Railway Promotional Exams

LDCE Group C → B Group D → C

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For the serving railway employee working toward a promotion — someone who already knows the job and needs to find out, before the exam hall does, which rules and manuals they only think they remember.

LDCE and GDCE are not the same thing

We are not an official source. Mock Test Mitra is a practice platform, not a conducting authority. Eligibility, quota shares, paper structure and marking change between zones and between notification cycles. Everything below is orientation to help you tell the two exams apart — verify every detail against your own zonal notification before you rely on it.

This page covers LDCE promotion routes — the two ladders above. GDCE is a different route that is routinely confused with it, because both are a way upward for someone already in service. They are not the same exam and they are not scored against the same pool, so it is worth being sure which one your notification is for. Broadly, and subject to that notification:

LDCE

Limited Departmental Competitive Examination

Limited to: Your own department / cadre
Route: Promotion within the cadre, notably Group C → Group B
Run by: The zonal railway
Tests you on: Departmental codes, manuals and establishment rules

GDCE

General Departmental Competitive Examination

Open to: Any serving employee — hence "general"
Route: Serving staff competing against the direct-recruitment quota
Run by: The zone's Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC)
Tests you on: General awareness, maths and reasoning, plus post-specific technical

Your notification is the authority on every point above — including which posts are offered, how many papers there are and how they are marked. Where it differs from this page, it is right and this page is out of date.

All Mock Tests

Syllabus outline

Orientation, not a syllabus. This is assembled from departmental guides and question-bank sites, not from a Railway Board circular we hold. It is here so you can judge whether our mocks are aimed at your exam — the syllabus attached to your own notification is the only one that counts.

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Status

The permanent-way and track manual papers are published. The remaining posts are still being authored — they show “Coming soon” until their tests land. Everything on this page describing the exams is orientation gathered from secondary sources, not from a Railway Board circular: verify against your own zonal notification before you rely on it.

Railway Departmental Promotion Examination Guide (LDCE & GDCE)

A comprehensive technical reference for Indian Railways engineering personnel preparing for Group B (AEN) and supervisory promotions (SSE & JE P-Way, Works, and Bridges).

Promotion Routes & Examination Pattern

Group B promotions in Indian Railways Civil Engineering have more than one route. Broadly, and subject to your zonal notification:

Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE): a merit route open to eligible serving staff (SSEs/JEs). Each notification states who may apply and what share of Group B vacancies it fills.
Selection on service record: the other route, assessed on records rather than a written paper. How vacancies are divided between the two is set out in the notification.
The computer-based test: the number of papers, marks, negative marking and qualifying marks are fixed in each notification and differ between zones and cycles. Treat any figure you read elsewhere, including on this page, as orientation, not as the rule.

Core Manuals: Track Maintenance & Inspection

Technical mastery of official Railway Board manuals is the cornerstone of scoring high in LDCE/GDCE CBTs:

IRPWM 2020: Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual detailing track structures, deep screening, track tolerances, curves, points & crossings, LWR/CWR regulations, and patrol duties.
Track Machines (IRTMM): Operations, maintenance schedules, tamping parameters (Duomatic, CSM, Tamping Express), dynamic track stabilizers (DTS), and ballast regulators.
Small Track Machines (STMM): Portable rail drills, abrasive rail cutters, weld trimmers, hydraulic track jacks, and lightweight tie tampers.

Non-Destructive Testing & Rail Welding

Critical safety guidelines prescribed by RDSO and Railway Board for track integrity:

USFD Manual: Ultrasonic Flaw Detection protocols, probe angles (0°, 70°, 45°), flaw classification (IMR, OBS, REM), periodicity of testing, and defect marking conventions.
Manual for Fusion Welding: Alumino-Thermic (AT) and Flash Butt Welding parameters, pre-heating timings, crucible preparation, weld tolerances, and AT weld testing.
Bridge Manual: Substructure and superstructure inspections, flood water records, danger levels, and bearings maintenance.

Manuals and chapters covered

Our railway papers are organised by manual and chapter. This lists what we have written practice for — it is not any zone's syllabus. Your notification sets that.

IRPWM — Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: IRPWM mock tests by chapter.

IRTMM — Indian Railways Track Machine Manual

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: IRTMM mock tests by chapter.

STMM — Small Track Machine Manual

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: STMM mock tests by chapter.

USFD — Ultrasonic Flaw Detection manual

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: USFD mock tests by chapter.

IRBM — Bridge Manual

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: IRBM mock tests by chapter.

Engineering Code

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: Engineering Code mock tests by chapter.

Construction Manual

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: Construction Manual mock tests by chapter.

A.T. Welding — alumino-thermic welding of rails

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: A.T. Welding mock tests by chapter.

FBW — flash butt welding of rails

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: FBW mock tests by chapter.

IRSOD — Schedule of Dimensions

Chapter by chapter, with every paper linked: IRSOD mock tests by chapter.

Bridge Rules

DETAILS OF OLD STANDARD LOADINGS FOR BRIDGES
LOADS
RULES FOR ASSESSING THE STRENGTH OF EXISTING RAILWAY BRIDGES
SCOPE
Shorter chapters are grouped into combined papers.

GJ Manual — glued insulated rail joints

Annexures
FABRICATION / ASSEMBLY OF GLUED JOINTS
GLUE USED IN FABRICATION OF GLUED INSULATED RAIL JOINTS
INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF GLUED JOINTS
PROCEDURE FOR JOINT INSPECTION OF GLUED JOINTS IN FIELD
TESTING AND INSPECTION OF GLUED JOINTS
Shorter chapters are grouped into combined papers.

Frequently Asked Questions: Railway Promotional Exams

What is the difference between Railway LDCE and GDCE?

LDCE (Limited Departmental Competitive Examination) is a promotion examination for eligible employees within a department, such as Civil Engineering staff sitting for AEN. GDCE (General Departmental Competitive Examination) is open to serving employees across departments. Eligibility, vacancy shares and paper pattern are set in each zonal notification, so confirm which exam your notification is for.

What is the syllabus for the Railway LDCE AEN Civil Engineering CBT?

Your zonal notification sets the syllabus. Our papers cover the manuals listed on this page, chapter by chapter, including Engineering Code, IRPWM, IRTMM, IRBM, STMM, USFD and the rail welding manuals. We do not currently offer papers on General Knowledge, Official Language policy, Establishment Rules or Financial Rules.

Are the latest IRPWM 2020 correction slips reflected in the mock tests?

We cannot promise that every correction slip is reflected. Most explanations cite the chapter and paragraph of the manual they rely on, and some mention correction slips, but you should check the slips currently in force on the Railway Board or your zone's site before relying on any answer.

What is the qualifying mark for Railway Group B LDCE CBT?

Qualifying marks, the number of papers and how the viva-voce or record of service is weighted are set in each zonal notification and can differ between zones and cycles. We do not publish a qualifying mark because we cannot verify it for your zone.

Which track machine manuals are tested for SSE & JE P-Way departmental promotions?

Our papers cover IRTMM (on-track tampers and ballast machines), STMM (portable equipment) and the USFD manual for ultrasonic testing of rails and welds. Which manuals your paper draws on depends on your notification.