The Railway Recruitment Board has completed multiple shifts of the Junior Engineer (JE) CBT-1 Exam 2026 held on 19 and 20 February 2026, with candidates and experts providing detailed feedback on question patterns and difficulty. The analysis offers insights into how the paper shaped up and what aspirants can expect from various sections of the test.
Overall Difficulty Level of RRB JE CBT-1 Exam 2026
Candidates from different shifts reported that the overall difficulty of the CBT-1 exam was moderate, with a balanced distribution of questions across key areas. While some questions required careful thinking, most were within expected preparation scope for well-prepared aspirants.
- Reasoning & Intelligence topics were generally easy to moderate.
- Mathematics and General Science sections tended to be moderate.
- General Awareness stayed balanced with both static and current affairs components.
Section-Wise Review and Good Attempts
Below is a consolidated view of section-wise difficulty and suggested “good attempt” ranges based on candidate feedback from multiple shifts:
A “good attempt” refers to the number of questions an aspirant might confidently answer with high accuracy, offering a competitive performance for scoring well in the exam.
Key Topics Covered in RRB JE CBT-1 2026
Candidates reported that common and expected topics appeared in the examination:
- Mathematics: Questions spanned basic arithmetic topics such as simplification, average, geometry, proportion and data interpretation.
- Reasoning: Included puzzles, seating arrangement, number series, analogies, and classification questions.
- General Awareness: Covered a mix of static GK topics and current affairs such as appointments, constitutional articles and recent government schemes.
- General Science: Focused on fundamental concepts in physics, chemistry and biology relevant to 10th-standard levels.
Exam Timing and Pattern Highlights
The CBT-1 exam continued as a computer-based objective test with 100 questions divided into four sections. Several shifts were scheduled throughout the day to accommodate the large number of applicants. Candidates are reminded to maintain accuracy even while attempting a higher number of questions, as negative marking rules penalise incorrect answers.
What This Means for Aspirants?
For aspirants awaiting upcoming shifts or reviewing performance expectations, the moderate difficulty and balanced section distribution indicate that consistent preparation can yield competitive scores. Understanding section-wise weightage and practising previous year patterns closely can further improve performance prospects in subsequent rounds.