The Railway Recruitment Board has approved a massive 11,127 Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) vacancies for the 2026–27 recruitment cycle, to be filled through a centralized notification across 17 railway zones. This is one of the biggest upcoming railway technical recruitments, giving a major opportunity to 10th + ITI/Diploma candidates looking for government jobs in Indian Railways.The approval has been issued via letter number No.2026(E/MPP)/25/13/ALP dated 19.02.2026 from the Railway Board, New Delhi, addressed to the General Managers (P) of all Zonal Railways and CLW.
RRB ALP New Vacancy 2026-27 Notification PDF
RRB ALP 2026-27: Overview
- Post Name: Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP).
- Total Vacancies Approved: 11,127.
- Date of approval: 19.02.2026 (New Delhi).
- Reference No.: No.2026(E/MPP)/25/13/ALP.
- Recruitment Year: 2026 (through Centralised Employment Notification).
- Pay Level: Level-2 of 7th CPC.
- Recruiting Authority: Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) under Ministry of Railways.
Official Railway Board Order
The order mentions that the assessment of Assistant Loco Pilot vacancies in the Indent Management module of HRMS for all Zonal Railways and CLW has been examined, and the competent authority has approved issuing a Centralised Employment Notification for these posts for 2026.
RRB ALP Vacancy 2026-27: Railway-Wise Break-Up
| S. No. | Zonal Railway | Vacancies Approved for Notification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Railway | 1400 |
| 2 | East Central Railway | 700 |
| 3 | East Coast Railway | 1625 |
| 4 | Eastern Railway | 608** |
| 5 | North Central Railway | 457 |
| 6 | North Eastern Railway | 105 |
| 7 | Northeast Frontier Railway | 1276 |
| 8 | Northern Railway | 740 |
| 9 | North Western Railway | 600 |
| 10 | South Central Railway | 674 |
| 11 | South East Central Railway | 200 |
| 12 | South Eastern Railway | 1531 |
| 13 | Southern Railway | 250 |
| 14 | South Western Railway | 200 |
| 15 | West Central Railway | 541 |
| 16 | Western Railway | 214 |
| 17 | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) | 06* |
| Total | 11,127 | |
Selection Process and Exam Stages
The RRB ALP selection process for 2026 will follow multi-stage testing to shortlist candidates for the 11,127 posts.
- CBT 1: Screening test with objective questions; qualifying for CBT 2.
- CBT 2: Domain-specific test to assess technical knowledge and aptitude.
- CBAT (Computer-Based Aptitude Test): Mandatory for ALP post; marks considered in final merit.
- Document Verification (DV): Verification of certificates, category claims, and eligibility.
- Medical Examination (ME): Final fitness check before appointment.
Only candidates who qualify in each stage and satisfy medical standards will be considered for final appointment as Assistant Loco Pilot.
What This Approval Means for Candidates
- The vacancies are officially sanctioned, which confirms that a new large-scale RRB ALP recruitment notification will be issued in 2026.
- Separate RRB-wise notifications (under one CEN) will invite online applications for these 11,127 ALP posts across all listed zones.
- Candidates can choose the preferred Zonal Railway while applying, based on the vacancy distribution shown above.
Next step: Centralised Employment Notification (CEN)
The uploaded order is an approval of vacancies, not yet the detailed CEN. The upcoming CEN will mention: eligibility criteria, age limit, qualification (10th + ITI/Diploma trade-wise), selection process (CBT 1, CBT 2, CBAT), exam pattern, syllabus, and important dates for online application.
