North Central Railway Cultural Quota 2026: Apply for 2 Posts

North Central Railway (NCR), through the Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), Prayagraj, has released the North Central Railway Cultural Quota Recruitment 2026 notification for the 2026-27 cycle. The recruitment drive is being conducted for two posts in the Sitar and Tabla streams.

The official notification, issued under EN CQ-02/2026, was published on August 18, 2026. Eligible candidates can submit their applications online through the RRC Prayagraj website. The application process started on August 20 and will remain open until September 19, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

North Central Railway Cultural Quota 2026 Highlights

The recruitment is being conducted against Cultural Quota posts under Pay Matrix Level 2. Candidates with the required educational and cultural qualifications can apply for the notified streams.

The key details are given below for quick reference.

The notification confirms one vacancy each for Sitar and Tabla under Level 2.

North Central Railway Cultural Quota Vacancy 2026

The North Central Railway Cultural Quota recruitment has two vacancies in total. Both posts are placed under Pay Matrix Level 2 of the 7th Central Pay Commission.

• Sitar: 1 post
• Tabla: 1 post
• Total: 2 posts

The recruitment is open to eligible candidates from all communities, and there is no community-wise reservation against the Cultural Quota vacancies.

North Central Railway Cultural Quota Eligibility 2026

Candidates must meet both the prescribed educational and cultural qualifications.

For educational qualification, candidates should have passed Intermediate or an equivalent examination with at least 50% aggregate marks from a recognised Board or University.

The 50% marks requirement is not insisted upon for SC, ST, Ex-Servicemen and PwBD candidates. Candidates holding higher qualifications such as graduation or postgraduation are also eligible under the prescribed rules.

Candidates can also meet the educational requirement through Matriculation plus ITI approved by NCVT or SCVT, wherever applicable.

In addition, applicants must possess a degree, diploma or certificate in the specified cultural stream from a Government-recognised institution. Relevant experience, performances on AIR or Doordarshan and national-level prizes are desirable.

North Central Railway Cultural Quota Age Limit 2026

The prescribed age limit is 18 to 30 years as on January 1, 2027.

Candidates should have been born between January 1, 1997, and January 1, 2009, both dates inclusive. Age relaxation will be available to eligible categories as per Railway rules.

• OBC candidates: 3 years
• SC/ST candidates: 5 years
• PwBD candidates: 10 years, subject to applicable conditions
• Other categories: Relaxation as prescribed in the notification

North Central Railway Cultural Quota Application Fee 2026

Candidates have to pay the examination fee online while submitting the application form.

Candidates paying INR 500 will receive a refund of INR 400 after appearing in the written examination, subject to applicable bank charges. Eligible candidates paying INR 250 will receive a refund of the same amount after appearing in the written examination, after applicable bank charges. The fee will not be refunded to candidates found ineligible.

North Central Railway Cultural Quota Selection Process 2026

The selection process will be conducted for a total of 100 marks. It includes a written examination, practical demonstration and assessment of testimonials or prizes.

• Written Test: 50 marks
• Practical Demonstration: 35 marks
• Testimonials/Prizes: 15 marks
• Total: 100 marks

The written examination will contain 50 objective questions and will be conducted for 60 minutes. Questions may cover General Awareness, Mathematics, General Intelligence, Reasoning and knowledge of cultural activities. There will be 1/3 negative marking for every incorrect answer.

Only candidates qualifying in the written examination will be called for the practical demonstration and further assessment.

How to Apply for North Central Railway Cultural Quota 2026

Candidates can apply online through the official RRC Prayagraj website by following these steps:

1. Visit the official RRC Prayagraj website.
2. Select the Cultural Quota 02/2026 recruitment link.
3. Open the online/e-application link.
4. Complete the new registration process.
5. Enter personal, educational and cultural qualification details.
6. Pay the applicable examination fee.
7. Upload the required photograph, signature and certificates.
8. Submit the application form.
9. Save or print the acknowledgement for future reference.

The application process is completely online, and candidates are advised to submit their forms before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

North Central Railway Cultural Quota 2026 FAQs