DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Advt. No. 157 | Apply Online for Scientist C, D & E Posts

DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 is officially open. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), through its Recruitment & Assessment Centre (RAC), has released Advertisement No. 157 in the Employment News dated 30 May – 5 June 2026, inviting applications for 36 vacancies across Scientist ‘C’, Scientist ‘D’, and Scientist ‘E’ posts in the Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) cadre. This is a lateral recruitment drive, meaning experienced scientists and engineers from industry, academia, and other government bodies can apply directly — even if they are not already in DRDO. The last date to apply online is 19 June 2026 (by 4:00 PM). If you have relevant research and development experience and a first-class engineering or science degree, this is one of the most prestigious government science jobs you can apply for this year.

📌 Also Read: Latest Government Job Notifications 2026

DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 – Quick Overview

Important Dates

⚠️ Don’t wait for the last day! The RAC portal may slow down near the deadline — submit your application a few days early to avoid technical glitches.

DRDO RAC Vacancy 2026 – Post-wise Breakup

All 36 vacancies are Unreserved (UR) and spread across various scientific and engineering disciplines. Here is the complete breakup.

Scientist ‘E’ (Total: 2 Posts | Experience: Minimum 11 Years)

Scientist ‘D’ (Total: 11 Posts | Experience: Minimum 7 Years)

Scientist ‘C’ (Total: 23 Posts | Experience: Minimum 3 Years)

💡 Pro Tip: Candidates with a Ph.D. or M.E./M.Tech degree get experience weightage — this can help you clear the minimum experience bar even if your direct R&D years are slightly short (see Eligibility section below).

📌 Also Read: NIC Scientist B Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online

Eligibility Criteria for DRDO RAC Recruitment 2026

Educational Qualification

You must hold a First Class Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering/Technology in the relevant discipline, OR a First Class Master’s Degree in the relevant Science discipline, from a recognised university. First Class means 60% marks or above. Note: 59.99% will NOT be rounded up to 60% — the notification is explicit on this.

If your university uses a CGPA grading system, the equivalent is 6.75 on a 10-point scale (as per AICTE guidelines).

Higher Qualification Experience Weightage:

This weightage is treated as research experience, subject to the committee’s determination of relevance.

Age Limit (as on 19 June 2026)

Age Relaxation:

Work Experience Requirements

✅ Experience is counted as on the closing date — 19 June 2026. Higher qualification weightage (Ph.D., M.Tech, etc.) can reduce the years of direct experience required.

Application Fee

Payment is accepted online only during the application process. No offline payment mode is accepted.

DRDO Scientist Salary 2026 – Pay Scale and Allowances

This is what most aspirants want to know first. Here is the exact pay for each level under the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC):

In addition to basic pay, selected scientists receive:

• Dearness Allowance (DA) — currently revised biannually
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) — based on city classification (X, Y, Z)
• Transport Allowance (TA)
• Medical Facilities for self and family
• Leave Travel Concession (LTC)
• Gratuity and Pension benefits as per Central Government rules

Taking current DA and HRA into account, the estimated gross monthly salary works out to roughly ₹1.1 lakh – ₹1.4 lakh for Scientist C, ₹1.3 lakh – ₹1.6 lakh for Scientist D, and ₹1.9 lakh+ for Scientist E in metro cities. These are strong packages in the government science sector.

One added advantage: DRDO follows the Flexible Complimenting Scheme (FCS), under which promotion to higher pay levels is not tied to vacancy availability. You can progress based on your performance and tenure — unlike most government departments.

📌 Also Read: 8th Pay Commission 2026 – Latest Salary Revision Updates

Selection Process for DRDO RAC Recruitment 2026

DRDO uses a multi-stage, merit-based screening process. Here is how it works:

1. Stage 1 – Administrative Screening: RAC verifies your identity, age, qualifications, experience length, and whether the CCA (Central Co-ordinating Authority) Declaration applies to your current post.
2. Stage 2 – Technical Screening (Level-1): An independent Technical Screening Committee — including experts from industry, academia, and DRDO — reviews your bio-data. They assess the relevance of your experience, the weight of any higher qualifications, and other discipline-specific criteria.
3. Stage 3 – Preliminary Online Interview (Level-2, if required): If a large number of candidates clear the technical screening, DRDO may conduct a short online interview of 10–15 minutes. The shortlisting ratio is up to 24 candidates per post for a single vacancy (48 per post for 2 vacancies).
4. Stage 4 – Final Personal Interview (In-person, at RAC Delhi): This is the decisive round. You must appear before the Selection Board in person at RAC headquarters in Delhi. Online or telephonic interviews are not permitted at this stage. The minimum qualifying score is 75 out of 100. Final selection is based purely on merit in this interview.

⚠️ There is no written examination. The entire selection is bio-data and interview based. Your research output, publications, patents, and hands-on project experience will carry significant weight.

How to Apply for DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026

The DRDO RAC apply online process is straightforward if you prepare your documents in advance. Follow these steps:

1. Visit the official RAC website: https://rac.gov.in
2. Click on the “Online Registration” link for Advertisement No. 157
3. Register with your name, valid mobile number, and personal email ID (all interview/shortlisting communications will come here)
4. Log in with the credentials received after registration
5. Fill in the application form with your personal, educational, and experience details accurately
6. Upload scanned copies of your photograph, signature, educational certificates, mark sheets, experience letters, pay slips, and any other required documents
7. If applying for more than one post, submit a separate application for each item and mention your order of preference
8. Review the complete form carefully before final submission
9. Pay the application fee online (if applicable)
10. Lock and submit the application — no corrections are allowed after final submission
11. Download the submitted application PDF and keep it for future reference

💡 Pro Tip: Keep your scanned photo (JPG, under 50 KB) and signature file ready before you start. Having your experience certificates and pay slips organised as PDFs beforehand will save a lot of time during the form-filling process.

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions

Summing Up…

The DRDO RAC Scientist Recruitment 2026 (Advt. No. 157) is a rare lateral entry opportunity to join India’s premier defence R&D organisation in a permanent government role. Whether you’re in industry, academia, or another government body — if you have the right qualifications and experience, this notification is worth every minute of your time. With a last date of 19 June 2026, the window is short. Read the notification carefully, gather all your documents, and apply online at rac.gov.in well before the deadline.

Stay ahead of application deadlines — follow Govtserviceinfo.com for daily Sarkari Naukri alerts and central government job updates.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the official DRDO RAC Recruitment 2026 notification (Advt. No. 157) published in Employment News dated 30 May 2026 and on the RAC website. Govtserviceinfo.com is not affiliated with DRDO or RAC in any way. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official notification and website at rac.gov.in before applying. Information such as dates, vacancies, and eligibility criteria may be updated by the organisation without notice.