RRB ALP Notification 2026 Out: 11,127 Vacancies, CBT 1 Exam Date, Admit Card
Oct 07 2026
The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) released the RRB ALP Notification 2026 (CEN 01/2026) for 11,127 Assistant Loco Pilot vacancies across 21 RRBs. Online applications closed on 14 June 2026, and the RRB ALP CBT 1 will now be held on 3, 4 and 5 November 2026, with admit cards from 31 October.
This cycle has 1,157 more posts than 2025 (9,970), and RRB has changed the exam: General Awareness is out of CBT 1, and the final merit now gives equal 50% weight to CBT 2 Part A and the aptitude test (CBAT). This page covers the exam date, vacancy, eligibility, selection process, exam pattern, syllabus and salary.
RRB ALP Notification 2026 Out
RRB released the RRB ALP Notification 2026 (CEN 01/2026) on 14 May 2026 for 11,127 Assistant Loco Pilot posts. The application window ran from 15 May to 14 June 2026, and RRB has now announced CBT 1 for 3–5 November 2026.
RRB ALP 2026 Overview
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Recruiting body |
Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Ministry of Railways |
|
Post |
Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) |
|
CEN number |
01/2026 |
|
Vacancies |
11,127 |
|
Qualification |
Class 10 + ITI / Act Apprenticeship, or engineering diploma or degree in specified branches |
|
Age limit |
18–30 years as on 1 July 2026 |
|
Selection process |
CBT 1, CBT 2, CBAT, document verification, medical exam |
|
CBT 1 exam date |
3, 4 and 5 November 2026 |
|
Pay level |
Level 2 (₹19,900 basic) + running allowance |
|
Medical standard |
A-1 |
|
Official website |
rrb.indianrailways.gov.in (applications at rrbapply.gov.in) |
RRB ALP 2026 Important Dates
|
Event |
Date |
|
Notification (CEN 01/2026) |
14 May 2026 |
|
Apply online |
15 May–14 June 2026 (11:59 PM) |
|
Last date for fee payment |
16 June 2026 |
|
Application correction window |
17–26 June 2026 |
|
Application status link |
22 August 2026 |
|
CBT 1 exam date notice |
21 September 2026 |
|
CBT 1 admit card |
From 31 October 2026 |
|
CBT 1 exam |
3, 4 and 5 November 2026 |
|
CBT 2, CBAT, document verification |
To be announced |
RRB ALP Exam Date 2026
The RRB ALP CBT 1 exam date 2026 is 3, 4 and 5 November, as per RRB's notice of 21 September 2026. The exam city slip comes about ten days before the exam, and the admit card four days before, on the regional RRB websites.
Practise in exam conditions before 3 November with the RRB ALP free mock test.
RRB ALP Notification 2026 PDF
|
|
Date |
Download |
|
RRB ALP notification (CEN 01/2026) |
14 May 2026 |
[Official link to be added] |
|
CBT 1 exam date notice |
21 September 2026 |
[Official link to be added] |
RRB ALP Vacancy 2026
The RRB ALP vacancy 2026 is 11,127 posts, of which 1,115 are reserved for Ex-Servicemen. RRB Secunderabad has the most seats (1,420), followed by Ranchi (1,300) and Mumbai (1,193).
RRB ALP Category Wise Vacancy 2026
|
Category |
Vacancies |
|
UR |
4,860 |
|
OBC-NCL |
2,598 |
|
SC |
1,746 |
|
EWS |
1,004 |
|
ST |
919 |
|
Total |
11,127 |
|
Ex-Servicemen (horizontal, included above) |
1,115 |
RRB ALP Zone Wise Vacancy 2026
Candidates apply to one RRB and choose railway zones within it. The table shows each RRB's vacancies by zone.
|
RRB |
Zone |
UR |
SC |
ST |
OBC |
EWS |
Total |
ExSM |
|
Ahmedabad |
WR |
62 |
22 |
11 |
38 |
14 |
147 |
15 |
|
Ajmer |
NWR |
262 |
97 |
59 |
142 |
40 |
600 |
60 |
|
Ajmer |
WCR |
56 |
18 |
0 |
32 |
12 |
118 |
12 |
|
Prayagraj |
NCR |
284 |
37 |
27 |
65 |
44 |
457 |
46 |
|
Prayagraj |
NR |
62 |
23 |
11 |
42 |
15 |
153 |
15 |
|
Bengaluru |
SWR |
80 |
31 |
15 |
54 |
20 |
200 |
20 |
|
Bhopal |
WCR |
194 |
74 |
23 |
117 |
15 |
423 |
42 |
|
Bhopal |
WR |
15 |
8 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
30 |
3 |
|
Bhubaneswar |
ECoR |
548 |
70 |
36 |
48 |
99 |
801 |
80 |
|
Bilaspur |
CR |
187 |
77 |
52 |
0 |
6 |
322 |
32 |
|
Bilaspur |
SECR |
84 |
29 |
14 |
53 |
20 |
200 |
20 |
|
Chandigarh |
NR |
56 |
39 |
23 |
49 |
20 |
187 |
19 |
|
Chennai |
SR |
93 |
24 |
14 |
41 |
14 |
186 |
19 |
|
Gorakhpur |
NER |
28 |
11 |
37 |
17 |
12 |
105 |
10 |
|
Guwahati |
NFR |
272 |
109 |
63 |
164 |
68 |
676 |
68 |
|
Jammu-Srinagar |
NR |
158 |
58 |
30 |
110 |
44 |
400 |
40 |
|
Kolkata |
ER |
135 |
53 |
35 |
89 |
32 |
344 |
34 |
|
Kolkata |
SER |
280 |
101 |
52 |
40 |
24 |
497 |
50 |
|
Malda |
ER |
109 |
41 |
20 |
73 |
27 |
270 |
27 |
|
Malda |
SER |
117 |
43 |
22 |
78 |
29 |
289 |
29 |
|
Mumbai |
CR |
290 |
207 |
99 |
344 |
138 |
1,078 |
108 |
|
Mumbai |
SCR |
32 |
7 |
4 |
26 |
9 |
78 |
8 |
|
Mumbai |
WR |
14 |
5 |
3 |
10 |
5 |
37 |
4 |
|
Muzaffarpur |
ECR |
18 |
6 |
3 |
11 |
4 |
42 |
4 |
|
Patna |
ECR |
41 |
16 |
8 |
28 |
10 |
103 |
10 |
|
Ranchi |
ECR |
224 |
83 |
42 |
150 |
56 |
555 |
56 |
|
Ranchi |
SER |
248 |
150 |
63 |
213 |
71 |
745 |
74 |
|
Secunderabad |
ECoR |
387 |
119 |
57 |
228 |
33 |
824 |
82 |
|
Secunderabad |
SCR |
238 |
90 |
45 |
162 |
61 |
596 |
61 |
|
Siliguri |
NFR |
243 |
90 |
46 |
161 |
60 |
600 |
60 |
|
Thiruvananthapuram |
SR |
43 |
8 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
64 |
7 |
|
Total |
4,860 |
1,746 |
919 |
2,598 |
1,004 |
11,127 |
1,115 |
By zone, East Coast Railway has the most ALP posts (1,625), followed by South Eastern Railway (1,531) and Central Railway (1,400). See the full break-up on the RRB ALP vacancy page.
RRB ALP Vacancy Trend (Year Wise)
|
Cycle |
Vacancies |
|
2026 (CEN 01/2026) |
11,127 |
|
2025 (CEN 01/2025) |
9,970 |
|
2024 (CEN 01/2024, revised) |
18,799 |
Vacancies are up 12% on 2025, but still well below the revised 2024 intake.
RRB ALP Apply Online 2026 (Closed)
The RRB ALP apply online 2026 window closed on 14 June 2026, and the fee could be paid until 16 June. Candidates who applied can check their application status on rrbapply.gov.in; the status link was activated on 22 August 2026.
How to Check RRB ALP Application Status 2026
- Go to rrbapply.gov.in.
- Log in with your registered mobile number or email ID and password.
- Open the CEN 01/2026 (ALP) application.
- Check whether your application is accepted or rejected, and the reason for rejection, if any.
RRB ALP Application Fee 2026
|
Category |
Fee |
Refund after appearing in CBT 1 |
|
General / OBC / EWS |
₹500 |
₹400 (minus bank charges) |
|
SC / ST / Ex-Servicemen / Female / Transgender / Minorities / EBC |
₹250 |
₹250 (minus bank charges) |
The refund is paid only to candidates who appear in CBT 1. EBC is a fee concession only and is not the same as OBC or EWS.
RRB ALP Eligibility Criteria 2026
To be eligible for RRB ALP 2026, candidates must meet the age, qualification, nationality and A-1 medical standards. Read the full rules in RRB ALP eligibility criteria.
RRB ALP Age Limit
Age is counted as on 1 July 2026.
|
Category |
Age limit |
Date of birth (both dates inclusive) |
|
UR / EWS |
18–30 years |
02.07.1996 to 01.07.2008 |
|
OBC-NCL |
18–33 years |
02.07.1993 to 01.07.2008 |
|
SC / ST |
18–35 years |
02.07.1991 to 01.07.2008 |
RRB ALP Age Relaxation
|
Category |
Upper age relaxation / maximum age |
|
SC / ST |
5 years |
|
OBC-NCL |
3 years |
|
Ex-Servicemen (UR/EWS / OBC-NCL / SC-ST) |
3 / 6 / 8 years after deducting service |
|
Serving Railway Group C and erstwhile Group D staff and substitutes (3+ years' service) |
Up to 40 (UR/EWS), 43 (OBC-NCL), 45 (SC/ST) years |
|
Staff of Railway canteens, co-operative societies and institutes |
Length of service or 5 years, whichever is less |
|
Widowed, divorced or judicially separated women (not remarried) |
Up to 35 (UR/EWS), 38 (OBC-NCL), 40 (SC/ST) years |
|
Course Completed Act Apprentices |
By the period of apprenticeship training |
|
Act Apprentices who joined before age 25 |
Up to 35 (UR/EWS), 38 (OBC-NCL), 40 (SC/ST) years |
RRB ALP Educational Qualification
|
Option |
Qualification |
|
1 |
Class 10 (Matric/SSLC) + ITI from NCVT/SCVT in a specified trade |
|
2 |
Class 10 (Matric/SSLC) + Course Completed Act Apprenticeship in a specified trade |
|
3 |
Class 10 (Matric/SSLC) + 3-year diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering |
|
4 |
Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering (in place of a diploma) |
Specified ITI trades include Electrician, Fitter, Wireman, Mechanic (Diesel), Turner, Machinist, Refrigeration and AC Mechanic, Electronics Mechanic and Mechanic (Motor Vehicle). Candidates awaiting their final result were not eligible.
RRB ALP Nationality
Candidates must be citizens of India, or subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, or persons of Indian origin who migrated from specified countries to settle in India, with a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.
RRB ALP Medical Standards 2026
ALP needs medical standard A-1, the strictest in Railways. Candidates who wear glasses or have had Lasik or other eye-correction surgery are not eligible.
|
Test |
Requirement (A-1) |
|
Distant vision |
6/6, 6/6 without glasses |
|
Near vision |
Sn 0.6, 0.6 without glasses |
|
Colour, binocular, night and myopic vision |
Must pass |
|
Glasses / lens power |
Not allowed |
|
General fitness |
Physically fit in all respects |
RRB ALP Selection Process 2026
The RRB ALP selection process 2026 has five stages. CBT 1 is for screening, CBT 2 Part B is qualifying, and the final merit is 50% CBT 2 Part A + 50% CBAT (it was 70:30 in 2025).
|
Stage |
Nature |
Used for |
|
CBT 1 |
Screening |
Shortlisting for CBT 2 |
|
CBT 2 Part A |
Merit |
50% of final merit |
|
CBT 2 Part B (trade test) |
Qualifying (35%) |
Must pass |
|
CBAT (aptitude test) |
Merit; minimum T-score 42 in each battery |
50% of final merit |
|
Document verification and medical exam |
Qualifying |
Final selection |
If candidates have equal merit, the older candidate ranks higher.
RRB ALP Exam Pattern 2026
The CBTs have objective questions with 1/3 mark deducted for each wrong answer; CBAT has no negative marking. Questions are available in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam Pattern
|
Subjects |
Questions |
Marks |
Duration |
|
Mathematics, Mental Ability, General Science |
75 |
75 |
60 minutes |
General Awareness has been removed from CBT 1 in 2026. Minimum qualifying marks: UR/EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%.
RRB ALP CBT 2 Exam Pattern
|
Part |
Subjects |
Questions |
Duration |
Nature |
|
Part A |
Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, Basic Science and Engineering |
100 |
90 minutes |
Counts for merit |
|
Part B |
Relevant trade (ITI/diploma syllabus) |
75 |
60 minutes |
Qualifying, 35% |
|
Total |
175 |
2 hours 30 minutes |
RRB ALP CBAT Pattern
Candidates are shortlisted for CBAT on CBT 2 Part A marks. CBAT is in Hindi and English, has no negative marking, and needs a minimum T-score of 42 in each test battery. It tests memory, direction sense, concentration, depth perception and perceptual speed.
RRB ALP Syllabus 2026
|
Stage |
Subjects and topics |
|
CBT 1 |
Mathematics (number system, BODMAS, decimals, fractions, LCM/HCF, ratio and proportion, percentage, mensuration, time and work, time and distance, interest, profit and loss, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics); Mental Ability (analogies, series, coding-decoding, relationships, syllogism, Venn diagrams, data interpretation, puzzles); General Science (physics, chemistry and life science up to Class 10) |
|
CBT 2 Part A |
Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, Basic Science and Engineering (engineering drawing, units, measurement, mass-weight-density, work-power-energy, speed and velocity, heat and temperature, basic electricity, levers and simple machines, occupational safety, environment education, IT literacy) |
|
CBT 2 Part B |
Trade syllabus of the relevant ITI or diploma |
See the subject-wise detail in the RRB ALP syllabus and exam pattern.
RRB ALP Salary 2026
The RRB ALP salary 2026 is at Level 2 of the 7th CPC pay matrix, with a starting basic pay of ₹19,900 a month. ALPs also get a running allowance for the kilometres they work on trains, which adds a large share to the in-hand pay.
|
Component |
Details |
|
Pay level |
Level 2 (7th CPC) |
|
Initial basic pay |
₹19,900 per month |
|
Allowances |
DA, HRA, transport allowance, running allowance, night duty allowance |
|
Other benefits |
Railway medical facilities, NPS pension, free rail passes |
|
Promotion path |
ALP → Senior ALP → Loco Pilot (Goods) → Loco Pilot (Passenger) → Loco Pilot (Mail/Express) |
See the in-hand salary and allowances on the RRB ALP salary page.
RRB ALP Admit Card 2026
The RRB ALP admit card 2026 for CBT 1 will be available from 31 October 2026 on the regional RRB websites, about four days before each exam date. Candidates log in with their registration number and date of birth or password. SC/ST candidates eligible for the free travel pass can download it with the admit card.
RRB ALP Cut Off 2026
The RRB ALP cut off 2026 will be released RRB-wise and category-wise after each CBT. It depends on the vacancies in each RRB, the number of candidates and the difficulty of the shifts after normalisation. Check past trends on the RRB ALP cut off page.
RRB ALP Result 2026
The RRB ALP result 2026 for CBT 1 will be published on the regional RRB websites as a PDF of roll numbers shortlisted for CBT 2, usually after the final answer key. Candidates can search for their roll number with Ctrl+F.
RRB ALP 2026 Important Links
|
Topic |
Link |
|
Zone-wise vacancy |
|
|
Eligibility |
|
|
Syllabus and exam pattern |
|
|
Cut off |
|
|
Salary |
|
|
Mock test |
|
|
Free PDFs |
RRB ALP 2026 FAQs
Q1. Is the RRB ALP 2026 notification out?
Yes. RRB released CEN 01/2026 on 14 May 2026 for 11,127 Assistant Loco Pilot posts.
Q2. What is the RRB ALP exam date 2026?
CBT 1 will be held on 3, 4 and 5 November 2026.
Q3. When will the RRB ALP admit card 2026 be released?
From 31 October 2026, about four days before each exam date.
Q4. How many vacancies are there in RRB ALP 2026?
11,127, including 1,115 for Ex-Servicemen.
Q5. Can I still apply for RRB ALP 2026?
No. The application window closed on 14 June 2026.
Q6. What is the age limit for RRB ALP 2026?
18–30 years for UR/EWS as on 1 July 2026, with 3 years' relaxation for OBC-NCL and 5 years for SC/ST.
Q7. Can a 10th pass candidate apply for RRB ALP?
Only with an ITI or Act Apprenticeship in a specified trade, or a diploma or degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering.
Q8. What is the RRB ALP selection process 2026?
CBT 1, CBT 2, CBAT, document verification and medical examination.
Q9. What changed in the RRB ALP 2026 exam?
General Awareness is removed from CBT 1, and final merit is now 50% CBT 2 Part A and 50% CBAT, instead of 70:30.
Q10. Is there negative marking in RRB ALP?
Yes, 1/3 mark in CBT 1 and CBT 2. CBAT has no negative marking.
Q11. Can candidates with glasses apply for RRB ALP?
No. ALP needs medical standard A-1, which requires 6/6 vision without glasses.
Q12. What is the RRB ALP salary?
Level 2 with a starting basic pay of ₹19,900 a month, plus running allowance and other allowances.
