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EXAM SYLLABUS

The RRB ALP exam includes five stages. It provides detailed information about each phase of the examination process.

1. First Stage CBT (CBT-I)

2. Second Stage CBT (CBT-II)

3. Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)

4. Document Verification (DV) and

5. Medical Examination (ME)

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has released the detailed syllabus for the initial stages of the ALP selection process, which includes CBT I, CBT II, and CBAT.

The syllabus is structured across multiple stages. CBT I covers four key areas:

Detailed Syllabus First Stage CBT (CBT-I)

Mathematics

Given below is the detailed syllabus of Mathematics with example and difficulty level of the questions asked in RAILWAY ALP Examination:

EXAM SYLLABUS

The RRB ALP exam includes five stages. It provides detailed information about each phase of the examination process.

1. First Stage CBT (CBT-I)

2. Second Stage CBT (CBT-II)

3. Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)

4. Document Verification (DV) and

5. Medical Examination (ME)

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has released the detailed syllabus for the initial stages of the ALP selection process, which includes CBT I, CBT II, and CBAT.

The syllabus is structured across multiple stages. CBT I covers four key areas:

Detailed Syllabus First Stage CBT (CBT-I)

Mathematics

Given below is the detailed syllabus of Mathematics with example and difficulty level of the questions asked in RAILWAY ALP Examination:

General Intelligence & Reasoning Detailed Syllabus

Given below is the detailed syllabus of General Intelligence & Reasoning with examples and difficulty level of the questions asked in RAILWAY ALP Examination:

General Awareness & Current Affairs Detailed Syllabus

Given below is the detailed syllabus of General Awareness with example and difficulty level of the questions asked in RAILWAY ALP Examination:

General Science Detailed Syllabus

Given below is the detailed syllabus of General Science with example and difficulty level of the questions asked in RAILWAY ALP Examination:

EXAM PATTERN

The RRB ALP exam pattern includes five stages. It provides detailed information about each phase of the examination process.

1. First Stage CBT (CBT-I)

2. Second Stage CBT (CBT-II)

3. Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)

4. Document Verification (DV) and

5. Medical Examination (ME)

First Stage CBT (CBT- I)

RAILWAY ALP Examination Stage- I will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test and is common for all notified posts. It will consist of a total 75 Questions and 75 Marks (1 Mark for each question). Total duration of the examination is 60 minutes and 80 minutes for PwBD candidates who are availing the Scribe facility.

The section wise number of questions and marks are indicated below:

Mode of Examination

RAILWAY ALP Examination Stage- I will be conducted as a Computer-Based Test and is common for all notified posts. Questions will be based on Objective Type Multiple Choice.

Medium of examination

The question paper will be in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati Languages.

Marking Scheme

1. Each Question carries 1 Mark.

2. For Each correct answer, 1 Mark will be awarded.

3. There shall be negative marking in the examination and 1/3 of the allotted marks for each question shall be deducted for every wrong answer.

Calculation of normalised marks for Multi- Sessional Papers

The Stage- I CBT examination may have to be conducted in multiple sessions for some post For these multisession papers, a suitable normalisation is applied to take into account any variation in the difficulty levels of the question papers across different sessions. The formula for calculating the normalized marks for the multi  - session papers is detailed below:

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates willing to apply for RAILWAY ALP exam are required to fulfil certain conditions to be eligible for the RAILWAY ALP exam. The candidate who does not satisfy the Eligibility criteria like Age, Minimum educational qualification, Nationality, etc., shall be rejected by the authorities. The candidate’s eligibility for RAILWAY ALP exam is based on the fulfilment of the following conditions: 

1. Nationality.

2. Age Limit & Relaxations.

3. Educational Qualification.

4. Medical Standards.

5. Minimum Percentage of Marks.

Nationality

1.  A candidate must be either:

(i) a citizen of India, or

(ii) a citizen of Nepal, or

(iii) a subject of Bhutan, or

(iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India, before 01.01.1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

(v) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

(vi) Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above, shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

2. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination provisionally. However, the Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Government of India has to be submitted during Document Verification failing which his/her candidature shall be rejected.

Age Limit (as on 01-07-2025)

The age limit of the candidates applying for RAILWAY ALP must be between 18 - 30 years of age.

Date of birth of candidates should be between the dates given below: (Both dates inclusive)

Age Relaxations

Certain age relaxation is provided by the Railway Recruitment Board to the reserved category candidates for the RAILWAY ALP examination. The age relaxation for candidates belonging to different categories is given below:

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates willing to apply for RAILWAY ALP exam are required to fulfil certain conditions to be eligible for the RAILWAY ALP exam. The candidate who does not satisfy the Eligibility criteria like Age, Minimum educational qualification, Nationality, etc., shall be rejected by the authorities. The candidate’s eligibility for RAILWAY ALP exam is based on the fulfilment of the following conditions: 

1. Nationality.

2. Age Limit & Relaxations.

3. Educational Qualification.

4. Medical Standards.

5. Minimum Percentage of Marks.

Nationality

1.  A candidate must be either:

(i) a citizen of India, or

(ii) a citizen of Nepal, or

(iii) a subject of Bhutan, or

(iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India, before 01.01.1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

(v) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

(vi) Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above, shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

2. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination provisionally. However, the Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Government of India has to be submitted during Document Verification failing which his/her candidature shall be rejected.

Age Limit (as on 01-07-2025)

The age limit of the candidates applying for RAILWAY ALP must be between 18 - 30 years of age.

Date of birth of candidates should be between the dates given below: (Both dates inclusive)

Age Relaxations

Certain age relaxation is provided by the Railway Recruitment Board to the reserved category candidates for the RAILWAY ALP examination. The age relaxation for candidates belonging to different categories is given below:

Note-

1. If a candidate is eligible for relaxation of age on more than one ground, he/she would be accorded the highest of the age relaxations (not cumulative) for which he/she is eligible.

2. No age relaxation is allowed to SC / ST / OBC - NCL (Non Creamy Layer) candidates applying against unreserved vacancies.

3. PWD candidates applying against UR vacancies will be allowed age relaxation applicable for UR PWD only.

4. Candidates should note that the date of birth filled in this application should be the same as recorded in the Matriculation / SSLC or an equivalent certificate. No subsequent request for its change will be considered.

Educational Qualification

Matriculation / SSLC plus ITI from recognised institutions of NCVT/SCVT in the trades of Fitter, Electrician, Instrument Mechanic, Millwright/Maintenance Mechanic, Mechanic (Radio & TV), Electronics Mechanic, Mechanic (Motor Vehicle), Wireman, Tractor Mechanic, Armature & Coil Winder, Mechanic (Diesel), Heat Engine, Turner, Machinist, Refrigeration & Air- Conditioning Mechanic.

(OR)

Matriculation / SSLC plus Course Completed Act Apprenticeship in the trades mentioned above

(OR)

Matriculation / SSLC plus three years Diploma in Mechanical / Electrical / Electronics / Automobile Engineering

(OR)

Combination of various streams of these Engineering disciplines from a recognised Institution in lieu of ITI.

Note: The Educational/Technical Qualification certificates viz. Provisional or Regular Certificates should contain the date of issue. In case, date of issue of these certificates is after the closing date of the notification, then the consolidated marks sheet with date of declaration of the final qualifying exam or individual mark sheets of all the semesters/years with date of declaration of each semester /year result should be submitted. In case of nonavailability of date in any of these certificates, then a certificate indicating date of declaration of result from the Board/University to this effect should be produced at the time of DV.

Medical Standerd

Candidates called for DV will have to pass a requisite medical fitness test(s) conducted by the Railway Administration to ensure that the candidates are medically fit to carry out the duties connected with the post(s) opted by them. Visual Acuity Standard is one of the important criteria of medical fitness of railway staff.

Note

1. The above medical standards are only indicative and not exhaustive and apply to candidates in general.

2. Candidates who have undergone Lasik surgery or any other surgical procedure to correct refractory error are not eligible for the post having Medical Standards A1, B1, and B2.

3. Those who are opting for ALP Post may note that the post has stringent medical standards and hence they are specifically advised to ensure that their fitness both in terms of vision as well as physical standards is as per the details of the prescribed requirements.

Minimum Percentage of marks

Minimum percentage of marks for eligibility in various categories :

UR- 40%,

OBC- 30%,

SC- 30%,

ST- 25%.

These percentage of marks for eligibility may be relaxed by 2% for PWD candidates in case of shortage of PWD candidates against vacancies reserved for them.

IMPORTANT DATES

The Railway Recruitment Board has released the official notification for RRB ALP Recruitment 2025 (CEN No. 1/2025), announcing 9,970 vacancies for the post of Assistant Loco Pilot on its official website. Candidates must ensure they meet all the required educational and technical qualifications by the closing date of the application. Those awaiting final results of the required qualifications are not eligible to apply. The online application process began on 12th April 2025 and closed on 19th May 2025. With the application process now complete, the RRB is scheduled to conduct the CBT-I exam on 13th, 16th, 17th and 18th February 2026.

EXAM ANALYSIS

Here is the complete exam analysis of RRB ALP First Stage (CBT-1) Exam 2026 based on the latest 2025 cycle (conducted in Feb 2026) with clear highlights.

LAST CONDUCTED EXAM DETAILS

The latest RRB ALP CBT-1 exam (2025 recruitment cycle) is being conducted in February 2026.

Exam dates: 13, 16, 17 and 18 February 2026

The exam is conducted across multiple days due to a large number of candidates.

SHIFT DETAILS (VERY IMPORTANT)

The exam is conducted in 3 shifts per day:

Shift 1 ? 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Shift 2 ? 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM

Shift 3 ? 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM

Reporting time is usually 90 minutes before the exam

Duration of exam = 60 minutes

EXAM PATTERN (CBT-1)

Total Questions: 75

Total Marks: 75

Duration: 60 minutes

Negative Marking: 1/3 mark deducted

Subjects included:

Mathematics

Reasoning

General Science

General Awareness & Current Affairs

Questions are objective (MCQ-based)

DIFFICULTY LEVEL (LATEST TREND)

Overall difficulty level: Easy to Moderate

Section-wise:

Mathematics ? Easy to Moderate

Reasoning ? Easy

General Science ? Moderate

General Awareness ? Moderate

Paper is generally speed-based rather than concept-heavy

GOOD ATTEMPTS

Good attempts: 55 to 65 questions

Candidates attempting 60+ with good accuracy were in a safe zone

EXPECTED CUTOFF (TREND BASED)

Cutoff varies by zone

General category expected: 50 to 60 marks

Factors affecting cutoff:

Difficulty level

Number of candidates

Normalization across shifts

PREVIOUS YEAR TREND

Pattern remains same every year

Difficulty mostly easy to moderate

Competition increasing due to large applicants (lakhs of candidates)

CBT-1 is screening stage only (qualifying nature)

IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS

Speed is the key factor (75 questions in 60 minutes)

Maths + Reasoning = high scoring sections

General Science has concept-based questions (NCERT level)

Current Affairs questions are limited but important

EXPECTATIONS FOR RRB ALP CBT-1 2026

Based on latest trend:

Difficulty ? Easy to Moderate

Pattern ? No major change expected

Competition ? Very high

Cutoff ? May slightly increase

FINAL STRATEGY FOR 2026

Focus on speed + accuracy

Practice PYQs regularly

Strengthen Maths & Reasoning for scoring

Revise Science (NCERT level)

Attempt mock tests daily in last phase

STUDY TIPS

To crack the RRB ALP First Stage (CBT 1) exam, focus on speed and accuracy for 75 questions in 60 minutes, with a 1/3 negative marking. Prioritize NCERT Science (Class 8-10), daily reasoning practice (puzzles/coding), and arithmetic, while maintaining a consistent mock test routine and analyzing errors, as suggested by toppers.

SUBJECT-WISE STUDY TIPS

GENERAL SCIENCE (20 QUESTIONS)

This is a very important section for CBT-1. Focus mainly on NCERT Science books of Class 9 and 10 covering Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Prepare short notes of formulas, laws, and scientific terms for quick revision.

MATHEMATICS (20 QUESTIONS)

Concentrate on arithmetic topics like Percentage, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, and Ratio, along with the Number System. Practice mental calculations and shortcut methods to improve speed.

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE & REASONING (25 QUESTIONS)

Give special attention to Coding-Decoding, Series, Syllogism, Venn Diagram, and Blood Relations. Practice puzzles and non-verbal reasoning daily to strengthen problem-solving skills.

GENERAL AWARENESS / CURRENT AFFAIRS (10 QUESTIONS)

Prepare current affairs of the last 6 to 8 months, especially from sports, awards, and science & technology. Also revise important facts related to Indian Railways.

PREPARATION STRATEGY & TIPS

ANALYZE PREVIOUS YEAR PAPERS

Solve papers from 2018 to 2024 to understand the exam pattern, question types, and difficulty level.

MOCK TEST & TIME MANAGEMENT

Attempt full-length mock tests regularly and increase frequency to daily in the last 15 days. Focus on accuracy, as 1/3 mark is deducted for each wrong answer.

CREATE A STUDY PLAN

Allocate 1.5 to 2 hours per subject daily. Build strong fundamentals first, then move to shortcuts and tricks.

REVISION STRATEGY

Maintain a separate formula notebook and prepare short notes for quick daily revision.

STUDY PLAN

RRB ALP CBT-1 – 1 Month Study Plan (Crash Plan)

Best for: Revision + Fast-track preparation

Week 1

Maths: Simplification, Number System

Reasoning: Analogy, Classification

Science: Physics (Basics)

GA: Last 3–4 months current affairs

Week 2

Maths: Percentage, Profit & Loss

Reasoning: Coding-Decoding, Series

Science: Chemistry (Basic reactions)

GA: Static GK (Railway, Polity basics)

Week 3

Maths: Time & Work, SI/CI

Reasoning: Blood Relation, Direction

Science: Biology (Human body)

GA: Revision

Week 4

Full syllabus revision

Attempt 5–6 full mock tests

Analyze mistakes daily

Focus: Speed + Accuracy + Mock Practice

RRB ALP CBT-1 – 3 Month Study Plan

Best for: Balanced preparation

Month 1 (Basics Build)

Maths: Arithmetic fundamentals

Reasoning: Basic concepts

Science: NCERT (Class 8–10)

GA: Daily current affairs

Month 2 (Strengthening)

Maths: Advanced topics (Time-Speed, DI basics)

Reasoning: Puzzle, Seating

Science: Deep revision (Physics + Chemistry)

GA: Static GK + Revision

Month 3 (Practice Phase)

Daily 1 sectional test

2–3 full mocks per week

Revision of weak areas

Focus on time management

Focus: Concept + Practice + Revision

RRB ALP CBT-1 – 6 Month Study Plan

Best for: Beginners / Zero to Advanced

Month 1–2 (Foundation Phase)

Maths: Basics + formulas

Reasoning: Core concepts

Science: NCERT reading

GA: Start current affairs notes

Month 3–4 (Concept Building)

Maths: Advanced topics

Reasoning: High-level questions

Science: Topic-wise MCQs

GA: Monthly revision

Month 5 (Practice Phase)

Start mock tests (2–3/week)

Solve previous year papers

Focus on weak areas

Month 6 (Final Revision)

Daily full-length mock

Revise formulas & short notes

Improve speed and accuracy

Focus: Strong foundation ? Practice ? Perfection

Daily Study Time Strategy

Study Time: 5–7 hours/day

Divide time:

Maths: 1.5 hr

Reasoning: 1.5 hr

Science: 2 hr

GA: 1 hr

Final Preparation Tips

Practice previous year papers regularly

Focus on NCERT Science (Class 8–10)

Maintain short notes for revision

Attempt mocks in real exam timing

Improve s

STUDY TIPS

To crack the RRB ALP First Stage (CBT 1) exam, focus on speed and accuracy for 75 questions in 60 minutes, with a 1/3 negative marking. Prioritize NCERT Science (Class 8-10), daily reasoning practice (puzzles/coding), and arithmetic, while maintaining a consistent mock test routine and analyzing errors, as suggested by toppers.

SUBJECT-WISE STUDY TIPS

GENERAL SCIENCE (20 QUESTIONS)

This is a very important section for CBT-1. Focus mainly on NCERT Science books of Class 9 and 10 covering Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Prepare short notes of formulas, laws, and scientific terms for quick revision.

MATHEMATICS (20 QUESTIONS)

Concentrate on arithmetic topics like Percentage, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, and Ratio, along with the Number System. Practice mental calculations and shortcut methods to improve speed.

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE & REASONING (25 QUESTIONS)

Give special attention to Coding-Decoding, Series, Syllogism, Venn Diagram, and Blood Relations. Practice puzzles and non-verbal reasoning daily to strengthen problem-solving skills.

GENERAL AWARENESS / CURRENT AFFAIRS (10 QUESTIONS)

Prepare current affairs of the last 6 to 8 months, especially from sports, awards, and science & technology. Also revise important facts related to Indian Railways.

PREPARATION STRATEGY & TIPS

ANALYZE PREVIOUS YEAR PAPERS

Solve papers from 2018 to 2024 to understand the exam pattern, question types, and difficulty level.

MOCK TEST & TIME MANAGEMENT

Attempt full-length mock tests regularly and increase frequency to daily in the last 15 days. Focus on accuracy, as 1/3 mark is deducted for each wrong answer.

CREATE A STUDY PLAN

Allocate 1.5 to 2 hours per subject daily. Build strong fundamentals first, then move to shortcuts and tricks.

REVISION STRATEGY

Maintain a separate formula notebook and prepare short notes for quick daily revision.

STUDY PLAN

RRB ALP CBT-1 – 1 Month Study Plan (Crash Plan)

Best for: Revision + Fast-track preparation

Week 1

Maths: Simplification, Number System

Reasoning: Analogy, Classification

Science: Physics (Basics)

GA: Last 3–4 months current affairs

Week 2

Maths: Percentage, Profit & Loss

Reasoning: Coding-Decoding, Series

Science: Chemistry (Basic reactions)

GA: Static GK (Railway, Polity basics)

Week 3

Maths: Time & Work, SI/CI

Reasoning: Blood Relation, Direction

Science: Biology (Human body)

GA: Revision

Week 4

Full syllabus revision

Attempt 5–6 full mock tests

Analyze mistakes daily

Focus: Speed + Accuracy + Mock Practice

RRB ALP CBT-1 – 3 Month Study Plan

Best for: Balanced preparation

Month 1 (Basics Build)

Maths: Arithmetic fundamentals

Reasoning: Basic concepts

Science: NCERT (Class 8–10)

GA: Daily current affairs

Month 2 (Strengthening)

Maths: Advanced topics (Time-Speed, DI basics)

Reasoning: Puzzle, Seating

Science: Deep revision (Physics + Chemistry)

GA: Static GK + Revision

Month 3 (Practice Phase)

Daily 1 sectional test

2–3 full mocks per week

Revision of weak areas

Focus on time management

Focus: Concept + Practice + Revision

RRB ALP CBT-1 – 6 Month Study Plan

Best for: Beginners / Zero to Advanced

Month 1–2 (Foundation Phase)

Maths: Basics + formulas

Reasoning: Core concepts

Science: NCERT reading

GA: Start current affairs notes

Month 3–4 (Concept Building)

Maths: Advanced topics

Reasoning: High-level questions

Science: Topic-wise MCQs

GA: Monthly revision

Month 5 (Practice Phase)

Start mock tests (2–3/week)

Solve previous year papers

Focus on weak areas

Month 6 (Final Revision)

Daily full-length mock

Revise formulas & short notes

Improve speed and accuracy

Focus: Strong foundation ? Practice ? Perfection

Daily Study Time Strategy

Study Time: 5–7 hours/day

Divide time:

Maths: 1.5 hr

Reasoning: 1.5 hr

Science: 2 hr

GA: 1 hr

Final Preparation Tips

Practice previous year papers regularly

Focus on NCERT Science (Class 8–10)

Maintain short notes for revision

Attempt mocks in real exam timing

Improve speed + accuracy (most important)

OVERVIEW

Railway recruitment board (RRB) conducts RRB ALP exam to recruit Assistant Loco Pilot for different railway zones across the country. Railway Recruitment Control Board is a government organisation in India. It was set up in 1998 in the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), New Delhi. Railway Recruitment Boards are organisations under the Government of India that manage the appointment of new employees to work in Indian railways. 

SELECTION PROCESS

The RRB ALP Selection Process is extensive and involves four main stages, beginning with two online exams: CBT I and CBT II. Candidates who clear both will proceed to the CBAT. Below is a detailed overview of each stage:

First Stage – CBT I

CBT I is a screening test designed to shortlist candidates for the next round. It consists of 75 multiple-choice questions from Mathematics, General Intelligence, General Science, and General Awareness, with a total duration of 60 minutes. A negative marking of 1/3rd is applied for every incorrect answer.

Scores from CBT I are not counted in the final merit list. Shortlisting is done RRB-wise and community-wise based on normalized scores.

Second Stage – CBT II

CBT II is divided into two parts:

Part A: Contains 100 questions to be attempted in 90 minutes. It covers Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, and Basic Science & Engineering. Marks from Part A are considered in the final merit calculation.

Part B: Has 75 questions to be completed in 60 minutes. It is qualifying in nature and focuses on trade-specific knowledge. Candidates must pass Part B and secure the minimum cut-off in Part A to advance.

Approximately 15 times the number of vacancies are shortlisted from CBT II. Negative marking is applicable, and normalization is used for multi-shift exams.

Computer-Based Aptitude Test (CBAT)

CBAT is conducted for candidates who qualify in CBT II Part A, typically 8 times the number of available vacancies. This test assesses the aptitude required for Assistant Loco Pilot roles and consists of multiple sections. There is no negative marking, but candidates must qualify in each section separately.

The test is available only in English and Hindi, and a vision certificate is required to appear for this stage. The final merit list is prepared using a 70:30 weightage for CBT II Part A and CBAT scores, respectively.

Document Verification 

Candidates who pass the CBAT are called for Document Verification based on merit. They must present original documents for verification of age, educational qualifications, caste/category, reservation claims, etc. Copies of these documents also need to be submitted. All documents must be valid and consistent with the details provided in the application. Any discrepancies or invalid documents may result in disqualification.

Medical Examination

After DV, candidates must undergo a medical fitness test as per Railway standards. This includes checks for vision, physical health, and other medical requirements based on the ALP role. Only candidates who meet the prescribed medical criteria are considered fit for appointment. The final decision on fitness rests with the Railway Administration.