DRDO RCI Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 195 Graduate, Diploma and ITI Apprentice Posts

Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, a premier laboratory under the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), has opened applications for its 2027 apprenticeship engagement. The programme offers 195 tentative apprenticeship opportunities across Graduate Apprentice, Technician (Diploma) Apprentice and Trade Apprentice (ITI) categories.

The apprenticeship is for one year and is intended for eligible young Indian nationals who meet the prescribed qualification, marks, age and other conditions. Graduate and Diploma candidates have to use the NATS 2.0 portal, while eligible ITI candidates must apply through the Apprenticeship India portal. The official DRDO vacancy page lists 1 October 2026 as the publication and start date and 1 November 2026 as the end date.

A key point for applicants is that this is an apprenticeship training engagement, not a regular DRDO job appointment. Candidates should therefore check the training conditions and eligibility carefully before submitting an application.

DRDO RCI Apprentice Recruitment 2026 at a Glance

*Vacancies are tentative and may vary as stated in the recruitment notification. The official DRDO vacancy listing confirms the 1 November 2026 closing date.

Which Apprenticeship Category Can You Apply For?

RCI has divided the 195 indicative vacancies into three broad groups. Candidates should select the category corresponding to their actual qualifying qualification.

Graduate Apprentice

The Graduate Apprentice category covers B.E./B.Tech candidates from disciplines including:

• Electronics & Communication Engineering
• Instrumentation Engineering
• Electrical & Electronics Engineering
• Computer Science Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Metallurgical Engineering
• Safety Engineering
• Aeronautical Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering
• Civil Engineering

Technician Apprentice

Diploma candidates can apply where their qualification is in the notified disciplines, including Electronics & Communication, Instrumentation, Electrical & Electronics, Computer Science, Mechanical, Chemical, Metallurgical and Safety Engineering.

Trade Apprentice

ITI candidates can apply for the notified trades, including:

• Fitter
• Welder
• Turner
• Machinist
• Mechanic-Diesel
• Electronic-Mechanic
• Electrician
• COPA
• Draughtsman (Mechanical)
• Grinder

The category-wise vacancy figures are indicative, so candidates should refer to the official advertisement for the applicable vacancy position.

Eligibility: The 70% Rule Is Important

The academic requirement is one of the most important parts of this RCI apprenticeship.

Candidates must have secured 70% marks or CGPA 7.5 and above in the relevant qualifying examination. The eligibility information indicates that regular candidates who completed their qualifying examination in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026 can apply.

The qualification must have been obtained from an Indian institution recognised by the appropriate statutory authority.

Candidates should also note these restrictions:

• The qualification must correspond to the apprenticeship category being applied for.
• Candidates possessing a qualification higher than the prescribed qualification are not eligible for the relevant category.
• Candidates who have already undergone or are currently undergoing apprenticeship training are not eligible.
• Candidates with more than one year of work experience are not eligible.
• Indian nationality is required.

Because the qualification and passing-year conditions are strict, applicants should verify their individual eligibility before registering on the portal.

Age Limit

The candidate must be at least 18 years old as on 1 September 2026.

The recruitment information does not specify an upper age limit. Candidates should therefore rely on the official notification for any applicable category-specific provision or subsequent clarification.

Candidates who want to calculate their age on the prescribed cut-off date can use the CareerAlert24 Age Calculator.

Application Dates

The official DRDO vacancy page records the following schedule:

The official notification uses wording based on the publication of the advertisement in a newspaper, while the DRDO’s current vacancy listing gives 1 November 2026 as the end date. Candidates should follow the latest date displayed by the official DRDO recruitment listing or any subsequent corrigendum.

How to Apply Through NATS or Apprenticeship India

RCI uses different apprenticeship portals depending on the candidate’s qualification.

For B.E./B.Tech and Diploma Candidates

1. Visit the NATS 2.0 portal.
2. Complete the required NATS registration.
3. Log in using the registered credentials.
4. Search for Research Centre Imarat, DRDO.
5. Use RCI’s NATS establishment/enrolment details as provided in the notification.
6. Select the appropriate apprenticeship opportunity.
7. Check the entered qualification and personal details.
8. Submit the application within the prescribed period.
9. Keep the application/profile details for future reference.

For ITI Candidates

1. Register on the Apprenticeship India portal.
2. Log in to the registered account.
3. Open the apprenticeship opportunities section.
4. Search for RESEARCH CENTRE IMARAT.
5. Select the trade corresponding to your ITI qualification.
6. Review the details before applying.
7. Submit the application before the closing date.
8. Save the application/profile details.

Registration on the relevant apprenticeship portal is mandatory. The previous RCI apprenticeship procedure identifies STLRAC000010 as the NATS enrolment ID and E05203600040 as the Apprenticeship India establishment ID for Research Centre Imarat.

Selection Process

RCI’s apprenticeship selection is not presented as a conventional competitive recruitment examination.

Selection is based on academic merit and interview, as required, followed by satisfactory verification of the candidate’s documents. The exact academic-merit calculation, interview marks and shortlisting ratio are not specified in the information currently available.

Candidates shortlisted for further stages should keep their registered email address and mobile number active because recruitment communication may be sent through the contact details provided during application.

Before the apprenticeship begins, selected candidates are required to complete the apprenticeship contract through the applicable portal.

Stipend and Training Conditions

The apprenticeship training period is one year.

The stipend is payable as per Government norms, with the recruitment information referring candidates to the relevant Gazette notification dated 3 September 2025. A single fixed monthly amount is not stated in the recruitment details, so candidates should not assume a particular in-hand amount.

For Graduate and Technician Apprentices, an Aadhaar-seeded/linked bank account is important because 50% of the stipend is paid by the Board of Apprenticeship Training through the Direct Benefit Transfer system.

Candidates should also understand that completing apprenticeship training does not create an automatic right to regular employment with RCI or DRDO.

Documents Candidates Should Keep Ready

Shortlisted candidates may need to produce original documents along with self-attested copies during document verification or joining. Relevant documents include:

• Application/profile printout
• 10th standard mark sheet and certificate
• Qualifying examination mark sheet
• Degree, diploma or ITI certificate
• Category certificate, where applicable
• PwBD certificate, where applicable
• EWS certificate, where applicable
• Government-issued photo ID
• Aadhaar Card
• Aadhaar-linked bank account/passbook details
• Medical fitness certificate, where required
• Recent passport-size photographs

Candidates should follow the exact document requirements mentioned in the official notification at the verification/joining stage.

What Candidates Should Check Before Applying

There are several points worth checking before submitting an application:

1. Your passing year: Only the notified qualifying years are eligible.
2. Your marks: The 70% or CGPA 7.5 threshold is important.
3. Your exact discipline or trade: A related qualification should not automatically be treated as eligible.
4. Previous apprenticeship: Candidates who have already undergone or are undergoing apprenticeship may be disqualified.
5. Work experience: More than one year of work experience can affect eligibility.
6. Correct portal: Graduate/Diploma candidates use NATS 2.0, while ITI candidates use Apprenticeship India.
7. Bank account: Eligible Graduate and Technician Apprentices should ensure that the required Aadhaar-linked bank account is available.
8. Deadline: Do not wait until the final day to complete portal registration and application.

CareerAlert24 Insight

The most important feature of this RCI apprenticeship is the combination of a 70% academic threshold and a limited qualifying pass-out window. This means the opportunity is particularly relevant to recent B.E./B.Tech, Diploma and ITI pass-outs who meet the marks requirement.

ITI candidates should pay particular attention to the trade list because having an ITI certificate alone does not mean every trade is eligible. Engineering candidates should similarly compare their exact B.E./B.Tech or Diploma discipline with the notified list.

Another practical point is that applicants must deal with two different apprenticeship portals. Registering on the wrong platform can delay the application, so candidates should determine their category first and then complete registration on the applicable portal.

Finally, this should be viewed as a one-year training opportunity, not a guaranteed DRDO employment appointment. Candidates interested in gaining apprenticeship experience at an important DRDO laboratory should nevertheless check the official conditions carefully before applying.

Important Links

Conclusion

DRDO RCI Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is a useful opportunity for recent B.E./B.Tech, Diploma and ITI candidates who meet the specified academic, passing-year and other eligibility conditions. With 195 tentative apprenticeship positions across three categories, candidates should first confirm their exact discipline or trade and then use the correct apprenticeship portal.

Before submitting the application, check the latest information on the official DRDO recruitment page, particularly the closing date, vacancy position and any subsequent update.

Written by

Saanvi

I'm Saanvi Sharma, a content writer with over 3 years of experience in job news and recruitment updates.I focus on providing clear, accurate, and timely information on government jobs, exams, and career opportunities to help job seekers stay informed and succeed.

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