RRB ALP
Recruits Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs) — the co-drivers of Indian Railways' locomotives and the first rung of the loco-running cadre, with promotion to senior ALP and loco pilot. Pay Level 2 with substantial running allowances.
Eligibility
Class 10 pass plus an ITI certificate in a specified trade (fitter, electrician, mechanic, wireman etc.), or a 3-year diploma in mechanical/electrical/electronics/automobile engineering, or an engineering degree in those fields. Age 18–30 as on 1 July 2026, with standard relaxations for reserved categories. Candidates must meet the stringent A-1 medical standard, including 6/6 distant vision without glasses and normal colour vision.
Age limit: 18–30 years as on 1 July 2026; +3 years OBC, +5 years SC/ST
Exam pattern
Multi-stage. Computer-Based Test (CBT) 1 — 75 questions in 60 minutes covering Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, and General Science — is pure screening; from CEN 01/2026 the General Awareness section has been dropped from CBT 1. CBT 2 has Part A (100 questions, 90 minutes: maths, reasoning, basic science and engineering) and a qualifying Part B (75 trade-specific questions, 60 minutes, 35% to pass). Final merit = CBT 2 Part A (50%) + Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) (50%) — revised from the earlier 70:30 split; the CBAT has no negative marking but demands a minimum of 42 marks in every test battery. CBT 1 and CBT 2 Part A carry 1/3-mark negative marking. Document verification and the A-1 medical complete the process.
Syllabus at a glance
CBT 1: Class 10-level mathematics (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration), reasoning (analogies, series, coding, syllogism, directions) and general science (physics, chemistry, life sciences to Class 10). CBT 2 Part A adds basic science and engineering — units, levers, work-power-energy, speed-velocity, heat, electricity, engineering drawing. Part B follows the candidate's NCVT/SCVT ITI trade syllabus. The CBAT tests memory, following directions, concentration, spatial and perceptual speed.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CBT 1 exam-city intimation slip and admit card | About 10 and 4 days before each CBT 1 date | expected |
| CBT 1 | Oct–Nov 2026 (official date yet to be announced) | expected |
| CBT 2 | Early 2027 | expected |
| Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) and document verification | Mid-2027 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations — R.S. Aggarwal
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning — R.S. Aggarwal
- Lucent's General Science — Ravi Bhushan
- RRB ALP & Technician Previous Years' Solved Papers — Kiran Prakashan
- Objective Electrical Technology — V.K. Mehta & Rohit Mehta (electrical-trade Part B)
How toppers play it
- Note the CEN 01/2026 pattern change: General Awareness is gone from CBT 1 — stop grinding current affairs for stage 1 and reallocate that time to maths, reasoning and Class 10 science.
- CBT 1 is only a filter; final merit is 50% CBT 2 Part A + 50% CBAT (revised from 70:30). Most aspirants ignore the CBAT until the end — practise RDSO-style memory, direction-following and concentration tests weekly, because below 42 marks in any single battery you are out regardless of CBT scores.
- CBT 2 Part B is qualifying (35%) but trips up diploma/degree holders who chose an ITI trade syllabus they never studied — pick your Part B trade as per the official mapping and revise that NCVT theory book.
- The A-1 medical demands 6/6 distant vision without spectacles and perfect colour vision — get a proper eye test before you invest a year of preparation.
- In CBT 1's 60 minutes for 75 questions, speed matters more than in any other railway exam: drill 45-second-per-question timing with 1/3 negative marking discipline.