RPF Constable Vacancy 2026
As of late February 2026, there is no official RPF Constable vacancy notification (CEN number 2026 or any 2026-series notice) released by the Railway Protection Force Directorate or the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
The phrase “RPF Constable Vacancy 2026” that appears on YouTube, Telegram channels, job alert websites and many Google search results almost always refers to one of three different things:
- The final closure phase (zone allotment, medical examination notices, empanelment letters) of the previous large-scale Constable recruitment CEN RPF 02/2024, whose final documents were published in February 2026 → hence the year label “2026 result / vacancy closure”.
- Speculative / rumoured figures for the next Constable recruitment that people expect to be notified sometime in 2026 (most frequently quoted numbers are 5,000–20,000+ posts, but none of these numbers come from an official source).
- Misleading thumbnail / clickbait titles that use “2026” to attract views even when the content is actually discussing the 2024–2025 cycle or completely unrelated SSC/Railway jobs.
Because no genuine CEN 2026 vacancy notification exists right now, any 4000-word “description” of “RPF Constable Vacancy 2026” must necessarily cover:
- What actually happened in February 2026 (closure of CEN 02/2024)
- The policy change that moved RPF Constable recruitment to SSC
- Realistic expectations for the next cycle (likely 2026 notification → 2027 exam)
- Historical vacancy patterns
- Eligibility, selection process, salary, training & career progression (so the article has substance even without a fresh notification)
1. What Actually Happened in February 2026 (CEN RPF 02/2024 Final Phase)
Official documents released in February 2026
- 16 February 2026 → Final Panel / Merit List (4,205 roll numbers empanelled out of 4,208 vacancies)
- 23 February 2026 → Zone Allotment List (roll number → allotted Railway zone / RPSF)
- February–March 2026 → Medical examination call letters and Document Verification schedules issued zone-wise
These documents are the reason “RPF Constable 2026” is trending in searches right now. The recruitment itself began in April 2024 and the CBT was conducted in March 2025, but the final outcome closure occurred in 2026, hence the year label in informal discussions.
Vacancy breakup of CEN 02/2024 (for reference)
| Category | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | ExSM | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male Constable | ~2,100 | ~630 | ~315 | ~1,050 | ~420 | ~420 | ~4,935 (adjusted) |
| Female Constable | ~420 | ~126 | ~63 | ~210 | ~84 | – | ~903 |
| Grand Total | 4,208 (final empanelled 4,205) |
(RPSF posts were included in the total; exact category breakup varied slightly by zone.)
The February 2026 documents effectively closed this cycle. No fresh applications are being accepted for these 4,208 posts.
2. Policy Change – SSC Takes Over RPF Constable Recruitment
In late 2025 the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Personnel (DoPT) decided to transfer the conduct of RPF Constable and RPF Sub-Inspector examinations to the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) starting from the 2026 recruitment cycle.
Key implications
- Future notifications will appear on ssc.gov.in (not on individual RRB websites).
- The examination pattern may align more closely with SSC GD Constable (similar CBT syllabus + physical tests).
- PET/PMT, Document Verification and Medical Examination will still be managed by RPF Directorate / Zonal Railways.
- First SSC-conducted RPF Constable exam is expected sometime between late 2026 and mid-2027.
Because of this transition, no RRB has issued a 2026-numbered CEN for Constable posts yet, and SSC has not published any RPF-specific calendar entry for 2026 (as of February 2026).
3. Realistic Expectation for the Next RPF Constable Vacancy (Likely 2026 Notification)
Vacancy size projections (educated estimates, not official)
| Source / Logic | Projected Constable Vacancies | Time-frame (notification) |
|---|---|---|
| Historical average (2018–2024 cycles) | 4,000 – 6,000 | 2026 mid-year |
| Recent upward trend (2024 had 4,208) | 5,000 – 8,000 | 2026 Q2–Q3 |
| Aggressive coaching portal claims | 10,000 – 20,000+ | 2026 (mostly clickbait) |
| Conservative railway staffing requirement | 3,500 – 5,500 | 2026 late or 2027 |
Most credible estimates (from serious job portals and ex-railway sources) place the next major drive in the 5,000–8,000 range.
Category-wise breakup (typical pattern)
- UR: ~45–50%
- OBC: ~27%
- SC: ~15%
- ST: ~7.5%
- EWS: ~10%
- Ex-Servicemen & Women horizontal reservation
Horizontal reservations (Women ~10–15%, Ex-Servicemen ~10%, PwBD as per rules)
4. Eligibility Criteria (Expected to Remain Similar)
- Educational Qualification: Matriculation (10th pass) or equivalent from recognized board.
- Age Limit (as on 1 Jan / 1 Jul of notification year): 18–25 years (relaxation up to 3 years OBC, 5 years SC/ST, 10 years Ex-Servicemen).
- Nationality: Indian citizen.
- Physical Standards (PET/PMT stage):
- Height: Male 165 cm (relaxations for certain categories/regions), Female 157 cm.
- Chest (Male only): 80–85 cm (unexpanded/expanded).
- Running: Male 1600 m in 5 min 45 sec, Female 800 m in 3 min 40 sec.
5. Expected Selection Process (SSC-conducted cycle)
- Computer-Based Test (likely 100–120 questions, 90–100 minutes)
- General Awareness / Current Affairs
- Arithmetic (Number system, Percentage, Ratio, Time & Work, etc.)
- General Intelligence & Reasoning
- General Science (up to 10th level)
- Physical Efficiency Test (PET) – Qualifying
- Physical Measurement Test (PMT)
- Document Verification
- Medical Examination
Negative marking and sectional timing details will be specified in the SSC notification.
6. Salary & Career Progression
- Pay Level: Level-3 (7th CPC) → Basic pay ₹21,700 + allowances
- In-hand salary (initial posting): ₹35,000–42,000 per month (depending on city classification)
- Allowances: DA, HRA, Transport Allowance, RPF uniform allowance, Night Duty, Railway Duty Allowance, etc.
- Career path: Constable → Head Constable → ASI → SI → Inspector (through departmental exams/promotion)
