Get ready for the Competitite Examination-2015 by RRB for Assistant Loco Pilot

By Global Rail Network on December 10, 2014

Last updated on December 15th, 2014 at 01:37 am

Assistant Loco Pilot in Indian Railways is the best job option for anyone holding educational qualification of ITI. The post attracts even diploma holders. There was a time when diploma was a minimum educational qualification for this cadre; degree holders in engineering also joined this profession. Read more on the Job profile along with take home salary, risks and challenges of this cadre here.

Last advertisement was issued on 18^th Jan 2014 with examinations to be held 15^th June 2014 in many batches on Sundays in different lots as the total applicants were in the range of about 25 lakhs for about 27000 posts. Placement exercise for this examination will get completed by March-April 2015 and one can expect next advertisement by May-June 2015. Now is the right time to begin your preparation.

One can understand the toughness level of the competition when one candidate is selected for every 95 applications. Also, there will be about 100 candidates for each mark, calling on you to work for each mark carefully. The syllabus is not that much difficult for anyone to prepare, but it is how you handle the pressure of the examination that at least one does not make mistakes when he knows the answer. You should target minimum 60%marks in the first stage

Do you qualify for appearing in the examination?

Alertness, exchanging signal, looking at signal, looking ahead

It is appropriate first to check if you qualify for the post otherwise it may be shocking after qualifying the first stage and then finding a problem with medical check up. Read 18th Jan 2014 advertisement for all details http://www.rrbbpl.nic.in/CEN01_2014.pdf

The examination is common for the post of ALP as well as Fitter. Competition for Fitter is a single stage, whereas it is two stages for ALP. When your education qualification meets the criteria for ALP but it will meet for fitter category in a few categories.

Educational Qualification: Matriculate plus course completed Act Apprentice/ITI approved by NCVT/SCVT. Almost all trades are covered, but one should check it from the advertisement. Diploma in Electrical, Mechanical, Electronics and Automobile Engineering are also eligible.

Psychological Testing: The job of Loco pilot requires high level of alertness, reflexes, presence of mind, patience, calmness, mental health for job to be performed safely. The psychological testing is done to assess mental fitness, intelligence, analytic and reasoning ability etc. For more details visit

http://www.rrbbhopal.gov.in/Aptitude_Guidelines_ALP.pdf

There are many agencies which undertakes such test, and it may be appropriate for you to have your testing done so that you don’t get disheartened at the last moment.

Medical Examination: One should read medical category very carefully and should not take any risk of making an attempt if he does not qualify the medical standard mentioned therein. Read clause 8 of the advertisement.

Age: From 18 to 30 years with relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC. Read clause 2 of the advertisement.

Salary: The scale and Grade pay of ALP is Rs. 5200-20,200 (GP Rs. 1900/-) +DA+ Running allowances. For ALP, the allowances make a significant contribution in the take home salary and within two years of service, one gets around Rs. 50000/- .

Once you are sure, that you qualify for the post, the next step is to prepare for the written examination.

How to plan the preparation for the examination?

For ALP it is two stage examination, first professional and second on psychological tests. For fitter, it is only professional competency. The professional competency examination is about 120 minutes during which 120 multiple choice questions to be attended. The MCQ is from

General Awareness
Arithmetic
General Intelligence/Reasoning
General Science
Technical Ability

There is one question paper for all categories, and therefore, you should prepare for all the trades and shall not limit to your trade only.

General Awareness: There are many books on General Awareness available in the market. Pick up only one good book which covers all the chapters on History, Geography, Longest-largest-Highest-Smallest, etc., Politics, Personalities, Sports, Film, Literature, Noble Prizes, and Current Events. Subscribe magazine such as Competition Review for current events and taking up mock drills given over there.
Arithmetic: First step is to recollect your arithmetic ability of 8th Class and lower standard. First is Tables. It will help in doing questions quickly, therefore, practice table of 7, 9, 13, 17 and 19. While handling multiple choice questions, you don’t have to find the correct answer; instead you can check all the options which are feasible. In most of the cases reverse calculation works easy. Learn the technique of profit/loss, interest calculation, area/volume, flow rate, work, numbers, ratio, algebra, trigonometry etc.
General Science: Best way to cover the subject is read Class IX and X NCERT text books and then takes up practice test.
Technical Ability: You have to go through the syllabus of all trades carefully and made notes. These notes will be helpful during revision of the course, one month before the examination.
General Intelligence/Reasoning: There is no limit to thecontentwhichcan be covered. But remember, this will cover to check your general intelligence. The questions are on series, direction, rotation, sequence, symmetry, relations, etc. The most important aspect to handle such questions by the use of pen/pencil.
Alertness, exchanging signal, taking traction, watching speed, watching section ahead …..

How Railelectrica going to help you in your preparation for the competition?

RailElectrica has decided to help you in your preparation for the competition. It will bring study material and MCQ for mock drill on all the subjects particularly for which quality content is not readily available such as General Science and Technical Ability. It will also cover, thereafter, on the subject of Arithmetic, General Awareness and General intelligence/Reasoning. Be in touch with Railelectrica or register yourself so that you don’t miss the updates.

The success lies in your resolve to study and undertake a mock drill test with sincerity