The High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune, a laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, has released Advertisement No. HEMRL/HRD/APPRENTICE/2026-27/01 for the engagement of Graduate Apprentices for one-year training. The last date to submit the application is 28 August 2026. The DRDO HEMRL Graduate Apprentice suits fresh graduates in engineering, science, and commerce/arts streams who want structured, one-year exposure to a DRDO research establishment.
HEMRL is inviting applications for a total of 50 Graduate Apprentice posts across eleven disciplines, with training based at its Sutarwadi campus in Pune, Maharashtra. A full discipline-wise breakdown is given below. Candidates should check all details in the article below.
Information verified from the official HEMRL notification No. HEMRL/HRD/APPRENTICE/2026-27/01. Last verified: 10 August 2026.
HEMRL, DRDO, is recruiting 50 Graduate Apprentice posts across disciplines such as Chemical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Computer Science, Electrical, Electronics, Civil, Chemistry, Arts, Commerce, Library Science and Business Administration, through Advertisement No. HEMRL/HRD/APPRENTICE/2026-27/01. The last date to apply is 28 August 2026, and applications must be submitted offline by post after registering on the NATS 2.0 portal. Selection is through shortlisting based on academic merit, written test, interview or walk-in interview, subject to document verification.
Quick summary of DRDO HEMRL Graduate Apprentice 2026
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), DRDO |
| Post | Graduate Apprentice |
| Total Vacancy | 50 Posts |
| Stipend | ₹15,000 per month (all disciplines) |
| Application Mode | Offline (by post), after NATS 2.0 registration |
| Eligibility | Graduate degree (BE/B.Tech/B.Sc/BA/B.Com/BBA/BLIS) in specified discipline, passed 2022-2026 |
| Selection Process | Shortlisting by academic merit / written test / interview / walk-in interview |
| Place of Posting | Sutarwadi, Pashan, Pune – 411021, Maharashtra |
| Last Date | 28 August 2026 |
| Who Can Apply | Indian nationals with a qualifying degree, no prior apprenticeship or 1+ year job experience |
Also Read: DRDO DRDL Internship 2026 – 165 Posts
About HEMRL, Sutarwadi, Pune
HEMRL, Sutarwadi, Pune, is one of the premier research and development establishments under DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It conducts training for apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961 and Apprentice Rules, 1992. A DRDO apprenticeship gives a candidate structured exposure to a government R&D environment and a recognised training certificate, which many candidates use to strengthen applications for PSU and defence-sector roles later. (Added context, not part of the official notification. Confirm current activities with the official HEMRL/DRDO website.)
How this compares to other current openings
HEMRL is not the only DRDO laboratory running an apprentice drive this cycle — other establishments such as GTRE (Bengaluru) and ISSA have also floated apprentice notifications for 2026-27 in overlapping technical streams. Candidates open to relocating, or already tracking DRDO apprenticeship options, may want to check announcements from other DRDO labs in parallel rather than applying to only one. (This is added context, not part of the official notification. Confirm with the respective DRDO laboratory websites.)
Important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Application start date | Not mentioned in the official notification |
| Last date to submit application | 28 August 2026 |
Also Read: DRDO ARDE JRF & Research Associate 2026 – 24 Posts
The notification does not give a separate cut-off date for age or qualifying-exam eligibility beyond the “passed in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026” condition stated below.
Vacancy details and stipend
All 50 posts fall under the single category Graduate Apprentice (BE/B.Tech/General Stream). The stipend is the same for every discipline: ₹15,000 per month. Category-wise (General/SC/ST/OBC) seat allocation will be done as per prevalent rules; the notification does not give a category-wise number for each discipline.
| Discipline | No. of Posts | Stipend (per month) |
|---|---|---|
| B.E./B.Tech in Chemical Engineering / Chemical Technology | 10 | ₹15,000 |
| B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering | 08 | ₹15,000 |
| B.E./B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering / Aeronautical Engineering | 02 | ₹15,000 |
| B.E./B.Tech in Computer & Information Science / Computer Engineering / B.Sc in Computer Science | 05 | ₹15,000 |
| B.E./B.Tech in Electrical / Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering | 02 | ₹15,000 |
| B.E./B.Tech in Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering | 03 | ₹15,000 |
| B.E./B.Tech in Civil Engineering | 02 | ₹15,000 |
| B.Sc in Chemistry | 09 | ₹15,000 |
| Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) | 03 | ₹15,000 |
| Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) | 03 | ₹15,000 |
| BLIS (Library Science) | 02 | ₹15,000 |
| Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | 01 | ₹15,000 |
| Total | 50 | — |
Also Read: DRDO SSPL Apprentice Recruitment 2026 – 41 ITI, Diploma & Graduate Posts
Eligibility
Common conditions (apply to every post):
- Only Indian nationals are eligible.
- Candidates must have passed the qualifying examination in the last five years (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026) as a regular candidate.
- Candidates whose qualifying-exam result was not declared by the last date of application are not eligible.
- Candidates holding a higher qualification than the one required for the discipline applied to are not eligible.
- Candidates who have already completed or are currently undergoing an apprenticeship, or who have one year or more of job experience after their qualifying degree, are not eligible.
- Minimum age: 18 years. Maximum age and any relaxation apply as per the Apprentices Act, 1961, Apprentice Rules, 1992, and NATS 2.0 guidelines — a specific maximum age figure is not mentioned in the official notification.
- PwBD candidates are eligible only for trades designated under Apprenticeship Rules, 1992.
Discipline-wise qualification is exactly as listed in the Vacancy details table above — each post requires the specific degree named against it (for example, the Chemical stream requires B.E./B.Tech in Chemical Engineering or Chemical Technology; the Chemistry posts require B.Sc in Chemistry).
Selection process
HEMRL will shortlist candidates depending on the vacancies available in each discipline. Selection is not guaranteed simply by meeting the minimum eligibility.
- Shortlisting on the basis of academic merit, written test, interview, walk-in interview, or a combination of these — HEMRL reserves the right to decide its own shortlisting method for each discipline.
- Document verification of the original certificates against the application.
- Selected candidates are informed by email with joining instructions; candidates not selected receive no further communication.
- Final selection also depends on the candidate meeting the health standards prescribed under the Apprentices Act, 1961 and Apprentice Rules, 1992, confirmed through a physical fitness certificate at the time of joining.
Also Read: DRDO SSPL JRF & RA Recruitment 2026 – 23 Posts
How to apply for DRDO HEMRL Graduate Apprentice
- Register on the NATS 2.0 portal (National Apprenticeship Training Scheme). The exact registration URL is not printed in this notification.
- Download the application form from the official DRDO page: drdo.gov.in — Vacancies.
- Fill the form in capital letters, mentioning marks in percentage (convert CGPA to percentage using your university’s own norms).
- Attach a recent passport-size colour photograph on the form.
- Sign the completed, ink-signed application and send it only by post — online/email applications are not accepted — to: The Director, HEMRL, Ministry of Defence, DRDO, Sutarwadi, Pashan, Pune – 411021.
- Ensure the application reaches this address before 28 August 2026. Incomplete applications or those received after the last date will be rejected, and no further communication will be entertained on this.
Documents to keep ready (for document verification):
- Ink-signed printout of the application form
- Signed copy of the NATS 2.0 profile
- Mark sheets and certificates (original or provisional) from 10th standard up to the qualifying degree
- Aadhaar card/photo ID proof and address proof
- Two recent passport-size colour photographs (6×7)
- SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), PwBD and EWS certificates from the competent authority, if applicable
For any clarification, candidates can contact HEMRL at 020-25912751.
Important links
- Official HEMRL Apprentice Notification PDF
- DRDO Vacancies page — download application form
- More Apprentice vacancies on India Job Alerts
- Latest Jobs — All India
- Graduate qualification jobs
Should you apply?
This suits a fresh graduate who has passed out between 2022 and 2026, has not already done an apprenticeship elsewhere, and wants a one-year, government-linked training exposure at a defence R&D lab rather than an immediate job. It does not suit anyone who already has a year or more of work experience, since that makes a candidate ineligible, or anyone who needs financial certainty beyond the training year — the notification is explicit that no employment (permanent, temporary or contractual) is offered at HEMRL or DRDO after the apprenticeship ends, and no TA/DA, accommodation, transport or medical facilities are provided during the process or the training. The honest trade-off is exposure and a certificate versus a fixed, modest stipend and zero job guarantee at the end. Competition is likely to be sharpest in disciplines with very few seats — Aerospace/Aeronautical (2) and Civil (2) — compared with more open categories like Chemical Engineering (10) or Chemistry (9). (Competition assessment is added context, not part of the official notification.)
FAQs
What is the last date to apply for HEMRL DRDO Apprentice 2026?
The last date to submit the offline application for HEMRL Graduate Apprentice 2026-27 is 28 August 2026. Applications must reach the postal address given in the notification by this date; late applications are rejected.
What is the stipend for HEMRL DRDO apprentice posts?
HEMRL is offering a stipend of ₹15,000 per month for all 50 Graduate Apprentice posts, regardless of discipline. This figure is stated directly in the official notification.
Does DRDO offer a job after the HEMRL apprenticeship?
No. The notification states plainly that no employment — permanent, temporary or contractual — is offered at HEMRL or DRDO to any apprentice after the one-year training ends, and no apprentice can claim one.
How do I apply for HEMRL DRDO Apprentice 2026-27?
Candidates must first register on the NATS 2.0 portal, then download and fill the application form from the DRDO vacancies page, and send the signed, ink-printed application by post to the Director, HEMRL, Pune – 411021. Only offline applications are accepted; there is no online submission for this notification.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am Sandeep Khati, the founder of India Job Alerts. I hold a B.Tech in Computer Science from JGEC (2010). My career began as a Systems Engineer at TCS, and I have been active in the digital publishing space since 2011, starting with the launch of SearchDarjeeling.com and my work as a web developer and designer at Darjeeling Informatics.
Launched in April 2025, India Job Alerts is my most focused project to date. I am dedicated to publishing verified government and PSU job notifications for candidates in West Bengal, Sikkim, and across India. To guarantee accuracy, I personally cross-check every post against official notifications before publishing. Know more