CET: Common Eligibility Test - National Recruitment Agency (NRA) for Bank/Railway/SSC Exam

Cabinet Approves Setting Up of National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to CET (Conduct Common Eligibility Test) for SSC, Railway and Banking Exams

NRA - A Multi-Agency Body to encompass the first level test by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and the Institute of Banking Service Personnel (IBPS).


A National Recruitment Agency is a proposed agency by the Narendra Modi government. The government has decided to take a single computer-based preliminary examination for all the non-gazetted government posts. The agency is going to monitor all the activities of the Common Eligibility Test. Currently, candidates have to appear for a complex process of examination for all the exams. It is very time consuming and a long process. The government is trying to simplify the exam process for over 2.5 crore candidates. The government is taking one single exam for all the Group B and C posts. This will reduce the time and also candidates don't have to prepare for each preliminary exam again and again.
Exams To Be Subsumed Under CET
All the prelims exams of Group B and C posts will be subsumed into a single common eligibility test (CET). The National Recruitment Agency will initially aim at replacing the preliminary exams of Group B and C posts conducted by three government agencies namely:

➤ Staff Selection Commission (SSC),

➤ Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), and

➤ Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).

Aspirants have to give only a single preliminary examination for the exams conducted by these agencies.
NRA CET 2020: Test Centers
There is a piece of good news for the students who belong to a remote location of the country. There will be at least one or more than one center in a district depending on the students appearing for the exam. Candidates will not need to go too far places to attempt the exam. This will reduce the expenses of poor candidates in terms of examination fees, traveling charges, lodging, and other expenses.

NRA CET 2020: Time Utilization
As we are aware there will be a single prelims exam for all the Group B and C. The score is going to valid for 3 years. Agencies will use the score of CET and take their second stage exam. Some organisation have said that they directly recruit candidates using the CET score, Physical and Medical examination, without any second-level test.

NRA CET 2020: Age Limit
The age limit for the CET 2020 depends on the exam they want to take under CET. There will be 3 levels of exam namely, undergraduate, 12th level exam, and 10th level exam. The Age-limit will be same as it is now for each exam. There is no change in the eligibility of the exam. The age relaxation given to different categories will remain same. Candidates no need to panic as it is a single prelims exam only, there will be no change in eligibility, age limit, and exam pattern.