RRB NTPC Admit Card 2019 date: Board says later on, what does this mean

New Delhi, Oct 16: It is now confirmed that the RRB NTPC Admit Card 2019 will not be released as per schedule. The same once released will be available on the official website.

"It was indicated in the employment notice that the 1st stage computer-based test (CBT) is tentatively scheduled between June and September 2019. However, it has been postponed. The revised schedule will be published in the official websites of all RRBs later on," the notice from the Railway Recruitment Board reads.

Earlier the 1st Stage CBT for CEN-01/2019 was to be held between June and September 2019. The first stage computer-based test (CBT) that was tentatively scheduled between June and September 2019 has been postponed, according to the official notification. The board has however not given any official new date as yet.

Board officials say that the date has not been fixed as yet. While the exam conducting authority would be finalised first, officials, however, stated that the tentative dates would be made known to the candidates soon.

The official, however, confirmed that the exam schedule and admit card would not be released this month. However, in some good news for the candidates, the board will decide on the eligibility criteria and other terms to float a tender for the exam conducting authority.

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has now set up a committee which would invite applications from both private and public stakeholders to operate as the Examination Conducting Agency (ECA). The committee is currently in the process of determining the eligibility criteria. The terms and conditions to float a tender are also being prepared. The board would also start receiving the applications in another week's time, following which it is expected to take a month before the same is finalised.

Once the ECA is finalised, the next step would be to release the admit card and exam schedule. Board officials say that since this process is crucial and in the interest of the candidates, they do not want to hurry the matter. We expect this process to be completed by November, following which the dates would be released. It could be expected in December, officials have also said.

The RRB received a total of 1,26,30,885 applications to fill up 35,208 vacancies. A large number of applications is what led to the delay in the release of the admit card and exam dates.

The decision to look for an external agency was taken after the RRB JE Exam 2019 Paper leak. Further, the board also felt that owing to the large number of applications for the RRB NTPC, an external agency would be better equipped to handle the same.

"The ECA would conduct computer-based exams across India in 15 languages, namely Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Marathi, Manipuri, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu for over 1 crore candidates appearing for the exam across shifts," an official notification said.

ECA should have the capacity to host over 1 lakh candidates in one shift conducted across the country. ECA would undertake meticulous planning and large scale mobilisation of resources, besides efficient capturing, handling and processing of data. It should use a certified and thoroughly tested software to conduct the exam.

Further, the ECA would also have to do a pre-audit of all exam venues, communicating to candidates, security invigilation, frisking of candidates and also capturing biometrics.

There are nearly 1 lakh vacancies to be filled up. Considering a large number of vacancies and applications, the entire process is taking time. The process is expected to commence soon, however, officials say that by the time the entire process is completed, the railways would have 1 lakh, new employees. Moreover, the official also added that this entire process would take close to a year to complete.

A board official confirmed that the delay was owing to various factors that also included a large number of applications. Further, the RRB also wants to announce the dates for the RRB NTPC Exam 2019 only once a new agency is selected.

Officials have been looking for an external agency to conduct the exam. Once the external agency is hired and finalised the exam date will be fixed, officials have also said.
There is also talk that the board is not able to handle such a large number of applications.