If you have won medals for your state, your university or your country, this one is for you. The Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), Chennai of Southern Railway has released Employment Notice No. RRC-02/Sports/2026-27 for 67 Sports Quota posts in Pay Level 1 to Level 5 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix. Starting pay runs from ₹18,000 to ₹29,200 a month. Your medals count here, and the selection is built around sports trials and your achievements. It is one of the steadier railway jobs open to athletes this year.
The online window runs from 26 September 2026 to 25 October 2026 (11:59 PM). You must be 18 to 25 years old and hold a recognised sports achievement dated on or after 1 April 2024. This article covers the discipline-wise vacancy list, the sports norms for each level, pay, trials and fees, one table at a time. Read the norms for your level slowly, because missing them gets an application rejected. GovtJobsAlert.in has checked every number against the official notification.
Southern Railway runs its recruitment through the Railway Recruitment Cell in Chennai. This is an Open Advertisement under the Sports Quota for the year 2026-27, so it is open to eligible Indian citizens from any state, not only to existing railway staff.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Southern Railway, Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC), Chennai |
| Notice Number | RRC-02/Sports/2026-27, dated 26.09.2026 |
| Total Posts | 67 |
| Pay Levels | Level 1 to Level 5 (7th CPC) |
| Age Limit | 18 to 25 years as on 01.01.2027 |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Application Window | 26 September 2026 to 25 October 2026 |
| Place of Posting | Decided by Southern Railway at the time of appointment |
No post in this notice is exclusively reserved for any community such as OBC, SC or ST. The posts are split by pay level first.
| Pay Level | Posts |
|---|---|
| Level 5 & 4 | 5 |
| Level 3 & 2 | 16 |
| Level 1 | 46 |
| Total | 67 |
| Discipline | Event / Position | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics (Men) | Long Jump, Decathlon | 2 |
| Athletics (Women) | 100m, 400m | 2 |
| Boxing (Men) | 47-50 kg | 1 |
If Level 5/4 posts in a discipline are not filled for want of suitable candidates, they will be filled at Level 3/2 from the same discipline. If no valid applications come in for all five, they are downgraded to Level 3/2.
| Discipline | Event / Position | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics (Men) | 400m, High Jump | 2 |
| Athletics (Women) | 400m Hurdles or Long Jump | 1 |
| Basketball (Men) | Pivot (3) | 3 |
| Cricket (Men) | Left Arm Spinner, Right Top Order Batsman, Left Hand Top Order Batsman | 3 |
| Cricket (Women) | Left Arm Fast Bowler | 1 |
| Cue Sports (Men) | 15 Red Snooker | 1 |
| Football (Men) | Midfielder | 1 |
| Volleyball (Men) | Middle Blocker, Universal Opposite Hitter | 2 |
| Volleyball (Women) | Attacker-Outside Hitter, Middle Blocker | 2 |
| Discipline | Event / Position | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics (Men) | 100m, 200m, 400m Hurdles, Hammer Throw or Discus Throw | 4 |
| Athletics (Women) | 100m, 100m Hurdles, 800m, 1500m | 4 |
| Boxing (Men) | 65-70 kg, 70-75 kg, 80-85 kg, Above 90 kg | 4 |
| Boxing (Women) | 54-57 kg, 57-60 kg, 65-70 kg, Above 80 kg | 4 |
| Cricket (Men) | Left Arm Spinner or Top Order Batsman (All-rounder), Right Top Order Batsman, Left Arm Fast Bowler | 3 |
| Cricket (Women) | Opening Batsman (2), Top Order Batsman or Off Spinner All-rounder (2) | 4 |
| Football (Men) | Forward (2), Midfielder (3), Defender (2) | 7 |
| Hockey (Men) | Goal Keeper (1), Forward (1), Defender (1), Midfielder (4) | 7 |
| Volleyball (Men) | Attacker-Outside Hitter (2), Middle Blocker (1) | 3 |
| Volleyball (Women) | Setter, Libero | 2 |
| Weightlifting (Men) | 65 kg, 79 kg | 2 |
| Weightlifting (Women) | 53 kg, 77 kg | 2 |
Look at your exact event, not just your sport. A vacancy for one position will not be filled with a candidate suited to another position in the same game, so a goalkeeper cannot take a forward’s seat.
| Pay Level | Minimum Qualification |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 10th pass or ITI or equivalent, or NAC granted by NCVT |
| Level 3/2 | 12th (+2 stage) pass or equivalent; or Matriculation plus Course Completed Act Apprenticeship, or Matriculation plus ITI (NCVT/SCVT), for technical categories |
| Level 5/4 | Graduation |
So a 10th pass candidate can aim for Level 1, while a 12th pass sportsperson can reach Level 3/2. There is no relaxation in the minimum qualification, and it must come from a Government-recognised institution. If you are still waiting for your final exam or its result, you are not eligible to apply. Anyone appointed as Clerk cum Typist must reach 30 wpm in English or 25 wpm in Hindi within 4 years; until then the appointment stays provisional.
Your achievement must fall in the current or previous two financial years, that is on or after 01.04.2024 up to the notification date. The concluding day of the championship is the date that counts, and you must still be an active player.
| Pay Level | Minimum Sports Norm (any one) |
|---|---|
| Level 5/4 | At least 3rd place in, or represented India at, a Category-B event: World Cup, World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (Senior), Youth Olympics or Champions Trophy (Hockey) |
| Level 3/2 | At least 3rd place at a Category-C event (Commonwealth or Asian Championship, Asia Cup, SAF Games, USIC, World University Games); or at least 3rd at Senior/Youth/Junior Nationals, National Games (IOA) or All India Inter University (AIU); or 1st at Federation Cup (Senior) |
| Level 1 | Represented India at a Category-C event; or at least 3rd at Federation Cup (Senior); or represented a State with at least 8th place at Senior Nationals (not Marathon or Cross Country); or at least 3rd at Youth/Junior Nationals, National Games or AIU |
| Discipline | Extra Rule in the Notice |
|---|---|
| Athletics | Medal at National Inter State Senior Championships may be considered for Level 2; gold at Open Nationals, Inter State (Senior) or Asian Championships (Senior) may be considered for Level 5/4 |
| Cricket (BCCI) | Level 5/4: India-A or India U-19 in 2 Tests, 2 ODIs or 2 T20s. Level 3/2: Inter State quarter-finalist (not Plate Group), or Inter-Zonal or Challenger Trophy participation. Level 1: Inter State pre-quarter-finalist (not Plate Group) |
| Hockey (Men) | For Level 2 or 3, play in a four-nation international tournament, or a Senior Nationals semi-final, may also be considered |
| Volleyball | Certificates from the Volleyball Federation or its units issued after 25.06.2020 will not be considered; AIU and International Federation certificates are accepted |
| Junior Nationals | Only the notified age groups count, e.g. Athletics U-20, Basketball U-18, Boxing U-17, Football U-19 (B.C. Roy Trophy), Hockey U-21 |
Every championship must be held under a recognised federation and recognised by the RSPB. Under RBE 118/2025, no recruitment will be made on certificates from National Championships run by a federation not recognised by MoYAS at that time. If you meet a higher level’s norm and apply for a lower level, you will be considered only for the level you applied for, and you must give an undertaking not to claim the higher level later.
| Category | Age Limit (as on 01.01.2027) |
|---|---|
| All candidates | 18 to 25 years (born between 02.01.2002 and 01.01.2009, both days included) |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and check whether you are within the age limit. →
There is no age relaxation, upper or lower, for any category. Your date of birth must match your 10th certificate; any difference leads to disqualification, and once recorded it cannot be changed.
Selected players join at the minimum pay of their level in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix.
| Pay Level | Initial Pay per Month |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | ₹18,000 |
| Level 2 | ₹19,900 |
| Level 3 | ₹21,700 |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500 |
| Level 5 | ₹29,200 |
The exact level and place of posting are fixed by Southern Railway at the time of the offer, based on available posts, your qualification, your sports record and your marks.
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sports Trials | Game skill, physical fitness and coach’s observation, out of 40. 25 or more = FIT; below 25 = NOT FIT |
| Recruitment Committee | Only FIT candidates are assessed; NOT FIT candidates are not assessed further |
| Document Verification | Originals checked on the trial and verification day |
| Medical Examination | You must meet the medical standard of the post offered |
| Component | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|
| Trials performance | 40 |
| Recognised sports achievements | 50 |
| Educational qualification | 10 |
| Maximum marks | 100 |
| Pay Level | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| Level 5/4 | 70 |
| Level 3/2 | 65 |
| Level 1 | 60 |
Offers go purely by merit and available vacancies, and a tie goes to the younger candidate. Only a player who fits the Southern Railway team will be considered. Trial dates will be announced later on the RRC website and may come at short notice, so keep checking the admit cards page and the official site.
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Original documents | Bring originals and ID proof on the trial and verification day, failing which you will not be allowed to appear in the trials |
| Trial date or venue | Requests to change date, time or venue will not be entertained |
| Travel | You attend trials and verification at your own expense and arrange your own stay |
| Fee proof | Fee concession claimed without the prescribed certificate means the application is rejected |
| Invalid applications | Blank columns, no photo or signature, no event named, wrong date of birth, missing qualification on the application date, short fee, unreadable uploads, or multiple applications for the same post and discipline are summarily rejected; the list is not exhaustive |
| Late documents | Certificates sent separately after the online form will not be entertained |
| False documents | Candidature is cancelled at any stage, even after appointment, with criminal prosecution possible |
| Canvassing or misconduct | Candidature is rejected without notice |
| Service Bond | You must sign a 5-year service bond |
| Probation | 2 years, extendable by up to 2 more; services can be terminated if sports performance stays unsatisfactory |
| Call letter | A call letter does not mean your candidature is finally accepted |
| Reserved right | The Railway Administration may alter the stages or cancel the recruitment without giving a reason |
Applying for more than one event, or for posts in more than one pay level? Pay a separate fee with a full set of documents for each. OBC candidates need a non-creamy layer certificate, or they are treated as UR. Serving railway or government staff must upload an NOC from their employer.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 26 September 2026 |
| Online application starts | 26 September 2026, 9:00 AM |
| Last date to apply and pay fee | 25 October 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Age reckoning date | 1 January 2027 |
| Trial dates | To be announced on the RRC Chennai website |
| Category | Fee | Refund on Appearing in Trials |
|---|---|---|
| All other candidates | ₹500 | ₹400 (less bank charges) |
| SC, ST, Women, Ex-Servicemen, PwBD, Minority and EBC candidates | ₹250 | ₹250 (less bank charges) |
Payment is online only and transaction charges are yours to bear. Minority means Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis; EBC means annual family income below ₹50,000, backed by a certificate in the prescribed format. An application without the fee, or with less fee, is summarily rejected.
Your years on the field can turn into a permanent railway career here. Match your certificate to the norm for your level, keep your originals ready for short-notice trials, and apply well before 25 October 2026. Beware of anyone promising a job for money; Southern Railway has appointed no agents. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for trial dates and more railway recruitment updates.
