Railway ALP Recruitment 2026 Notification Out | 11,127 Vacancies

Application status: CLOSED

Hello friends,

The Railway Recruitment Boards put out CEN No. 01/2026 for Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) with 11,127 vacancies. It was one of the biggest technical railway notifications this year, and lakhs of ITI, Diploma and Engineering candidates applied.

The application window is over now. I still wanted to write this up, because the railway boards bring out this notification again and again, and the rules rarely change much. If you read this one properly, the next one won’t surprise you. So this is a study guide, not an apply-now post.

Last checked: 11 October 2026

RRB ALP Recruitment 2026: Overview

I went through the full official PDF, and the first thing to know is how the process is set up. It is one common notification for all the RRBs, but you can pick only one RRB. There is no interview. Everything is decided by two computer tests, an aptitude test and a medical.

Detail	Information
Organisation	Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Ministry of Railways
Post	Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)
Notification	CEN No. 01/2026
Total vacancies	11,127 across all RRBs
Pay	Level 2 (7th CPC), initial pay ₹19,900
Medical standard	A-1
Age	18 to 30 years as on 1 July 2026
Mode	Online only

You can apply to only one RRB, and once you choose it you can’t change it
Two applications, even to different RRBs, means all of them get rejected and you can be banned from future RRB exams
Your eligibility is only provisional when you apply, and the real check happens at document verification

About Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)

An ALP helps the Loco Pilot run the train. That means watching signals, keeping an eye on the engine and making sure the train runs safely. It’s a job where a small mistake can cost lives, which is why the medical and aptitude rules are so strict.

One thing many posts skip: during training you only get a stipend, and the notification says selected candidates are liable to serve in the Railway Engineers’ Unit of the Territorial Army. Read that before you decide it is the job for you.

Pay Level 2, with an initial pay of ₹19,900
A strict A-1 medical standard, and if you fail it you won’t be offered any other post
Training with stipend, and a security or indemnity bond wherever it applies

RRB ALP Vacancy 2026 Details

The 11,127 vacancies are spread across the RRBs and railway zones. The notification clearly says these numbers are provisional and can go up or down depending on what the railways need. The full RRB-wise and zone-wise list is in Annexure B of the PDF.

Category	Vacancies
UR (General)	4,860
SC	1,746
ST	919
OBC	2,598
EWS	1,004
Total	11,127 (includes 1,115 Ex-Servicemen vacancies)

The biggest RRBs by vacancies were Secunderabad (1,420), Ranchi (1,300), Mumbai (1,193), Kolkata (841) and Bhubaneshwar (801).

Ex-Servicemen vacancies are inside the total, they are not added on top
Vacancy numbers can change later, so don’t treat them as final
Check your own RRB in Annexure B before you decide where to apply

Important Dates

All of these dates come from the official notification, and all of them have passed. The dates of the exams themselves were to be announced on the RRB websites, so that’s where you’ll need to look next time.

Event	Date
Indicative notice in Employment News	21 March 2026
Online application opened	15 May 2026
Online application closed	14 June 2026 (23:59)
Last date for fee payment	16 June 2026 (23:59)
Correction window	17 June to 26 June 2026

You could correct your form during the correction window by paying ₹250 each time. But the details you filled in “Create an Account” and your chosen RRB could never be changed.

Applications ran for one month, from 15 May to 14 June 2026
Every correction cost ₹250, and nothing was accepted after 26 June
Don’t wait for the last day, the notification itself warns about heavy website traffic

Educational Qualification

You need Class 10 plus a technical qualification, and you must already have it on or before the closing date. If you were still waiting for your final result, you couldn’t apply. The notification gives three routes.

Matriculation/SSLC plus ITI (NCVT/SCVT) in trades like Fitter, Electrician, Instrument Mechanic, Millwright/Maintenance Mechanic, Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Wireman, Tractor Mechanic, Armature and Coil Winder, Mechanic (Diesel), Heat Engine, Turner, Machinist, or Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Mechanic
Matriculation/SSLC plus a Course Completed Act Apprenticeship in the same trades
Matriculation/SSLC plus a 3-year Diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering (or a mix of these), and an Engineering Degree is accepted instead of the Diploma

Age Limit

Your age is counted on 1 July 2026, and the range is 18 to 30. The date of birth you enter must match your Class 10 certificate, and you can’t change it later. If you qualify for more than one age relaxation, you get the biggest one, they don’t add up.

Category	Date of birth between
UR and EWS	2 July 1996 and 1 July 2008
OBC (NCL)	2 July 1993 and 1 July 2008
SC and ST	2 July 1991 and 1 July 2008

SC and ST get 5 years extra, and OBC (NCL) gets 3 years
Ex-Servicemen get 3 years (UR/EWS), 6 years (OBC-NCL) or 8 years (SC/ST), after subtracting the service they have done
SC, ST and OBC candidates who apply against UR vacancies get no age relaxation at all

Also note that Annexure A marks this post as “not suitable” for persons with benchmark disabilities.

RRB ALP Salary 2026

The post is in Level 2 of the 7th Pay Commission, and the initial pay is ₹19,900. The notification doesn’t give any in-hand figure, so if you see “₹35,000 to ₹45,000” on a random website, that is somebody’s guess, not an official number. What you actually get depends on allowances and where you are posted.

Initial pay is ₹19,900 (Level 2)
Only a stipend is paid while you are in training
You usually stay on the zonal railway where you are first posted, and transfer requests aren’t even registered until you complete at least 5 to 10 years

RRB ALP Selection Process

There are five stages, and you have to clear each one to reach the next. The first test is only for screening, and your marks in it don’t count at the end. The final merit comes from CBT-2 and the aptitude test.

Stage	What it is
CBT-1	Screening only, marks not counted in the final panel
CBT-2 (Part A and Part B)	Part A decides merit, Part B is qualifying
CBAT	Aptitude test, carries equal weight with CBT-2 Part A
Document Verification	Original certificates checked
Medical Examination	A-1 standard

Final merit is 50% CBT-2 Part A marks and 50% CBAT score
Marks are normalised when a test is held in several shifts
If two candidates have equal marks, the older one gets the higher rank, and after that the name decides

CBT 1

CBT-1 is a screening test. The boards shortlist about 15 times the vacancies for each RRB, based on normalised marks. It has 75 questions for 75 marks in 60 minutes, and every wrong answer costs one-third of a mark. The subjects are Mathematics, Mental Ability and General Science, all at Class 10 level.

Minimum marks: UR and EWS 40%, OBC (NCL) 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%
75 questions, 75 marks, 60 minutes
These marks are not counted for the final list

CBT 2

CBT-2 is bigger: 175 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes, again with one-third negative marking. Part A has 100 questions in 90 minutes (Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, Basic Science and Engineering). Part B has 75 questions in 60 minutes and is based on your own trade, and it is only a qualifying test.

Part A minimum: UR and EWS 40%, OBC (NCL) 30%, SC 30%, ST 25%
Part B needs 35% from everyone, whatever the category
Only your Part A marks count for the next stage

CBAT

CBAT is the Computer Based Aptitude Test. About 8 times the vacancies in each category get shortlisted from CBT-2. You must clear every test battery on its own, with a minimum T-score of 42 in each. There is no negative marking, and it is held only in English and Hindi. The notification doesn’t explain the tests themselves, it only points you to the RDSO website for that.

Minimum T-score of 42 in every battery
No negative marking
You must carry your self-screening medical report on the CBAT day, or you won’t be allowed in

Document Verification and Medical Examination

Candidates in the merit list, equal to the number of vacancies, go for document verification and the medical. You must bring the original certificates on your date, and no extra time is given. The medical is the part that surprises people, so check your eyes early. LASIK or any other surgery to correct eyesight makes you ineligible.

Distant vision 6/6 in both eyes without glasses, and near vision Sn 0.6 in both eyes without glasses
You must pass colour, binocular, field, night and mesopic vision tests
If you fail, you get one medical appeal after paying the charges, and that result is final

Application Fee

The fee depends on your category, and most of it comes back if you appear in CBT-1. The refund goes only to the bank account linked with your Aadhaar, so check that early. Payment was online only: internet banking, debit or credit card, or UPI.

Category	Fee	Refund after appearing in CBT-1
All other candidates	₹500	₹400, after bank charges
SC, ST, Ex-Servicemen, Female, Transgender, Minorities, EBC	₹250	₹250, after bank charges

No refund if your application is incomplete, not submitted or rejected
EBC is not the same as OBC or EWS, and it gives only a fee concession, not reservation
Never pay an agent for “selection”, RRBs don’t appoint any agents or coaching centres

How to Apply for RRB ALP Recruitment 2026 (When the Portal Was Open)

You started by creating an account on your chosen RRB’s website. The mobile number and email you entered there could never be changed, and the notification repeats this warning again and again. The photo was not uploaded either, it was captured live on your webcam or phone camera during the form.

Create an account with an active mobile number and email, enter your name, parents’ names and date of birth exactly as in your Class 10 certificate, and verify with DigiLocker or Aadhaar
Choose one RRB and your zone preferences, answer the self-screening medical questions, upload your signature (JPG, 30 to 49 KB, in running handwriting) and capture the live photo
Pay the fee online, because your application is accepted only after payment is confirmed

Preparation Tips for ALP

You have to prepare for three different things: the screening test, your own trade, and the aptitude test. CBT-1 and CBT-2 Part A use the same maths and reasoning base, so good basics help you twice. For Part B, the notification tells you to check the DGT website for the syllabus of your trade.

Practise Class 10 level maths, reasoning and general science, and do timed mocks keeping negative marking in mind
Revise your ITI or Diploma trade separately for Part B
Read about CBAT on the RDSO website, and train your concentration and quick decision-making

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most people lose their application on small things, not on weak preparation. The notification lists many reasons for rejection, from double applications to signature problems. Your certificates also have to be in the prescribed format and valid on the closing date.

Sending more than one application, which can mean a lifetime ban from RRB and RRC exams
A signature in block letters, a blurred signature, or a live photo that doesn’t match
Ignoring the medical standard, getting LASIK, or trusting fake websites instead of the official RRB sites

Why ALP Is One of the Best Railway Jobs

For ITI and Diploma holders, ALP is one of the better technical ways into a central government job. It starts at Level 2, selection is on merit, there is no interview, and you never have to pay anyone. But be honest with yourself too. It is a serious job: strict medical rules, a long training, and the responsibility of running a train safely. Make sure you are okay with that before you spend years preparing.

A central government job with a fixed pay level
Selection is on merit only, and RRBs say they never appoint agents or coaching centres
A strict medical standard, so check your eyesight before anything else

Important Links

Use only the official RRB websites for updates and e-call letters. The notification lists one website for each RRB, like rrbsecunderabad.gov.in, rrbchennai.gov.in and rrbmumbai.gov.in. Stay away from fake websites and social media pages.

Apply Online
Official Website
Download Official Notification PDF
Note: The application window closed on 14 June 2026. Please check the official RRB website for further updates.)

Conclusion

CEN 01/2026 closed on 14 June 2026, but it shows you exactly how the next one will probably work. Start with the basics now: Class 10 maths and science, your own trade, and your eyesight and fitness. When the next notification comes, read it line by line before you apply.

Build your maths, reasoning and trade knowledge from today
Check the A-1 medical standard early, and stay away from LASIK
Apply only on the official RRB website and never pay anyone

Good luck, friends!

Disclaimer: This article is for information only. Dates, eligibility and other details may change in future notifications, so the official RRB websites and notification take precedence. LCJP Job Hub is an independent website, is not affiliated with the Railway Recruitment Boards, and does not guarantee selection.

About the author

LCJP Job Hub shares job updates, eligibility details, application steps and career tips for job seekers across India. We try to make job notifications easy to understand so readers can apply with confidence. To know more about us, visit our About Us page.

Railway ALP Recruitment 2026 Notification Out | 11,127 Vacancies | Apply Online