DRDO Scientist Recruitment 2026 – 33 C,D,E Scientist | RAC Advt. No. 157

DRDO is hiring scientists across multiple engineering and science disciplines, and this round (Advt. No. 157) covers 33 vacancies at three levels — Scientist C, Scientist D, and Scientist E. The salary starts from ₹67,700 per month and goes up to ₹1,23,100 per month at the Scientist E level. You need at minimum a first division bachelor’s degree in engineering or a first division master’s degree in science, plus relevant research or development experience ranging from 3 to 11 years depending on the level. Applications are open through the RAC website and must be submitted by 19 June 2026 (4:00 PM). Read this article carefully and go through the official DRDO Scientist Recruitment 2026 notification before applying.

Information verified from official DRDO Recruitment & Assessment Centre (RAC) notification No. Advt. No. 157 dated 04 June 2026.

Quick Summary of DRDO Scientist Recruitment 2026

About DRDO and RAC

DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) is India’s premier defence research agency, operating under the Ministry of Defence. It runs over 50 laboratories and establishments focused on military systems, aerospace, electronics, naval technology, and life sciences. Recruitment for scientists is handled by the Recruitment & Assessment Centre (RAC), headquartered in Delhi.

Read more about Government Jobs on indiajobalerts.com for related openings.

DRDO Advt. 157 covers 33 vacancies across specialisations including ECE, CSE, Mechanical, Chemical, Physics, Oceanography, and more. By comparison, ISRO’s Scientist/Engineer SC recruitment cycles typically advertise 100–300 vacancies with a higher intake of freshers. DRDO’s Lateral Recruitment route targets working professionals with proven experience, so competition is calibrated differently — fewer applicants per post, but every candidate is a specialist. For experienced engineers and scientists already in research roles at PSUs, academia, or the private sector, DRDO’s service conditions (permanent central govt. post, FCS-based promotion delinked from vacancy) make this a meaningful career step up. BARC and ISRO do not routinely offer experience-based lateral entry at this salary band, which makes this round stand out.

Important Dates

Applications are open from today and close in just over two weeks. Submit your application in advance. here are some important dates for your reference.

Vacancy Details & Salary

Here’s the breakdown of posts, total vacancy and salary for your reference.

Section 1: Regular Posts in DRDS Cadre

Section 2: Encadered Posts in DRDS Cadre

Total: 33 vacancies — all Unreserved (General) category.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for DRDO Scientist Recruitment 2026 include education, experience, and age requirements. Candidates should make sure they meet all the conditions before applying.

Educational Qualification

Eligibility varies by item number. The general rules are:

• Scientist E (Items 1, 24): At least first division Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering/Technology in the relevant discipline OR first division Master’s Degree in Science (where specified). Minimum 11 years’ post-qualification experience in research, design, or development.
• Scientist D (Items 2–8, 25–28): At least first division Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering/Technology in the relevant discipline OR first division Master’s Degree in Science (where specified). Minimum 7 years’ experience in the relevant field.
• Scientist C (Items 9–23, 29–30): At least first division Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering/Technology OR first division Master’s Degree in the relevant science discipline. Minimum 3 years’ experience.
• First division means 60% marks or above. Where a university uses CGPA, 6.75 on a 10-point scale is treated as equivalent to 60% as per AICTE guidelines. No rounding off is permitted.
• Higher qualifications carry experience weightage: M.E./M.Tech = 2 years, PhD in Science = 3 years, PhD in Engineering = 4 years. The higher qualification must be in a relevant discipline and obtained before the closing date.
• Experience gained as Research Fellow, SRF, or Project Assistant (except ADA, Bengaluru) is counted for a maximum of 3 years only.
• Experience below Pay Level 10 (7th CPC) is not counted. Private sector applicants must submit Form 16A or CTC documents as proof of pay level.

Age Limit

As of 19 June 2026 (the closing date):

• Scientist D and Scientist E: Not exceeding 45 years
• Scientist C: Not exceeding 35 years
• Age relaxation: up to 10 years for Divyang/PwD candidates; up to 5 years for serving Central Government employees with at least 3 years of continuous regular service in an allied post; relaxation for Ex-Servicemen as per rules in force.
• Maximum age including any relaxation: 56 years.

Divyang/PwD Eligibility

Posts marked (@) in the notification accept only candidates with Acid Attack Victim or Dwarfism disability categories. Posts marked (*) are open to all PwD categories except Blindness, Low Vision, Autism, Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability, and Mental Illness.

Selection Process

This is a multi-stage process, and every stage acts as a filter. Here is what to expect:

1. Administrative Screening — RAC verifies identity, age, essential qualification, length of suitable experience, and CCA Declaration (if applicable). If fewer than 6 candidates per vacancy clear this stage, the recruitment for that post may be cancelled.
2. Technical Screening (Level 1) — An independent Technical Screening Committee evaluates biodata for relevance of experience and desirable qualifications. Up to 24 candidates per post are shortlisted.
3. Preliminary Online Interview (Level 2, if required) — A short 10–15 minute online interview is held if the Level 1 shortlist is still too large. Up to 12 candidates per post are carried forward.
4. Final Personal Interview — Conducted in-person only at RAC, Delhi. No exceptions for remote or online conduct. Minimum qualifying score: 75 out of 100. Final selection is based entirely on this interview score.

One practical note straight from the notification: candidates who currently work in any government organisation, PSU, or joint venture (where the government holds 50% or more stake) must upload a CCA Declaration at the time of application, confirming they have informed their Cadre Controlling Authority in writing. An NOC from the CCA is mandatory at the time of the Final Personal Interview — candidates who fail to produce it will not be allowed to appear.

Application Fee

How to Apply for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026

Register and apply online at https://rac.gov.in before 19 June 2026 (4:00 PM).

1. Visit https Online application link provided in the important link section at the bottom of this article to complete one-time registration.
2. Log in with your registered credentials and open the application form for Advt. No. 157.
3. Fill in personal details, ensuring your name and parents’ names exactly match the Date of Birth proof. Any mismatch requires a notarised affidavit uploaded at this stage.
4. Enter experience details — do not disclose confidential information from your current or previous employer. RAC explicitly states it will not be responsible for any information revealed through this form.
5. Upload all required documents (see checklist below).
6. Pay the application fee online if applicable.
7. Preview the complete application and all uploaded documents before locking.
8. Lock/finalise the application. No corrections are permitted after final submission.
9. Download and retain a PDF copy of the submitted application.
10. If applying for more than one post, submit a separate application for each. Mention all other item numbers you have applied for and your order of preference in case of selection across multiple items.

Documents Checklist Before You Submit

• Date of Birth proof (Matriculation/High School certificate or Birth Certificate from local authority)
• Passport size colour photo (recent, max 30 KB)
• Signature scan (max 30 KB)
• Degree certificates and mark sheets (essential and higher qualifications, self-attested)
• Fellowship proofs with start and end dates (if claiming fellowship experience)
• Experience certificates with joining and leaving dates, issued by Admin/HR Head, Director, Principal, Dean, Registrar, or Head of Organisation only — not by Group Head or Project Head
• Salary proofs/appointment letters, promotion orders, Form 16A, salary slips (beginning and end of each employment)
• CCA Declaration (signed, if currently working in a government-owned organisation)
• Caste/disability certificate (for SC/ST fee waiver or PwD category)
• Release certificate (for retired Armed Forces personnel)
• Documents in languages other than English or Hindi require a notarised/certified transcript

Important Links

Candidates applying for DRDO Scientist posts are advised to visit the important links below for the official PDF and application form:

Should You Apply?

This recruitment is a genuine opportunity if you are an engineer or scientist already working in R&D, design, or development — and if your experience has been at the right pay level (Level 10 or above under 7th CPC, or CTC equivalent). DRDO does not hire freshers through this route. The qualification bar is high, the experience proof requirements are detailed, and the CCA declaration process adds a step if you are currently in a government role.

For ECE, CSE, and Mechanical engineers with 3–7 years of solid research experience, the Scientist C and D vacancies are worth a serious look. The Scientist E posts (11 years’ experience) are for senior professionals who are ready to lead. The salary at entry level may be comparable to mid-level private sector roles, but the permanent central government nature of the post, FCS-based promotion, and the prestige of DRDO as an employer have long-term value that a private R&D role typically cannot replicate.

(The following is editorial context, not part of the official notification.) Based on past DRDO lateral recruitment cycles, candidates with a PhD in Engineering often find the experience weightage (4 years) makes them competitive at the Scientist D level even with fewer years of actual job experience. Those with an M.Tech get 2 years of weightage. If that combined count brings you just above the minimum threshold, be honest with yourself about whether your research relevance is strong — the Technical Screening Committee evaluates quality of experience, not just years.

Who should probably skip it: candidates whose current work experience does not clearly align with any of the 30 item-specific disciplines, or those whose experience is below Pay Level 10. Part-time, daily wage, trainee, and teaching assistant experience is explicitly excluded. If you cannot produce proper experience certificates from competent authority (not project supervisors), your application risks rejection at the administrative stage.

The Final Personal Interview is in-person at Delhi. Factor in travel and accommodation costs if you are based outside the NCR region.

See also: Central Government Engineer Recruitment 2026 for a comparison of open posts across DRDO, BEL, ISRO, and BARC.

FAQs — DRDO Scientist Recruitment 2026

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sandeep Khati is the founder of India Job Alerts and a B.Tech in Computer Science from JGEC (2010). He started his career as a Systems Engineer at TCS and has been active in digital publishing since 2011, beginning with SearchDarjeeling.com(2011) and working as a web developer and designer at Darjeeling Informatics. Launched in April 2025, India Job Alerts is his most focused project — dedicated to publishing verified government and PSU job notifications for West Bengal, Sikkim, and All-India candidates. Every post is cross-checked against official notifications before publishing.. Know more

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