Proposed by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, the National Recruitment Agency (NRA) is a new recruitment agency that will be set up to conduct the screening test known as the common eligibility test (CET) for several exams hitherto conducted by SSC, IBPS and RRB.
National Recruitment Agency’s Common Eligibility Test will replace the screening paper of several exams conducted by SSC, RRB and IBPS. As per the latest updates, NRA CET 2022 will be conducted in March 2022. This article details all the information that you need to know about the said exam.
Union Minister of State, Dr Jitendra Singh has informed that the Common Eligibility Test (CET) will be conducted from early 2022 to shortlist candidates at the primary level for the central government jobs.
National Recruitment Agency Common Eligibility Test (NRA CET) is a screening test to be conducted by the newly approved NRA. It will be conducted to shortlist candidates for various Group-B and -C non-technical and non-gazetted posts. As state above, the screening test of the following exams will be conducted by NRA. It will be a common test for all these exams and will be held twice a year.
Government Bodies |
Exams to be Conducted by NRA |
Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
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Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) |
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Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
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Further levels/tiers of these exams will be conducted by their respective agencies. Hence. all candidates who clear NRA CET will then have to appear for the further stages/tiers in order to get shortlisted for the desired profile.
Name of Exam |
NRA CET (National Recruitment Agency Common Eligibility Test) |
Conducting Body |
NRA (National Recruitment Agency) |
Level of Exam |
National |
Mode of Exam |
Online (Computer-Based-Test) |
Frequency of Exam Duration |
Twice a year |
Type of CET |
Three types (10th class, 12th class, graduate-level) |
Exam Date |
March 2022 (Tentative) |
Exam Purpose |
Screening the candidates for various Group-B and -C non-technical posts |
Exam Validity |
Three Years |
Although final eligibility criteria will be mentioned in the official notification, the basic eligibility criteria according to the approved proposal is tabulated below:
Educational qualification |
NRA CET will be conducted at three levels – Secondary (Class10), Higher Secondary (Class 12) and Graduation. Hence, candidates who have cleared Class 10, Class 12 and graduation are all eligible to apply for different category exams. |
Age limit |
It will be on the basis of the post for which the candidate will apply. The age relaxations for category students will be according to the government norms. |
Number of Attempts |
There is no limit on the number of attempts one can take for the exam. It will be subject to the upper age limit prescribed for the particular exam. |
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the creation of the National Recruitment Agency. However, there is no clarity on when the agency will actually be created. Therefore, most probably the notification of NRA CET will be released in December 2021. Check tentative NRA CET exam dates below:
NRA CET Exam Events |
NRA CET Exam Dates (Tentative) |
Notification |
December 2021 |
Application form |
January 2022 |
Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
March 2022 |
The salient features and benefits of National Recruitment Agency CET are given below:
NRA CET will replace the Tier-1/Phase-1 conducted to screen candidates in the exams conducted by SSC, IBPS, and RRB recruitment
On the basis of the score of NRA CET, the final selection will be made through separate specialized agencies. The tier-II/tier-III exams will be conducted by the respective recruitment agency (SSC/IBPS/RRB)
NRA CET will be conducted twice a year
The complete NRA CET exam process including filling the application form, release of admit card, announcement of the result, etc. will be done online
There will be three separate online NRA CETs for different categories namely graduates, Class 12 and Class 10 candidates.
The official website of NRA will have mock tests and a 24X7 helpline.
Candidates will be able to schedule their test and choose the exam center of their choice
The validity of NRA CET score will be three years.
The best available NRA CET score of three years will be considered for selection/recruitment.
NRA CET scores may be shared with the central government, state governments, Union Territories (UTs), Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), and private sector for their recruitment.
With just one exam conducted by NRA CET, candidates will get the opportunity to compete for many posts.
The NRA CET exam pattern and syllabus is mentioned below:
The CET will be conducted in 12 major Indian languages including English and Hindi
The question paper will contain objective type multiple-choice questions (MCQs) only
The syllabus and level of difficulty of the questions will be standard and in line with the educational qualification of a candidate belonging to Class 10, Class 12, or Graduation according to the level of the CET.
The details regarding NRA CET exam centers is given below:
The exam infrastructure will be created in about aspirational 117 districts
It will be conducted at over 1,000 exam centers in every district of India to ensure ease of access for rural youth, women, and disadvantaged candidates
The details regarding NRA CET exam centres is given below:
The exam infrastructure will be created in about aspirational 117 districts
It will be conducted at over 1,000 exam centres in every district of India to ensure ease of access for rural youth, women, and disadvantaged candidates
Here’s the step-by-step guide for the recruiment process to be conducted by NRA.
Step 1:Fill the NRA CET application form
As the first step, you will have to fill the NRA CET application form that will be available on the official website of the agency. The application fee of the CET is expected to be nominal. You might also get the option of scheduling your exam and selecting the test center of your choice.
Step 2: Download NRA CET Admit Card
NRA will publish the CET admit card on its official website. You will have to download the admit card before the date of the exam. It will be mandatory for candidates to carry the NRA CET admit card to the allotted exam centre. Should there be any discrepancy, immediately inform the authorities by emailing their official communication email address!
Step 3: Appear for NRA CET paper
Next, you will have to appear for the NRA CET paper. It will be a computer-based-test on the allotted exam venue. The NRA CET paper will contain MCQs with four answer choices with one correct option.
Step 4: Check NRA CET result
The result will be declared by the National Recruitment agency on the official website as per the prescribed schedule. The result will most likely be declared in the form of the merit list. The score of the CET will be valid for three years.
Step 5: Appear for the next stages conducted by the respective agency
Further, all shortlisted candidates will have to appear for the next stages/tiers of their respective recruitment exams. The further levels will be conducted by the respective recruitment agencies – SSC, RRB, and IBPS.
Q: What is NRA?
A: NRA or National Recruitment Agency is a multi-agency body that will be set up for the enhancing the recruitment process of candidates for various central government jobs.
Q: Is NRA already established?
A: As of now, the Union Cabinet has approved the creation of NRA. The agency is yet to be established. But according to the latest news, NRA will commence its process from September.
Q: What is NRA CET?
A: NRA CET is a common eligibility test that will be conducted by the National Recruitment Agency to screen candidates at the first level of various SSC, RRB, and IBPS recruitment exams.
Q: When will NRA CET be conducted?
A: It is expected that the first NRA CET will be held in March 2022.
Q: For which post will the NRA CET be conducted?
A: NRA CET will be conducted for posts and vacancies released under SSC, RRB and IBPS. Majorly, it will include Group B and Group C posts in central government, Probationary Officer and Clerk in banks and Group B and Group C posts in Railway.
Q: How many CETs will NRA conduct?
A: NRA will conduct three CETs as per the eligibility of candidates – Class 10, Class 12 and graduation.
Q: What is the syllabus of NRA CET?
A: NRA CET syllabus will be announced in the official notification after the setting up of the National Recruitment Agency. However, the syllabus is expected to be concurrent with the current syllabus of the various tier-I IBPS, SSC, and RRB exams.
Q: Will NRA also conduct UPSC exams?
A: No, NRA will not conduct any exam conducted by UPSC. It will conduct exams only for the three government bodies - SSC, RRB, and IBPS.
Q: Will the Teaching Eligibility Tests (TETs) also be conducted by NRA?
A: No, NRA will not conduct the TETs.
Q: What will I do after qualifying NRA CET?
A: After qualifying NRA CET, you will have to appear for the next stage/level of your respective recruitment exam. It will be conducted by the respective recruitment agencies namely SSC, RRB orIBPS.
Q: Would IBPS, RRB and SSC not conduct the exams?
A: No, SSC, RRB, and IBPS will continue conducting the Tier-2/Tier-3 of the exams. Only the screening test will be conducted by National Recruitment Agency.
NRA or National Recruitment Agency is a multi-agency body that will be set up for the enhancing the recruitment process of candidates for various central government jobs.
As of now, the Union Cabinet has approved the creation of NRA. The agency is yet to be established. But according to the latest news, NRA will commence its process from September.
NRA CET is a common eligibility test that will be conducted by the National Recruitment Agency to screen candidates at the first level of various SSC, RRB, and IBPS recruitment exams.
It is expected that the first NRA CET will be held in September 2021.
NRA CET will be conducted for posts and vacancies released under SSC, RRB and IBPS. Majorly, it will include Group B and Group C posts in central government, Probationary Officer and Clerk in banks and Group B and Group C posts in Railway.