DRDO RAC Recruitment 2026

Eligibility Criteria :
Only Indian nationals are eligible to apply. Eligibility will be determined based on the closing date (19 June 2026).
A First Division is defined as 60% marks or above. A CGPA/CPI of 6.75 on a 10-point scale is considered equivalent to 60% as per AICTE norms. No rounding off of marks will be permitted.

Educational Qualification :
Candidates must possess ;
A First Division Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology in the relevant discipline, OR
A First Division Master’s degree in the relevant discipline from a recognized university.

Experience Requirement :
Only experience gained after obtaining the essential qualification will be considered ;
Scientist C: Minimum 3 years.
Scientist D: Minimum 7 years.
Scientist E: Minimum 11 years.
Experience below Pay Level 10 (7th CPC) or equivalent will not be considered valid.

CCA Declaration / NOC :
Government/PSU employees must upload a signed CCA Declaration during application.
A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Cadre Controlling Authority is mandatory at the time of the final interview.
Higher Qualification Weightage ;
Additional experience credit is provided for higher qualifications ;
M.E./M.Tech: +2 years.
Doctorate in Science: +3 years.
PhD in Pharmacy: +3 years.
PhD in Engineering: +4 years.
Medical PG (relevant posts): +3 years.
These must be in a relevant discipline and completed before the closing date. Overlapping study and work periods will not be counted.

Private Sector Experience :
Private sector applicants must submit valid proof such as ;
Salary slips / CTC documents.
Form 16A / income tax records.
Only documented pay/CTC will be considered for experience validation.

Nationality :
Only Indian citizens are eligible.

Age Limit (as on 19 June 2026) :
The maximum age limit includes all relaxations and must not exceed 56 years in any case.
Scientist D / E : Up to 45 years.
Scientist C : Up to 35 years.
PwD Candidates : Up to 10 years relaxation.
Central Govt. Employees : Up to 5 years relaxation.
Ex-Servicemen : As per applicable government rules.
Note: No category-based relaxation is applicable for certain encadered Scientist C posts.

Application Fee :
The application fee is non-refundable and must be paid online only.
General / OBC / EWS (Male) : ₹100.
SC / ST / PwD / Women : Nil.

Selection Process :
Selection is carried out through multiple stages, and final appointment is based solely on Final Personal Interview performance.
Stage 1: Administrative Screening ;
Verification of ;
Age and identity.
Educational qualifications.
Experience eligibility.
CCA Declaration (if applicable).
Stage 2: Technical Screening (Level 1) ;
A Technical Screening Committee evaluates ;
Relevance of experience.
Higher/desirable qualifications.
Other merit-based criteria.
Shortlisting ratios ;
Up to 24 candidates per vacancy.
Up to 48 candidates for two vacancies.
Stage 3: Preliminary Interview (if required)
A short online interview (10–15 minutes) may be conducted if large numbers of candidates qualify.
Shortlisting for final interview ;
Up to 12 candidates per vacancy.
Up to 24 candidates for two vacancies.
Stage 4: Final Personal Interview.
Conducted in-person at RAC, Delhi only.
No online mode is permitted.
Minimum qualifying score: 75/100 marks.
Final selection is based entirely on interview merit.

Who Should Not Apply :
Candidates will be considered ineligible if they ;
Do not meet the 60% minimum academic requirement.
Have experience below Pay Level 10 equivalent.
Claim overlapping study and work experience periods.
Exceed age limits (35/45/56 years as applicable).
Fail to provide valid experience or salary proof.
Do not submit CCA/NOC where required.
Cannot attend in-person interview in Delhi.
Do not meet specified discipline-specific experience requirements.
Apply for encadered Scientist C posts expecting age relaxation.
Provide unverifiable or improperly issued certificates.

Common Mistakes to Avoid :
Applicants should carefully avoid ;
Incorrect calculation of experience (including overlapping academic periods).
Submitting experience below required pay scale equivalence.
Applying without proper HR-certified experience documents.
Missing justification of experience in the application form.
Not applying separately for multiple posts.
Uploading incorrect or incomplete documents.
Failing to convert CGPA to percentage correctly.
Changing registered contact details after submission.
Submitting unverified or unreadable documents.
Ignoring document format and size requirements.
Applying without reviewing the final submitted form.

How to Apply :
Applications must be submitted online only through the official RAC portal.
Website: https://rac.gov.in
No offline applications are accepted.
Applications must be finalized and locked before submission deadline.
No changes are permitted after final submission.
Candidates should keep a printed copy of the application for reference.

Important Note :
Essential documents such as qualification proof, DOB certificate, and CCA Declaration (if applicable) will not be accepted after the closing date.

Documents Required for Interview :
Candidates must carry original and self-attested copies of ;
Proof of date of birth.
Educational certificates and mark sheets.
Higher qualification documents.
Experience certificates with pay/CTC details.
Salary slips / Form 16A (where applicable).
CCA Declaration and NOC (if applicable).
Caste/Disability certificate (if applicable).
Photographs and signature copy.
Affidavit for name mismatch (if required).
Certified translations for non-English/Hindi documents.

Important Instructions :
Only applications submitted via official website are valid.
Deadline: 19 June 2026, 4:00 PM.
No correction allowed after submission.
All communication will be via registered email/mobile only.
Final interview is strictly in-person at Delhi.
Canvassing will lead to disqualification.
Selected candidates may be posted anywhere in India.
Providing false information will result in rejection.
RAC does not request any payment beyond application fee.
Recruitment decisions are subject to jurisdiction of Delhi courts.
Data will be processed only for recruitment purposes under applicable data protection laws.