RRB NTPC CBT-1 has 100 questions in 90 minutes: Mathematics 30, General Intelligence and Reasoning 30, General Awareness 40. One-third negative marking. The paper is easier than SSC CGL but the competition is enormous — the last cycle had over 1.2 crore applicants.
Mathematics
- Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal: the standard book for arithmetic basics. Do the exercises, skip the theory you already know.
- Rakesh Yadav Class Notes (Hindi/English): short tricks for percentage, ratio, time and work, which make up most of the paper.
- Previous-year RRB NTPC and Group D papers: the level is similar and questions repeat in pattern.
General Intelligence and Reasoning
- A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal, for coding-decoding, series, syllogism and puzzles.
- Kiran’s Railway Reasoning PYQ compilation, for exam-level practice.
General Awareness (40 questions — the deciding section)
- Lucent’s General Knowledge (Hindi or English edition) for static GK: history, geography, polity, science.
- NCERT Science Class 6–10 for basic science, which is heavily asked.
- A monthly current-affairs magazine or our daily current-affairs page for the 6 months before the exam.
- Kiran’s Railway GA PYQ book to see the real level of questions.
How to use them
Finish one book per section, not three. Spend 40% of your time on General Awareness because it has the most questions and the least calculation. Give one full mock every week from the second month, and track your section-wise accuracy.