RRB ALP 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, CBAT & Free Mock Tests

RRB ALP recruitment fills Assistant Loco Pilot posts in Indian Railways — the technical crew who assist the Loco Pilot in operating locomotives, monitor signals and instrumentation, and carry out running maintenance. It is the entry point into the running cadre, which leads through Loco Pilot Goods and Loco Pilot Passenger to Loco Pilot Mail/Express.

The recruitment is technical: candidates need an ITI certificate in a relevant trade, or a diploma or degree in engineering. Selection runs through CBT 1, a two-part CBT 2 whose Part B tests trade knowledge, a Computer Based Aptitude Test, document verification and a medical examination with the strictest vision standard in the railways.

RRB ALP is popular with ITI and diploma holders because it is the entry point to the railway running cadre, where running allowance and overtime typically push actual earnings well above the Level 2 basic pay.

Although the post starts at Pay Level 2, running staff receive a running allowance calculated on kilometres operated, which substantially increases take-home pay compared with static Level 2 posts. Career progression through the running cadre also leads to significantly higher pay levels over time.

For candidates who have completed an ITI or an engineering diploma, ALP is one of the few central government routes that directly values the technical qualification rather than treating it as merely equivalent to a general degree.

• Direct value for ITI and engineering diploma qualifications
• Running allowance substantially increases take-home pay
• Clear progression through the running cadre to Loco Pilot
• Free travel passes, railway quarters, hospitals and schools

Dates are announced by the Railway Recruitment Boards with the centralised employment notice.rrbcdg.gov.in — Official RRB Portal

The most recent RRB ALP cycle carried approximately Notified per cycle vacancies.

RRB ALP vacancies are published zone-wise across all Railway Recruitment Boards, and candidates apply to a single RRB. The relevant figure when assessing your chances is the vacancy count for your chosen zone rather than the national total. Confirm current numbers in the centralised employment notice.

Vacancies are notified zone-wise in the centralised employment notice.rrbcdg.gov.in — Official Notification

To apply for RRB ALP 2026 a candidate must have passed Class 10 along with an ITI certificate in a notified trade, or hold a diploma or degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering, and be between 18 and 30 years of age.

Educational Qualification

Class 10 pass plus an ITI certificate from an NCVT or SCVT-recognised institution in a notified trade, OR a Course Completed Act Apprenticeship, OR a three-year diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering, OR a degree in these engineering disciplines.

• Notified ITI trades typically include Fitter, Electrician, Instrument Mechanic, Millwright/Maintenance Mechanic, Mechanic (Radio & TV), Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Wireman, Tractor Mechanic, Armature & Coil Winder, Mechanic (Diesel), Heat Engine, Turner, Machinist and Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Mechanic.
• The exact list of acceptable trades is specified in each notification — verify yours appears before applying.
• Candidates must possess the qualification as on the closing date of the application.

Age Limit

The age limit for RRB ALP is 18 to 30 years. The upper age limit has varied between cycles, having been revised in some notifications. Confirm the exact range in the current centralised employment notice.

Nationality

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East African countries with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Physical Standards

Assistant Loco Pilot requires medical standard A-1, the strictest vision category in Indian Railways. This requires distant vision of 6/6 in both eyes without glasses, with no colour blindness and no night blindness, along with normal binocular vision and field of vision. Candidates who cannot meet A-1 without correction are not eligible, and this cannot be waived at any stage.

RRB ALP runs in three computer-based stages — CBT 1 with 75 questions in 60 minutes as a screening test, CBT 2 with a 100-question Part A that determines merit and a qualifying 75-question trade-specific Part B, and a Computer Based Aptitude Test requiring at least 42 marks in each battery.

1. 1Online application through the chosen Railway Recruitment Board’s portal.
2. 2CBT 1 — first stage screening test.
3. 3CBT 2 Part A — merit-determining objective test.
4. 4CBT 2 Part B — qualifying trade-specific test requiring a minimum of 35%.
5. 5Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) — requiring a minimum of 42 marks in each battery.
6. 6Document verification against the qualification and category claimed.
7. 7Medical examination to the A-1 vision standard.
8. 8Final merit from CBT 2 Part A at 70% and CBAT at 30%, and allotment of zone.

The RRB ALP syllabus covers Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Science, and General Awareness in CBT 1, adding Basic Science and Engineering in CBT 2 Part A and trade-specific technical content in Part B.

Assistant Loco Pilot is a Pay Level 2 post under the Seventh Pay Commission with a basic pay of ₹19,900, but running allowance based on kilometres operated typically raises actual monthly earnings well above the static in-hand figure of roughly ₹28,000 to ₹31,000.

Allowances and Benefits

• Running Allowance based on kilometres operated — a substantial component
• Dearness Allowance (DA) — revised twice a year
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) or railway quarters
• Night Duty Allowance and Overtime Allowance
• Free and concessional travel passes for the employee and family
• Railway hospitals, schools and housing colonies

The decisive RRB ALP strategy is to confirm you meet the A-1 vision standard before investing months of preparation, then to build Basic Science and Engineering depth for CBT 2 Part A while preparing separately for the CBAT.