RRB NTPC Admit Card 2019: Important update on free travel pass

New Delhi, Oct 09: An official update on the RRB NTPC Admit Card 2019 is yet to be released. The same once released will be available on the official website.

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.

In an important update, the RRB will be providing a free travel passes for the candidates who will appear for the RRB NTPC exam 2019. Further the exam date and city intimation link is most likely to be made in November 2019. The travel passes would be issued at the same time. Those candidates who have uploaded their caste certificate can avail the free pass for a sleeper coach.

Reports now say that the exams are likely to be held only in December 2019. This would mean that the admit card would be released four days before the exams.

A meeting of the top board officials was held recently and it was decided to prepare a tender. This process would take at least a month or two. This means candidates could expect that the exams would be held either in November or December. The admit would, however, be released a week before the exams.

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 railways have invited applications from public and private stakeholders to conduct the recruitment tests. Once selected the agency would work as the Examination Conducting Agency. An official informed that the external agency is likely to be finalised by the end of October.

"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.