OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026: 340 Posts, Apply Online

• Education: a bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognised university (or an equivalent qualification). You must hold it by the date you submit your online form.
• Computer knowledge: basic skills in Windows, MS Office and the Internet, which is tested in the skill test later.
• Odia: you must be able to speak, read and write Odia. The advertisement accepts any one of these: a Middle School pass with Odia as a language, a Matriculation (or equivalent) pass where the exam medium was Odia, a pass in Odia as a language subject in Class VII or above, or a pass in the Middle English school-level Odia test conducted by the School and Mass Education Department.
• Odia proof matters: if your HSC certificate does not show Odia, a headmaster or principal certificate, or the Odia test pass certificate, is needed. Missing proof at the time of applying is a ground for rejection.
• Citizenship and character: Indian citizen, medically fit. Transgender candidates are allowed to apply; serving government employees need a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

• All written questions are multiple choice and carry 1 mark each. Every wrong answer costs 0.25 marks.
• Questions are in English, except the Odia language paper.
• You have to qualify in each of Papers I, II and III on its own: at least 35% for UR and SEBC, 30% for SC and ST, and 28% for PwD. Ex-servicemen and sportspersons follow the limit of their own category.
• Final merit is made from the 400 written marks only. The skill test is only qualifying; you need 40% of 50, which is 20 marks.
• If two candidates have the same marks, the one with the higher General Awareness (Paper I) marks goes ahead; if still tied, the older candidate does.

• Language: the question papers are in English, except the Odia language paper, which is in Odia.
• Zones: you select two exam zones in order of preference from 33: Baleshwar, Brahmapur, Bhubaneswar, Kataka (Cuttack), Sambalpur, Anugola, Baragada, Bhadrak, Balangir, Boudh, Debagada, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jayapur, Jajapur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapada, Kendujhar, Khordha, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Nayagada, Puri, Rayagada, Raurkela, Sonpur and Sundaragada. Once chosen, a zone cannot be changed, and the second choice is given on a first-come basis.
• Reservation: SC, ST and SEBC benefits are only for those categories in Odisha. A SEBC certificate must have been issued on or after 10/11/2023; an OBC certificate is not accepted in its place.
• Border districts: Ganjam, Gajapati and Malkangiri are among the zone options. Candidates from families that studied in Telugu medium near the AP border must still produce Odia proof, so check yours early.
• For readers in Telangana and AP: the job is in Odisha and needs Odia, so it suits only those with an Odia background or Odia schooling.

• Open opsc.gov.in and read Advertisement No. 15 of 2026-27 in full, along with the instructions on the portal.
• Register on the OPSC online application system between 09/11/2026 and 30/11/2026. On registration you get a Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN). Use only one PPSAN; multiple applications are rejected.
• Fill in your details carefully, choose your two exam zones, and upload your photograph, full signature and left-hand thumb impression.
• Upload the documents the form asks for (see the list below), then pay the Rs 700 fee online if it applies to you.
• Check the submitted form once more. If anything is wrong, cancel the application and apply again before the last date.
• Print the final form, sign the declaration and keep it with copies of your certificates. You will need it at document verification.

• HSC (Class 10) certificate for date of birth, plus Plus-2 or diploma and bachelor's degree certificates and mark sheets
• Caste certificate for SC / ST (by birth) or SEBC, in the "daughter of" form for women candidates
• Odia proof: Odia pass certificate or the headmaster / principal certificate, or the Odia test pass certificate
• Disability certificate (40% or more) for PwD; sports identity card from the Director of Sports, Odisha, for sportspersons
• Release certificate and affidavit for ex-servicemen; NOC for government employees
• A photo ID, Aadhaar preferred, and a third-gender identity certificate where it applies

• Applying twice with two PPSANs. OPSC warns that multiple applications get rejected.
• No Odia proof on the form. If your HSC certificate does not show Odia, upload the right certificate before the last date.
• Certificates issued after 30/11/2026. A certificate issued after the last date is not accepted, even if you get it before verification.
• Wrong category for SEBC. An OBC certificate is not valid; a SEBC certificate must be dated 10/11/2023 or later.
• Women using "wife of" caste certificates. The advertisement asks for the "daughter of" form.
• Children of ex-servicemen claiming the ex-servicemen quota. This is not allowed and may lead to rejection.
• Waiting for the last day. The link closes at 5:00 PM on 30/11/2026, not midnight, and the technical helpline works only on Odisha Government working days.
• Blurry photo, signature or thumb impression. If they are not clearly visible the application can be rejected, and no representation is entertained.

What is the last date to apply for OPSC ASO 2026?
30 November 2026, up to 5:00 PM. The online link opened on 9 November 2026 on opsc.gov.in.

How many vacancies are there in OPSC ASO 2026?
340 Assistant Section Officer posts: 144 UR, 38 SEBC, 81 SC and 77 ST, with 114 of them for women. These include backlog posts.

What is the qualification for OPSC ASO?
A bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification, plus knowledge of computer application and Odia.

What is the age limit for OPSC ASO 2026?
21 to 42 years on 01/01/2026, so you must be born between 02/01/1984 and 01/01/2005. SEBC, SC, ST, women and ex-servicemen get 5 more years, and PwD candidates get 10.

Is Odia compulsory for OPSC ASO?
Yes. You must be able to speak, read and write Odia and show proof, such as an Odia pass in Class VII or above or the Middle English school-level Odia test. Paper III also has a 100-mark Odia section.

What is the salary of an Assistant Section Officer in Odisha?
The starting basic pay is Rs 35,400 in Level 9, Cell 1, with dearness and other allowances as sanctioned by the Odisha Government. Our rough floor after NPS is about Rs 31,860 before allowances.

What is the OPSC ASO application fee?
Rs 700 for all candidates except SC, ST and PwD. It is refunded only to those who appear in the written examination.

What is the OPSC ASO exam pattern?
Three written papers: General Awareness (100), Reasoning and Maths (100) and English plus Odia (200), 400 marks in total, followed by a qualifying computer skill test of 50 marks.

Is there negative marking in OPSC ASO?
Yes. Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. Every question carries 1 mark.

What are the qualifying marks in OPSC ASO?
In each of Papers I, II and III you need 35% for UR and SEBC, 30% for SC and ST and 28% for PwD. The skill test needs 40% of 50 marks.

Is there an interview in OPSC ASO?
No. Selection is based on the written test merit of 400 marks and passing the computer skill test.

When is the OPSC ASO exam date 2026?
OPSC has not given a date in the advertisement. The programme will be put on its website and in newspapers, so keep checking opsc.gov.in.

What is in the OPSC ASO skill test?
A one-hour practical test of 50 marks with five tasks on Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), MS Access and Internet services. It is qualifying only.

How many zones can I choose in OPSC ASO?
Two, in order of preference, from 33 zones. Once you choose, the zones cannot be changed.

Can I edit the OPSC ASO form after submitting?
The advertisement gives no correction window. To change anything you must cancel the application and apply again before the last date.

Can candidates from other states apply for OPSC ASO?
The advertisement asks for Indian citizens with the Odia knowledge described, but SC, ST and SEBC reservation is for those categories in Odisha only.

What is a PPSAN in OPSC?
The Permanent Public Service Account Number given to you when you register on the OPSC portal. Use only one PPSAN for this recruitment.

Is OPSC ASO a Group-B post?
Yes. It is a Group-B gazetted-level desk post in the Odisha Secretariat Service cadre under the Home Department.

What is the previous year cut-off of OPSC ASO?
OPSC releases marks only after the final result and select list, so there is no official cut-off to quote yet. Check the results section on opsc.gov.in.

How do I contact OPSC for help?
Technical support is on 0671-2304707 and the facilitation counter on 0671-2304141 / 2305611 (extn. 205), 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM on Odisha Government working days.