ISRO SAC Ahmedabad Recruitment 2026 for JRF, Research Associate and Project Scientist-I Posts

Quick Highlights

• Organisation: Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, Department of Space
• Advertisement No.: SAC:02:2026, dated 13.09.2026
• Posts: Junior Research Fellow, Research Associate, Project Scientist-I
• Total Vacancies: 48 (provisional)
• Mode of Application: Online only
• Application Fee: Nil
• Last Date to Apply: 30.09.2026, up to 1700 hours

Important Dates

Candidates should note that the portal will not remain open for printing the application or registration summary after 1700 hours on 30.09.2026, so it is best to complete every step well ahead of the deadline.

Application Fee

There is no application fee for any of the posts covered under this recruitment.

Post-wise Vacancy and Qualification Details

The 48 vacancies are distributed across 16 post codes. JRF posts fall under post code 01 to 07, Research Associate posts under post code 08 to 10, and Project Scientist-I posts under post code 11 to 16. The scope of work listed against each post is only an outline and not exhaustive.

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum Marks Required

Wherever an M.E. / M.Tech degree is prescribed, candidates must have passed with an aggregate minimum of 60 percent marks, averaged across all semesters, or a CGPA / CPI of 6.5 on a 10-point scale. Wherever an M.Sc, B.E. or B.Tech degree is prescribed, candidates must have passed with an aggregate minimum of 65 percent marks, averaged across all semesters, or a CGPA / CPI of 6.84 on a 10-point scale. Rounding off of marks is not allowed, and where a university's certificate mentions only a CGPA, that CGPA itself, and not any converted percentage, will be used to check eligibility.

Additional Qualifying Test for JRF Posts

Applicants for the Junior Research Fellow posts, post code 01 to 07, must also have qualified at least one of the following: the National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC NET, including Lectureship / Assistant Professorship), the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), or a national-level examination conducted by Central Government departments and their agencies or institutions such as DST, DBT, DAE, DOS, DRDO, MoE, ICAR, ICMR, IIT, IISc, IISER or NISER. The result or score card of this qualifying examination must be valid as on the closing date of the online application, 30.09.2026.

Other Conditions

Only Indian nationals can apply. The prescribed qualification against each post must have been completed within the stipulated duration of the course as fixed by the concerned university or institution. Candidates who are still waiting for their final year or final semester result as on 30.09.2026 are not eligible to apply. Candidates who have completed a professional course through Open and Distance Learning are also not eligible. Those holding degrees from foreign universities must produce an equivalency certificate issued by the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, at the time of interview. Meeting the eligibility criteria is a minimum requirement only and does not by itself guarantee a place in the selection process.

Age Limit

The upper age limit is relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST candidates and by 3 years for OBC-NCL candidates. Serving Central Government employees, persons with benchmark disabilities, ex-servicemen and other categories are eligible for age relaxation as per Government of India rules and orders. OBC certificates must specifically state exclusion from the creamy layer and must be valid and up to date as on the date of the online application.

Pay and Emoluments

For Research Associates, the actual pay level among the three mentioned above will be fixed based on the candidate's qualification and experience. House Rent Allowance at the rates prescribed for the place of posting will be paid if hostel accommodation is not provided, and medical benefits for self only will be allowed as per existing rules, with the fellowship amount treated as basic pay for this purpose. Leave and other benefits will follow existing Department of Space and Government of India rules. Selected candidates will not be entitled to any other benefit or concession admissible to regular employees.

Tenure of Engagement

• Junior Research Fellow: engaged initially for one year, extendable based on performance and project requirement, subject to a maximum of five years.
• Research Associate: engaged initially for one year, extendable based on performance and project requirement, subject to a maximum of three years.
• Project Scientist-I: engaged initially for one year or the duration of the project, extendable based on performance and project requirement, and co-terminus with the concerned project.

None of these positions are permanent, and none confer any claim or right to regular appointment in any Department of Space or ISRO centre. Selected candidates will be posted at SAC, Ahmedabad, though they may need to work and stay at other locations in India during their tenure for project work or research.

Selection Process

The qualification prescribed for each post is only the minimum requirement, and possessing it does not automatically make a candidate eligible for the selection process. If a large number of applications are received for any post, SAC will shortlist candidates for interview based on their academic record and subject specialisation, and the decision of the SAC committee on shortlisting is final. The list of shortlisted candidates and the interview schedule will be published on the SAC website, and call letters will be sent to shortlisted candidates only by email. Candidates who are not shortlisted will not receive any communication. The selection committee will interview eligible candidates, and the final selection panel will be prepared based purely on interview performance.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official SAC website or the dedicated career portal to access the online recruitment form.
2. Register with a valid and active email ID, since all further communication about shortlisting and interviews will be sent only through email.
3. Fill in the online application form carefully with personal, educational and post-related details as required in each field.
4. Upload a recent colour passport-size photograph in JPEG format under 1 MB, and a signature in JPEG format under 1 MB with an aspect ratio of 7:2.
5. Upload documents related to essential educational qualification, caste or tribe certificate and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities certificate wherever applicable, in the prescribed format.
6. Review every detail once again before clicking Submit, since the application can be submitted only once and no corrections are possible afterward.
7. Take a printout of the application summary for future reference before the portal closes, as printing will not be available after 1700 hours on 30.09.2026.

Candidates who apply more than once for the same post should note that only the last application submitted before the closing date will be considered for further processing.

Documents Required at Interview

• Original mark sheets and degree certificates, along with self-attested copies, to verify the details furnished online
• Caste or tribe certificate, where applicable, with self-attested copy
• No Objection Certificate from the current employer, for candidates working in Central or State Government, public sector undertakings or autonomous bodies
• Certificate of disability for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, indicating at least 40 percent disability, issued by a duly constituted medical board of at least 3 members
• Equivalency certificate from the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, for degrees awarded by foreign universities
• Declaration and other documents as specified in the online application form

Candidates who fail to produce these documents at the time of interview will not be permitted to appear, and travelling allowance will not be paid to them.

General Rules

• Only Indian nationals need apply, and applications made online only will be entertained; physical applications will not be considered.
• The number of vacancies indicated is provisional and may be increased or decreased depending on the actual requirements of the organisation, and SAC reserves the right to cancel the recruitment at any stage or not fill any post.
• 30.09.2026 will be the cut-off date for all purposes, including computation of age and acquiring the essential qualification.
• Outstation candidates called for interview will be paid second or sleeper class railway fare, or non-AC bus fare, or the actual fare, whichever is lower, as per the shortest distance from their address to the interview venue, subject to production of proof of journey.
• Selected Junior Research Fellows are encouraged to register for a Ph.D at a recognised university on a topic that benefits both themselves and SAC, though this will require extra working hours for which no separate leave will be granted.
• Any addendum, update or corrigendum relating to this recruitment will be published only on the SAC website, so candidates should check it regularly.
• Canvassing in any form will lead to disqualification, and no interim correspondence or phone calls will be entertained.
• SAC and ISRO reserve the right to cancel or postpone the interview without assigning any reason, and to terminate the contract even before completion of the project, without any right of appeal.
• Any legal proceedings arising from this recruitment can be instituted only in Ahmedabad, and courts at Ahmedabad alone will have jurisdiction over such matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What positions has SAC advertised in this recruitment?

SAC has advertised three types of temporary positions: Junior Research Fellow (JRF) under post codes 01 to 07, Research Associate (RA) under post codes 08 to 10, and Project Scientist-I (PS-I) under post codes 11 to 16.

Q2. How many vacancies are there in this SAC recruitment 2026?

There are 48 vacancies in total, made up of 33 JRF posts, 8 Research Associate posts and 7 Project Scientist-I posts. SAC has stated that these numbers are provisional and may change based on actual requirements.

Q3. What is the last date to apply for SAC JRF, RA and PS-I posts?

The online recruitment portal will remain open from 1000 hours on 13.09.2026 to 1700 hours on 30.09.2026. Applications submitted after this window will not be accepted.

Q4. What is the age limit for these SAC positions?

For JRF posts (post code 01 to 07), the maximum age limit is 28 years as on 30.09.2026. For RA and PS-I posts (post code 08 to 16), the maximum age limit is 35 years as on 30.09.2026. Age relaxation of 5 years applies to SC/ST candidates and 3 years to OBC-NCL candidates, along with relaxation for serving Central Government employees, persons with benchmark disabilities and ex-servicemen as per Government of India rules.

Q5. Is there any application fee for this recruitment?

No, there is no application fee for any of the posts in this SAC recruitment.

Q6. What is the selection process for SAC JRF, RA and PS-I posts?

Meeting the essential qualification does not automatically make a candidate eligible for selection. If a large number of applications are received, SAC will shortlist candidates for interview based on academic record and subject specialisation, and the decision of the SAC committee is final in this regard. Shortlisted candidates are informed only by email and their list is published on the SAC website, and the final selection panel is prepared purely on interview performance.

Q7. What stipend or salary will selected candidates get?

JRFs will get 37000 rupees per month plus HRA for the first two years and 42000 rupees per month plus HRA from the third year onward. Project Scientist-I will get 56000 rupees per month plus HRA. Research Associates will get 58000, 61000 or 67000 rupees per month plus HRA depending on their qualification and experience level.

Q8. How long will the JRF, RA and PS-I positions last?

JRFs are engaged initially for one year, extendable up to a maximum of five years. Research Associates are engaged initially for one year, extendable up to a maximum of three years. Project Scientist-I is engaged initially for one year or the project duration, extendable further, and all Project Scientist-I posts are co-terminus with their respective projects.

Source

This article is based on Advertisement No. SAC:02:2026, dated 13.09.2026, issued by the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Space, Ahmedabad, and available on the official SAC website.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes and is based on the official recruitment notification issued by SAC, ISRO. Candidates are advised to read the original advertisement on the official SAC website before applying, and to rely on the official notification for any discrepancy.