NRA CET — Quick Overview
- National Recruitment Agency (NRA) conducts a common screening exam called Common Eligibility Test (CET) for non-gazetted, non-technical (Group B & C) central government jobs.
- Instead of multiple preliminary exams — for Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) etc. — the CET will serve as a single common test for initial shortlisting.
- NRA-CET will have 3 levels based on educational qualification: 10th pass (matriculate), 12th pass (higher-secondary), and graduate level.
What Changes with CET: Why It Matters
| Before (pre-CET) | With NRA CET |
| Candidates applied separately for SSC, RRB, IBPS exams (each with own prelims) | Single unified prelim — CET — for all, reducing number of exams per aspirant |
| Different exam patterns, dates, fees for each exam | Common pattern, common timing — simplifies planning and preparation |
| Multiple applications → higher cost & more effort | Lower cost (single application), less effort, fewer travels (one centre) |
| Candidates from rural/remote areas often faced difficulty reaching exam centres | NRA aims to set up exam centres across many districts — improving accessibility & fairness |
CET Exam Pattern, Eligibility & Validity
Levels of CET
- 10th-pass (matric) level
- 12th-pass (higher secondary) level
- Graduate level
Syllabus / Test Sections (common for all levels, adjusted per level)
Generally includes:
- General Awareness / General Knowledge / General Science (as per level)
- Quantitative Aptitude / Mathematics
- Reasoning / General Intelligence & Reasoning
- Language & Comprehension (English / Hindi / other regional languages)
Format & Frequency
- Online, computer-based test (CBT)
- Conducted twice a year initially.
- Candidates can attempt unlimited times (subject to the upper age limit).
Validity of Score
- CET score is valid for three years from the date of declaration of result.
Candidates can improve their score by re-appearing; best valid score among attempts will be considered. What Happens After You Clear CET
- Clearing CET doesn’t guarantee a job. It simply qualifies you for the next level — Tier II / Tier III / Specialized exams — conducted by the respective recruitment agency (SSC, RRB, IBPS etc.) depending on the post you apply for.
- You will have to apply separately to the concerned agency / recruitment notification, and appear for further stages as applicable.
- The benefit: you avoid separate preliminary exams for each agency — reducing duplication of effort.
Also: In future, more central government agencies (beyond SSC / RRB / IBPS) may adopt CET-based recruitment, widening the scope of CET.
What Aspirants Should Do — Preparation Strategy & Tips
- Treat CET as the base — but aim higher. Since CET is common for many jobs, a good CET score keeps options open (banking, railway, SSC).
- Focus on basics across all sections — Quant, Reasoning, English/Language, General Awareness — because syllabus is common and level will vary based on 10th/12th/Grad.
- Regular mocks + previous-year style practice — helps adapt to CBT format and time management.
- Keep a check on age-limit & category-wise relaxations — passing CET doesn’t bypass these constraints.
- After clearing CET, shortlist job notifications — because you’ll still have to apply separately to each agency’s post.
Why This Change is a Big Deal
- For aspirants from remote / rural areas: reduces travel, cost and burden.
- For aspirants uncertain about career stream: CET gives flexibility — a single score for multiple job pools (SSC, banking, railway, possibly more in future).
- For aspirants with limited time: saves effort vs. preparing separately for 3–4 exams with different pattern.
- For government: streamlines recruitment pipeline, reduces backlog, increases transparency and standardization.
Given the changing recruitment landscape — if you are preparing for central jobs — understanding CET well and preparing accordingly is now more important than ever.
