The average Loco Pilot salary in India is INR 30,000 per month. It may go up to INR 50,000 per month excluding allowances based on their experience and qualifications.
The Loco Pilot position was taken by someone who shares the responsibility of operating locomotor trains. Hence, the term 'Loco' – short for 'Locomotor,' and 'Pilot' – the main engine operator. The loco pilot also attends to the maintenance of trains during transit, and handling heavy machinery can be dangerous. On average, Loco Pilot salary is INR 5 Lakhs per annum, and it may go up to INR 40 Lakh per annum.
Who is a Loco Pilot?
Loco pilots operate the train and maintain its machinery during transit. As a senior-level position, the responsibilities involved are quite heavy. Some of the responsibilities include running the train smoothly, making sure the locomotive functions are working as expected, carrying out minor to major repairs whenever required, constantly keeping a lookout for signal changes, maintaining communications with officials on the train, and the operators from the stations themselves.
Usually, loco pilots work on freight trains that last for a decade or more. That's why loco pilots should get comfortable with the machinery they're working with quickly; essentially, they must be a walking encyclopedia for the dos and don'ts of operating and maintaining the train. Loco pilots don't have to do this alone, though; in fact, their responsibilities and activities are under the supervision of the train manager, with whom they may work to get things done constantly.
Salary of a Loco Pilot
The average salary of an assistant loco pilot is about INR 35,000 per month. However, their pay scale may range between INR 5,200 to INR 20,200 per month. Their grade pay of INR 1,900 is provided, along with some allowances, such as severance, dearness, house rent, transport, and night duties.
Loco Pilot salary and average salary details are mentioned below in the table.
| Loco Pilot Salary | Average Salary |
| Assistant Loco Pilot Salary | INR 30,000 |
| Senior Assistant Loco Pilot Salary | INR 50,000 |
Loco Pilot career promotions are expected in the following order.
- Senior Assistant Loco Pilot
- Loco Pilot
- Loco Supervisor, i.e., Loco Foreman
Loco pilots get other allowances and perks, which includes,
- House Rent Allowance (HRA)
- Transport Allowance
- Dearness Allowance (DA)
- Night Duty Allowance
- Running Allowance
Assistant Loco Pilot Salary
The duties of assistant Loco Pilot include sending information like tuning Loco and sending signals, assisting basic maintenance and proper operation of Loco. The Assistant Loco Pilot's basic salary is INR 3 Lakhs per annum.
The salary details of Assistant Loco Pilot Salary are tabulated below.
| Assistant Loco Pilot Salary | Salary Per Month |
| Basic Salary | Up to INR 20,000 |
| Median Salary | INR 30,000 |
| Maximum Salary | Up to INR 50,000 |
Senior Assistant Loco Pilot Salary
Senior Assistant Loco Pilot takes responsibilities like supervising and sensing signals and proper operation of the Loco. The highest salary can go up to INR 40 Lakhs per annum.
The salary details of the Senior Assistant Loco Pilot Salary are tabulated below.
| Senior Assistant Loco Pilot Salary | Salary Per Month |
| Basic Salary | Up to INR 40,000 |
| Median Salary | INR 50,000 |
| Maximum Salary | Up to INR 70,000 |
Eligibility to Become a Loco Pilot
Fulfilling the eligibility criteria to become a loco pilot is considered lukewarm in difficulty. The reason being it has a low entry barrier. It's still a responsibility-heavy job.
The eligibility criteria is mentioned below.
- One must either be an Indian citizen or be of Indian origins with the intent to migrate and permanently reside in India.
- One must have passed classes 10 and 12 from a recognized board.
Besides, one must also have completed at least one of the following courses:
- ITI course from an institute recognized by NCVT/SCVT.
- An Electrical, Electronics, or Mechanical Diploma in Engineering.
- Automobile Engineering streams from an AICTE-recognised institute.
- The Act Apprenticeship course.
- The age must be between 18-28 years. Candidates under the reserved categories will have relaxation on this.
Skills Required by a Loco Pilot
The most crucial aspect to becoming a loco pilot is your hand-eye coordination with everything that's mechanical. Without any strong fundamental knowledge of the machinery you're working on, it can lead to catastrophic results. It's why a good amount of patience and concentration for long periods of time is important. In turn, Loco Pilot also requires good physical stamina in case of emergencies; this will prove useful.
Second, comes your level of judgment and decision-making skills that will play a moderate level in the job you're doing. One can improve these skill sets by obtaining a holistic perspective or awareness of health, safety regulations, and emergency protocols related to railway services.
Entrance Exam Pattern for Loco Pilot
There is a certain exam pattern being followed. For one, it is a computer-based test divided into two parts.
The entrance test is divided into two sections: Part A and Part B (with Section A and B), which are detailed below.
- Part A consists of 75 questions that must be finished within a 60-minute time slot.
- Part B consists of 175 questions, and the time slot provided for it is 150 minutes.
- Section A of Part B gets 100 questions and 90 minutes, while Section B of Part B gets 75 questions and 60 minutes.
The types of questions asked include reason-based, awareness-based, arithmetic, and general science-based questions. However, most questions asked are arithmetic. For that reason, the baseline knowledge on mathematics must be near-perfect; these questions carry the most weightage as far as marks go.
Books to Prepare for Loco Pilot Exam
If one was looking for books that they can use to prepare for the loco pilot exam, then the following are worth looking into.
| Books | Author Name |
| Railway Assistant Loco Pilot and Technician | Arihant Publications |
| Lucent's General Knowledge | Dr Binary Kamra |
| General Science for RRB Junior Engineer, NTPC, ALP & Group D Exams | Disha Experts |
| Lucent's General Science | Ravi Bhushan |
| A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning | RS Aggarwal |
| Manorama Yearbook | Malayalam Manorama Group |
| 101 Speed Test for Indian Railways (RRB) Assistant Loco Pilot Exam - Stage I & II | Deepak Agarwal, Gajendra Kumar, & Shirpa Agarwal |
Pros and Cons of Becoming a Loco Pilot
Any new role comes with its benefits and challenges, and that's no different for a loco pilot.
Here are some of those pros and cons involved:
| Pros | Cons |
| As a government job, it provides financial and professional stability. | The financial dividends, as well as the promotions involved, are not significantly lucrative. |
| Travelling is part of the job, which can be exciting for some people. | Travelling can also be tiring for some, and it will take their time away from their friends and families. |
| A sedentary lifestyle is minimal, if not absent, due to the job's field-based nature. | Loco pilots deal with shifts that extend for as long as 3 days. |
