RRB Loco Pilot Exam Pattern

RRB Loco Pilot Exam Pattern

The RRB (Railway Recruitment Board) loco pilot exam is a crucial step for those aiming to become a part of Indian Railways' prestigious loco pilot community. The exam is designed to assess a candidate's knowledge, skills, and fitness to operate trains as loco pilots. Understanding the exam pattern is a fundamental aspect of preparing strategically for the competition.

Exam Stages

The RRB loco pilot selection process involves two stages:

1. Computer Based Test (CBT): A common written exam consisting of objective-type questions covering various subjects such as general awareness, general intelligence & reasoning, mathematics, and general science, as well as the specific subject of loco pilot and technician (LP&T).

2. Personality Test and Medical Examination: The personality test is a personal interview, while the medical examination evaluates the candidate's fitness.

CBT Exam Pattern

The CBT exam comprises four sections, as described below.

1. General Awareness: This section evaluates a candidate's knowledge of general awareness, current events, history, geography, Indian polity, economics, and critical reasoning.

2. General Intelligence & Reasoning: This section assesses the candidate's ability to think logically, analyze situations, and apply their knowledge.

3. Mathematics: The questions in this section cover basic arithmetic and algebra, trigonometry, geometry, statistics, probability, and other relevant mathematical concepts.

4. General Science: This section evaluates the candidate's knowledge of elementary science, including physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science.

5. Loco Pilot and Technician (LP&T): This section contains questions specifically related to locomotive technology, safety, operational procedures, and other relevant topics for loco pilots and technicians.

Marking Scheme

The RRB loco pilot exam follows a negative marking scheme, wherein each wrong answer is penalized with a deduction of 0.33 marks. However, there is no penalty for unattempted questions.

Exam Duration

The CBT exam lasts for three hours.

Number of Questions

The RRB loco pilot exam consists of 120 objective-type questions in total, distributed across all four sections.

Mode of Exam

The RRB loco pilot exam is conducted in the online mode, using computer-based testing software.

Scoring

The candidate's performance is measured based on their overall score in the CBT exam, excluding the LP&T section, which is utilized for preparing merit lists. Candidates who qualify for the personality test and medical examination are ranked based on their overall performance, and the final selection is made accordingly.

Special Considerations

The RRB loco pilot exam caters to two categories of candidates:

1. General Category: Candidates belonging to this category must clear the CBT exam and subsequent stages to be selected as loco pilots.

2. Departmentally Sponsored Category: Candidates belonging to this category are nominated by their respective zones in Indian Railways. They must also clear the personality test and medical examination to be selected.

Preparation for the RRB loco pilot exam requires a combination of strategic planning, smart time management, and in-depth knowledge of the subject material. The key is to understand the exam pattern and tailor one's preparation accordingly.