RRB ALP Exam 2026 CBT 1 Schedule Released: Check Exam, City Slip and Admit Card Dates

Quick Answer: Railway Recruitment Boards have released the RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam Schedule 2026 for Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment under CEN 01/2026. CBT 1 is scheduled to be conducted on November 3, 4 and 5, 2026. Exam city and date information is expected around 10 days before a candidate's exam, while the e-call letter/admit card is expected to become available approximately four days before the respective exam date.

RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam 2026: Key Details

What's Next?

Candidates now have a confirmed examination window and should shift their preparation toward the November CBT 1.

The next important updates will be:

• RRB ALP exam city intimation
• Candidate-specific exam date
• Exam shift
• Reporting time
• Exam centre details
• RRB ALP e-call letter
• CBT 1 examination
• Answer key and response sheet
• CBT 1 result
• CBT 2 shortlist

RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam Date 2026

The first-stage Computer Based Test is scheduled across three days:

Candidates should not assume they can choose one of these dates.

The RRB system will allot the applicable date, city, shift and examination centre to individual candidates.

Is RRB ALP CBT 1 Schedule 2026 Released?

Yes.

The tentative CBT 1 examination schedule for Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment under CEN 01/2026 has been announced.

This means candidates can now structure their final preparation around the November 3-5 examination window.

RRB ALP Admit Card 2026 Date

The RRB ALP admit card is officially referred to as an e-call letter.

RRB's standard schedule states that downloading of e-call letters begins approximately four days before the examination date mentioned in a candidate's city and date intimation.

This means admit cards are not necessarily released to every candidate on one common day.

Expected RRB ALP Admit Card Timeline

These are derived dates based on the four-day rule and should not be confused with separately announced fixed release dates.

Candidates should follow their regional RRB portal for the activated download link.

RRB ALP City Intimation Slip 2026

The exam city and date intimation link is expected to become available approximately 10 days before the candidate's examination date.

The city slip helps candidates know their allotted examination city before the final e-call letter becomes available.

Expected City Slip Timeline

Again, these are calculated from the stated 10-day timeline rather than separate confirmed calendar dates.

City Intimation Slip vs Admit Card

Candidates frequently confuse the two documents.

Can I Enter the Exam Centre With Only the City Slip?

No.

The city intimation slip should not be treated as an admit card.

Candidates must download their e-call letter when it becomes available and follow the document and identity instructions specified by RRB.

How to Download RRB ALP Admit Card 2026

1. Open the official website of the relevant Railway Recruitment Board.
2. Find the CEN 01/2026 Assistant Loco Pilot section.
3. Open the CBT 1 e-call letter link.
4. Enter the required login credentials.
5. Submit the details.
6. Check the exam date, shift, reporting time and centre.
7. Download the e-call letter.
8. Keep a clear copy ready for the examination.

What Details Will Be on RRB ALP Admit Card?

Candidates should check details such as:

• Candidate name
• Registration details
• Roll number
• Exam date
• Exam shift
• Reporting time
• Gate-closing instructions
• Exam centre
• Candidate photograph
• Important exam-day instructions

What If the Admit Card Has an Error?

Candidates should not ignore an apparent mismatch involving their identity or examination information.

They should use the official RRB helpdesk or the mechanism provided for the recruitment cycle.

Avoid trying to manually edit, alter or overwrite information on an e-call letter.

Aadhaar Authentication for RRB ALP Exam

RRB has emphasised Aadhaar-based authentication for candidates appearing in railway computer-based examinations.

Candidates should ensure their Aadhaar details and account status do not create avoidable problems during exam-centre verification.

RRB advisories have specifically asked candidates, including those who verified Aadhaar during application, to keep their Aadhaar in an appropriate unlocked condition for examination-related authentication.

Why Aadhaar Matters on Exam Day

Biometric and identity verification is intended to help RRB:

• Confirm candidate identity
• Prevent impersonation
• Strengthen examination security
• Match candidates with application records

Candidates should therefore not leave Aadhaar-related issues until the morning of the examination.

Which Photo ID Should Candidates Carry?

Candidates must follow the exact identity-document instruction printed in their e-call letter and official notice.

RRB's examination instructions have emphasised carrying the same original photo identity document specified during the application process where required.

A photocopy alone should not be assumed to satisfy an original-ID requirement.

RRB ALP 2026 Selection Process

The Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment process contains multiple stages.

The broad progression is:

CBT 1 → CBT 2 → CBAT → Document Verification → Medical Examination → Final Selection.

Applicable rules and shortlisting conditions are governed by the CEN.

What Is CBT 1?

CBT 1 is the first computer-based screening stage.

It is designed to shortlist candidates for the more detailed second-stage examination.

Candidates should not confuse qualifying CBT 1 with final selection as Assistant Loco Pilot.

RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam Pattern

The ALP CBT 1 pattern generally consists of 75 questions for 75 marks with a duration of 60 minutes, subject to the rules in the applicable CEN.

RRB ALP CBT 1 Subjects

Preparation broadly covers:

• Mathematics
• Mental Ability
• General Science
• General Awareness

Candidates should prepare according to the detailed syllabus prescribed in CEN 01/2026.

RRB ALP Mathematics Preparation

Mathematics preparation should focus on both accuracy and speed.

Common preparation areas can include:

• Number system
• Decimals and fractions
• LCM and HCF
• Ratio and proportion
• Percentages
• Time and work
• Time and distance
• Profit and loss
• Simple and compound interest
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Mensuration
• Statistics

RRB ALP Mental Ability Preparation

Reasoning and mental-ability preparation can involve areas such as:

• Analogies
• Number series
• Coding-decoding
• Relationships
• Syllogism
• Classification
• Directions
• Data interpretation
• Analytical reasoning

The objective should be to recognise common patterns quickly without sacrificing accuracy.

RRB ALP General Science

General Science preparation typically draws on school-level:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Life Science

Conceptual understanding is more useful than memorising disconnected facts because many questions can test the practical application of basic science principles.

RRB ALP General Awareness

Candidates should follow relevant current affairs and general-awareness topics.

Preparation can include:

• Science and technology
• Sports
• Culture
• Personalities
• Economics
• Politics
• Important national and international developments

How Negative Marking Affects RRB ALP Score

CBT 1 applies negative marking for incorrect answers.

With one-third negative marking:

Net Score = Correct Answers - (Incorrect Answers ÷ 3)

when each correct question carries one mark.

RRB ALP Score Example

Suppose a candidate attempts 70 questions:

• 55 correct
• 15 incorrect

Correct-answer score:

55 × 1 = 55

Negative marks:

15 × 1/3 = 5

Estimated raw score:

55 - 5 = 50 marks.

This example demonstrates why attempting every uncertain question can reduce the final score.

Should Candidates Guess Answers?

Blind guessing can be costly because of negative marking.

A useful strategy is to separate questions into:

• Confident
• Can solve with additional time
• Uncertain

Finish high-confidence questions first and return to time-consuming items later.

RRB ALP CBT 1 Qualifying Marks

Candidates should distinguish between minimum qualifying requirements and the actual competitive cut-off used for shortlisting.

Meeting the minimum qualifying percentage does not necessarily mean a candidate will be shortlisted for CBT 2.

The actual shortlist depends on the recruitment rules and competitive performance.

RRB ALP Cut-Off 2026

The official CBT 1 cut-off cannot be known before the examination and result process is completed.

Cut-offs can vary according to:

• RRB
• Category
• Vacancies
• Number of candidates
• Exam difficulty
• Normalisation
• Candidate performance

Any cut-off circulating before the examination should be described as expected or previous-year data, not as the official CEN 01/2026 cut-off.

What Is RRB Normalisation?

When a computer-based examination is held in multiple shifts, differences can occur in the relative difficulty of question sets.

RRB applies its prescribed normalisation methodology to multi-shift CBT examinations.

Candidates should therefore avoid making final rank predictions by comparing only raw attempts between different shifts.

What Happens After RRB ALP CBT 1?

After CBT 1, the broad process involves:

1. RRB conducts all scheduled CBT 1 shifts.
2. Questions, responses and answer keys are released according to the recruitment process.
3. Candidates may receive an objection window.
4. RRB evaluates responses.
5. CBT 1 results and cut-offs are released.
6. Eligible candidates are shortlisted for CBT 2.

RRB ALP CBT 2

CBT 2 is a more advanced stage of the ALP recruitment process.

Candidates should not wait until the CBT 1 result to understand its structure.

Those performing strongly in mock tests can gradually begin CBT 2 preparation while continuing to prioritise the immediate CBT 1 syllabus.

What Is CBAT?

The Computer Based Aptitude Test is an additional selection stage applicable to Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment.

It is different from CBT 1 and CBT 2 and is intended to evaluate aptitude relevant to the role.

Candidates should follow the applicable recruitment notice for shortlisting and qualifying rules.

RRB ALP Medical Examination

Medical fitness is particularly important for the Assistant Loco Pilot post because the role is directly connected with railway operations and safety.

Final appointment requires candidates to satisfy the prescribed medical standards.

Clearing written and aptitude stages cannot override mandatory medical fitness requirements.

RRB ALP 2025 vs RRB ALP 2026: Do Not Confuse Them

This is one of the most important search-intent distinctions for candidates.

If a candidate searches only "RRB ALP Exam 2026", results from both cycles may appear because major stages of the 2025 recruitment were also conducted during calendar year 2026.

Why CEN Number Matters

The Centralised Employment Notice number identifies the actual recruitment cycle.

Before acting on any result, admit-card or exam-date information, check:

• CEN number
• Post
• Stage
• Exam date
• Publishing RRB

This prevents candidates from downloading notices belonging to an older recruitment.

What Happened in CEN 01/2025?

The previous ALP cycle illustrates why the distinction is necessary.

For CEN 01/2025, the revised CBT 1 schedule included February 13, 16, 17 and 18, 2026, with affected candidates from certain centres subsequently rescheduled to March 11.

The CBT 1 result and cut-off were published on June 12, and the recruitment later progressed to CBT 2.

Those dates do not apply to the new CEN 01/2026 CBT 1 examination.

How to Find Your Correct Regional RRB

Candidates should use the RRB associated with their application/recruitment details.

Railway Recruitment Boards operate across regions including:

• Ahmedabad
• Ajmer
• Bengaluru
• Bhopal
• Bhubaneswar
• Bilaspur
• Chandigarh
• Chennai
• Gorakhpur
• Guwahati
• Jammu-Srinagar
• Kolkata
• Malda
• Mumbai
• Muzaffarpur
• Patna
• Prayagraj
• Ranchi
• Secunderabad
• Siliguri
• Thiruvananthapuram

Candidates should rely on official RRB websites for recruitment notices.

Beware of Fake RRB ALP Admit Card Links

Railway Recruitment Boards repeatedly warn candidates against unauthenticated recruitment information, touts and fraudulent appointment promises.

Never provide passwords, OTPs or sensitive application details to a person claiming that they can secure selection.

RRB selection is based on the notified recruitment process and merit.

RRB ALP Final-Month Preparation Plan

With the exam scheduled for early November, candidates can divide preparation into three phases.

Phase 1: Complete Weak Topics

• Identify incomplete syllabus areas.
• Revise core Mathematics formulas.
• Strengthen General Science concepts.
• Practise reasoning sets.
• Build concise current-affairs notes.

Phase 2: Mock Tests

• Attempt full 60-minute mocks.
• Record accuracy.
• Analyse negative marks.
• Identify slow question types.
• Revise repeated errors.

Phase 3: Final Revision

• Avoid starting too many new topics.
• Revise formulas and short notes.
• Attempt previous papers.
• Maintain exam-time sleep routine.
• Prepare required documents.

How Many Questions Should You Attempt?

There is no universal ideal attempt count because accuracy differs between candidates.

For example:

Candidate B attempted fewer risky questions but reached the same approximate score because of higher accuracy.

This illustrates why attempt count alone is a poor measure of performance.

RRB ALP Exam-Day Checklist

• Download e-call letter in advance.
• Check exam centre location.
• Confirm reporting time.
• Carry the required original photo ID.
• Ensure Aadhaar authentication will not be blocked where applicable.
• Follow prohibited-item instructions.
• Reach the centre early.
• Read all e-call letter instructions.

Can RRB Change the Exam Schedule?

The announced programme is described as a tentative examination schedule.

Candidates should therefore continue monitoring official RRB notices even after noting November 3-5 in their calendar.

If a change occurs, the latest official RRB notice takes precedence over older articles, social-media posts or screenshots.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam Date 2026 announced?

Yes. CBT 1 under CEN 01/2026 is scheduled for November 3, 4 and 5, 2026.

2. When will RRB ALP admit card 2026 be released?

E-call letters are expected to become downloadable approximately four days before each candidate's examination date.

3. When will RRB ALP city intimation slip be released?

Exam city and date information is expected approximately 10 days before the candidate's respective examination date.

4. Is the city intimation slip the ALP admit card?

No. The city slip provides advance examination-city/date information. Candidates still need the official e-call letter for the examination.

5. What is the RRB ALP CBT 1 exam mode?

The examination is conducted as a Computer Based Test.

6. How many questions are there in RRB ALP CBT 1?

The first-stage pattern generally consists of 75 objective questions carrying 75 marks in 60 minutes, subject to the applicable CEN rules.

7. Is there negative marking in RRB ALP CBT 1?

Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for an incorrect answer under the prescribed CBT marking system.

8. What comes after ALP CBT 1?

Candidates shortlisted from CBT 1 proceed toward CBT 2. Later stages include CBAT, document verification and medical examination as applicable.

9. Is Aadhaar required for RRB ALP examination?

RRB has emphasised Aadhaar authentication in its exam process. Candidates should follow the latest official notice and e-call letter instructions regarding Aadhaar and identity verification.

10. Is CEN 01/2025 the same as CEN 01/2026?

No. They are separate Assistant Loco Pilot recruitment cycles. The 2025 recruitment already completed CBT 1 earlier in 2026, whereas the new CEN 01/2026 CBT 1 is scheduled for November.

11. What is the RRB ALP 2026 cut-off?

The official CEN 01/2026 CBT 1 cut-off will only become available after the examination and result process. Pre-exam figures are estimates or previous-cycle data.

12. Where should candidates check RRB ALP updates?

Candidates should use official Railway Recruitment Board websites and verify that every notice refers to CEN 01/2026.

Final Update

The RRB ALP CBT 1 Exam 2026 under CEN 01/2026 is scheduled for November 3, 4 and 5.

Candidates should next watch for the exam city and date intimation, expected around 10 days before their individual exam date. The e-call letter is expected to become downloadable approximately four days before the respective examination date.

The biggest source of confusion in current search results is the existence of two ALP recruitment cycles in calendar year 2026. The earlier CEN 01/2025 CBT 1 was already conducted in February/March and its result was released in June. The November schedule belongs to CEN 01/2026.

Candidates should therefore check the CEN number before downloading any schedule, city slip, admit card, answer key or result.

With the examination now approaching, the highest-value preparation strategy is to complete weak syllabus areas, increase timed mock-test practice, control negative marking and keep Aadhaar and other required identity documentation ready before the city-intimation and e-call-letter windows open.