RRB ALP Syllabus 2026 & Exam Pattern: Complete CBT 1, CBT 2 & CBAT Topics

If you’re preparing for Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment under CEN 01/2026 (11,127 vacancies, CBT 1 on 3–5 November 2026), studying without a clear syllabus map is the fastest way to waste your remaining weeks. This guide covers the complete, revised RRB ALP Syllabus 2026 — subject by subject, topic by topic — along with the exact exam pattern, marking scheme, and what’s changed from earlier cycles.

RRB ALP Selection Process 2026: Quick View

Before diving into topics, here’s how the five stages fit together:

1. CBT 1 — Screening test (marks not counted in final merit)
2. CBT 2 — Part A (scored) + Part B (trade-specific, qualifying only)
3. CBAT — Computer-Based Aptitude Test (psychometric, qualifying)
4. Document Verification (DV)
5. Medical Examination (ME)

Each stage tests something different — CBT 1 filters volume, CBT 2 Part A decides your actual rank, Part B check trade competence, and CBAT checks psychological fitness for driving duties. Understanding this hierarchy tells you where to invest your prep hours.

RRB ALP CBT 1 Syllabus 2026 PDF Download

To make your preparation easier, we’ve attached the detailed RRB ALP CBT 1 Syllabus 2025 PDF. This PDF includes all the important topics across subjects like Mathematics, General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Science, and General Awareness & Current Affairs. Download it now!

What’s New in the RRB ALP Syllabus 2026?

This cycle carries a genuinely revised structure, not just a repeat of previous years:

Since the marks earlier allotted to General Awareness in CBT 1 have shifted to the remaining subjects, Mathematics, General Science, and Reasoning now effectively carry more weight per question — small careless errors cost more this cycle.

RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam Pattern & Syllabus 2026

CBT 1 is a pure screening round — its score decides who advances to CBT 2, but doesn’t count toward your final rank.

CBT 1 Exam Pattern

• Duration: 60 minutes (80 minutes for eligible PwBD candidates)
• Marking Scheme: +1 for every correct answer
• Negative Marking: −1/3 mark for every wrong answer
• Normalisation: Applied across multiple shifts to keep scoring fair
• Minimum Qualifying %: UR & EWS – 40%, OBC-NCL – 30%, SC – 30%, ST – 25%

CBT 1 Mathematics Syllabus

Number System, BODMAS/Simplification, Decimals & Fractions, Square Root, Age Calculations, LCM & HCF, Ratio & Proportion, Percentages, Mensuration, Time & Work, Time & Distance, Simple & Compound Interest, Profit & Loss, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Elementary Statistics, Calendar & Clock, Pipes & Cisterns.

CBT 1 General Intelligence & Reasoning Syllabus

Analogies, Alphabetical & Number Series, Coding-Decoding, Mathematical Operations, Blood Relationships, Syllogism, Jumbling, Venn Diagrams, Data Interpretation & Sufficiency, Conclusions & Decision-Making, Similarities & Differences, Analytical Reasoning, Statement – Arguments & Assumptions.

CBT 1 General Science Syllabus

Pegged at roughly Class 10 level, drawn across Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Life Science, with the most frequently tested areas being motion and force, electricity, heat, acids and bases, chemical reactions, human body systems, nutrition, diseases, and environment. Questions here tend to be concept-based and application-oriented rather than pure definitions, so understanding why over rote memorisation pays off.

RRB ALP CBT 2 Exam Pattern & Syllabus 2026

CBT 2 is the stage that actually decides your merit rank (via Part A) and confirms your trade eligibility (via Part B). Both parts are conducted on the same day.

CBT 2 Exam Pattern

• Part A Marking: +1 correct, −1/3 wrong — counts toward final merit
• Part B Marking: Qualifying only, minimum 35% required — not added to merit score

CBT 2 Part A Syllabus (Mathematics + Reasoning + Basic Science & Engineering)

Part A repeats the Mathematics and General Intelligence & Reasoning topics from CBT 1 (at a slightly tougher application level) and adds Basic Science & Engineering, which is unique to this stage:

Basic Science & Engineering topics: Engineering Drawing (projections, views, drawing instruments, lines, geometric figures, symbolic representation), Units and Measurements, Mass, Weight and Density, Work, Power and Energy, Speed, Velocity and Acceleration, Heat and Temperature, Basic Electricity, Levers and Simple Machines, Occupational Safety and Health, Environment Education, IT Literacy.

Within this section, Basic Electricity and Engineering Drawing together tend to carry a meaningful share of the marks, so ITI-trained candidates with prior exposure to these topics usually have an edge — non-ITI candidates should specifically budget extra revision time here.

CBT 2 Part B Syllabus (Trade Test)

Part B is entirely trade-specific — the questions correspond to your own ITI trade, Diploma, or Engineering discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, or Automobile), not a common syllabus for all candidates. It’s qualifying in nature (minimum 35%), meaning it gates you to the next stage but doesn’t add marks to your merit rank. Because this section draws directly from your trade’s ITI curriculum, the most efficient prep here is revising your own trade textbooks and solving trade-specific previous year papers rather than generic railway exam material.

RRB ALP CBAT Syllabus & Pattern 2026

The Computer-Based Aptitude Test is what makes ALP recruitment different from every other RRB exam — it’s a psychometric evaluation, not a knowledge test.

Since there’s no fixed “syllabus” to memorise for CBAT, the best preparation is practising standard psychometric aptitude test formats (spatial reasoning, reaction-based tasks, personality-pattern tests) so the test format itself doesn’t catch you off guard — the batteries measure consistency and suitability for driving duties rather than subject knowledge.

RRB ALP Syllabus 2026: Comparison Table

How to Use RRB ALP Syllabus 2026 for Your Study Plan

• Weeks 1–3: Build fundamentals in Mathematics and General Science — these repeat across both CBT 1 and CBT 2.
• Weeks 4–5: Layer in General Intelligence & Reasoning with daily timed practice sets.
• Weeks 5–6: Once CBT 1 is done, pivot fully to Basic Science & Engineering (new territory for non-ITI candidates) and your specific trade syllabus for Part B.
• Throughout: Solve previous year papers under exam-length timing to build negative-marking discipline — a wrong guess costs a third of a mark in both CBT 1 and CBT 2 Part A.