Key Highlights
- Vacancy: DRDO RAC is recruiting 33 Scientists (Scientist E, D & C) under the DRDO/DRDS cadre through the Lateral Recruitment Scheme.
- Qualification: First Division B.E./B.Tech, M.Sc., M.Pharmacy, MBBS/MD, or equivalent in relevant disciplines with 3–11 years of experience depending on the post.
- Last Date: Online applications can be submitted until 19 June 2026 (4:00 PM).
- Salary: Basic Pay ranges from ₹67,700 (Scientist C) to ₹1,23,100 (Scientist E) under the 7th CPC Pay Matrix.
- Selection: Administrative Screening → Technical Screening → Personal Interview. Candidates must secure 75% marks in the final interview for selection.
- Job Type: Regular Government Job under DRDO/DRDS cadre.
- Apply Mode: Online only through the RAC recruitment portal.
Defence Research and Development Organisation Recruitment & Assessment Centre (DRDO RAC) has officially released the Scientist Recruitment 2026 notification (Advt. No. 157) for multiple vacancies across Scientist E, Scientist D, and Scientist C positions under the Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) cadre. Eligible engineering and science professionals meeting the prescribed educational qualifications and experience requirements can apply online from 30 May 2026 to 19 June 2026 through the RAC recruitment portal. Selected candidates will be appointed on a regular permanent basis under the Lateral Recruitment Scheme with basic pay ranging from ₹67,700 to ₹1,23,100 per month under Pay Levels 11, 12, and 13, along with applicable allowances.
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 Notification PDF
Recruitment & Assessment Centre (RAC), Lucknow Road, Timarpur, Delhi – 110054 has officially released Advertisement No. 157 for Direct Recruitment of Scientists in DRDO cadre (Scientist E, Scientist D, Scientist C) and Encadered posts in DRDS cadre under Lateral Recruitment Scheme. The notification includes complete details on subject/discipline-wise vacancies, essential and desirable qualifications, experience requirements, age limit, application fee, selection process, and general instructions. Candidates are strongly advised to read the full notification before applying.
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 Overview
DRDO RAC is recruiting Scientists (Scientist E, D, and C) across multiple engineering and science disciplines on regular basis under Lateral Recruitment Scheme, closing date 19 June 2026.
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Vacancy Details
Vacancies are announced under two sections: (1) Regular posts in DRDS cadre and (2) Encadered posts in DRDS cadre. All above-mentioned vacancies are Unreserved (UR). (@) marked posts allow candidates from specific Divyang/PwD categories (Acid Attack Victims and Dwarfism only). (*) marked posts allow candidates from all Divyang/PwD categories except Blindness, low vision, Autism, Intellectual disability, Specific Learning disability and Mental Illness.
Section 1: Vacancies for Regular Posts in DRDS Cadre
Scientist ‘E’ – Basic Pay Rs. 1,23,100/- (Level 13 as per 7th CPC) – 01 Vacancy
Scientist ‘D’ – Basic Pay Rs. 78,800/- (Level 12 as per 7th CPC) – 07 Vacancies
Scientist ‘C’ – Basic Pay Rs. 67,700/- (Level 11 as per 7th CPC) – 17 Vacancies
Section 2: Vacancies for Encadered Posts in DRDS Cadre
Scientist ‘E’ (Encadered) – Basic Pay Rs. 1,23,100/- (Level 13) – 01 Vacancy
Scientist ‘D’ (Encadered) – Basic Pay Rs. 78,800/- (Level 12) – 04 Vacancies
Scientist ‘C’ (Encadered) – Basic Pay Rs. 67,700/- (Level 11) – 03 Vacancies
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Eligibility Criteria
Only Indian Nationals can apply. The date for determining the eligibility of all candidates in every respect shall be the prescribed Closing Date (19 June 2026). First Division means 60% marks; where CGPA/CPI of 6.75 on a 10-point scale will be taken as equivalent to 60% as per AICTE guidelines. No rounding off of marks is permitted.
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Age Limit
Age limit is as on the closing date of advertisement (19 June 2026). Maximum age shall not exceed 56 years including any relaxation. For Scientist C (Encadered posts) – there is no age relaxation under reserved categories.
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Application Fee
Application fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, payable online only.
DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Selection Process
Screening of received applications will be carried out at multiple stages. Final selection is purely based on merit of marks scored in the Final Personal Interview.
Stage 1 – Administrative Screening: Verification of identity, age, essential & higher qualifications, length of suitable experience and CCA Declaration (wherever applicable).
Stage 2 – Technical Screening (Level-1): For all Administratively Eligible candidates – Technical Screening by holding a Meeting of Technical Screening Committee (an independent body including Technical Experts from Industry/Academia/DRDO other than RAC) using Bio-data based Technical Screening at Level-1 by: (a) Relevance of suitable experience w.r.t. advertised qualifications; (b) Relevance of Desirable/Higher Qualification; (c) Any other criteria suggested by Technical Screening Committee. Predefined Ratio for Preliminary Online Interview: Up to 24 candidates for 1 post; up to 48 candidates for 2 posts.
Stage 3 – Technical Screening (Level-2 / Preliminary Online Interview, if required): If number shortlisted for Final Personal Interview is large, further shortlisting via Preliminary Online Interview of short duration (10–15 minutes). Predefined Ratio for Final Personal Interview: Up to 12 candidates for 1 post; up to 24 candidates for 2 posts.
Stage 4 – Final Personal Interview (in-person at RAC, Delhi): Final selection is purely on merit of marks scored. Candidates must score a minimum of 75% marks (75 out of 100) in the Final Personal Interview for consideration for selection. The Final Personal Interview will be held in-person only before the Selection Board at RAC, Delhi on the scheduled date – no online/virtual interview will be considered.
Note: If administrative screening does not result in minimum 6 eligible candidates against one vacancy, the subsequent selection process for that vacancy may be cancelled. If technical screening does not result in minimum 6 candidates per vacancy for Final Personal Interview, the number of vacancies will be reduced accordingly.
Competition Level Analysis for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026
The competition level for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 is expected to be very high, particularly for Scientist C posts in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering – disciplines with a large pool of eligible candidates and growing interest in DRDO’s prestigious research environment. DRDO provides one of the best career growth structures for scientists under the Flexible Complimenting Scheme (FCS), making it a highly sought-after employer.
The multi-stage shortlisting process (Administrative → Technical Level-1 → Level-2/Preliminary Online Interview → Final Personal Interview in Delhi) is rigorous. Only up to 12 candidates per vacancy reach the Final Personal Interview, and even among those, a minimum of 75% marks in the interview is mandatory for selection. For Scientist D and E posts requiring 7–11 years of experience, the competition narrows to experienced professionals, but the specificity of required experience (e.g., Optics/Photonics, Radiation Physics, Chemical Engineering for underwater applications) naturally limits the eligible pool, making those posts relatively less competitive. Niche posts like Oceanography, Pharmacology, and Remote Sensing will see very limited candidates, improving selection chances for well-qualified applicants.
Who should NOT apply for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026?
- Candidates who do not have First Division (60%+) in the essential qualifying degree – this is a hard minimum requirement and no rounding off is permitted.
- Candidates with experience below Pay Level 10 (7th CPC) or equivalent – such experience will not be counted for computing the required years of experience.
- Candidates whose period of study (higher qualification like PhD) overlaps with the work experience claimed – overlapping periods will be removed from total experience.
- Candidates applying for Scientist D or E posts who are currently unemployed for more than one year – under current employment, the period of un-employment shall not exceed one year, else the candidature will be rejected.
- Candidates serving in Government/PSU who do not upload a signed CCA Declaration – without CCA Declaration their candidature will be rejected, and NOC will be mandatory at Final Personal Interview.
- Candidates from Private Sector who cannot produce CTC/Pay drawn proof/Form 16A for the claimed experience period – this is the sole criteria for establishing experience suitability from private sector.
- Candidates exceeding the maximum age of 35 years (Scientist C), 45 years (Scientist D/E), or 56 years inclusive of all relaxations.
- Candidates who cannot attend the Final Personal Interview in-person at RAC, Delhi – no online/virtual mode is available for Final Personal Interview under any circumstances.
- Candidates who do not meet the specific work experience fields mentioned in the advertised qualifications – the Technical Screening Committee assesses relevance of experience very strictly.
- Candidates applying for Scientist C (Encadered) posts from Reserved categories seeking age relaxation – there is no category-based age relaxation for Scientist C Encadered posts.
Common mistakes / What to check before applying for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026?
- Not checking whether your experience is at or above Pay Level 10 (7th CPC) equivalent – experience below this level is invalid and will not be counted.
- Miscounting experience years by including the period of higher qualification (PhD/M.Tech) that overlaps with work experience – the overlapping period will be deducted.
- Applying for multiple posts by submitting one application – candidates applying for more than one post must apply separately for each post and mention item numbers of all other posts where they have applied, along with the order of preference.
- Not highlighting desirable qualifications and experience in the Justification column under ‘Other Section’ in the online application form – this is crucial for Technical Screening Committee’s assessment.
- Providing incorrect or non-verifiable experience details – the length of experience (date of joining along with Pay Scale/CTC and end date of each employment) should be available in attached experience documents.
- Not getting experience certificates issued by Admin/HR Head/Director/Principal/Dean/Registrar/Competent Authority – certificates issued by Group Head/Division Head/Project Head/Professor or Head of Department are not acceptable.
- Not converting CGPA to percentage before applying – CGPA/CPI of 6.75 on a 10-point scale equals 60%; candidates must provide conversion formula certificate from the university.
- Changing registered mobile number or email after application – vital information will be communicated only to the registered contact; applicants are advised not to change these.
- Locking/submitting the application without previewing it along with uploaded documents – no correction in data/application will be allowed and no document will be accepted once the application is finally submitted/locked.
- Uploading documents in language other than English or Hindi without a notarized/certified transcript – all certificates in other languages must be accompanied by notarized transcripts.
How to Apply for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026
Candidates shall apply online through the RAC website (https://rac.gov.in) for filling the online application form. Applications received through any other mode will not be entertained. On successful registration, candidates may login and submit the online application before the closing date to avoid last minute network congestion. Only locked/finalised applications in all respects shall be considered. No correction in the data/application will be allowed and no document will be accepted once the application is finally submitted/locked.
Candidates should retain a printout/copy of the online application (.pdf format) after submission.
Important: ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS INCLUDING PROOFS FOR DATE OF BIRTH / ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATION / CCA DECLARATION (IF APPLICABLE) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT ANY STAGE AFTER ADVERTISEMENT CLOSING DATE.
Documents Required at time of Interview (Originals + Copies):
- Date of Birth (DOB) proof – Self attested Matriculation / High School certificate / Birth Certificate
- A recent passport size colour photograph (not exceeding 30 KB)
- Scanned sample of candidate’s signature (not exceeding 30 KB)
- Self-attested degree certificates/testimonials regarding Essential and Higher qualification along with mark-sheets
- Fellowship proofs mentioning start date and end date of fellowship (if applicable)
- Duly signed CCA Declaration (if applicable)
- Notarized affidavit in support (if name mismatch in documents)
- Notarized/certified transcript if documents are in language other than English or Hindi
- All experience certificates (with start and end date) and salary Proofs / Appointment letter (with pay scale or CTC), Promotion letters (with revised scales or CTC), Form 16A and Salary slips (beginning and end of each employment)
- Requisite caste / disability certificate (for SC/ST/Divyang – for fee waiver only)
- Requisite Release certificate (if retired Armed Forces personnel)
- CCA Declaration (applicable) and NOC at Final Personal Interview stage
Apply Online at: https://rac.gov.in
For queries: Phone 011-23889578 or email at [email protected] (for applying online); Phone 011-23889529 or email at [email protected] (for other queries).
Important Instructions for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 Candidates
- All candidates must apply online through https://rac.gov.in only. No other mode of application is accepted.
- Closing Date: 19 June 2026 (1600 hrs.) – facility for online application submission will remain available on RAC website only up to this time.
- Do not divulge any confidential information related to work experience of present or previous employer while filling the application; RAC shall not be held responsible for revelation of such information.
- Ensure candidate’s name and parents’ names are filled exactly as in Date of Birth proof; name mismatch requires notarized affidavit at time of filling the online application.
- For multiple posts – apply separately for each post and mention item numbers and order of preference in each application.
- Do not change registered mobile number or Email after application – vital information about eligibility/shortlisting/selection status will be intimated through Email/SMS only.
- Only locked/finalised applications shall be considered – no correction will be allowed after final submission. Preview application with all uploaded documents before final submission.
- The maximum file size of each document/certificate should not exceed 500 KB; uploaded documents must be legible/readable and not password protected.
- Final Personal Interview will be held in-person at RAC, Delhi only – no online/virtual interview mode will be considered under any circumstances.
- Candidates must score minimum 75% marks (75 out of 100) in Final Personal Interview for consideration for selection.
- Selected candidates will have liability to serve anywhere in India including remote/field area locations as per Central Government Rules.
- Canvassing in any form will disqualify the candidate.
- RAC does not request for any payment at any stage of recruitment process except the application fee. No such demand should be entertained.
- Any dispute will be subject to the Hon’ble Courts/Tribunals having jurisdiction over Delhi only.
- DRDO under DPDP Act 2023 declares that candidate’s personal data received through online application will be processed for recruitment purpose only.
- Incomplete applications will be summarily rejected.
- The number of vacancies may vary; RAC reserves the right to modify the screening/shortlisting procedure depending upon availability of suitable candidates.
