DRDO CEPTAM 11 Recruitment — Complete Official Guide

Current Status Notice (September 11, 2026): The DRDO CEPTAM-11 recruitment cycle (764 vacancies across STA-B and Tech-A) is currently in the Preliminary Document Scrutiny and Final Evaluation phase.

• Tier-I CBT Result: Officially declared on May 25, 2026.
• Tier-II Examination: Conducted on June 15, 2026.
• Tier-II Answer Key Challenge Window: Released on June 18, 2026 (closed June 22).
• Next Stage: Post-wise document verification and final selection merit lists are being processed on drdo.gov.in.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is India's premier defence R&D agency under the Ministry of Defence. DRDO operates 50+ laboratories across India and recruits technical and administrative staff via the Centre for Personnel Talent Management (CEPTAM) exam.

1. DRDO CEPTAM-11 — Overview

Parameter	Details
Organisation	DRDO (Ministry of Defence)
Recruiting Body	CEPTAM (Centre for Personnel Talent Management)
Advertisement Cycle	CEPTAM-11
Total Notified Vacancies	764 Posts
Posts	Senior Technical Assistant-B (STA-B) & Technician-A (Tech-A)
Category	Central Government — Defence Technical
Official Website	drdo.gov.in
Application Period	December 11, 2025 to January 11, 2026 (Closed)
Current Stage	Tier-I Result Declared; Tier-II Evaluation & Scrutiny Active

2. Important Dates & Recruitment Milestones

Event	Official Date / Status
Official CEPTAM-11 Notification	December 11, 2025
Online Application Start	December 11, 2025
Application Closing Date	January 11, 2026 (Closed)
Correction Window	January 14 – 16, 2026
Tier-I CBT Examination	March 23 – 28, 2026
Tier-I CBT Result Declaration	May 25, 2026 (Declared)
Tier-II Examination Date	June 15, 2026 (Conducted)
Tier-II Answer Key Challenge Window	June 18 – 22, 2026
Document Scrutiny & Final Merit	Ongoing post-by-post on drdo.gov.in

3. Posts & Eligibility

Senior Technical Assistant-B (STA-B)

• Qualification: 3-year Diploma in Engineering/Technology OR Bachelor's Degree in Science (B.Sc in Physics/Chemistry/Maths/Electronics/Computer Science/Life Sciences) from a recognized institution with minimum 60% marks.
• Age Limit: 18–28 years (General/EWS); OBC: up to 31 years (+3); SC/ST: up to 33 years (+5); PwBD/ESM relaxations as per GoI rules.
• Pay Level: Pay Level-6 (₹35,400–₹1,12,400) under 7th CPC.

Technician-A (Tech-A)

• Qualification: Class 10 / Matriculation pass from a recognized Board + National Trade Certificate (NTC) / ITI certificate in relevant trade from a recognized NCVT/SCVT institution.
• Notified Trades: Electronics, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Operator & Programming Assistant (COPA), Fitter, Turner, Welder, Machinist, Motor Mechanic.
• Age Limit: 18–28 years (General/EWS); OBC: up to 31 years; SC/ST: up to 33 years.
• Pay Level: Pay Level-3 (₹21,700–₹69,100) under 7th CPC.

Note on Admin & Allied Cadre: The Administrative Assistant-A (Admin-A), Store Assistant, and Security Assistant posts belong to a separate recruitment cycle (Admin & Allied Cadre) and are not part of CEPTAM-11 technical recruitment.

4. DRDO CEPTAM Exam Pattern & Selection Architecture

Post Cadre	Stage 1 Assessment	Stage 2 Assessment	Final Selection Merit Basis
Senior Technical Assistant-B (STA-B)	Tier-I CBT (Screening Test) 150 Qs, 150 Marks (120 Mins) Shortlists candidates in 1:8 ratio	Tier-II CBT (Subject Discipline) 100 Qs, 100 Marks (90 Mins) Discipline-specific domain paper	100% based on Tier-II CBT score (Tier-I is screening only; no negative marking)
Technician-A (Tech-A)	Tier-I CBT (Provisional Selection) 120 Qs, 120 Marks (90 Mins) Section A (40 Qs) + Section B (80 Qs)	Tier-II Trade Test (Practical) Hands-on ITI trade test (1–2 Hours) Qualifying nature only	Provisional merit from Tier-I CBT score (Subject to qualifying the Tier-II Trade Test)

Key Examination Rules (Official CEPTAM Guidelines)

• No Negative Marking: In DRDO CEPTAM CBT examinations, there is NO negative marking for incorrect answers. Candidates should attempt all questions.
• Medium of Test: Bilingual (Hindi and English), except for the English language section.
• Minimum Qualifying Marks in CBT: 40% for UR/OBC/EWS candidates and 35% for SC/ST candidates.

A. Examination Scheme for STA-B

Tier / Stage	Test Component	Number of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration	Role in Selection
Tier-I (CBT)	Screening Test • Quantitative Ability / Aptitude • General Intelligence & Reasoning • General Awareness • English Language (Basic Knowledge) • General Science	150 MCQs	150 Marks	120 Minutes (2 Hours)	Screening Only (Shortlists candidates in 1:8 ratio for Tier-II; marks not added to merit)
Tier-II (CBT)	Subject / Discipline Specialization (Specific to post-code diploma/B.Sc stream)	100 MCQs	100 Marks	90 Minutes	100% Final Merit (Determines provisional order of selection)

B. Examination Scheme for Tech-A

Tier / Stage	Test Component	Number of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration	Role in Selection
Tier-I (CBT)	Provisional Selection Test • Section A: Quantitative, Reasoning, GA, English (40 Qs) • Section B: Trade-Specific Domain (80 Qs)	120 MCQs	120 Marks	90 Minutes	Provisional Selection Merit (Marks decide rank; shortlists in 1:8 ratio for Trade Test)
Tier-II	Trade Test (Practical Skill Test) Hands-on trade task practical examination at ITI level	—	Qualifying	1 to 2 Hours	Qualifying Only (Must pass; no marks added to merit)

5. Salary & Benefits

Post	Pay Level	Basic Pay	Gross Monthly (Approx.)
Senior Technical Assistant-B (STA-B)	Level-6 (7th CPC)	₹35,400–₹1,12,400	₹55,000–₹68,000
Technician-A (Tech-A)	Level-3 (7th CPC)	₹21,700–₹69,100	₹34,000–₹42,000

Additional DRDO-specific perks:

• Research campus facilities (housing, subsidized canteen)
• Professional development courses
• DRDO Science & Technology Allowance for technical staff

6. Previous DRDO CEPTAM Data

Edition	Year	Vacancies	Posts
CEPTAM-9	2019	1,817	STA-B, Tech-A, Admin-A
CEPTAM-10	2023	1,901	STA-B, Tech-A, Admin-A
CEPTAM-11	2025–26	764	STA-B, Tech-A

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