ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026: 29 Scientist B, Technical Assistant, Assistant, Technician and Driver posts. Apply online by 21 Nov 2026. Exam on 23 Dec.
ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026
29 Scientist, Technical Assistant, Assistant, Technician & Driver Posts – Apply by 21 Nov 2026
If you live in Hyderabad and have an ITI, a diploma or a B.Tech in Metallurgy or Mechanical, this one is worth a serious look. The ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026 comes from the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials at Balapur, an autonomous R&D centre under the Department of Science and Technology. Advertisement No. ARCI/HRD/RECT/1/2026 has 29 regular posts, and every written exam and skill test is held only in Hyderabad. That alone cuts out a lot of outside competition, because many candidates from far states will not travel for 6 or 7 seats. I read the full 16-page advertisement on arci.res.in; here is the simple version.
✓ Apply / focus if you are a Metallurgy/Mechanical/Electrical diploma holder or a B.Sc. Chemistry graduate under 30 (Technical Assistant), an ITI Fitter/Turner/Electrician with 3 years of industry experience (Technician), or a B.Tech in Materials/Metallurgy/Mechanical under 30 (Scientist B).
✗ Skip if you hold a higher degree for an entry post (an M.Sc. or B.Tech cannot apply for Technical Assistant; a diploma or degree holder cannot apply for Technician), or you lack the documented experience the post asks for.
Why: small number of seats, but a Telangana-only exam centre and clear written-test-based selection. A well-prepared local candidate has a real chance.
ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026 – Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), DST, Govt of India |
| Advertisement No. | ARCI/HRD/RECT/1/2026 |
| Total posts | 29 |
| Location | ARCI, Balapur, Hyderabad (one Assistant post at the Gurugram office) |
| Apply mode | Online at arci.res.in/careers/vacancies |
| Last date | 21 November 2026 (fee must also reach ARCI by this date) |
| Written exam | Computer-based, Hyderabad only, tentatively 23 December 2026 |
| Pay | Level 2 to Level 10 of 7th CPC |
Post-wise Vacancies, Pay and Age
| Post (code) | Posts | Reservation | Pay level | Approx. monthly emoluments | Max age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist ‘B’ (SB001) | 4 | UR 2, OBC 2 | 10 | Rs 1,18,110 | 30 |
| Officer ‘B’ Finance & Accounts (OB001), deputation | 1 | - | 10 | Rs 1,18,110 | 56 |
| Technical Assistant ‘A’ (TA001) | 7 | UR 6, EWS 1 | 6 | Rs 73,020 | 30 |
| Assistant ‘A’ (AA001) | 6 | UR 4, OBC 1, SC 1 | 5 | Rs 61,240 | 28 |
| Technician ‘A’ (TC001) | 9 | UR 8, EWS 1 | 4 | Rs 54,210 | 28 |
| Driver ‘A’ (DA001) | 2 | UR 2 (ESM preferred) | 2 | Rs 39,970 | 27 |
| Total | 29 |
| Discipline split | Seats |
|---|---|
| Scientist B | Metallurgy/Materials Science 2 (UR 1, OBC 1), Mechanical 2 (UR 1, OBC 1) |
| Technical Assistant A | Metallurgy 3 (UR 2, EWS 1), Mechanical 2, Electrical 1, Chemistry 1 |
| Technician A | Fitter 6 (UR 5, EWS 1), Turner 1, Electrician 2 |
Two posts among Technical Assistant, Assistant and Technician are kept for persons with disabilities (OH/HH/VH). The emoluments shown include basic pay, DA, HRA and transport allowance at the start of the pay level, as stated by ARCI. On top of that you get NPS, gratuity, group insurance, medical reimbursement, children education allowance and LTC as per rules.
Eligibility in Simple Words
- Scientist ‘B’: B.E./B.Tech in Materials, Metallurgical (or Materials & Metallurgical) Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering. A Master's degree or one year of R&D experience is a plus, not a must.
- Officer ‘B’: deputation post for serving officers of central/state government or autonomous bodies with analogous posts or the required years in Level 8/7 or Level 6, plus strong finance and accounts experience.
- Technical Assistant ‘A’: B.Sc. in Physical Sciences with Chemistry, or a 3-year full-time diploma in Metallurgy, Mechanical or Electrical. Anyone holding M.Sc., B.Tech, M.Tech or higher on the cut-off date is not considered.
- Assistant ‘A’: any bachelor's degree plus 3 years of experience in administration, HR, finance, purchase or liaison work in government, academic or research bodies, with MS Office, e-Office and ERP skills.
- Technician ‘A’: 10th plus 2-year full-time ITI in Fitter, Turner or Electrician, and 3 years of technical experience in industry or R&D labs (apprenticeship counts) backed by PF/ESI or NPS records. Diploma or degree holders are not considered.
- Driver ‘A’: 10th pass, valid light and heavy vehicle licences, at least 3 years of light and 6 years of heavy vehicle driving after the licence, and basic motor mechanism knowledge.
Application Fee
| Category | Scientist B / Officer B | TA, Assistant, Technician, Driver |
|---|---|---|
| General and OBC | Rs 600 | Rs 500 |
| SC / EWS / PwD / Women / Ex-Servicemen | Rs 400 | Rs 300 |
The fee is paid by UPI or NEFT/RTGS to ARCI's Canara Bank account given in the advertisement, and you must enter the transfer details and attach the receipt in the online form. It is non-refundable. A reserved candidate applying against an unreserved post pays the full fee.
Exam Pattern and Selection
| Post | Written exam (CBT, Hyderabad) | Next stage and final merit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientist ‘B’ | 100 MCQs x 3 marks = 300, 3 hours; 90 technical + 10 analytical; -1 per wrong | Interview (about 10 per seat); final = 50% CWE + 50% interview |
| Technical Assistant ‘A’ | 100 MCQs, 200 marks, 3 hours: 50 subject Qs x 3 (-1 wrong) + 50 general Qs x 1 (no negative) | Trade/skill test (up to 6 per seat), pass/fail; merit on CWE only |
| Assistant ‘A’ | 125 MCQs, 200 marks, 3 hours: 75 Qs x 2 on admin, finance, purchase rules (-0.5 wrong) + 50 general Qs | Skill test 100 marks, 90 min, pass/fail; merit on CWE only |
| Technician ‘A’ | 100 MCQs, 200 marks, 3 hours: 50 trade Qs x 3 (-1 wrong) + 50 general Qs x 1 | Trade/skill test (up to 6 per seat), pass/fail; merit on CWE only |
| Driver ‘A’ | 65 MCQs, 100 marks, 2 hours: 35 Qs x 2 on Motor Vehicles Act (-0.5 wrong) + 30 general Qs | Driving and repair test (up to 10 per seat); final = 40% CWE + 60% driving test |
| Officer ‘B’ | No written test | 10-15 minute presentation and interview |
The general section for TA, Assistant and Technician is the same: 15 General English, 10 GK and current affairs, and 25 reasoning and numerical ability, with no negative marking. That makes it the safest 50 marks in the paper. ARCI first screens applications on academics and experience before calling candidates to the CWE.
Tentative Schedule
| Post | Written exam | Interview / skill test |
|---|---|---|
| Scientist ‘B’ | 23 Dec 2026 | Interview in January 2027 |
| Officer ‘B’ | - | Interview in December 2026 |
| Technical Assistant ‘A’ | 23 Dec 2026 (slot as per call letter) | 23 Jan 2027 |
| Assistant ‘A’ | 23 Dec 2026 | 23 Jan 2027 |
| Technician ‘A’ | 23 Dec 2026 (slot as per call letter) | 24 Jan 2027 |
| Driver ‘A’ | 23 Dec 2026 | 24 Jan 2027 |
Last Year vs This Year
Competition and a Safe Score
ARCI does not publish applicant numbers or cut-offs, so I will not invent a ratio. Two official facts help: ARCI calls only up to 6 candidates per seat for the TA and Technician skill test, and the exam centre is only Hyderabad. My planning target (not official): in the TA/Technician paper, aim for 100+ out of 150 in the subject section with few wrong answers and 40+ out of 50 in the general section. For Scientist B, treat it like a GATE-level paper in your branch.
Telangana / AP Angle and Exam Language
This is a central government R&D lab inside Hyderabad, and 28 of the 29 posts are placed there (one Assistant at Gurugram). For Telugu-state candidates, travel and stay costs are nil, and the Driver post even lists communication in Hindi/Telugu as a desirable skill. The advertisement does not mention the exam language, and the General English section suggests English will be used; check the call letter.
In-hand Salary Estimate
ARCI already gives the gross: about Rs 73,020 for Technical Assistant (Level 6), Rs 54,210 for Technician (Level 4), Rs 61,240 for Assistant (Level 5) and Rs 1,18,110 for Scientist B (Level 10). After the 10% NPS deduction on basic + DA and small insurance cuts, a Technical Assistant would take home roughly Rs 66,000 and a Technician roughly Rs 49,000 before income tax. These are my estimates.
30/60-Day Preparation Plan
| Weeks | Technical Assistant / Technician | Common (all posts) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Core trade or diploma subjects: metallurgy basics, heat treatment, workshop technology, measuring tools; Chemistry candidates: physical and inorganic basics | Reasoning 30 minutes daily |
| 3-4 | Machines, electrical basics, safety, lab practices; 50 subject MCQs a day | English grammar and vocabulary; current affairs of the last 6 months |
| 5-6 | Full 100-question mocks twice a week; error notebook | Numerical ability: percent, ratio, average, time-work |
| 7-8 | Skill test practice: hand tools, fitting jobs, simple wiring, or chemistry practicals | Revision and two final mocks |
On a 30-day timeline, compress weeks 1-4 into two weeks and keep the last two weeks for mocks. Assistant candidates should study GFR, purchase and inventory rules, and basic establishment rules, since 150 of their 200 marks come from these.
Common Mistakes While Applying
ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026 – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date for ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026?
21 November 2026. Your NEFT/RTGS or UPI fee must also reach ARCI by that date.
How many posts are there?
29: Scientist B 4, Officer B 1, Technical Assistant A 7, Assistant A 6, Technician A 9 and Driver A 2.
Where is the exam centre?
Hyderabad only, for the written test, skill tests and interviews.
When is the ARCI written exam?
Tentatively 23 December 2026. Skill tests are planned for 23 and 24 January 2027.
Can a B.Tech graduate apply for Technical Assistant?
No. ARCI will not consider candidates with M.Sc., B.Tech, B.E., M.Tech or higher for this entry-level post.
What is the salary of Technical Assistant at ARCI?
Pay Level 6, with total emoluments of about Rs 73,020 per month as per the advertisement.
Is there negative marking?
Yes, in the subject section: 1 mark for 3-mark questions and half a mark for 2-mark questions. The general section has no negative marking.
What is the age limit for Technician A?
Not more than 28 years. Technical Assistant and Scientist B allow up to 30, Driver up to 27.
Is experience needed for Technician A?
Yes, 3 years of technical experience in industry or R&D labs; apprenticeship or trainee experience is counted if supported by PF/ESI or NPS records.
What is the application fee?
Rs 500 for General/OBC and Rs 300 for SC/EWS/PwD/Women/ESM for most posts; Rs 600 and Rs 400 for Scientist B and Officer B.
How is the final merit decided?
For TA, Assistant and Technician, on written test marks only after passing the skill test. Scientist B uses 50% written and 50% interview; Driver uses 40% written and 60% driving test.
Is this a permanent central government job?
These are direct recruitment posts (except Officer B, which is deputation) in an autonomous institute of DST with 7th CPC pay and NPS.
ARCI Hyderabad Recruitment 2026ARCI Technical Assistant VacancyARCI Technician RecruitmentHyderabad Central Govt JobsARCI Scientist B 2026Telangana Jobs 2026
Quick Summary
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Advt | ARCI/HRD/RECT/1/2026 |
| Posts | 29 |
| Last date | 21 Nov 2026 |
| Exam | 23 Dec 2026, Hyderabad |
| Fee | Rs 300-600 by category |
| Selection | CWE + skill test / interview |