RRB ALP Syllabus 2026 — CBT-1 + CBT-2 + CBAT Topic-wise Pattern at rrbcdg.gov.in

RRB ALP Syllabus 2026 — CBT-1 + CBT-2 + CBAT Topic-wise Pattern at rrbcdg.gov.in — Highlights

Eligibility & Age Limit

Age Limit: 18–30 years as on 1 July 2026 per CEN 01/2026

SC/ST: 5 · OBC-NCL: 3 · PwBD: 10 (UR), 13 (OBC), 15 (SC/ST) · Ex-Servicemen + women + JK domicile + Andaman / Lakshadweep + government employees: per RRB norms.

Educational Qualification:

• Assistant Loco Pilot: Class 10 (Matriculation) plus either: ITI Certificate in one of the eligible trades (Fitter / Electrician / Mechanic Motor Vehicle / Wireman / Welder / Refrigeration & Air-conditioning / Mechanic Diesel / Heat Engine / Turner / Machinist / Mechanic Radio & TV / Electronics Mechanic / Instrument Mechanic / Armature & Coil Winder / Tractor Mechanic / Millwright Maintenance) from NCVT or SCVT recognised institute, OR a 3-year Diploma in Mechanical / Electrical / Electronics / Automobile Engineering, OR Degree (B.E. / B.Tech) in those same streams.

Nationality: Indian citizens. Subjects of Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibetan refugees pre-1962 per RRB rules.

How to Apply Online

1. Visit the official portal of RRB (linked in Important Links below).
2. Register with a valid email and mobile number to generate login credentials.
3. Fill the application form with personal, educational, and contact details exactly as on official documents.
4. Upload a recent passport-size photograph and signature in the prescribed format and size.
5. Pay the application fee through the prescribed payment mode (see Application Fee table above).
6. Review all entries carefully, then submit the form.
7. Download and print a copy of the submitted application for your records.

Apply on Official RRB Portal →

Resultpedia is independent and not affiliated with Railway Recruitment Boards (RRCB). Verify all details on the official portal before applying.

RRB ALP Syllabus 2026 — CBT-1 + CBT-2 + CBAT Topic-wise Pattern at rrbcdg.gov.in — Analysis & Trends

The 50/50 weightage change — what it means for prep

Earlier ALP cycles weighted the final merit at 70% CBT-2 Part A + 30% CBAT. CEN 01/2026 changed this to 50/50. In practical terms: every aptitude-test point now counts as much as a knowledge-test point. Candidates who used to coast through CBAT will lose to candidates who actually trained on psychometric pattern-recognition. Don't treat CBAT as "easy qualifying" — train for it with the same rigor as the math/reasoning prep.

CBT-1 (Stage 1) — Exam pattern

Duration 60 minutes. Negative marking -1/3. CBT-1 is qualifying only; the marks are NOT carried forward. Category cut-offs: UR 40%, OBC + EWS 30%, SC + ST 25%. Shortlist for CBT-2 is typically 15× the vacancies per category.

CBT-1 — Section-wise syllabus (Class 10 level)

Mathematics — 20 questions

Number system · BODMAS · Decimals + Fractions · LCM / HCF · Ratio + Proportion · Percentages · Mensuration · Time + Work · Time, Speed + Distance · Simple + Compound Interest · Profit + Loss · Algebra · Geometry · Trigonometry · Elementary Statistics · Square Root · Age calculations · Calendar + Clock · Pipes + Cistern.

General Intelligence + Reasoning — 25 questions

Analogies · Alphabetical and Number Series · Coding-Decoding · Mathematical Operations · Relationships · Syllogism · Jumbling · Venn Diagrams · Data Interpretation · Conclusions and Decision Making · Analytical Reasoning · Classification · Direction Sense · Statements (Arguments and Assumptions).

General Science — 20 questions (Class 10 level)

Physics (motion, force, work, energy, sound, light, electricity, magnetism), Chemistry (atomic structure, periodic table, acids-bases-salts, metals + non-metals, carbon compounds), Life Sciences (life processes, cell biology, heredity, evolution, environment). All at NCERT Class 10 level — do not over-study.

General Awareness + Current Affairs — 10 questions

Science + Technology · Sports · Culture · Personalities · Economics · Politics · Geography · History · Miscellaneous. Current affairs window: last 6-8 months before the exam.

CBT-2 (Stage 2) — Exam pattern

Both parts have -1/3 negative marking. Total CBT-2 sitting: 175 Q in 150 minutes.

CBT-2 Part A — Section-wise syllabus

Mathematics

Same topic list as CBT-1 but with deeper question depth — more multi-step word problems, more data-interpretation subquestions per chart, more trigonometric identity applications.

Reasoning + General Intelligence

Same topic list as CBT-1 with stronger emphasis on Analytical Reasoning, Statement-Argument-Assumption chains, and complex Venn Diagrams. Puzzles with multiple constraints (seating arrangements, ranking, blood relations combined with directions) appear more often than in CBT-1.

Basic Science + Engineering

This is the section that distinguishes ALP CBT-2 from generic Railway recruitment:

• Engineering Drawing: Projections, Views, Drawing Instruments, Lines, Geometric figures, Symbolic Representation
• Units + Measurements: SI units, conversion, dimensional analysis
• Mass, Weight + Density
• Work, Power + Energy
• Speed + Velocity
• Heat + Temperature
• Basic Electricity: Ohm's Law, series-parallel circuits, household wiring, fuses, MCBs
• Levers + Simple Machines: Mechanical advantage, efficiency
• Occupational Safety + Health
• Environment Education
• IT Literacy: Computer basics, MS Office, internet

CBT-2 Part B — Trade-wise syllabus (qualifying 35%)

Part B is drawn from the candidate's ITI / Diploma / Degree trade. Choose the trade that matches your highest qualification. The 4 trade clusters:

The 75 Part B questions test your core trade knowledge at ITI / Diploma syllabus level. Mechanical candidates will see questions on engines, turbo machinery, kinetic theory of gases, material strength, metallurgy, refrigeration, energy conservation. Electrical candidates will see three-phase motors, single-phase motors, transformers, household wiring, magnetism. Electronics candidates will see transistors, diodes, digital electronics, semiconductors, radio communication, microprocessors. Automobile candidates will see IC engines, heat transfer, thermodynamics, power plants.

CBAT (Stage 3) — Psychometric aptitude test

CBAT is fundamentally different from CBT-1 + CBT-2. It is not a knowledge test. It checks whether you have the mental aptitude required to drive trains — observation, memory, focus, depth perception, reaction time. The Indian Railways uses CBAT to screen out candidates who might be cognitively unsuited to running-staff work.

The five batteries:

1. Memory Test — patterns / images shown briefly, recalled later
2. Following Directions Test — multi-step instruction sequences
3. Depth Perception Test — judging distances between objects
4. Concentration Test — sustained-attention symbol/number identification
5. Perceptual Speed Test — fast pattern recognition under time pressure

Qualifying criteria: 42 marks minimum per battery (UR/OBC/SC/ST/EWS — same floor for everyone, no relaxation). No negative marking — attempt every question even if guessing. Medium: English + Hindi.

CBAT prep approach: Use a tester app (multiple CBAT-style apps available on Android), do timed daily drills (15 min × 5 batteries), measure your accuracy + speed. Improvement is visible within 4-6 weeks of consistent practice. Do NOT skip CBAT prep — 50% weight in final merit is too high to leave to "natural ability".

Final merit calculation

Per CEN 01/2026:

Final Merit Score = (0.50 × CBT-2 Part A normalised marks)
                  + (0.50 × CBAT total marks)

CBT-1 marks: not used beyond qualifying. CBT-2 Part B marks: not used beyond clearing 35%. Only Part A + CBAT combine into the merit score. Document verification + medical fitness gate the final allotment but don't change merit rank.

Preparation strategy + recommended books

1. 4-month plan minimum. Allow 2 months for CBT-1 (NCERT class 10 + previous-year practice), 1 month for CBT-2 (Basic Sci/Engg + trade revision), 1 month for CBAT pattern drilling.
2. Mathematics: R.S. Aggarwal — Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations · NCERT Math Class 8-10 · Kiran's Mathematics for Railway. Drill speed: solve 30 questions in 25 minutes during the final month.
3. Reasoning: R.S. Aggarwal — Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Pay special attention to Analytical Reasoning + Venn diagrams which appear more often in CBT-2.
4. General Science: NCERT Science Class 9 + 10. Don't go beyond Class 10 syllabus — it's a waste of time at this level.
5. Basic Science + Engineering (CBT-2 unique): S. Chand — Basic Engineering Science. Practice Engineering Drawing questions from previous-year ALP CBT-2 papers.
6. Trade-specific (Part B): Your ITI / Diploma textbooks are the canonical source. Solve last 5-7 years of ALP CBT-2 Part B papers for your trade — patterns repeat heavily.
7. CBAT: Disha — Railway ALP CBAT + a CBAT mobile app for daily drilling. Practice all 5 batteries for 15-20 min daily during the final 6 weeks.
8. Mock tests: 15+ full-length CBT-1 mocks before CBT-1 day. 10+ full-length CBT-2 mocks before CBT-2 day. 20+ CBAT battery sets before CBAT day.

Related Railway recruitment pages

• RRB ALP 2026 Notification + Apply Online — CEN 01/2026, 11,127 posts, apply by 14 June 2026
• RRB NTPC 2026 — sister Railway recruitment for non-technical graduate + 12th-pass posts
• SSC CGL Syllabus 2026 — overlapping Quant + Reasoning + English topics if you're cross-applying