RRB ALP Normalisation 2026, Check Formula, Method, Tie Breaking Rules

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) conducts the Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) CBT exams in multiple shifts because lakhs of candidates appear for the exam across India. Since every shift cannot be of the same difficulty level, the RRB ALP Normalisation 2026 is used to ensure fairness. In this article, we provide complete details on the normalisation process, including the percentile score, calculation of normalisation, base shift details, and more.

RRB ALP Normalisation 2026

RRB normalisation is a statistical method used to balance marks obtained in different shifts of the CBT exam. Since the question papers differ in difficulty from shift to shift, raw marks cannot be compared directly. Instead of using raw marks, RRB uses Percentile Scores to prepare the merit list. This method converts raw marks into percentile scores so that no candidate is advantaged or disadvantaged due to a tougher or easier shift.

What is a Percentile Score?

A percentile score indicates the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or below a particular candidate in the same shift. It is not the same thing as percentage marks scored in the exam. For example, if a candidate gets a percentile of 85, it means 85% of candidates in that shift scored less than or equal to him/her.

RRB ALP Normalisation Formula 2026 (Percentile Calculation)

RRB uses the following formula to calculate the percentile score:

What Are “Normalised Marks” as per RRB ALP Normalisation?

RRB normalisation is a statistical method used to balance marks obtained in different shifts of the CBT exam. Since the question papers differ in difficulty from shift to shift, raw marks cannot be compared directly. RRB calculated normalisation of marks using a Base Shift.

What is Base Shift?

The Base Shift is selected as follows:

1. Shift with highest average (mean) marks
2. It must have at least 70% of average candidate count
3. If tie:
   1. Higher individual marks in a particular shift
   2. If still tied, shift with the higher number of candidates

RRB ALP Normalised Marks Formula (Interpolation)

If a candidate’s percentile exists in the base shift, marks are taken directly. Otherwise, interpolation is used. The interpolation formula is as follows:

RRB ALP Tie-Breaking Rules 2026

If two or more candidates get the same percentile score, RRB follows this order:

• The older candidate gets a higher rank
• If age is also the same → Alphabetical order of name (A–Z)