Railway Recruitment Board (RRB)
RRB ALP Exam 2026: Eligibility, Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Selection Process
Get complete information about the RRB Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment process under CEN No. 01/2026, including vacancies, age limit, educational qualifications, exam stages, syllabus, salary, and other important details. Learn how the Scholars SSC Academy Railway Coaching Programme can help you prepare effectively for and clear both CBT-1 and CBT-2 exams.
- 11,127 ALP vacancies (CEN 01/2026)
- Applications closed · CBT-1 awaited
11,127 (CEN 01/2026)
Total Vacancies
18 – 30 years
Age Limit
10th + ITI / Diploma / Degree
Qualification
CBT-1, CBT-2, CBAT, DV, ME
Selection Stages
₹19,900 (Level 2)
Starting Basic Pay
Online CBT, Hindi/English +13 languages
Exam Mode
Recruitment Update
RRB ALP Recruitment 2026 at a Glance
Verified against the official CEN No. 01/2026 detailed notification.
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) organises the Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) recruitment exam to recruit candidates in all its 21 zonal RRBs. According to RRB, a total of 11,127 ALP posts have been announced in the current recruitment round (CEN 01/2026). As reported, over 8.4 lakh candidates applied in the application process, which closed on 14 June 2026.
RRB provides the status of the application on 22 August 2026. As there are multiple CBT-1 exam-preparation platforms claiming that CBT-1 can be conducted in the latter part of September 2026, RRB has not officially announced the date for CBT-1 yet. Hence, candidates are advised to take this timeline as tentative and refer to their region’s RRB website and official e-call letter for the final date of CBT-1.
| CEN Number | 01/2026 |
| Post | Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP), Pay Level 2 |
| Notified Vacancies | 11,127 (all RRBs and railway zones) |
| Application Window | 15 May 2026 – 14 June 2026 |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 16 June 2026 |
| Application Modification Window | 17 June – 26 June 2026 |
| Current Status | Applications closed; application status released 22 Aug 2026; CBT-1 awaited |
| Conducting Body | Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Ministry of Railways |
| Official Application Portal | rrbapply.gov.in and respective zonal RRB websites |
Source: Official CEN No. 01/2026, Railway Recruitment Boards — verified 26 August 2026. Candidates should always cross-check dates on their official RRB portal before relying on them.
Eligibility
RRB ALP Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
Candidates must be 18 to 30 years old as on 1 July 2026 to apply for CEN 01/2026. Unlike some earlier ALP cycles, the current notification does not cap the upper age at 28 — the base upper limit is 30, before any relaxation below.
SC / ST candidates
5 years
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)
3 years
Ex-servicemen (UR / EWS)
3 years after deducting length of service
Ex-servicemen (OBC-NCL)
6 years after deducting length of service
Ex-servicemen (SC / ST)
8 years after deducting length of service
Serving Group ‘C’ / erstwhile Group ‘D’ railway staff (3+ yrs service)
Up to 40 yrs (UR/EWS), 43 yrs (OBC-NCL), 45 yrs (SC/ST)
Staff of Railway quasi-administrative offices
Length of service rendered, or 5 years — whichever is less
Widowed / divorced / judicially separated women (not remarried)
Up to 35 yrs (UR/EWS), 38 yrs (OBC-NCL), 40 yrs (SC/ST)
Course Completed Act Apprentices (CCAA)
Relaxation equal to apprentice training undergone
Note: The post of Assistant Loco Pilot has an A-1 medical standard and is classified as “Not Suitable” for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) under Annexure-A of CEN 01/2026, so PwBD reservation/relaxation does not apply to this specific post.
Educational Qualification
You need to meet one of the following as on the application closing date. Candidates awaiting their final-year result are not eligible to apply.
- Matriculation/SSLC + ITI (NCVT/SCVT) in a notified trade such as Fitter, Electrician, Instrument Mechanic, Wireman, Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic (Motor Vehicle/Diesel), Turner, Machinist, or Refrigeration & AC Mechanic
- Matriculation/SSLC + Course Completed Act Apprenticeship in one of the trades above
- Matriculation/SSLC + 3-year Diploma (or Degree) in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering, or a combination of these streams
Selection Process
How RRB ALP Candidates Are Selected
Five stages, in order — each one is a gate to the next.
First Stage CBT (CBT-1)
75 questions in 60 minutes. Purely a screening test and marks are not carried forward to the final merit list.
Second Stage CBT (CBT-2)
175 questions across Part A (100, merit-based) and Part B (75, qualifying trade test) in 2 hours 30 minutes.
Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)
Only for ALP. Must score a minimum T-score of 42 in every test battery. No negative marking.
Document Verification (DV)
Merit is based 50% on CBT-2 Part A marks and 50% on CBAT score. Original certificates are checked at this stage.
Medical Examination (ME)
Candidates must clear the A-1 medical standard, including strict vision and colour-vision tests, to be finally empanelled.
Exam Pattern
RRB ALP CBT-1 Exam Pattern 2026
75
Questions
75
Maximum Marks
60 minutes
Duration
1/3 mark per wrong answer
Negative Marking
CBT-1 covers three broad areas: Mathematics (number system, BODMAS, ratio & proportion, mensuration, time & work, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc.), Mental Ability (analogies, series, coding-decoding, classification, direction sense, reasoning) and General Science (Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences up to Class 10 level). The official notification does not publish a separate question count per subject for CBT-1, so treat the 75 questions as spread across these three areas rather than fixed subject-wise marks.
Minimum Qualifying Percentage — CBT-1
UR & EWS qualifying marks
40%
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)
30%
SC
30%
ST
25%
Exam Pattern
RRB ALP CBT-2 Exam Pattern 2026
175
Total Questions
2 hrs 30 min
Total Duration
1/3 mark (Part A & Part B)
Negative Marking
Qualifying only
Part B Nature
Part A — Merit-Deciding
100 questions · 90 minutes. Covers Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, and Basic Science & Engineering. Only Part A marks count towards CBT-2 merit, provided Part B is also cleared.
Part B — Qualifying Trade Test
75 questions · 60 minutes, based on your ITI/Diploma trade as notified by the Directorate General of Training (DGT). Qualifying mark is 35% for every candidate, regardless of category.
Note: Earlier ALP cycles included a separate “General Awareness on Current Affairs” paper in CBT-2 Part A. The CEN 01/2026 syllabus lists only Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning and Basic Science & Engineering for Part A — always confirm the syllabus against the current CEN before you start preparing.
Aptitude Test
Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)
CBAT is unique to the ALP post and checks the psychological and aptitude fitness needed to operate a locomotive.
- Shortlisting: candidates equal to 8× the ALP vacancies in each category, based on Part A marks of CBT-2
- Qualifying score: a minimum T-score of 42 in every test battery, cleared separately
- No negative marking in CBAT
- Conducted only in English and Hindi
- Candidates must carry a completed Self-Screening Medical Declaration Report on the CBAT day
Pay & Benefits
RRB ALP Salary 2026
Pay Level (7th CPC)
Level 2
Starting Basic Pay
₹19,900 per month
Medical Standard Required
A-1 (full physical & visual fitness)
Commonly Estimated In-Hand Pay*
₹25,000 – ₹35,000 per month (approximate)
*The ₹19,900 basic pay under Pay Level 2 is confirmed in CEN 01/2026. The in-hand range above is a commonly cited estimate after Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and Running Allowance (for loco-running staff); it is not published in the official notification and varies by posting city, so treat it as indicative only, not a guaranteed figure.
Syllabus
RRB ALP Syllabus 2026
Grouped by exam stage so you know exactly what to study when.
Mathematics (CBT-1 & CBT-2 Part A)
Number system, BODMAS, decimals & fractions, LCM & HCF, ratio & proportion, percentages, mensuration, time & work, time & distance, simple & compound interest, profit & loss, algebra, geometry & trigonometry, elementary statistics, square roots, age calculations, calendar & clock, and pipes & cisterns.
General Intelligence & Reasoning / Mental Ability
Analogies, alphabetical and number series, coding-decoding, mathematical operations, relationships, syllogism, jumbling, Venn diagrams, data interpretation & sufficiency, conclusions and decision making, similarities & differences, analytical reasoning, classification, directions, and statement-argument-assumption questions.
General Science (CBT-1)
Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences at a Class 10 standard.
Basic Science & Engineering (CBT-2 Part A)
Engineering drawing (projections, views, drawing instruments, lines, geometric figures, symbolic representation), units & measurements, mass, weight & density, work, power & energy, speed & velocity, heat & temperature, basic electricity, levers & simple machines, occupational safety & health, environment education, and IT literacy.
Trade Syllabus (CBT-2 Part B — qualifying)
Set by your qualification group: Electrical stream – Electrician, Instrument Mechanic, Wireman, Armature & Coil Winder, Refrigeration & AC Mechanic. Electronics stream – Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic (Radio & TV). Mechanical stream – Fitter, Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Tractor Mechanic, Mechanic (Diesel), Turner, Machinist, Refrigeration & AC Mechanic, Heat Engine, Millwright/Maintenance Mechanic. Automobile stream – Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Tractor Mechanic, Mechanic (Diesel), Heat Engine, Refrigeration & AC Mechanic. Full trade syllabi are published by the Directorate General of Training (DGT).
Railway Coaching at Scholars SSC Academy
Prepare for RRB ALP CBT-1 & CBT-2 With Structured Classroom Coaching
Course fees and programme structure as published on our Railway Coaching Program page.
| Course | Duration | Class format | Included | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Course | 6 months | Daily 2-hour classroom teaching | Study material, weekly pattern tests, performance analysis and discussion | ₹15,360 |
| Short-Term Course | 4 months | Daily 2-hour classroom teaching | Study material and weekly tests | ₹9,640 |
Foundation Building
Mathematics, Reasoning, General Science and General Awareness taught from fundamentals up.
Sectional Strength Development
Speed-building drills, accuracy sessions, topic-wise previous-year question analysis and pattern-based practice.
Mock Test & Performance Analytics
Full-length CBT mocks, sectional test series, timed practice and detailed score-analysis reports.
FAQs
RRB ALP Exam — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the age limit for RRB ALP 2026?
18 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026, with age relaxation for SC/ST, OBC-NCL, Ex-servicemen and a few other categories as listed in CEN 01/2026.
How many stages are there in the RRB ALP selection process?
Five: First Stage CBT (CBT-1), Second Stage CBT (CBT-2), Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT), Document Verification (DV) and Medical Examination (ME).
Is the RRB ALP application fee refundable?
Partially, yes — but only for candidates who appear in CBT-1. General/OBC/EWS candidates get ₹400 refunded out of ₹500, and SC/ST/Ex-servicemen/Female/Transgender/Minority/EBC candidates get their full ₹250 refunded, in both cases after deducting bank charges.
Is there negative marking in the RRB ALP exam?
Yes, in CBT-1 and CBT-2 — 1/3rd mark is deducted for every wrong answer. There is no negative marking in the Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT).
When is RRB ALP CBT-1 2026 expected?
RRB has not officially announced the CBT-1 date for CEN 01/2026 as of the last update to this page. Several exam-prep portals report a tentative window around September 2026, but candidates should rely only on their e-call letter and their regional RRB website for the confirmed date.
Can candidates with a benchmark disability (PwBD) apply for RRB ALP?
No. The Assistant Loco Pilot post requires the A-1 medical standard and is listed as “Not Suitable” for PwBD candidates under Annexure-A of CEN 01/2026.
Preparing for RRB ALP CBT-1 & CBT-2?
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