wise qualification and medical standard details are given in Annexure-B of the official notification. Candidates should verify their specific post’s requirement before applying.
Age Limit and Relaxation
| Category | Upper Age Limit |
|---|---|
| UR (General) | 42 years |
| OBC | 45 years |
| SC/ST | 47 years |
The age limit will be reckoned as on 01.01.2027. As per the notification, the upper limit of date of birth (not earlier than) is 02.01.1985 (UR), 02.01.1982 (OBC) and 02.01.1980 (SC/ST), while the lower limit of date of birth (not later than) is 01.01.2009 for all categories.
No age relaxation is allowed to SC/ST/OBC-NCL candidates applying against unreserved (UR) vacancies. Date of birth must match the Matriculation/SSLC/Xth Class certificate and service record; no subsequent change request will be considered.
Application Fee
This detail is not mentioned in the official notification. Candidates should check the official website, www.rrcbbs.org.in, for any fee-related updates before or during the application process.
Selection Process
The selection process involves a single-stage Computer Based Test (CBT), followed by a Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)/Typing Skill Test wherever applicable, Document Verification, and Medical Examination.
| Post | Mode of Exam | Aptitude/Skill Test Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Loco Pilot | CBT | Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) |
| Station Master | CBT | Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) |
| Goods Trains Manager | CBT | – |
| Junior Engineer | CBT | – |
| Technicians-III | CBT | – |
| Junior Clerk cum Typist | CBT | Computer Based Typing Skill Test (CBTST) |
| Commercial Clerk cum Ticket Collector | CBT | – |
Shortlisting for CBAT/Typing Skill Test is done up to 8 times the number of vacancies in each community/category. Candidates equal to the number of vacancies are called for Document Verification, based on merit in CBT/CBAT.
Minimum qualifying marks: UR – 40%, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) – 30%, SC – 30%, ST – 25%. These may be relaxed by 2 marks for PwBD candidates in case of shortage against reserved vacancies.
For Assistant Loco Pilot and Station Master, the merit list is prepared only from candidates qualifying in CBAT (minimum T-score of 42 in each battery). Weightage: ALP – 50% CBT + 50% CBAT; Station Master – 70% CBT + 30% CBAT.
Exam Pattern and Syllabus
| Post | Duration | No. of Questions | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Loco Pilot | 120 minutes | 100 (Mathematics, Reasoning, Basic Science & Engineering, Trade-specific – 25 each) | 1/3 mark per wrong answer |
| Station Master / Goods Trains Manager / Junior Clerk cum Typist / Commercial Clerk cum Ticket Collector | 90 minutes | 120 (General Awareness-50, Mathematics-35, Reasoning-35) | 1/3 mark per wrong answer |
| Junior Engineer | 120 minutes | 150 (General Awareness, Physics & Chemistry, Computers, Environment, Technical Ability) | 1/3 mark per wrong answer |
| Technicians-III | 90 minutes | 100 (Mathematics-25, Reasoning-25, General Science-40, General Awareness-10) | 1/3 mark per wrong answer |
There is no negative marking in CBAT. The examination duration is extended to 120 minutes for eligible PwBD candidates appearing with a scribe (for Junior Clerk cum Typist and Commercial Clerk cum Ticket Collector posts). Detailed subject-wise syllabus for each post, including the full Civil & Allied Engineering syllabus for Junior Engineer, is available in the official notification.
Typing Skill Test (Junior Clerk cum Typist)
Candidates must type at least 30 words per minute (WPM) in English or 25 WPM in Hindi on a computer without editing tools. This test is qualifying in nature and marks are not added to the merit list. Candidates seeking exemption must submit a medical certificate as per Annexure-K.
Documents Required
- Passport-size colour photograph (not older than three months, JPEG format)
- Scanned signature (JPEG format, as per prescribed size)
- Self-attested certificates for date of birth, educational/technical qualification
- Caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL), where applicable, as per Annexure-C/D
- PwBD certificate, where applicable
- No Objection Certificate from the controlling authority/department
- Printout of the filled application, duly forwarded by the controlling officer
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Process
- Visit the official website www.rrcbbs.org.in and click on the GDCE 2026 online application link.
- Register using personal mobile number and a valid, active personal e-mail ID.
- Fill in the IPAS ID, HRMS ID and Date of Birth carefully, as these are needed to download call letters later.
- Fill in personal details, bio-data and post preference carefully. Post preference once submitted cannot be changed.
- Upload photograph (JPEG, up to 100 KB) and signature (JPEG, 10–40 KB) as per prescribed specifications.
- Upload the scanned, signed application form countersigned by the controlling officer, along with supporting documents.
- Click the Register button after verifying all details. Once registered, no changes are permitted.
- Download the acknowledgement and take a printout of the submitted application for personal records.
Important Instructions
- A single online application must be submitted even when applying for multiple posts under this notification.
- There will be no supplementary exam for absentee candidates under any circumstances.
- Request for postponement of CBT/CBAT/DV or change of exam centre, date or shift will not be entertained.
- Call letters will be issued only through the official website via SMS/e-mail; none will be sent by post.
- Vacancies are provisional and may change at any stage as per Railway Administration’s requirement.
- Electronic gadgets, calculators, wallets, belts and metallic items are strictly banned inside the exam hall.
- Employees must keep their mobile number and e-mail ID active and unchanged throughout the recruitment process.
Common Application Mistakes to Avoid
- Uploading a black-and-white, group, selfie or morphed photograph
- Signing in block/capital letters instead of running handwriting
- Not uploading the PDF with the immediate supervisor’s certification/NOC
- Furnishing incorrect educational qualification details
- Waiting until the last day to submit the application, risking website load issues
- Applying despite being overage or holding a lien outside East Coast Railway
Warning: Beware of Fake Recruitment Claims
Candidates should rely only on the official website, www.rrcbbs.org.in, for updates on this recruitment. RRC does not charge any unofficial payment for registration, call letters or selection. Ignore any unauthenticated source, agent or tout claiming to guarantee selection or seeking payment outside the official process.
Official Notification and Application Links
East Coast Railway GDCE Notification 2026 PDF
Official Website: RRC Bhubaneswar
For technical assistance with online registration, applicants can email [email protected] or contact RRC on working days between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM at 0674-2303106. For application-related issues, candidates may also use the helpline number 7303484063 or e-mail [email protected], as mentioned in the notification.
Conclusion
Eligible East Coast Railway employees who wish to appear for the GDCE 2026 exam should read the complete official notification carefully, verify their post-wise eligibility and medical standard, and submit the online application well before the closing date of 14 September 2026 to avoid last-minute technical issues.
