How to Become an Loco Pilot: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Top Colleges, Salary

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India has the fourth-largest railway system in the world, following the US, Russia and China. Locomotive Pilots or Loco Pilots have a crucial role in the Indian railway system, as they are in charge of maintaining and operating train engines, carrying out repair and maintenance, inspecting signals and interacting with other railway authorities. To become a Loco Pilot, candidates must first clear class 10 board exams in Mathematics and Physics following which they must pursue various advanced diploma courses such as Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering. Admissions to these colleges are done both on the basis of merit as well as on the basis of Engineering Entrance Exams such as BITSAT, JEE Main and JEE Advanced. The candidate must also complete certification in ITI to become a Loco PIlot. Some of the top recruiters of Loco Pilots are Indian railways, DMRC, Lucknow metro, etc. The average salary of a Loco Pilot is INR 4.50 LPA. There are several determining factors on which the salary of a Loco Pilot depends such as years of experience, academics, designations etc. However, with experience and updated skills the highest salary of a Loco Pilot can go up to as much as INR 12.50 LPA. 

Check:

How to Become a Loco Pilot: Quick Facts

Eligibility 10+2 along with ITI Certification or Diploma in Engineering
Completed apprenticeship under Apprentices Act, 1961
Diploma Diploma in Mechanical Engineering
Diploma in Electrical Engineering
Diploma in Automobile eEngineering
Top Recruiters Indian railways
DMRC
Bangalore Metro
Jaipur metro
Required Skills Knowledge on Mechanical Systems,Physical Strength, Analytical Thinking
Average Starting Salary INR 4 LPA - 8 LPA
Highest Salary INR 12.30 LPA & above

Qualifications Required to Become a Loco Pilot

The major qualifications required in order to become a Loco Pilot are listed below for your reference,

  1. Candidates must have completed class 10th or other equivalent from a recognized board
  2. Candidates aspiring to be a Loco Pilot must be a minimum of 18 years of age and the maximum age is 28 years.
  3. Candidates belonging to reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Ex-Servicemen.) can avail of age relaxation.
  4. They must qualify for the entrance exam conducted by RRB for the assistant Loco Pilot post.
  5. Candidate must have completed an ITI course from a recognized Institute
  6. Candidates must clear the Medical test after CBAT (Computer-Based Aptitude Test).

Types of Loco Pilots

The different types of Loco Pilot roles available in the job market are as follows:

Assistant Loco- Pilots

Definition They are entry-level Loco Pilots who assist the driver in performing his duties including calling out signal and attending minor repairs of the Loco
Average Annual Salary INR 3.12 LPA

Senior Assistant Loco-Pilots

Definition An ALP is promoted to the post of Senior Assistant Loco Pilot after 6 to 8 years of service as an ALP. A senior ALP runs the train from one city to another and is also in charge of running freight trains or local trains.
Average Annual Salary INR 5.77 LPA

Loco Pilots

Definition A Loco Pilot is a professional who is in charge of operating and driving trains and ensuring that they are properly maintained throughout the whole journey.
Average Annual Salary INR 6.82 LPA

Loco Supervisor

Definition The primary responsibility of a Loco Supervisor is to know the job of the Loco Pilot. They should have high driving skills with experience with technical and safety factors
Average Annual Salary INR 8.20 LPA

Steps to Become a Loco Pilot

In order to be a Loco Pilot, the candidate must follow the following steps that are provided below for your reference,

  • Step 1: Complete Secondary School Education – 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 had science and mathematics as core subjects.
  • Step 2: Get a Diploma Degree – The candidate must earn an associate degree or diploma. A degree in engineering such as automobile engineering, electrical engineering can be helpful. The candidate can also pursue a diploma in railway engineering. This will help you understand the rules, regulations, and the core of the job role.
  • Step 3: Pursue a Vocational Course – This is an alternative choice that the candidate can opt for. They can either pursue a diploma in engineering or an ITI (Industrial training institute) programme which is approved by NCVT or SCVT.
  • Step 4: Clear Relevant Entrance Exams – The most important step in order to be a Loco Pilot is that the candidate has to clear the entrance exam which is conducted by RRB (Railway Recruitment Board).
  • Step 5: Get Training – After the candidate has cleared the entrance exam, they have to undergo training. During the training period, the candidate will be appointed as assistant Loco Pilot which will work under the senior Loco Pilot. This will help you understand the work of a Loco Pilot and the process.

How to Become a Loco Pilot in India

In order to be a Loco Pilot in India, The candidate must qualify class 10th or 12th board exams with Physics and Mathematics as mandatory subjects. After clearing the board exams, the candidate must acquire a ITI certification or diploma in Engineering or other relevant courses and clear the RRB entrance exam in order to be a Loco Pilot.

The sections below will discuss in detail about the steps that must be taken in order to become a Loco Pilot in India.

School level preparations:  In order to become a Loco Pilot the steps that are to be followed are mentioned below,

  • The candidate must have Physics and Mathematics in Class 10th.
  • The candidate must have a clear understanding of some important topics such as Velocity, Acceleration, Momentum, Energy, Work, Linear equations, etc.
  • The candidate can take admission in coaching centers in order to prepare for RRB exams. 
  • The candidate can solve previous year papers to understand the pattern of the paper and marking scheme. 

How to Become a Loco Pilot After 12th 

Diploma Preparations: Some of the crucial steps that must be followed to pursue undergraduate course are mentioned below,

  • The candidates after completing class 12th need to apply for diploma in engineering 
  • The candidate must appear for the entrance exam for enrolling in diploma programme in respective state such as UPPEE, Assam PAT, etc 
  • The candidate must choose the stream in which they want to pursue the diploma course such as Mechanical, electrical or automobile, etc
  • The candidate must acquire ITI certification from NCVT or SCVT.
  • The candidate must enroll under an Apprentice Act under Government of India.

Loco Pilot Courses

Parameters Diploma in Electrical Engineering Diploma in Automobile Engineering Diploma in Mechanical Engineering Diploma in Electronics
Duration 3 years 3 Years 3 years 3 years
Eligibility Candidate must have a minimum aggregate of 50% or above in class 10th
Must have Math and Physics.
Candidate must have completed class 10th with a minimum of 60% marks
Must have mathematics and science as compulsory subjects
Candidate must have a minimum aggregate of 55% or above in class 10th
5% relaxation in case of reserved category
Must have Math and Physics.
Candidate must have completed class 10th with a minimum of 60% marks
Must have mathematics and science as compulsory subjects
Top Colleges Jamia Millia Islamia University
KJ Somaiya Polytechnic,
Central Polytechnic College
Swami Vivekananda Group of Institutions
Lovely Professional University
Sanskriti College
Dev bhoomi Group of Institutions
Shri ramswaroop memorial university
Jamia Millia Islamia
CV Ramana Global University
GB Pant Institute of Technology
JMI New Delhi
Chandigarh University
Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute and DayalBagh Educational Institute
Entrance Exams Odisha DET, Assam PAT, JEXPO JET, GVSAT, GLAET JEECUP, PECE ,PJET Delhi CET, JEECUP, APJEE
Average course fees INR 10,000 - 3,00,000 INR 20,000 - 2,00,000 INR 12,500 - 1,00,000 INR 20000- 1,50,000
Average Salary INR 2.70 LPA - 3.40 LPA INR 2.40 LPA - 3.80 LPA INR 2 LPA - 5 LPA INR 2.50 LPA - 5 LPA

Entrance Exams

The list of Entrance Exams along with their important dates, that are conducted in order to enroll students for courses to become a Loco Pilot are tabulated below for your reference, 

Entrance Exams Registration Dates Registration Deadlines Exam Dates Result Dates
AP POLYCET 2nd week of March 2024 2nd week of April 2024 4th week of April 2024 2nd week of May 2024
APJEE To be Announced To be Announced June 25, 2024 To be Announced
Assam PAT 1st week of May 2024 2nd week of June 2024 3rd – 4th week of July 2024 1st week of August 2024
Delhi CET 2nd week of June 2024 3rd week of July 2024 2nd week of August 2024 3rd week of August 2024
TS Polytechnic January 16, 2024 February 2024 May 17, 2024 June 2024
JEECUP January 2024 2nd week of February 2024 3rd week of April 2024 4th week of May 2024
JEXPO 1st week of May 2024 Last week of June 2024 3rd week of July 2024 4th week of August 2024

Top Loco Pilot Colleges

In India, there are almost 5073 colleges to pursue diploma in mechanical engineering, diploma in electrical engineering, diploma in automobile engineering etc.. Similarly, there are top colleges for pursuing these diploma courses abroad. 

Some of the top colleges that help candidates become Loco Pilots are tabulated below for your reference.

Name of the Colleges Location Average Course Fees (INR)
Dr. Radhakrishnan Institute of Technology Jaipur 21,490
PES University Bangalore 40000
Jamia Millia Islamia University Delhi 7500
Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute Mumbai 12,679
Chandigarh University Chandigarh 19,400
DayalBagh Educational Institute Agra 8664
Lovely Professional University (LPU) Chandigarh 1.77 L
Aryabhatta Knowledge University Patna 42000
Integral University Lucknow 1.35 L
Sanskriti University Mathura 1.26 L

Skills Required to become a Loco Pilot

Some of the most essential skill sets that are required to become a Loco Pilot in India are tabulated below for your reference, 

Critical thinking In-depth knowledge of mechanical tools Physical fitness
Communication skills Knowledge of Mathematics Data Analysis
Programming Decision making Multitasking

Pros & Cons of Becoming a Loco Pilot

Every job comes with its own share of benefits and drawbacks. Some of the major positives and negatives of becoming a Loco Pilots are tabulated below for your reference.

Pros of Becoming a Loco Pilot

  1. Good Salary Package: The average salary of a Loco Pilot in India ranges between INR 4.20 L- 6 LPA. The Loco Pilots are also entitled to several benefits such as PF, HRA, Gratuity, medi claim, etc. The highest salary of a Loco Pilot is around INR 8 LPA.
  2. Stability: Loco Pilots work in Indian railways or metro, which are government organizations. It provides financial and professional stability and even after retirement a Loco Pilot is entitled to several other benefits.
  3. Travel Opportunities: Being a Loco Pilot, one gets a lot of opportunities to travel within the country which can be quite exciting.

Cons of Becoming a Loco Pilot

  1. Exhausting: The job of a Loco Pilot involves a lot of travel within a short span of time. This can be quite exhausting. 
  2. Long Shifts: Loco Pilots can have a stressful life. Loco Pilots deal with long shifts which can also be extended to days.

Top Recruiters for Loco Pilots

Some of the top recruiters who hire Loco Pilots are tabulated below for your reference, 

Indian Railways Delhi Metro railway corporations (DMRC) Mumbai Metro railway corporation
Jaipur Metro railway Corporation Bangalore railway Metro corporation Lucknow Metro Railway corporation

Salary of a Loco Pilot

The average salary of a Loco Pilot in India usually ranges between INR 4.2 - 5 LPA. However this amount varies measured on different parameters such as Specialization, experience, city, etc. Check: Salary of a Loco Pilot

The average salary of a Loco Pilot of various job profiles are tabulated below for your reference, 

Job Profile Average Annual Salary (INR)
Assistant Loco Pilots (ALP) 4.50 L
Senior Assistant Loco Pilots 6.0 L
Loco Pilots 12.10 L
Loco Supervisor 5.30 L

How to Become a Loco Pilot: FAQs

Ques. What do Loco Pilots do?

Ans. The Duties of Loco Pilots include

  • They ensure the safety and security of passengers and goods
  • They check the main route, maximum train speed, safety parameters
  • Undertake the task of repairing and maintaining the basic engine hardware

Ques. What are the areas of recruitment of Loco Pilots ?

Ans. The areas of recruitment of Loco Pilots are :

  • Indian Railways
  • Metro
  • Passenger trains
  • Goods train

Ques. Name the top companies for Loco Pilots ?

Ans. The top companies for Loco Pilots in India are:

  • Indian railways 
  • DMRC
  • Bangalore metro
  • Jaipur metro
  • Lucknow metro

Ques. What is the average salary of a Loco Pilot in India?

Ans. The starting salary of an Assistant Loco Pilot in India ranges between INR 4.20 L - 5 LPA. while the salary of a Loco Pilot with years of experience is around INR 9.30 LPA 

Ques. What is the advantage of being an Loco Pilot ?

Ans. The advantage of being a Loco Pilot is that one gets a chance to travel around the country along with good salary package.

Ques.Can Loco Pilots be appointed directly?

Ans. No, In order to be a Loco Pilot, the candidate is appointed as an Assistant Loco Pilot then after almost 5 years of service, the candidate is promoted to be a Loco Pilot.

Ques. What are the skills required to be Loco Pilots ?

Ans. The skills required to become an Loco Pilots are :

  • Knowledge of Mathematics
  • Analytical Skills
  • Data Analysis

Ques. which diploma courses to pursue to become a Loco Pilot?

Ans. The diploma courses to pursue to become a Loco Pilot are:

  • Diploma in automobile engineering
  • Diploma in mechanical engineering
  • Diploma in electrical engineering

Ques. What is the time taken to become a Loco Pilot ?

Ans - The time taken to become a Loco Pilot in India takes around 8- 10 years years for completing 3 years of education and after clearing the exam it takes around 5 years for getting promoted to Loco Pilot.

Ques. Is it hard to become a Loco Pilot?

Ans. Yes,it is hard to become a Loco Pilot but the hardest thing is to clear the RRB ALP exam as it has high competition and the exam level is moderate.

Bachelor of Technology [B.Tech] (Mechanical Engineering) : 238 answered questions

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Ques. How is the mechanical engineering program at IIT Bhubaneswar?

● Top Answer By Muskan Agrahari on 24 Jun 25

Ans. IIT Bhubaneswar's Mechanical Engineering is a good bet among the newer IITs, with decent placements, good academics, and a campus culture that is picking up. If you don't mind taking good placements and want a good mechanical program with IIT brand value, IIT Bhubaneswar is a good choice—particularly among the newer IITs. You will receive good facilities to study, newer lab facilities, and good opportunities in both industry and research. Feature Details Institute Type Government (IIT) NIRF Rank (2023) 47th in Engineering Admission Through JEE Advanced + JoSAA 2025 Closing Rank Around 10,223–10,243 (General category, expected) Placements Decent for core & non-core; highest overall package 64 LPA Campus Life Modern infrastructure, active student clubs, good lab & research setup Best For Students seeking a good IIT brand, with balanced academics and placementsRead more
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Ques. Should I choose JU computer or IIT BHU Mechanical?

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Ans. I am a B.Tech Mechanical second year student at IIT BHU. Here is a comparison between CSE at JU and Mechanical at IIT BHU for your reference:   Parameters Jadavpur University CSE IIT BHU Mechanical  Average Package (2023) INR 21.60 LPA INR 21.95 LPA Highest Package (2023) INR 46.38 LPA INR 91.19 LPA Top Recruiters on Campus Amazon, Wells Fargo, etc.  Mahindra, Mercedes Benz, Hero, Tata, etc.  Tuition Fee INR 20,840 (4 years) INR 8 lakhs (4 years) Topics of Study software development, algorithms, data science, artificial intelligence and technology. mechanics, thermodynamics, manufacturing and design. Future Job Prospects  software engineers, data scientists, and IT professionals. Profiles in the automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and energy sector.    Also, roles in design, analysis and maintenance of mechanical systems.   I chose Mechanical Engineering at IIT BHU because it is a part of the prestigious IIT network. As a result, IIT BHU offers a strong academic and research environment. The Mechanical department of IIT BHU is well-established and offers good placements and industry connections.   With a bit more dedication, you can learn coding on the side while studying Mechanical Engineering at IIT BHU. This will ensure decent placements in the IT sector for you, in case you decide on opting for that domain in the future.    I would recommend you choose IIT BHU Mechanical over CSE at JU simply because IIT BHU will offer you much more exposure and better placements.Read more
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Ques. How are the placements for Bachelor of Engineering [BE] (Mechanical Engineering) at KLE Technological University Hubli?

● Top Answer By Mohammed Nadeem N Inamdar on 03 Dec 25

Ans. During 7th sem, campus placements take place and in the particular sem students are eligible to attend, a minimum 40+ companies visited and made around 300 offers The highest package till the date was 42 lpa which was from amazon and average package is 3.5 lpa Around 60-70% students get placed My plans is pursue a jobRead more
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Ques. How is the course curriculum of Bachelor of Engineering [BE] (Mechanical Engineering) in KLE Technological University Hubli?

● Top Answer By Mohammed Nadeem N Inamdar on 03 Dec 25

Ans. The curriculum has been designed in a such way involving the upcoming concepts which helps students learn the future ready skills and involes real open ended projects till 3 rd year and later mini and senior projects to get ready for real world applications, so this concept influenced me to choose the course, well there are some issues like students feel pressurised but by adjusting and thriving they may learn good skills at the end, the timings of the exams are same as everywhere for internals it is 75 mins and for sem end it is 3 hrsRead more
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Ques. What is the admission process at Bachelor of Engineering [BE] BITS Goa?

● Top Answer By Venkata Surya Aakash Satyavada on 15 Apr 25

Ans. I applied to IITs, NITs, GFTIs and VIT apart from BITS. I got confirmed admission into VIT while the process for other colleges was ongoing. I withdrew from the process of other as soon as I got into BITS. I also withdrew my application from VIT. I chose this college over other colleges is because BITS is known for its excellence and great alumni network . It also has one of the most successful statistics of placements over other private colleges. The admission to BITS is done through BITSAT. It takes place every year along with Jee Mains and Jee Advance . The cutoffs vary every year for the courses and can be easily found on Google. This exam is of high eminence and is held high in place along with the JEE exams. After scoring well, the course selection and campus selection process is done through BITS's own portal and is solely based on the marks you score in BITSAT.Read more
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Ques. What is the fees for Bachelor of Engineering [BE] in BITS Goa?

● Top Answer By Venkata Surya Aakash Satyavada on 15 Apr 25

Ans. The fees structure changes for every year , therefore i would provide with the first year fee structure of 2024-25, as for every upcoming batch the fees increases. The admission fees for Goa Campus -?57,100 Semester/term fees: First semester-?2,59,500 Second semester-?2,59,500 Summer term-?90,800 Student Union Fees-?450 Student Aid Fund-?225 Hostel Fees: First semester:?27,750 Second Semester-?27,750 Summer term-?13,185 Mess and electricity advance: First semester-?10,000 Second Semester-?10,000 Summer term-?5000 Other Advances First semester-?12,000 Second Semester-?12,000 Institute Caution Deposit -?3000 A scholarship called merit cum need is provided for the students if their family income is less than 15 Lakhs. The amount varies from 100-20% according to one's BITSAT score in first year and cg in subsequent yearsRead more
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Ques. How are the placements for Bachelor of Engineering [BE] (Mechanical Engineering) at BITS Goa?

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Ans. Students can start sitting in placements from the start of 4th year , when the Placement Division starts bringing companies to the campus. The average package for CS is around 20-26 LPA, for Electrical branches it's around 18-24 LPA and for Mechanical and Chemical it is around 13-16 LPA. These figures would've changed though from the last time I saw. Around 85-90% of the students get placed usually. Top notch companies like Google, Microsoft , DE Shaw, Arcesium Cohesity Rubrick recruit students every year for the tech roles and other prominent companies like Flipkart, Sprinkle, Intuiut and Coin Switch come for managerial roles as well. There is even a chance of getting a PPO through Summer Internship Program which kikstarts in the 3rd year where students compete to get internship in these top companies. Overall , BITS Goa has impeccable placement statisticsRead more
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Ques. How is the course curriculum of Bachelor of Engineering [BE] (Mechanical Engineering) in BITS Goa?

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Ans. The course curriculum prepares you directly for the outer world. In the first year, we have mechanical workshop, which gives us hands-on-experience on different machines that are used in manufacturing like the Late, Milling, Foundry etc. The first year consists of subjects from each disciplines of the B.E and the Msc Degrees so as to get the basics of students cleared . Further as we go into 2nd and 3rd years the course gets detailed to the discipline the student choses. The exams are times out evenly in the curriculum so the students would get time to prepare for the exams, which are moderate to hard in level.Read more
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Ques. How are the placements for Bachelor of Technology [B.Tech] (Mechanical Engineering) at DIT University Dehradun?

● Top Answer By K Shivam Raj on 26 Aug 24

Ans. Campus placements at DIT university are very good as it is recorded that each and every student of every department gets placed every year with a good and respectful package. Students are eligible for campus placements from 7th semester. In our department the percentage of placement is 100%.Read more
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Ques. How is the course curriculum of Bachelor of Technology [B.Tech] (Mechanical Engineering) in DIT University Dehradun?

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Ans. The curriculum of each subject is very well designed and thought off as it makes sure that by the end of the term the students have enough knowledge about the subjects and can easily apply the gained knowledge.Read more
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