RRB ALP vs Technician: Quick Answer
RRB ALP (Assistant Loco Pilot) is the train-driving exam: it has three test stages (CBT 1, CBT 2 and a computer-based aptitude test, CBAT), a trade paper in CBT 2, the strictest A-1 medical standard, and pays Pay Level 2 (basic ₹19,900). RRB Technician is the maintenance exam: it has a single CBT and no aptitude test, no trade paper and no second stage, and pays Pay Level 5 for Grade 1 (Signal) or Pay Level 2 for Grade 3. Both need an ITI certificate, apprenticeship or engineering diploma — but ALP tests whether you can drive a train safely, while Technician tests whether you can maintain railway equipment. Drivers' cab: ALP. Single exam and workshop work: Technician.
Key takeaway: Do not confuse the two cycles. ALP has two live cycles in late 2026: CEN 01/2025 (at CBAT stage) and CEN 01/2026 (CBT 1 held 3–5 November 2026). Technician has one cycle, CEN 02/2026, whose CBT is already over and whose result is awaited. The pattern tables below are for CEN 01/2026 (ALP) and CEN 02/2026 (Technician).
RRB ALP vs Technician 2026: Comparison Table
| Point | RRB ALP (CEN 01/2026) | RRB Technician (CEN 02/2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Posts | Assistant Loco Pilot, Level 2 | Technician Grade 1 (Signal), Level 5; Technician Grade 3, Level 2 |
| Vacancies | 11,127 (plus a reported +3,500 indent — see below) | 7,325 (Grade 1 Signal 323 + Grade 3 7,002 after Corrigendum No. 1) |
| Age limit | 18-30 years as on 01.07.2026 | 18-33 years, as reported in CEN summaries (confirm against the CEN) |
| Qualification | Matriculation plus ITI, or a Diploma in Engineering | Grade 1: diploma or degree in a relevant engineering discipline; Grade 3: ITI certificate or Act Apprenticeship (as reported) |
| Stages | CBT 1 → CBT 2 → CBAT → Document Verification → Medical | Single CBT → Document Verification → Medical |
| CBT 1 / single CBT | 75Q / 75 marks / 60 min, screening only | 100Q / 100 marks / 90 min, decides merit |
| CBT 2 | Part A 100Q/90 min (merit) + Part B 75Q/60 min (trade, qualifying 35%) | None — pages describing a Technician CBT-2 are describing the wrong exam |
| Aptitude test | CBAT: T-score 42 in each battery; 50% of final merit | None |
| Final merit | 50% CBT 2 Part A + 50% CBAT (CEN 01/2026; the 01/2025 cycle used 70:30) | Normalised CBT score only |
| Negative marking | 1/3 in CBT 1 and CBT 2; none in CBAT | 1/3 in the single CBT |
| Medical standard | A-1 (strictest vision tests) | Post-wise standard (A-1/A-2/B-1/C-1 by post — check the CEN) |
| Starting basic pay | ₹19,900 (Level 2) | Grade 1: Level 5; Grade 3: Level 2 (₹19,900) |
| Exam status (7 Nov 2026) | CBT 1 held 3–5 Nov 2026; answer key/result awaited | CBT held 6-9 Oct 2026; answer key out 15 Oct; result awaited |
Sources: CEN 01/2026 Para 12 (ALP); CEN 02/2026 summaries (Technician). Detail: RRB ALP syllabus 2026 and RRB Technician syllabus 2026.
The Vacancy Figures, Stated Exactly
ALP: CEN 01/2026 notifies 11,127 posts. A Railway Board letter of 29 September 2026 is reported to add a +3,500 indent, which would take the total to 14,627 — but approval is reported, not confirmed in the CEN itself, and one summary says the indent is subject to final approval. This page therefore uses 11,127 as the notified figure and mentions the indent only as reported. Do not quote 14,627 as final.
Technician: the total is 7,325 after Corrigendum No. 1 dated 16 October 2026 raised Grade 3 vacancies from 6,234 to 7,002 (+768). Most preparation pages still show the superseded 6,557 (323 + 6,234); that figure is out of date. The corrigendum PDF itself was not read directly for the Technician syllabus page, so the trade-wise break-up of the additional vacancies is not reproduced here.
ALP CEN 01/2025: the total is 10,970 posts — originally 9,970, revised to 10,970 by a corrigendum dated 21 May 2026 (+1,000). The "about 9,970" figure seen on some pages is the pre-corrigendum total, not the current one. That cycle's CBT-2 result was released on 1 October 2026 and its CBAT was held on 30 October 2026 except for 4 postponed centres, whose rescheduled date has not been announced.
Eligibility: ALP vs Technician Qualification, Age and Medical
| Point | ALP (CEN 01/2026) | Technician (CEN 02/2026, as reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Education | Matriculation + ITI in a notified trade, or Diploma in Engineering (mechanical, electrical, electronics or automobile streams) | Grade 1 (Signal): diploma or degree in a relevant engineering discipline; Grade 3: ITI certificate or Act Apprenticeship in the relevant trade |
| Trade mapping | CBT 2 Part B trade is linked to your ITI trade or diploma branch | Grade 3 posts are mapped to eligible ITI trades in the CEN; your trade decides which posts you can apply for |
| Age | 18-30 as on 01.07.2026 (SC/ST +5, OBC-NCL +3) | 18-33, as reported in CEN summaries, with the usual relaxations |
| Medical | A-1: distant vision 6/6 without glasses, plus colour, binocular, field, night and mesopic vision tests | Medical standard of the post; confirm the standard for your post in the CEN before applying |
| Training pay | Stipend only during prescribed training; full Level 2 pay starts after training | No stipend rule stated in the CEN summaries used here |
Exam Pattern: ALP Three Stages vs Technician Single CBT
ALP: CBT 1 (screening)
| Feature | CBT 1 |
|---|---|
| Questions / marks / time | 75Q / 75 marks / 60 min |
| Subjects | Mathematics, Mental Ability, General Science (Class 10 level) |
| General Awareness | Not listed in CEN 01/2026 for CBT 1 (it was listed in the older 01/2025 cycle) |
| Negative marking | 1/3 per wrong answer |
| Role | Screening only — marks do not count in the final panel; shortlists up to 15 times each RRB's vacancies for CBT 2 |
ALP: CBT 2 (Part A merit + Part B qualifying)
| Part | Questions | Time | Subjects | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 100 | 90 min | Mathematics, General Intelligence and Reasoning, Basic Science and Engineering | Counted for merit (50%) |
| Part B | 75 | 60 min | Trade syllabus prescribed by DGT (your ITI trade / diploma-linked trade) | Qualifying only — 35% for all categories |
| Total | 175 | 2 hours 30 min | — | 1/3 negative marking in both parts |
ALP: CBAT (aptitude test)
Candidates equal to 8 times the vacancies are called on CBT 2 Part A marks, provided they qualify in Part B. The CBAT is held only in English and Hindi, has no negative marking, and needs a T-score of at least 42 in each test battery separately. Bring the Self Screening Medical Declaration Report in original, or you cannot sit it. Final merit is 50% CBT 2 Part A + 50% CBAT.
Technician: single CBT (both grades)
| Subject | Grade 1 (Signal) | Grade 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Science and Engineering | 35 | — |
| General Science (Class 10) | — | 40 |
| Mathematics | 20 | 25 |
| Basics of Computers and Applications | 20 | — |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 15 | 25 |
| General Awareness | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 100Q / 100 marks / 90 min | 100Q / 100 marks / 90 min |
| Negative marking | 1/3 | 1/3 |
| Qualifying marks | UR/EWS 40%, OBC-NCL/SC 30%, ST 25% | Same |
The contrast is the whole comparison in one table. ALP makes you pass three gates (screening CBT, merit CBT + trade paper, aptitude test) and can still fail you on eyesight at the A-1 medical. Technician makes you pass one paper and then document verification and medical — but that one paper decides everything, with no second stage to recover a bad shift (marks are normalised across shifts). There is no trade paper and no CBAT for Technician: your ITI trade matters for eligibility, not as a separate exam paper.
Shared Ground: What One Preparation Covers
Maths, Reasoning and Class 10 Science appear in both exams, with nearly identical topic lists. The differences are where the marks concentrate:
- ALP-only ground: Basic Science and Engineering in CBT 2 Part A (engineering drawing, units, levers, basic electricity, IT literacy), the trade syllabus in Part B, and CBAT practice (memory, perception and reaction tests — these cannot be crammed from a book and reward early practice).
- Technician-only ground: General Awareness (10 questions — ALP CBT 1 has none in this cycle), Computers (20 questions for Grade 1), and General Science at 40 questions for Grade 3 (the largest single section in either Technician paper).
Salary and Career: ALP vs Technician
| Point | ALP | Technician Grade 1 (Signal) | Technician Grade 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay level | Level 2 | Level 5 | Level 2 |
| Starting basic pay | ₹19,900 | Level 5 basic (₹29,200 on the 7th CPC matrix) | ₹19,900 |
| In-hand (approx) | About ₹32,650 to ₹37,350 (Level 2, DA 63%) | No Technician in-hand figure is published on this site — do not trust a number from a page that does not show its working | Same Level 2 range as ALP, before running allowance |
| Allowances | Running allowance for loco running staff, on top of pay — the CEN does not print a figure, so none is stated here | Post-wise allowances as per railway rules | Post-wise allowances as per railway rules |
| Career ladder | Loco Pilot (Goods → Passenger → Mail/Express) through experience and departmental exams; the running cadre | Signal maintainer / technician ladder in the S&T department; promotion through seniority and departmental exams | Technician ladder in the trade department; promotion to Senior Technician and beyond |
ALP's headline pay looks lower than Technician Grade 1's, but the comparison is incomplete without running allowance, which loco running staff earn per kilometre and which no CEN quantifies. Do not compare ALP and Technician Grade 1 on basic pay alone. What is certain is the work: ALP means shift duty in the loco cab, night running and the A-1 medical standard for your whole career; Technician means depot, workshop and signal work, mostly on fixed installations.
RRB ALP or Technician: Which Should You Choose?
| If you are... | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| An ITI holder who wants to drive trains and can pass A-1 vision | ALP — start CBAT practice early; it is the stage most candidates underestimate |
| An ITI holder who wants a single exam and workshop work | Technician Grade 3 — one CBT, no aptitude test, no trade paper |
| A diploma/degree engineer | Both are open: ALP (Part B trade linked to your branch) and Technician Grade 1 (Level 5). Write both if the cycles allow |
| Weak eyesight or colour vision issues | Technician — ALP's A-1 standard will stop you at the medical even with a top score |
| A candidate for the 2026 cycles specifically | ALP CEN 01/2026 CBT 1 was held 3–5 Nov 2026 (applications closed long ago); Technician CEN 02/2026 is over and awaiting result, so prepare for the next cycle, not this one |
RRB ALP vs Technician MCQs (Quick Check)
- How many stages does ALP selection have? Answer: Five — CBT 1, CBT 2, CBAT, document verification and medical examination.
- How many stages does Technician selection have? Answer: Three — single CBT, document verification and medical examination.
- What is the ALP CBT 1 pattern? Answer: 75 questions, 75 marks, 60 minutes, screening only.
- What weight does the CBAT carry in ALP final merit (CEN 01/2026)? Answer: 50% (CBT 2 Part A carries the other 50%).
- What is the Technician Grade 3 paper pattern? Answer: 100 questions, 100 marks, 90 minutes — Science 40, Maths 25, Reasoning 25, GA 10.
- How many Technician vacancies are there under CEN 02/2026? Answer: 7,325 after Corrigendum No. 1.
- What is the ALP qualifying T-score in the CBAT? Answer: 42 in each test battery separately.
- Does Technician have a CBT-2? Answer: No — a single CBT per grade.
RRB ALP vs Technician FAQs
Is there a trade paper in RRB Technician?
No. Technician has a single CBT per grade with no separate trade paper. The trade syllabus paper (Part B) belongs to ALP CBT 2. Your ITI trade matters for Technician eligibility — which posts you can apply for — not as an exam paper.
Which is better, ALP or Technician?
For pay level at entry, Technician Grade 1 (Level 5) starts higher than ALP (Level 2), but ALP earns running allowance on top, which no CEN quantifies. For career type, ALP is train driving with the A-1 medical standard; Technician is maintenance work. Choose on the work and the medical standard, not on basic pay alone.
What is the age limit for ALP and Technician?
ALP: 18-30 years as on 01.07.2026 (CEN 01/2026). Technician: 18-33 years as reported in CEN 02/2026 summaries — confirm the exact text against the CEN before relying on it.
Can a diploma holder apply for both ALP and Technician?
Yes, subject to the trade/branch mapping in each CEN. A diploma holder can take ALP (Part B trade linked to the branch) and Technician Grade 1. Check both mapping tables before applying.
What happens if I fail the ALP CBAT?
You are disqualified even with a top CBT 2 Part A score. The CBAT needs a T-score of 42 in each battery separately, and there is no second attempt in the same cycle.
When will the Technician result 2026 be declared?
As of 7 November 2026, no date has been announced. The answer key came out on 15 October and objections closed on 22 October. See RRB Technician answer key and result 2026 for the status page.
Practice Next
- Mocks: RRB ALP Maths Mock Test 01, RRB ALP Reasoning Mock Test 01 and RRB JE Maths Mock Test 01 (shared Maths/Reasoning ground for Technician, same 1/3 negative marking).
- Hubs: RRB ALP hub and RRB Technician hub.
- Related notes: RRB ALP cut off 2026, RRB ALP salary 2026 and RRB JE syllabus 2026.
- Browse all study notes.