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Government jobPay Level 2Group CNon‑gazetted

Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)

सहायक लोको पायलट

Pay Level 2 running post via RRB ALP — assisting the loco pilot in driving trains, on the path to becoming a train driver.

Indian Railways · Ministry of Railways · central government

In-hand pay at joining, per month

₹32,000–₹37,000

Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.

Exam
RRB ALP
Qualification
ITI / Diploma
Age limit
18–30 years
Transfers
Within your allotted zone/region
Work hours
Irregular duty at any hour; trips of 8–11 hours or more, with nights away from home
Probation
Training of several months, then probation as per railway rules

Estimated in-hand / month

₹33,876

Gross ₹37,260 · CTC ≈ ₹5.0 lakh/yr

Level 2

Where are you posted?

Joining

Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.

New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.

What you will actually do

  • Calling out signals and track conditions to the loco pilot
  • Checking the locomotive before and after each trip
  • Monitoring gauges, brake pressure and equipment during the run
  • Attending to minor faults on the line
  • Coupling and uncoupling the locomotive and helping in shunting
  • Keeping the trip log and reporting defects

A typical day

You are booked for a train by phone or app and report to the crew lobby, where you take a breath-analyser test and read the latest safety notices. In the cab you call out every signal aspect aloud, watch the instruments and get down to examine the engine at halts. Trips often stretch beyond ten hours, frequently overnight, and there is no toilet on most locomotives. After rest in a running room you work a train back to your home depot.

Stress4/5
CalmIntense
Public dealing1/5
LittleConstant
Field work5/5
DeskOutdoors

Promotion path

Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.

  1. Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) (joining)

    Pay Level 2

    ₹32,000–₹37,000 in-hand

  2. Senior Assistant Loco Pilot

    2–4 years · Level 4 · via dpc

    ₹42,000–₹50,000 in-hand

  3. Loco Pilot (Goods)

    Further 4–8 years, after a promotional course · Level 6 · via dpc

    ₹57,000–₹67,000 in-hand

  4. Loco Pilot (Passenger / Mail-Express)

    Further 6–12 years · via dpc

Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.

How to get in

RRB ALPIrregular (roughly every 1–3 years)

Railway Recruitment Boards

  1. 1.CBT-1
  2. 2.CBT-2 (Part A and trade-based Part B)
  3. 3.Computer-based aptitude test
  4. 4.Document verification
  5. 5.Medical examination (A-1 standard)

Eligibility: Class 10 plus ITI in a listed trade (such as Fitter, Electrician, Mechanic Diesel), or a 3-year diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering. A degree in those branches is accepted in place of the diploma. Age 18–30. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, plus relaxations for ex-servicemen and railway staff, as per the notification.

Physical standards: Medical standard A-1, the strictest in railways: distant vision 6/6 in each eye without glasses, normal colour vision, and no history of corrective eye surgery such as LASIK.

The good

  • Running allowance makes take-home pay far higher than the pay level suggests
  • Clear path to Loco Pilot at Level 6 and above
  • Skilled, respected work

The hard parts

  • Irregular hours and chronic fatigue
  • Very strict medical standard for the whole career; failing it means a desk post
  • Hard conditions in the cab: heat, noise, no toilet

Postings

You apply to one Railway Recruitment Board and are posted in the zone or production unit attached to it, then to a division within that zone. Inter-zone transfer is possible only on request or mutual exchange, with loss of seniority. You are attached to a crew depot (loco lobby), usually at a junction.

Railway job securityNPS with a 14% government contributionFree passes and privilege ticket orders for self and familyRailway hospitals and health unitsRailway quarters where availableRunning (kilometrage) allowance, which adds substantially to pay and partly counts for retirement benefits

Questions people ask

What is the in-hand salary of Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)?+

Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) is a Pay Level 2 post with a starting basic pay of ₹19,900. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹32,000–₹37,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.

What is the qualification and age limit for Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)?+

Class 10 plus ITI in a listed trade (such as Fitter, Electrician, Mechanic Diesel), or a 3-year diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering. A degree in those branches is accepted in place of the diploma. Age: 18–30 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC (non-creamy layer): 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, plus relaxations for ex-servicemen and railway staff, as per the notification.

Which exam do I need to clear for Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)?+

RRB ALP (Railway Recruitment Boards).

Can I become ALP after LASIK?+

No. Railway medical rules for the A-1 category do not accept candidates who have had corrective eye surgery.

How long until I drive a train myself?+

Usually 6–12 years: first as a shunter or goods loco pilot, depending on vacancies in your division.

Compare with similar posts

Assistant Loco Pilot vs Technician Grade-IIIAssistant Loco Pilot vs Goods Train ManagerAssistant Loco Pilot vs Station Master

Technician Grade-III (Railways)

तकनीशियन ग्रेड-III (रेलवे)

Pay Level 2

Pay Level 2 skilled post via RRB Technician — maintaining locomotives, coaches, track machines, signals or electrical gear.

₹32,000–₹37,000 in-handRRB Technician

Goods Train Manager

गुड्स ट्रेन मैनेजर

Pay Level 5

Pay Level 5 running post via RRB NTPC — in charge of a goods train from the rear brake van, with irregular hours.

₹48,000–₹56,000 in-handRRB NTPC

Station Master

स्टेशन मास्टर

Pay Level 6

Pay Level 6 railway post via RRB NTPC — controlling train movements at a station, in rotating shifts.

₹57,000–₹67,000 in-handRRB NTPC

Books to prepare for RRB ALP

  • Lucent's General Science

    Lucent Publications

    Physics, chemistry and biology at the level railway exams ask. Available in Hindi as Samanya Vigyan.

    See on Amazon

  • Fast Track Objective Arithmetic

    Rajesh Verma (Arihant)

    Shorter and more shortcut-oriented than R.S. Aggarwal. Useful when time per question matters.

    See on Amazon

  • A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning

    R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)

    Covers every reasoning question type with graded practice. More than most exams need, so do the chapters in your syllabus.

    See on Amazon

All 6 books for Railway exams: NTPC, Group D, ALP, Technician and RPF

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and does not affect which books we list.

Sources

This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.