Loco Pilot Qualification: Assistant Loco Pilot Qualification, RRB ALP Qualification, RRB ALP Eligibility, Loco Pilot Qualification and Age

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Ahana Bhaduri

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India has the 4th largest railway system in the world giving wider career opportunities to Loco Pilots. Loco Pilots are the professionals who undertake the task of maintaining and operating train engines. Since the railway comes under the purview of public sector governance, Loco Pilots have good job prospects and earning potential. A 12th-pass candidate with science and mathematics as major subjects is preferred for the position of Loco Pilots after completion of a proper industrial training certification course. 

To become a Loco Pilot, candidates must after competition of class 10th have an ITI degree from an institute approved by the National Council for Vocational Training or the State Council of Vocational Training. They can also pursue courses in Electrical or Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Automobile Engineering or Diploma from a recognized university by AICTE. 

Apart from academic degrees, those aspiring to become a Loco Pilot must qualify the RRB ALP examination conducted by the RRB. The average course fee for pursuing the desired course to become a Loco Pilot ranges between INR 10,000 - 1.50 lakhs per year. The average annual salary for a Loco Pilot in India is INR 7.50 LPA. The starting salary that a Loco Pilot gets in India is INR 3.70 LPA. With gradual experience and expertise in the field, the maximum salary of a Loco Pilot is INR 15 LPA. Read More: Loco Pilot Salary

Loco Pilot Eligibility

To become a Loco Pilot, a candidate must fulfil the following eligibility criteria as listed below.

  1. Candidates must clear their 10th board or equivalent examination from a recognised board. 
  2. ITI or diploma in engineering are preferred courses which make them more eligible for becoming a Loco Pilot in India.
  3. Apart from completing the 10th board, candidates must clear the RRB ALC competitive examination for becoming a Loco Pilot in Indian Railways which is conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB). Check: How to Become a Loco Pilot after 12th  

Age Limit

The age limitation to become a Loco Pilot in India is also prescribed by the board. Though the minimum age for becoming a Loco Pilot is the same for candidates belonging to any category, the maximum age is different for different category candidates depending upon the age relaxation granted by the recruitment board.

  • The minimum age for becoming a Loco Pilot is 18 years.
  • The maximum age for becoming a Loco Pilot is 28 years

Age Relaxation

  • The candidates who belong to SC/ST/OBC/PWD/Ex-Servicemen. Categories can avail of age relaxation.
  • For OBC candidates there is an age relaxation of 3 years.
  • For SC/ST candidates maximum age for becoming a Loco Pilot is relaxed for 5 years with unlimited attempts in RRB ALC.
  • For PwD candidates, the maximum age relaxation for becoming a Loco Pilot is 38 years with unlimited attempts as there is an age relaxation of 10 years for them.

Loco Pilot Qualifications

The minimum educational qualification required for becoming a Loco Pilot is qualifying 10th board examination from a recognised board. Apart from this diploma in engineering, ITI and other related vocational courses and training programmes add an extra badge in the professional efficiency for becoming a Loco Pilot.

Educational Qualifications

After completion of the 10th board there are the following courses which can be opted to become a Loco Pilot:-

  • 10+2 Board
    • ?To become a Loco Pilot, a candidate must become an assistant Loco Pilot first.
    • To become that, a candidate needs a matriculation certificate. It would be beneficial if the candidate opts science and mathematics as core subjects and qualify the +2 board examination too.
  • Diploma Degree
    • ?A diploma in railway engineering or a diploma in any related stream will help candidates understand the rules, regulations, and core of the job role
  • ITI Course
    • ?Candidates aspiring to become a Loco Pilot can either pursue a diploma in engineering or an ITI (Industrial training institute) programme which is approved by NCVT or SCVT
  • Training
    • ?Various institutions like Industrial Training Institutes established by the government of India provide proper training to aspiring candidates for Loco Pilots.
    • A candidate is expected to get that training in order to understand the practical approach of maintaining and operating the train engines for the safety and security of the passengers.
  • Engineering courses
    • ?Though a 10th board passing certificate is the minimum requirement for becoming a Loco Pilot, yet an engineering degree with a specialization in mechanical engineering is the desired qualification for this job.

Medical Prerequisites

 To become a Loco Pilot, a candidate needs to fulfil the following medical prerequisites.

  • As the position of Loco Pilot involves great care and safety of passengers travelling in the train, the Loco Pilots are expected to be extremely fit and healthy
  • To make sure that the candidate meets the medical requirements to become a Loco Pilot, vision tests and hearing tests are done
  • Once the recruitment board gets satisfied with the medical condition of the candidate, the further recruitment process is done.

Nationality

To become a Loco Pilot, the candidate must be an Indian. 

  • The nationality of the candidate is to be Indian which implies that s/he should be a citizen of India
  • The candidate must have a permanent residential address of any state or UT under the territory of India.

Number of Attempts

The number of attempts for the RRB ALP examination is unlimited though there is a limitation of maximum age.

  • A general candidate can give unlimited attempts at the RRB ALP competitive examination till 28 years of age
  • An OBC candidate gets 3 years of age relaxation. Thus, can appear for the said competitive examinations giving unlimited attempts till 31 years of age.
  • A SC/ST candidate gets a relaxation of 5 years and can give unlimited attempts in RRB ALP till 33 years of age.
  • A PwD candidate gets 10 years of relaxation which means he can give unlimited attempts till 38 years of age.

Things to Remember

 The candidates aspiring to become a Loco Pilot, need to remember a few things for example.

  • As documents are verified, the candidate must have all the required documents.
  • A valid Identification card issued by the government of India like an Adhar, Passport etc.
  • Documents verifying the residential address of the candidate.
  • Self-attested document with full date of birth.
  • Identical signature on every document presented to the board at the time of document verification.

Loco Pilot Qualifications: FAQs

Ques. What are RRB ALP Age limit eligibility criteria to appear for the Loco Pilot examination?

Ans. The minimum RRB ALP age limit is 18 years while the upper age limit to appear for the Assistant Loco Pilot exam is 28 years. For OBC, SC/ST and PwD candidates, there is an upper age relaxation of 3, 5 and 10 years respectively.

Ques. What is the requirement of educational qualification for the Railway Assistant Loco Pilot examination?

Ans. The minimum eligibility in terms of educational qualification for Loco Pilot in Railway is Class 10th qualification and ITI certification to fill ALP application form.

Ques. Do candidates with Civil Engineering degrees fulfil Assistant Loco Pilot Qualification?

Ans. Primarily candidates from the Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, and Automobile Engineering are most suited for the available positions in Railway Loco Pilot Jobs.

Yet a candidate with civil engineering can apply for the position.

Ques. Does one fulfil the RRB ALP eligibility conditions if he is having a degree in Bachelor of Science?

Ans. Yes, a candidate with a bachelor's in science is eligible to apply for the Loco Pilot exam. There is no specific stream required to join the Indian Railways.

Ques. Are there any medical standards that candidates are required to meet to qualify for the Railway Loco Pilot exam?

Ans. Yes, a candidate must be physically fit and healthy to become a Loco Pilot. Also to ensure the same, the board takes vision and hearing tests for the shortlisted candidates before their joining. 

Ques. How many attempts are allowed in the RRB ALP examination?

Ans. There are unlimited attempts for appearing in the RRB ALP examination till the candidate attains category-wise maximum age.

Ques. Can a candidate get his RRB ALP examination centre changed?

Ans. No, a candidate cannot change his RRB ALP examination centre as the decision of the recruitment board is presumed to be final and binding on the candidates.

Ques. How many years of experience are needed for an RRB ALP post?

Ans. A candidate doesn’t need any specific experience for becoming a Loco Pilot. Yet an industrial training course is a minimum requirement.

Ques. Is there any age relaxation for PWD candidates in the RRB ALP examination?

Ans.  Yes, there is an age relaxation of 10 years for PwD candidates to appear in the RRB ALP examination. A PwD candidate can appear for the RRB ALP examination giving unlimited attempts till 38 years of age.

Ques. What is the required nationality for becoming a Loco Pilot in India?

Ans. For becoming a Loco Pilot, the candidate must be an Indian national. 

Bachelor of Technology [B.Tech] (Mechanical Engineering) : 209 answered questions

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Ques. I got CSE in VIT Vellore and will get mechanical engineering in NIT Calicut. Which one should I choose?

● Top Answer By Suchit Raghuwanshi on 27 Aug 21

Ans. NIT Calicut stands among the top NITs where you will get a lot of exposure to extracurricular activities. As it’s a government college, the fees will be relatively low as compared to private universities like VIT Vellore.  On the other hand, VIT Vellore isn’t that great institute plus being a private institute the fees is quite high for most middle-class students. If you choose Mechanical here then you can go for two different paths.  The first path is to go for mechanical core, in which you will get ample research opportunities every now and then. However, the placement scenario will not be that great and you might get some PSUs as campus recruiters for mechanical jobs. The second path is to go for IT Jobs regardless of your mechanical branch.  For this, you need to start doing regular coding and relevant skills to compete during the placement rounds. Most of the students are placed by mass recruiters, Although many reputed companies hire but very few students get placed by them. Categories Mechanical at NIT Calicut CSE at VIT Vellore Course Fee 5.48 lakhs 7.83 lakhs Highest CTC 20 LPA 20 LPA Average CTC 9 LPA 6-8 LPA Recruiting Companies L&T, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Tata Motors, etc. Flipkart, Oracle, HP, Dell, etc. At last, it all depends on your interest and caliber to do well on various career paths. However, if you are inclined towards CSE only then VIT is quite a good option because placements are pretty good there for CSE. Some of the major recruiters include PayPal, Microsoft, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, etc.Read more
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Ques. Should I opt for DTU mechanical or IIIT Delhi CSE?

● Top Answer By Sanjana Kapoor on 27 Sept 23

Ans. The choice depends on what matters the most to you.  If placements, faculty and research opportunities are your top most priority, choose IIIT Delhi CSE. In this respect, IIITD CSE beats DTU Mechanical by a large margin. But if you want the best of campus, college environment, cultural fests and brand name, DTU Mechanical is a much better choice.  I would personally recommend IIIT Delhi, as it offers top notch placements. But if you’re truly passionate about Mechanical, choose that branch. Do not take your interest for granted while choosing your branch/degree.Read more
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Ques. What is the average package and placement for mechanical at BIT Sindri?

● Top Answer By Ankur Mishra on 26 Sept 23

Ans. The placement rate at BIT Sindri for mechanical engineering is high, on average, all students receive offers each year that range from 7 to 8 lakhs in annual compensation. The 2023 BIT Sindri placements received visits from more than 51 firms. The most recent report is presented in tabular form below. Particulars BIT Sindri Statistics 2023 Highest package INR 50 LPA Average package INR 7 LPA Top recruiters Adani Group, Air India, KPMG, DE Shaw Group, TCS - Digital, etc. Finally, when it comes to placements, BIT Sindri has a remarkable history. The institute has continuously helped its students find employment throughout the years in a variety of reputable businesses and organizations. The success of BIT Sindri alumni in gaining employment possibilities has been largely attributed to the strong emphasis on technical education and practical skills, as well as a specialized placement cell.Read more
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Ques. How is mechanical engineering at IIT (BHU)?

● Top Answer By Udit Ghose on 17 Nov 22

Ans. My cousin was a student at IIT BHU in Varanasi. She shared her experience as to why she thinks it’s not a good branch for Mechanical Engineering. The professors are under qualified here. They have little knowledge about their own subjects and teach only bookish concepts. The classes are boring. Students attend classes merely for attendance. This is because even if you score good marks, you might fail if your attendance is less than 75% in that particular subject. The numerical answers are not checked through the stepwise method. That is your method to solve has no value if your answer is wrong. Professors here are not well versed with the relative grading system. This affects the CGPA of many students. Placements are mediocre here. Only non core sectors like coding and analytics get placement opportunities. The salaries offered are also very low. Labs are not equipped with modern tools. The students get no practical exposure. The conclusion from her experience was that the professors in Mechanical Engineering at Varanasi IIT are bringing down the results of students terribly.Read more
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Ques. Which one is better: taking mechanical engineering at IIT BHU or civil engineering in IIT Roorkee?

● Top Answer By Harsh on 03 Jul 24

Ans. I am a B.Tech Civil student at IIT Roorkee. Here’s a comparison between the two options- Parameters IIT Roorkee Civil IIT BHU Mechanical Average Package INR 18 LPA INR 21.95 LPA (around 80% students get placed) Top Recruiters on campus Larsen, Turbo, Tata, Sprinklr, Jio, L&T, Godrej, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Zepto, Google, Jaguar Land Rover. Amazon, American Express, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Google, ITC Ltd., Microsoft, Oracle, Paytm, etc. Research Facilities One of the best research facilities at the Civil Engineering Department of IIT Roorkee. Ample research opportunities and well-equipped laboratories. One important thing that my friends told me is that the Mechanical Engineering Department at IIT BHU is one of the strictest departments in India. It makes the students question their own potential. The department professors are very strict and the coursework is extremely rigorous. The students are given assignments and projects which they have to complete within a day. I would suggest you choose IIT Roorkee Civil as it offers the same facilities and placements as IIT BHU Mechanical. Moreover, the Civil department at IITR is not as strict as the Mechanical department at IIT BHU.Read more
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Ques. CSE (with AI & ML) in Manipal University Jaipur or Mechatronics / Mechanical in Thapar University? Which to choose?

● Top Answer By Aditi Banerjee on 22 Mar 23

Ans. Honestly speaking, both Thapar University and Manipal University are reputable institutions for a B.Tech in computer science. So the decision on which one is better for you ultimately depends on your personal preferences and priorities. is  Thapar University is a highly esteemed, private engineering and technology university located in Patiala, India. Known for its strong academic programs and rich research culture in computer science, this university has it all. Additionally, it offers a range of student services, including career counseling and internships. Manipal University, on the other hand, is a private university located in Manipal, India. It is one of the oldest and most established universities in the country and is known for its iRobot programs in CSE. The university has a number of student-driven bodies that promote extracurricular activities. Some factors to consider while choosing between the two include  Proximity to hometown campus life Fees and other expenses  CSE Program offered Both the colleges are almost similar in all aspects. So what actually matters is that if you live in the North, choose Thapar but if you are from the south choose Manipal. Both universities have the same fee and both are equally reputed private colleges after BITS. So I would suggest that whichever college is near your hometown go for it. Ultimately, both universities are highly esteemed institutions and either one would be a decent choice for a B.Tech in computer science.Read more
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Ques. Which is a better choice at NIT Silchar, Mechanical or CSE?

● Top Answer By Lipika Chakraborty on 25 Aug 23

Ans. Most students, freshly out of school, try to choose an Engineering branch for themselves. You might be someone who has a deep passion for either Mechanical or CSE. In that case, I would advise you to follow your heart.  But if you think not opting for CSE is a bad decision, just ask yourself why you would consider CSE. Is it because you did some coding in your school days and wish to enter into that field, or simply because CSE is popular. Don’t be in the illusion of liking a branch just because everyone is recommending it. Also, don’t go for any branch solely because it has better placements than the other. As long as you enjoy a particular field, you will get good offers. Mechanical is a good branch at NIT Silchar. Moreover, as research has become increasingly interdisciplinary in nature, various departments collaborate with one another these days. Even Mechanical has a good involvement of CSE- Robotics, CFD, etc. all involve high level coding and the knowledge of Data Structures. Because today most campuses witness IT placements more than core profiles, I would highly recommend you consult the alumni of Mechanical to figure out what placements are like in ground reality. These are the 2022 placement stats for both the branches at NIT Silchar- Also, NIT Silchar offers a branch change after the 2nd semester. This is based on your performance in the first two semesters. In case you feel dissatisfied with your choice, you can opt for branch change as well.  For your first year (whichever branch you choose) maintain good grades, talk to your seniors and explore your stream. Read more
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Ques. Which one's better between IIT Bhubaneswar and IIT Patna for electrical or mechanical engineering?

● Top Answer By Rashmi Sahoo on 05 Jul 24

Ans. IIt Bhubaneswar is a better option than IIT Patna for electrical or mechanical engineering. IIT Bhubaneswar is famous for its course structure, which helps the students get exposure theoretically and practically, which helps them in their career. The placement record for IIT Bhubaneswar for the year 2023 was excellent. Below is the table for the same: Branch Placement Percentage  Highest CTC Lowest CTC Average CTC Median CTC EE 92.86% INR 44.62 LPA INR 6.5 LPA INR 19.05 LPA INR 15 LPA Mech 87% INR 21.28 LPA INR 8 LPA INR 12.57 LPA INR 12 LPARead more
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Ques. How are mechanical placements at thapar university?

● Top Answer By Drishanu Roy on 11 Aug 21

Ans. Thapar University of Engineering and Technology is an old and reputed institute. Since it is an older and renowned institute, its students definitely benefit from it. The core courses have a tremendous placement record for years. Placements opportunities for the mechanical branch are no exception. Many reputed companies visit the campus for placements among other colleges in this league. Companies such as Tata Motors, Royal Enfield, Maruti Suzuki, etc. visit the campus for placements. The average package for the branch varies from 10-12 LPA. The college even has team Fateh, the finest formula racing team in the country. You can get the detailed placement records on the official website.Read more
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Ques. Which would be better for a B.Tech in mechanical engineering: IIT Hyderabad or IIT Guwahati? Why?

● Top Answer By Bidita Ghose on 03 May 23

Ans. Although both IIT Hyderabad and IIT Guwahati are excellent engineering institutes, my knowledge is limited to the BTech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Hyderabad as my sister is a recent pass out of the same. Research: IIT Hyderabad in general and its Mechanical branch specifically focuses on invention and innovation. You will be astonished to know that currently there are more than 100 ongoing research and consultancy projects under the faculty and students. The research culture at IIT Hyderabad is stronger than many older IITs even. IIT Hyderabad is known globally for MS and Ph. Ds placements. The new IIT tag: Being one of the new IITs, it lacks the credibility of the IIT tag. However, it’s the contrary. Being new, it guarantees better facilities and well-equipped labs. The mechanical department has been upgraded with equipment worth 70 crores over the last few years. The Institute has one of the best research environments in the country. Culture: At IIT Hyderabad you have to learn to master balancing your extracurriculars alongside your academics. You cannot afford to lose on any kind of experience that IIT Hyderabad has to offer. Exploring everything will help you hone your talents to the fullest and identify your passions. Placements : Here’s an amazing fact, Mechanical Engineering is the first department to have its own Training and Placement Cell at IIT Hyderabad. Moreover, the extensive contacts of the professors (under which you work or study) with industry experts, help you secure off-campus placements easily.Read more
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