When it comes to a public sector job in India, the railway department is one of the most approached options on the list. If you are an engineer or have the right qualification then you can easily land the respected loco pilot position with the railway recruitment board. Other than the job itself, one of the most attractive parts of the position is the loco pilot salary in India. In this article, we will inform you about loco pilot salary in 7th pay commission, railway loco pilot age limit and other details.
Loco Pilot Salary in India: Pay Scale, Duties, Eligibility
A railway job is considered a safe job in India and is aspired by many. Loco pilot is one of those jobs that will never go out of demand, as India remains one of the most railway-oriented countries in the world. Let us learn more about this job post.
Who is a Loco Pilot?
A loco pilot is a skilled professional who is responsible for operating, piloting, and maintaining trains for the duration of the trip. A loco pilot sticks to the given rules that control the driving and operation of the locomotive and follows railroad standards and directions along the way. By maintaining and driving train engines, locomotive pilots play a significant part in the Indian railway network. Since the railroad is a public enterprise, loco pilots have excellent employment opportunities and income possibilities.
To guarantee the security of cargo and passengers, loco pilots carry out several duties. Senior loco pilots are assisted in their tasks by assistant loco pilots. Usually, loco pilots collaborate with train and station management. They examine dangers and look over the railway route, top speed, suitable brake power, and safety standards. In an emergency, they also take over the job of maintaining and repairing the fundamental engine components.
Roles and Responsibilities
Loco pilots have a large number of responsibilities on their shoulders. Their main duty is to guarantee the security of cargo and passengers. They usually collaborate with train and station management. They examine dangers and look over the railway route, top speed, suitable brake power, and safety standards. In an emergency, they also take over the job of maintaining and repairing the fundamental engine components. Usually, there are senior Loco pilots and assistant loco pilots. Senior loco pilots with higher loco pilot salary in India are assisted in their tasks by assistant loco pilots. Here are some of the main roles and responsibilities of a loco pilot:
Write Reports and Assessments of a journey
Loco pilots are required to keep track of the entire trip and write reports that are later evaluated by other rail industry experts. The details and information in the reports include the length of the trip, the wait time, any delays, the characteristics of the route, the average speed, or records of other crucial factors. They could even offer advice on how to maintain engines and advise ways to enhance their performance so that other loco pilots can have a better understanding beforehand.
Train Operation
Their main responsibility is operating the train. The very task of overseeing a railway engine’s mechanical operation falls on the loco pilots. They have to ensure that the loco is running in adherence to temperature, performance, and safety criteria as per the industry standards and regulations. They are tasked with collecting various types of readings and carrying out activities in the loco. To minimize mistakes and accidents, loco pilots must follow detailed guidelines about speed and route.
Maintenance of the locomotive
Ensuring the correct upkeep of the locomotive’s mechanical and electrical components is one of the major responsibilities of the loco pilots. Before traveling, they tend completely various maintenance tasks with the aid of your crew. They are in charge of completing routine inspections, evaluations, replacements, and adjustments of equipment parts. This involves chores like lubricating moving parts, dusting or cleaning bearings, and replacing the oil in an engine.
Additionally, they also complete the planned preventative maintenance tasks from time to time to keep the locomotive at the best of its performance. These pilots may also keep track of and monitor the wear and tear on machinery and equipment to avoid any type of further damage to the locomotive or to avoid any type of mishap while on the journey.
Monitoring the locomotive
Lastly, a loco pilot must maintain constant communication with the ground control center to be informed of any danger or issue along the route. Loco pilots frequently assess the entire engine they are operating, including its mechanical and electrical systems.
Additionally, they keep an eye on passenger security and travel-related concerns. For instance, the control center will inform the pilot if there is an accident on a specific route. To determine whether to halt the train or take a different route, are some of the decisions that are to be taken by the pilot. They create and discuss route designs, and they compute travel lengths using data from dependable sources.
Loco Pilot as a career
Loco pilots start out working as freight train assistant loco pilots with freight train loco pilot salary in India. Their major responsibility is usually to keep the locomotive in excellent condition and assist the driver with any supplementary equipment.
As they advance in their career, they will work as an assistant on an express train before switching to a passenger train. As an assistant driver, the duties would essentially stay the same, but pilots would need to handle passenger trains with increased responsibility.
One will eventually become a loco pilot on a passenger train after gaining enough experience on the field. After that, they will be responsible for a train’s whole journey while maintaining its safety and punctuality. Later in this article, we will go over railway loco pilot age limit and other relevant details.
Work life balance
A loco pilot’s work life is greatly influenced by several variables, including their title, the difficulty of their job, the overall level of experience, and the type of train they operate. While operating the train, pilots will be stationed in the engine. The pilot and their entire team will be working in the train shed while doing maintenance tasks as and when needed.
As the locomotive pilot, one will be required to go from source to destination which will be the bigger part of the job. Timings are usually flexible and they keep changing dependent on train schedules. One will have to coordinate their work shifts with their coworkers properly because overtime is extremely prevalent in this field.
The Indian Railways offers excellent prospects for career advancement along with attractive loco pilot salary in India. Promotion opportunities are given to employees depending on their qualifications and experience.
Over time, the assistant loco pilots advance to senior assistant loco pilot, then to loco pilot, and lastly to loco supervisor. The most sought-after position among those hoping to build a successful career in the Indian Railways industry is RRB ALP. Candidates can become eligible for higher positions and get promoted with dedication and hard effort.
Skills required to become Loco Pilot
Now, that you are aware of what a loco pilot does and what responsibilities they need to handle daily. Let’s ponder some more on the skills that are required to be a loco pilot. Here are some of the must-have skills that are checked during the screening process and the ones that will help move upward on the career ladder with time.
Technical Expertise
Pilots with technical expertise can troubleshoot, fix, and maintain engine systems. In this field of employment, an extensive understanding of mechanical tools and equipment is also helpful.
Critical Thinking
This is a quality that loco pilots need to have since it allows them to evaluate issues objectively and investigate answers that might not be evident. They should be able to solve problems in their line of work daily by using critical thinking, which ultimately saves them a great deal of time and effort.
Analytical Abilities
Loco pilots should be able to analyze data related to train operations and carry out maintenance activities including regular inspections and safety drills. To make the best decisions in an emergency, they might also need to do a thorough analysis of the scenario.
Communication Skills
Locomotive pilots need to be effective communicators to quickly relay information that is essential to the smooth functioning of trains. If a problem or disruption occurs, they will have to get in touch with the relevant authorities, explain the situation, and offer a solution.
Physical Fitness
Locomotive pilots frequently work for long periods at a stretch, and they occasionally move large pieces of equipment. To perform their mechanical jobs with ease, aspirants should improve their physical fitness and endurance. Let us now learn about loco pilot salary in 7th pay commission and railway loco pilot age limit.
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Loco Pilot Salary in 7th Pay Commission
Before applying for any new career path, a person would want to know about their prospective salary in the field. So here is everything you would want to know about the loco pilot salary in India.
The average assistant loco pilot salary in 2022 as per the 7th pay commission ranges from INR 24,000 to INR 50,000. There is a slight hike in loco pilot salary in 7th pay commission. Now, the salary tends to depend on the type of locomotive and the qualifications and experience of the pilot.
The overall breakdown of the salary of a loco pilot salary in 7th pay commission looks like this:
| Benefits And Allowances | Pay | Recoveries | Pay |
| Pay | INR 5830 | NPS | INR 1848 |
| Grade Pay | INR 1900 | Tax deductions | INR 0 |
| NDA (Night Duty Allowance) | INR 387 | ||
| DA (Dearness Allowance) | INR 10752 | ||
| TPA (Transportation Allowance) | INR 828 | ||
| HRA (House Rent Allowance) | INR 1005 | ||
| Running Allowance | INR 6050 | ||
| Gross Pay | INR 26752 | ||
| Net Pay | INR 24904 |
Perks and Benefits
Other than the loco pilot salary in India and the allowances like HRA, TPA, etc. Some several other benefits and perks are given to the RRB ALP in India:
- According to the new pension plan, 10% of the payment is deducted.
- Gratuity fund.
- 12 days of casual leave.
- 30 days of half-paid time off or sick leave.
- 30 days of paid time off.
- Free train tickets are available to family members on specific lines.
- Locale and India as Whole Travel reimbursements.
- Free medical care is provided to employees and their dependents at railway and hospitals that have been appointed.
Salary of other posts
Other than the assistant loco pilot, there are multiple other posts as well. Here are the average salaries of other posts in the field:
| Posts | Pay range | |
| Loco pilot | Passenger | INR 50,000 to INR 66,000 |
| Mails | INR 60,000 to INR 78,000 | |
| Goods | INR 40,000 to INR 56,000 | |
| High speed | INR 77,000 to INR 88,000 | |
| Technician grade 2 | INR 9910 | |
| Technician grade 3 | INR 7730 | |
| Traffic apprentice | INR 13,500 | |
| Senior section engineer | INR 17,420 | |
| Shunting loco pilot | INR 50,000 to INR 66,000 | |
Loco Pilot Eligibility Criteria
To get to the post of ALP, one should pass the national entrance exam and another screening process. The RRB ALP Exam is held to select applicants for the position of assistant locomotive pilot by RRB. To hire Assistant Loco Pilots and Technicians in various Indian Railways Regions units, a nationwide test called RRB ALP is held.
The Railway Recruitment Board establishes the requirements for RRB ALP eligibility. Candidates must be eligible to apply otherwise, their applications will be canceled. One also has to consider railway loco pilot age limit which we will cover later on.
Loco Pilot Qualification Criteria
To appear in the exam and to be eligible for the post of assistant loco pilot, one should have the required loco pilot qualification. There are two departments in which loco pilots are recruited, mechanical and electrical. Both of them have their educational qualification criteria that every candidate needs to fulfill.
Mechanical Assistant Loco Pilot
Candidate should fulfill one of these educational requirements:
| SSLC (matriculation) + apprenticeship course from NSDC | SSLC (matriculation) + ITI program from SCVT / NCVT recognized institutes | Three-year diploma in mechanical, electrical, electronic, and automobile engineering |
Electrical Assistant Loco Pilot
Candidate should fulfill one of these educational requirements:
| SSLC (matriculation) + apprenticeship course from NSDC | SSLC (matriculation) + ITI program from SCVT / NCVT recognized institutes | Three-year diploma in mechanical, electrical, electronic, and automobile engineering |
Loco Pilot Course
The National Council for Vocational Training or the State Council of Vocational Training must authorize an institution before a loco pilot may enroll in the ITI loco pilot course there. An institution approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) offers engineering degrees in electrical, electronic, mechanical, or automotive engineering. The exams that one needs to appear in are:
- Special class railways apprentice exam
- Civil services exam
- Diploma in railway engineering
- Comines engineering services exam
Loco Pilot Exam
To be eligible for the position of Assistant Loco Pilot, candidates must pass the entrance test held by RRB. The admission exam is a three-part computer-based test (CBT):
CBT 1: 60 minutes and 75 questions
CBT 2: This test is conducted in two parts
- Part A: 90 minutes and 100 questions in Part A.
- Part B: 60 minutes and 75 questions
Railway Loco Pilot Age Limit
The applicants must meet the board-established railway loco pilot age limit requirements. Candidates can fill out the application if they are between the ages of 18 and 28. According to government regulations, RRB provides applicants from restricted groups with an age relaxation in the upper limit of age. Candidates requesting an age reduction must present the necessary paperwork issued by the government or another recognized body. Here are some of the age relaxations on the upper age limit:
| Categories | Relaxation In Upper Age Limit | |
| OBC candidates | 3 years | |
| SC/ST candidates | 5 years | |
| PWD (SC/ST) | 15 years | |
| PWD (OBC) | 13 years | |
| PWD (UR) | 10 years | |
| Ex-servicemen (minimum 6 months of service) | Time of service rendered + 3 years | |
| J&K domicile (01/01/1980 to 31/12/1989) | 5 years | |
| Candidates Who Have Completed At Least Three Years of Duty As Group “C” And Former Group “D” Railway Staff, Casual Laborers, Or Substitutes In The Railways. | UR | Upper age limit – 40 years |
| OBC | Upper age limit – 43 years | |
| SC/ST | Upper age limit – 45 years | |
| Widowed, Judicially Separated From Spouse And Divorced Women Candidates | UR | Upper age limit – 35 years |
| OBC | Upper age limit – 38 years | |
| SC/ST | Upper age limit – 40 years | |
| Candidates Who Completed Their Apprenticeship Training Under The Apprenticeship Act Before Turning 25 | UR | Upper age limit – 35 years |
| OBC | Upper age limit – 38 years | |
| SC/ST | Upper age limit – 40 years | |
| Candidates Who Are Employed By The Railway Organization In Quasi-Administrative Positions | Up to 5 years, or however long the service was performed | |
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Railway Loco Pilot Medical Fitness
The Railway Administration will conduct a medical fitness exam on applicants who will also be called for document validation to make sure they are physically capable of doing the responsibilities they have chosen. Here are the different medical fitness categories the candidates are divided into:
| Medical standard | Visual acuity | General fitness |
| A-1 | Distance Vision: 6/6, 6/6 (Without Glasses) (Fogging Test)
Near Vision: Sn: 0.6/0.6 (Without Glasses) Tests: Field Of Vision, Night Vision, Mesopic Vision, Colour Vision, Binocular Vision |
As Per The Norms |
| B-1 | Distance Vision: 6/9, 6/12 (With Or Without Glasses)
Near Vision: Sn: 0.6/0.6 (With Or Without Glasses) Tests: Night Vision, Mesopic Vision, Colour Vision, Binocular Vision |
As Per The Norms |
| B-2 | Distance Vision: 6/9, 6/12 (With Or Without Glasses)
Near Vision: Sn: 0.6/0.6 (With Or Without Glasses) Tests: Binocular Vision |
As Per The Norms |
| C-1 | Distance Vision: 6/12, 6/18 (With Or Without Glasses)
Near Vision: Sn: 0.6/0.6 (With Or Without Glasses) |
As Per The Norms |
Loco Pilot is a very coveted position when it comes to the railway organization of India. We hope you are now aware of loco pilot salary in India and the plethora of benefits and allowances that come with it. Also, being a public job, it comes with job security that many tend to look forward to in these fluctuating economic times.
