RPF New Vacancy 2026: Notification Status, New SSC Rules, Eligibility and Selection Process

There is no RPF Constable or SI notification for 2026 yet, and no official vacancy count. What has changed is how RPF will recruit: under the RPF (Amendment) Rules, 2025, notified on 17 October 2025, the next Constable (Executive) and Sub-Inspector (Executive) drives will be run by the Staff Selection Commission using the CAPF procedure, with a lower age limit and a taller height standard. The last drive, CEN RPF 02/2024 for 4,208 Constables, ended with its final panel on 16 February 2026.

RPF New Vacancy 2026

The Railway Minister said in October 2025 that RPF recruitment will now be held every year, so a 2026–27 notification is expected, but neither SSC nor the Railway Board has announced a date or vacancy count. Figures of 5,000, 8,000 or more seen online are not official. The last two cycles give a sense of scale:

RPF Constable Vacancy 2026: Overview

Here is what is confirmed so far for the next RPF recruitment, and what is still pending.

Because SSC now runs the process on CAPF lines, the pattern is likely to be close to SSC GD Constable, which uses the same procedure for BSF, CRPF, CISF and other forces.

RPF SI Vacancy 2026

The SI (Executive) post is also moving to SSC. It needs a bachelor's degree in any discipline. The amended rules do not give a separate SI age limit in the public summaries; SSC's CAPF SI exam uses 20–25 years, so a similar range is likely, but wait for the notification. In CEN RPF 01/2024, the SI limit was 20–28 years with a one-time relaxation.

RPF Vacancy 2026 Notification PDF

The notification will be published by SSC on ssc.gov.in, with a copy likely on rpf.indianrailways.gov.in. It will carry the vacancy split by zone, gender and category, the fee, the CBT pattern and the physical standards. Be careful with PDFs circulating on social media: PIB has flagged fake RPF notices before, including one claiming 19,800 posts.

RPF Recruitment 2026 Important Dates

No dates have been announced. Past dates are given for reference.

The last cycle took almost two years from notification to final panel; SSC's annual cycle should be faster.

RPF Eligibility Criteria 2026

The amended rules change the age limit and physical standards. The notification will give the final details.

Educational Qualification

The qualification has not changed.

Age Limit

The Constable age limit is now lower than in the last drive, so candidates who were eligible in 2024 may be over-age now.

Age Relaxation

Upper age relaxation follows central government norms.

Other relaxations (such as for J&K domicile or widows) will be listed in the notification if they apply.

RPF Application Form 2026

The application will be on ssc.gov.in through SSC's one-time registration (OTR), not on the old RRB portals. If you have applied for any SSC exam before, your OTR can be reused; if not, create it now with your Class 10 details, Aadhaar and a recent photo.

How to Apply Online for RPF Recruitment 2026

Once the notification is out, the steps will be:

1. Go to ssc.gov.in and log in with your OTR, or register first.
2. Open the RPF Constable or SI recruitment link.
3. Fill in personal, educational and category details.
4. Choose your exam centres and upload your photo and signature in the given format.
5. Pay the fee online and submit.
6. Save the confirmation page.

RPF Application Fee 2026

SSC will set the 2026 fee. For reference, the last RRB-run cycle charged:

SSC charges ₹100 for most of its exams, with women, SC, ST and ex-servicemen exempt, so the RPF fee may come down.

RPF Selection Process 2026

The amended Rule 49.1 lays down four stages:

1. Computer Based Test
2. Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Measurement Test (qualifying)
3. Document verification
4. Medical examination by a CAPF medical officer or a Grade-I medical officer of a central or state government hospital

There is no interview.

Attempt RPF SI and Constable Mock Test Series

RPF Exam Pattern 2026

SSC will notify the new pattern. The last RPF CBT followed this pattern, which is the best guide until then:

Each wrong answer cost one-third of a mark. If SSC adopts its CAPF pattern instead, the paper may look more like the SSC GD syllabus and exam pattern, which has 80 questions in 60 minutes.

RPF Syllabus 2026

The three subjects are common to both the RPF and SSC constable papers, so preparation does not need to wait for the notification.

The RPF previous year papers from the 2024 cycle are the best way to see the level of questions.

RPF Salary 2026

Pay levels are unchanged by the new rules. At the current DA of 60%:

The Constable pay level is the same as a CAPF constable; the SSC GD salary page breaks down a similar Level 3 salary in detail.

RPF Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Measurement Test

This is where the new rules change the most.

Physical Measurement Test

The male height requirement is now 170 cm, up from 165 cm in CEN RPF 02/2024. Other standards follow CAPF norms.

CAPF norms also allow lower height for candidates from hill areas and some other groups; the notification will list them.

Physical Efficiency Test

The new PET standards have not been published in full yet. The last cycle used these:

If SSC applies the full CAPF standard, the run could become longer; SSC GD uses 5 km in 24 minutes for men and 1.6 km in 8.5 minutes for women.

RPF Recruitment 2026: Important Documents

Keep these ready before the notification, since SSC application windows usually last about a month:

• Class 10 certificate (age proof) and, for SI, graduation certificate
• Caste, OBC-NCL or EWS certificate in the central government format, dated within the validity period
• Aadhaar or another photo ID
• Recent photograph and signature in the SSC format
• Ex-servicemen discharge certificate, if applicable
• Active mobile number and email for OTR

RPF vacancy FAQs

Is there any new RPF vacancy in 2026?

Not yet. No RPF Constable or SI notification has been issued for 2026, and no official vacancy count has been announced.

When will the RPF Recruitment 2026 notification be released?

No date has been announced. Recruitment is now with SSC, and it is not yet in SSC's exam calendar.

How many vacancies are available for RPF Constable 2026?

Not announced. The last Constable drive, CEN RPF 02/2024, had 4,208 posts.

How many vacancies are available for RPF SI 2026?

Not announced. The last SI drive, CEN RPF 01/2024, had 452 posts.

What is the eligibility criteria for RPF Constable Recruitment 2026?

Class 10 pass, age 18–23 years (with category relaxation), and a minimum height of 170 cm for men and 157 cm for women in the general category.

What is the age limit for RPF Constable 2026?

18–23 years under the 2025 rules, with 3 years' relaxation for OBC and 5 years for SC/ST.

What is the educational qualification required for RPF SI 2026?

A bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university.

How can I apply online for RPF Recruitment 2026?

On ssc.gov.in, through SSC's one-time registration, once the notification is released.

What is the selection process for RPF Constable and SI?

CBT, PET and PMT, document verification and a medical examination. There is no interview.

What is the salary of an RPF Constable in 2026?

Pay Level 3 with a basic pay of ₹21,700. With DA, HRA and transport allowance, gross pay is about ₹47,000 in an X-class city.

Where can I download the RPF Notification 2026 PDF?

From ssc.gov.in once SSC publishes it. Avoid PDFs shared on social media until they appear on the official site.

What is the official website for RPF recruitment updates?

ssc.gov.in for the recruitment, and rpf.indianrailways.gov.in for RPF notices.