RRB ALP (Assistant Loco Pilot) Exam Pattern 2026
The full RRB ALP (Assistant Loco Pilot) exam pattern for 2026 — 4 stages, with the sections, question count, marks, duration and negative marking for each, as set by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs). Then take a free RRB ALP (Assistant Loco Pilot) mock in the real pattern below.
Stage 1: CBT 1 (First Stage Computer Based Test) — Qualifying
- Mode
- Online CBT
- Sections
- Mathematics · General Intelligence & Reasoning · General Science · General Awareness and Current Affairs
- Questions
- 75
- Marks
- 75 (1 mark per correct)
- Duration
- 60 minutes (80 minutes for PwBD candidates with scribe)
- Negative marking
- 1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer
Purely qualifying / screening stage — minimum 40% UR, 30% OBC-NCL, 30% SC, 25% ST (relaxations for PwBD). Score does NOT count in final merit. Roughly 15x the vacancies are shortlisted for CBT 2 based on CBT 1 normalised score.
Stage 2: CBT 2 — Part A + Part B (Merit-deciding)
- Mode
- Online CBT (Part A and Part B taken back-to-back)
- Sections
- Part A: Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, Basic Science & Engineering, General Awareness · Part B: Trade-specific (based on registered ITI trade / engineering branch)
- Questions
- Part A: 100 · Part B: 75
- Marks
- Part A: 100 · Part B: 75
- Duration
- Part A: 90 minutes · Part B: 60 minutes (total 2 hours 30 minutes)
- Negative marking
- 1/3 mark per wrong answer (in both Part A and Part B)
Part B is qualifying only — minimum 35% required (no relaxation for any category). Only Part A score is used for shortlisting to CBAT. Candidates not clearing 35% in Part B are eliminated regardless of Part A performance. Roughly 8x the vacancies are shortlisted from Part A for CBAT.
Stage 3: Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) — Only for ALP
- Mode
- Online aptitude / psychometric test (in English and Hindi only)
- Sections
- Battery of tests: Memory test, Following Directions, Depth Perception, Concentration / Attention, Perceptual Speed (typical CBAT battery)
- Questions
- Varies by sub-test
- Marks
- Each sub-test scored separately
- Duration
- Approx 60-90 minutes total across sub-tests
- Negative marking
- No negative marking in CBAT
MUST score minimum 42 marks in EACH of the test batteries — no relaxation for any category (one of the few central government exams with zero category relaxation in a stage). Final merit weightage: CBT 2 Part A = 70% + CBAT = 30%. Failing CBAT disqualifies the candidate entirely.
Stage 4: Document Verification + A-1 Medical Examination
- Mode
- Physical document check + medical fitness exam at railway hospital
- Sections
- Educational + ITI/Diploma certificates, ID, category proof, then full A-1 medical battery (vision, colour vision, hearing, general fitness)
- Questions
- —
- Marks
- Qualifying only
- Duration
- —
- Negative marking
- —
Final and most-failed stage. Common A-1 disqualifications: glasses power above ±2D, colour blindness (mild deuteranomaly is enough), poor binocular vision, hearing loss, varicose veins, history of seizures. Candidates not clearing A-1 are sometimes offered alternate non-running-staff posts subject to vacancies.
You know the pattern — now practise in it.
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