Latest verified update
CEN 01/2026 keeps separate screening, trade and aptitude stages. Its final weighting differs from CEN 01/2025, so an old pattern summary can misdirect preparation.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Post | Assistant Loco Pilot |
| Notified vacancies | 11,127; provisional, subject to official revision |
| Recruitment | CEN 01/2026 |
| Application status | Original submission window closed on 14 June 2026 |
| CBT I | 3–5 November 2026; tentative |
| Base age | 18–30 years on 1 July 2026; prescribed relaxations apply |
| Initial basic pay | Pay Level 2: ₹19,900 |
| Selection | CBT I → CBT II → CBAT → document verification → medical examination |
What changed from ALP 2025?
The two detailed notices contain material differences. CEN 01/2025 gives CBT II Part A and CBAT a 70:30 final-merit weighting. CEN 01/2026 paragraph 12.4 specifies 50:50. Do not carry the old ratio into 2026 preparation advice.
The 2025 CBT I syllabus includes General Awareness as a separate heading. The 2026 CBT I list names Mathematics, Mental Ability and General Science. The 2026 notice also sets out self-screening medical reports in Annexures VIII A and VIII B for CBAT. Use the instructions for your own CEN; the older-cycle CBAT schedule instead refers to its prescribed vision certificate.
Official reference: 2025 notification, paragraphs 12.1 and 12.3.
Official reference: 2026 notification, paragraphs 12.1–12.4.
Important dates
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Online applications | 15 May–14 June 2026, closing at 23:59 |
| Fee payment for submitted forms | By 16 June 2026, 23:59 — closed |
| Modification window | 17–26 June 2026, closing at 23:59 — closed |
| CBT I tentative window | 3–5 November 2026 |
| City and date information | 10 days before the examination date under the schedule notice |
| E-call letter | 4 days before the date in the city/date intimation |
| CBT II / CBAT | No date is established by the CBT I schedule cited here |
Official reference: Notification, page 4.
Official reference: 21 September 2026 schedule.
Exam pattern and marking
| Stage | Questions / marks | Duration | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBT I | 75 questions / 75 marks | 60 minutes | Screening; not counted in final merit |
| CBT II Part A | 100 questions | 90 minutes | Scored for further shortlisting and final weighting |
| CBT II Part B | 75 questions | 60 minutes | Qualifying trade test: 35% for every category |
| CBAT | Separate aptitude batteries | Follow the official stage instructions | Minimum T-score 42 in each battery; no category relaxation |
Both CBTs deduct one-third mark per wrong answer. CBAT has no negative marking. The minimum percentage in CBT I and CBT II Part A is UR/EWS 40%, OBC-NCL 30%, SC 30% and ST 25%. These are qualifying minima, not predictions of the competitive cut-off. Marks are normalized where the CBT runs in multiple shifts.
Official reference: Paragraphs 12.1–12.4.
Syllabus: what to prepare
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| CBT I Mathematics | Number system, BODMAS, fractions/decimals, HCF/LCM, ratio, percentages, mensuration, work and time, speed/distance, interest, profit/loss, algebra, geometry/trigonometry, statistics, age, calendars/clocks and pipes/cisterns. |
| CBT I Mental Ability | Analogies, series, coding, operations, relationships, syllogisms, Venn diagrams, data interpretation/sufficiency, classification, directions, statements and analytical reasoning. |
| CBT I General Science | Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences at Class 10 level. |
| CBT II Part A | Mathematics; General Intelligence and Reasoning; Basic Science and Engineering, including drawing, units/measurements, work/power/energy, heat, electricity, machines, safety, environment and IT literacy. |
| CBT II Part B | The applicable DGT trade syllabus. ITI/apprenticeship candidates take their trade; diploma/degree candidates choose from the trades mapped to their engineering discipline in the notice. |
The notification’s topic examples guide preparation; they do not promise a fixed number of questions for each topic. Map your trade before buying a Part B course. Passing general aptitude alone does not remove the trade-test requirement.
Official reference: Paragraphs 12.1–12.2.
Selection process and final merit
CBT I screens candidates for CBT II. RRB-wise CBT II shortlisting is ordinarily limited to 15 times the notified vacancies, subject to the notice’s reserved power to vary the number. Candidates must qualify Part B before Part A can support further shortlisting. CBAT shortlisting uses the stated eight-times-vacancies rule and applicable reservation conditions.
Candidates must qualify every CBAT battery. The 2026 final-merit calculation uses CBT II Part A and CBAT in a 50:50 ratio among CBAT-qualified candidates. Document verification and Railway medical fitness remain required. A CBT score, shortlist or document-verification call is not an appointment letter.
Official reference: Paragraphs 12.2–12.4.
Preparation resources and previous cut-offs
Start with the stage-specific syllabus, take a timed diagnostic test and keep an error log by topic. Practise CBT I within 60 minutes, then review accuracy and negative-marking losses. For CBT II, allocate separate practice to Part A and your qualifying trade. Use official aptitude familiarisation for CBAT; general reasoning mocks do not reproduce every aptitude battery.
Read ALP eligibility, ALP exam pattern and ALP syllabus. For historical context, the 2025 Chandigarh CBT II cut-off concerns a different cycle and cannot forecast the 2026 threshold. Keep the year, stage and shift on every historical paper.
Frequently asked questions
Is ALP 2026 application still open?
The original window closed on 14 June 2026. The cited November schedule concerns CBT I, not fresh registration.
What is the latest verified CBT I window?
3–5 November 2026, expressly tentative in the 21 September notice. Your individual allotted date comes from the official candidate documents.
Is the final weighting still 70:30?
That is the 2025 rule. Paragraph 12.4 of CEN 01/2026 states 50:50 for CBT II Part A and CBAT.
Is a 2027 ALP cycle confirmed here?
No. This article covers CEN 01/2026. No 2027 vacancy or application date is inferred.
Official sources and review scope
- CEN 01/2026 detailed notification
- 21 September 2026: ALP CBT I schedule
- CEN 01/2025 detailed notification
Later official amendments take precedence. Regional results are identified as Chandigarh records and must not be treated as the outcome for every RRB. This guide does not determine an individual candidate’s eligibility or selection.