If you want to work on India's launch vehicles, satellites or space applications, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has two main ways in. Engineering graduates are recruited as Scientist/Engineer 'SC' through the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB). Diploma, ITI and science graduates are recruited into technical posts by individual ISRO centres.
This guide explains both routes using ISRO's own 2026 advertisements: who is eligible, how selection works, what the pay level is, and where each recruitment stood in October 2026. It does not predict vacancies or dates that ISRO has not announced.
Checked against the ISRO Careers page and the advertisements linked below on 9 October 2026.
The routes at a glance
| Route | Who it suits | Selection | Pay level (per the advertisement) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist/Engineer 'SC', written-test route | BE/B.Tech with 65% or CGPA 6.84/10 | Computer-based test, then interview | Level 10, minimum basic ₹56,100 |
| Scientist/Engineer 'SC', GATE route | Same degree requirement plus a valid GATE score | GATE score shortlist, then interview | Level 10, minimum basic ₹56,100 |
| Technical Assistant (centre level) | First-class diploma in the relevant branch | Written test, then a qualifying skill test | Level 7 (₹44,900–1,42,400) |
| Technician 'B' (centre level) | SSLC/10th plus ITI (NTC or NAC from NCVT) in the trade | Written test, then a qualifying skill test | Level 3 (₹21,700–69,100) |
Scientist/Engineer 'SC': two parallel routes
ISRO now fills Scientist/Engineer 'SC' vacancies partly on GATE scores and partly through its own written test. Both lead to the same post, so it is worth applying through whichever route you are eligible for when it opens.
The written-test route (ICRB:03(EMC):2026)
ICRB's advertisement dated 27 August 2026 covers Electronics, Mechanical and Computer Science:
- Vacancies (tentative): Electronics 99, Mechanical 52 and Computer Science 21 at ISRO centres, plus one post in each discipline at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).
- Eligibility: BE/B.Tech or equivalent in the discipline with an aggregate of at least 65% or a CGPA of 6.84/10. The advertisement says CGPA may not be converted into a percentage.
- Age: 28 years as on 16 September 2026, with relaxation for serving central government civilian employees, ex-servicemen and persons with benchmark disabilities as per government orders.
- Fee: an application fee of ₹250, but every candidate first pays a uniform ₹750 processing fee. Candidates who appear for the written test get a refund: in full for women, SC/ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates, and ₹500 for everyone else.
- Written test: Part A has 80 discipline questions for 80 marks in 90 minutes, with one mark per correct answer and one-third of a mark deducted for each wrong answer. Part B is an aptitude test of up to 15 questions for 20 marks in 30 minutes, with no negative marking. Unreserved candidates need 50% in each part.
- Interview: candidates are shortlisted in a 1:5 ratio. The interview carries 100 marks, and unreserved candidates need 50% in the written test, 50% in the interview and 60% in aggregate.
- Final panel: 50% weightage to the written test and 50% to the interview.
Status: applications closed on 16 September 2026. The ICRB recruitment page first gave 19 October 2026 for the computer-based test and now says it has been postponed to 29 October 2026.
The GATE route (ICRB:02(EMC-CEPO):2026)
The GATE-route advertisement dated 28 July 2026 covered Electronics, Mechanical, Computer Science, Civil, Electrical, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning, and Architecture. It required a valid GATE 2025 or GATE 2026 score in the matching paper, the same 65% or 6.84 CGPA standard, and an age of no more than 28 on 17 August 2026.
Candidates are shortlisted for interview in a 1:7 ratio on GATE scores (not GATE marks or rank), and the final panel gives 50% weightage to the GATE score and 50% to the interview. ISRO's recruitment page has published the GATE score cut-off and the lists of candidates screened in for interview in each discipline.
Pay
Both advertisements say selected candidates are appointed in Level 10 of the pay matrix with a minimum basic pay of ₹56,100 a month, plus Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance, and are covered by the New Pension Scheme. ISRO does not state an in-hand figure, because allowances depend on the city of posting and current DA rates.
Worked example: how the 50:50 panel works
Illustrative only, for the written-test route, assuming the aggregate is the 50:50 weighted score. Candidate A answers 72 questions in Part A, getting 60 right and 12 wrong, and scores 15 out of 20 in Part B:
- Part A: 60 − (12 × 1/3) = 60 − 4 = 56 out of 80 (70%, above the 50% cut-off)
- Part B: 15 out of 20 (75%, also above 50%)
- Written total: 56 + 15 = 71 out of 100
- Interview: 62 out of 100
- Aggregate: (71 × 0.5) + (62 × 0.5) = 35.5 + 31 = 66.5, above the 60% aggregate requirement
Candidate B scores 58 in the written test and 55 in the interview. Each is above 50%, but the aggregate is 29 + 27.5 = 56.5, below 60, so Candidate B does not qualify for the panel. Because the interview counts as much as the written test, preparing for it deserves real time, not just the last week.
Technical posts at ISRO centres
Technical Assistant, Technician 'B' and similar posts are advertised by individual centres, and the notices are listed on ISRO's Careers page.
Example: IPRC Mahendragiri, Advt. No. IPRC/RMT/2026/01 (advertisement) covers 22 posts of Technical Assistant, Technician 'B', Cook 'A' and Fireman 'A':
- Technical Assistant: first-class diploma in the specified branch (for example Mechanical, Electronics or Automobile Engineering); Level 7.
- Technician 'B': SSLC/10th plus ITI with NTC or NAC from NCVT in the trade (for example Turner, Fitter, Welder, Machinist or Electrician); Level 3.
- Age: 18 to 35 as on 5 October 2026 for these posts, with relaxations as listed in the advertisement.
- Selection: a written test of 80 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, with 0.33 marks deducted for each wrong answer and a minimum of 32 out of 80 for unreserved candidates; then a skill test on a go/no-go basis. The final selection is based on written test marks. The written test is offline (OMR) in Tirunelveli and Chennai.
- Status: the IPRC recruitment page says the last date for online applications has been revised to 24 October 2026 (5 pm), with fee payment allowed until 29 October 2026.
Other centres run similar recruitments. ISTRAC Bengaluru's Advt. No. ISTRAC:02:2026, for example, held its computer-based test on 25 September 2026, according to its recruitment page.
Which route fits you?
| Your situation | Where to look |
|---|---|
| BE/B.Tech with 65% or 6.84 CGPA, age 28 or under | Both ICRB routes for Scientist/Engineer 'SC' |
| Valid GATE score in your discipline | ICRB GATE route, when advertised |
| First-class diploma holder | Technical Assistant posts at ISRO centres |
| SSLC/10th plus ITI in a trade | Technician 'B' posts at ISRO centres |
Check each advertisement for when your degree must be complete; do not assume a final-year student is eligible.
A checklist before you apply
Advertisement number, date and closing date:
Post code and discipline (and whether a PRL post is listed separately):
My aggregate or CGPA, exactly as on my degree (no conversion):
Age on the reference date, and any relaxation I claim:
GATE paper, year and score (GATE route only):
Fee paid and refund bank details entered correctly:
Test date from the latest notice on the recruitment page:
Date I last checked isro.gov.in:
For another science-and-defence employer with similar routes, see our guide to DRDO entry routes, and for wider options, our central government jobs guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need GATE to become an ISRO scientist?
Not necessarily. ISRO runs a GATE route and a separate written-test route for Scientist/Engineer 'SC'. The written-test route (ICRB:03(EMC):2026) did not require a GATE score.
What is the age limit for ISRO Scientist/Engineer 'SC'?
28 years on the closing date set in each 2026 advertisement (16 September 2026 for the written-test route and 17 August 2026 for the GATE route), with relaxations only for the groups the advertisement lists.
When is the ISRO Scientist/Engineer 'SC' 2026 written test?
The ICRB recruitment page says the computer-based test was postponed from 19 October to 29 October 2026.