RRB ALP Recruitment 2026: Your Complete Guide to 11,127 Assistant Loco Pilot Vacancies

The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, have officially released Centralised Employment Notice (CEN) No. 01/2026 for recruitment to the post of Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP). With 11,127 vacancies across all zonal railways, this is one of the biggest railway recruitment drives of the year — and a golden opportunity for aspirants who dream of joining Indian Railways.

Here is everything you need to know before you apply.

Quick Snapshot

RRB ALP Important Dates 

• Indicative Notice in Employment News: 21.03.2026
• Online Application Opens: 15.05.2026 (00:00 Hrs)
• Online Application Closes: 14.06.2026 (23:59 Hrs)
• Last Date for Fee Payment: 16.06.2026 (23:59 Hrs)
• Modification Window: 17.06.2026 to 26.06.2026 (with ₹250 modification fee per occasion)

Note: Details filled in the "Create an Account" form and the chosen RRB cannot be modified later, so fill them carefully.

RRB ALP Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit

Candidates must be between 18 and 30 years of age as on 01-07-2026. Age relaxation is available for reserved categories:

• SC/ST: 5 years
• OBC (NCL): 3 years
• Ex-Servicemen: 3 to 8 years (after deducting length of service, depending on community)
• Female candidates (widowed/divorced/separated, not remarried): 35–40 years depending on category
• Course Completed Act Apprentices: Relaxation equal to apprentice training duration

Educational Qualification

You need to have already completed one of the following before the closing date (those awaiting final results are not eligible):

Option A: Matriculation/SSLC + ITI from recognised NCVT/SCVT institutions in trades like Fitter, Electrician, Instrument Mechanic, Mechanic (Diesel/Motor Vehicle), Turner, Machinist, Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Mechanic, and similar.

OR Matriculation/SSLC + Course Completed Act Apprenticeship in the above trades.

Option B: Matriculation/SSLC + 3-year Diploma in Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics/Automobile Engineering (or combination of these streams). A Degree in the above engineering disciplines is also acceptable in lieu of Diploma.

Medical Standards — Read This Carefully

The ALP post has the stringent A-1 medical standard. Key requirements:

• Distant Vision: 6/6, 6/6 without glasses (with fogging test, must not accept +2D)
• Near Vision: Sn 0.6, 0.6 without glasses
• Must pass tests for Colour Vision, Binocular Vision, Field of Vision, Night Vision, and Mesopic Vision

Critical: Candidates who have undergone LASIK surgery or any refractive eye surgery are NOT eligible. A self-declaration regarding this must be submitted, and downloadable medical reports signed by an Eye Specialist and General Physician must be brought on the CBAT exam day (Annexure VIII A & VIII B). These reports are accepted only if issued by a Central/State Government Hospital or Medical College.

Application Fee

Payment is online only — through net banking, debit/credit card, or UPI. Refunds are credited only to an Aadhaar-seeded bank account, so make sure your Aadhaar is linked to an active bank account.

Vacancy Distribution Highlights

The 11,127 vacancies are spread across 21 RRBs and multiple zonal railways. Some of the largest allocations:

• Mumbai (CR): 1,078 vacancies
• Bhubaneshwar (ECoR): 801 vacancies
• Secunderabad (ECoR): 824 vacancies
• Ranchi (SER): 745 vacancies
• Guwahati (NFR): 676 vacancies
• Ajmer (NWR): 600 vacancies
• Siliguri (NFR): 600 vacancies
• Secunderabad (SCR): 596 vacancies
• Ranchi (ECR): 555 vacancies

Reserved category breakdown across all RRBs: UR – 4,860 | SC – 1,746 | ST – 919 | OBC – 2,598 | EWS – 1,004 | Ex-SM – 1,115

You can apply to only one RRB, so choose your preferred zone carefully — newly appointed candidates won't be eligible for inter-railway transfer for 5–10 years of service.

RRB ALP Selection Process: 5 Stages

The recruitment journey has five stages:

1. First Stage CBT (CBT-1) — Screening only

• Duration: 60 minutes | 75 questions | 75 marks
• Negative marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer
• Subjects: Mathematics, Mental Ability, General Science (10th standard level)
• Qualifying %: UR/EWS – 40%, OBC(NCL) – 30%, SC – 30%, ST – 25%

2. Second Stage CBT (CBT-2)

• Total duration: 2 hours 30 minutes | 175 questions
• Part A: 90 minutes, 100 questions — Mathematics, Reasoning, Basic Science & Engineering
• Part B: 60 minutes, 75 questions — Trade-specific (qualifying, 35% for all)
• Only Part-A marks count for further shortlisting
• Shortlisting: 15× the vacancies per RRB

3. Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)

• Only in English and Hindi
• No negative marking
• Must score minimum T-score of 42 in each test battery to qualify
• Shortlisting: 8× the vacancies per category

4. Document Verification (DV)

• Final merit prepared with 50% weightage to Part-A of CBT-2 + 50% weightage to CBAT

5. Medical Examination (ME)

• Strict A-1 standard as per Indian Railway Medical Manual

RRB ALP How to Apply: Step-by-Step

1. Visit the official RRB website of your preferred RRB (full list of 21 RRB websites is in the notification — e.g., rrbsecunderabad.gov.in, rrbchennai.gov.in, rrbmumbai.gov.in)
2. Create an Account with a valid personal mobile number and email ID (these cannot be changed later)
3. Authenticate identity preferably through DigiLocker or Aadhaar — alternate ID verification leads to stricter scrutiny at every stage
4. Capture a live photograph during application (no pre-uploaded photos allowed). Wear dark clothing, no caps/masks/glasses, neutral expression
5. Upload your signature (cursive, black ink on white paper, 30–49 KB, JPG/JPEG)
6. Fill the Self-Screening Medical Declaration honestly
7. Choose your RRB and zone preferences carefully — once submitted, RRB choice is final
8. Pay the fee online and save the confirmation

Things to Avoid

• Do not submit multiple applications to one RRB or different RRBs — all will be rejected, and you'll be debarred from all future RRB/RRC exams
• Do not apply if you've had LASIK or any corrective eye surgery
• Do not carry mobile phones, smart watches, calculators, or any electronic gadgets to the exam centre
• Do not apply henna on hands/feet — it interferes with biometric capture
• Do not sign in BLOCK/CAPITAL letters — only running cursive handwriting is accepted
• Beware of fake websites and touts — RRBs never appoint agents or coaching centres

Medium of Examination

CBT-1 and CBT-2 will be available in English, Hindi, and 13 regional Indian languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. CBAT, however, will be conducted only in English and Hindi.

Helpline for Candidates

For technical queries related to application submission (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, working days):

• Email: rrb.help@csc.gov.in
• Phone: 0172-565-3333 / 9592001188

Final Word

With over 11,000 vacancies, the RRB ALP 2026 recruitment is a massive opportunity for ITI holders, Diploma engineers, and Engineering graduates aiming for a stable, prestigious career in Indian Railways. However, the medical standards are uncompromising and the competition will be intense — so start your preparation early, focus on the CBT-1 and CBT-2 syllabus, and most importantly, apply only through the official RRB websites.

Best of luck, future loco pilots — may your career run on the right track!