DRDO CEPTAM-11 Recruitment 2025-26 | 764 Posts of STA-B & Technician-A | Full Guide & Application Details

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) through its Centre for Personnel Talent Management (CEPTAM) has released the official notification for CEPTAM-11 Recruitment (Advertisement No. CEPTAM-11/Tech-A/STA-B/2025). A total of 764 vacancies are being filled for the posts of Senior Technical Assistant ‘B’ (STA-B) and Technician ‘A’ in various disciplines across DRDO laboratories and establishments spread over India.

This is one of the most awaited defence civilian job opportunities of the year for diploma holders, ITI pass-outs and science graduates who want to work in India’s premier defence research organisation. The selected candidates get permanent central government jobs with excellent pay, job security, pension benefits, medical facilities and the pride of contributing to national defence R&D.

The online application window is open from 11 December 2025 to 11 January 2026 (up to 11:59 PM). The Computer Based Test (Tier-I) date will be announced later. This article explains everything in very simple language — eligibility, age limit, post-wise vacancy, application fee, selection process, exam pattern, salary structure, how to apply step-by-step, documents required, preparation tips and frequently asked questions.

Important Dates – DRDO CEPTAM-11 Recruitment 2025-26

Event	Date / Status
Official Notification Release	Early December 2025
Online Application Start Date	11 December 2025
Last Date to Apply Online	11 January 2026 (11:59 PM)
Last Date for Online Fee Payment	11 January 2026
Tier-I CBT Exam Date	To be announced later
Admit Card Release	10–15 days before exam
Tier-I Result & Scorecard	4–8 weeks after exam
Tier-II Trade/Skill Test	After Tier-I result (qualifying)
Document Verification & Final Merit	After Tier-II
Joining / Appointment	Expected July–December 2026

Note: Dates are confirmed from the official notification. Always visit drdo.gov.in → Careers → CEPTAM for any update, extension or exact exam schedule.

Application Fee – CEPTAM-11 2025-26

Category	Fee for STA-B Post	Fee for Technician-A Post	Refund after Tier-I Exam
General / OBC / EWS / MSP	₹ 750	₹ 600	₹ 500
SC / ST / PwBD / ESM / All Female	₹ 500	₹ 500	₹ 500

Payment is accepted only online through Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, IMPS or UPI. Fee is non-refundable except the refund amount for candidates who appear in Tier-I CBT.

Age Limit (as on 11 January 2026)

Category	Minimum Age	Maximum Age
General / OBC / EWS	18 years	28 years (Technician-A) / 30 years (STA-B)
SC / ST	18 years	33 years (Technician-A) / 35 years (STA-B)
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	18 years	31 years (Technician-A) / 33 years (STA-B)
PwBD	18 years	38–40 years (additional relaxation)

Important:

• Age is calculated as on 11 January 2026 (closing date of application)
• Final cut-off date and exact relaxation rules are given in the official notification
• Maximum age for reserved categories is usually 28/30 + relaxation (check notification)

Educational Qualification – Post-wise

Post Name	Minimum Qualification Required	Disciplines / Trades (Examples)
Senior Technical Assistant ‘B’ (STA-B)	B.Sc. in relevant subject OR 3-year Diploma in Engineering/Technology in relevant discipline	Mechanical, Electronics, Computer Science, Electrical, Chemical, Automobile, Instrumentation, etc.
Technician ‘A’	Class 10th pass + NAC (National Apprenticeship Certificate) / ITI in relevant trade from NCVT/SCVT	Fitter, Turner, Welder, Electrician, Electronics Mechanic, Machinist, Draftsman, COPA, etc.

Important:

• For STA-B: Minimum 50% marks in qualifying exam (relaxation for reserved categories)
• For Technician-A: ITI must be in notified trade matching the vacancy
• Candidates must possess valid ITI/NAC certificate at the time of application

Vacancy Details – 764 Posts

Total vacancies: 764

Post Name	Vacancies (Approx)	Pay Level	Approximate In-hand Salary (Starting)
Senior Technical Assistant ‘B’ (STA-B)	561	Level-6	₹ 44,000 – ₹ 55,000
Technician ‘A’	203	Level-2	₹ 28,000 – ₹ 35,000
Total	764	–	–

Note: Exact discipline-wise, category-wise (UR, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, ESM, PwBD) and lab/establishment-wise break-up is given in the official notification PDF on drdo.gov.in.

Salary & Pay Scale After Selection

Post Name	Pay Matrix Level	Basic Pay (Starting)	Approximate In-hand Salary (Starting)
Senior Technical Assistant ‘B’	Level-6	₹ 35,400	₹ 44,000 – ₹ 55,000 (incl. DA, HRA, TA)
Technician ‘A’	Level-2	₹ 19,900	₹ 28,000 – ₹ 35,000 (incl. DA, HRA, TA)

Other Benefits

• Dearness Allowance (DA) revised every 6 months
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) based on posting city
• Transport Allowance
• Medical facilities for self & family under CGHS
• Leave Travel Concession (LTC)
• Pension under NPS
• Children education allowance
• Group insurance, concessional loans

After probation (2 years) and satisfactory service, salary increases regularly with promotions.

Selection Process – CEPTAM-11 2025-26

The selection is done in two tiers:

1. Tier-I – Computer Based Test (CBT Screening)
   • Objective type (MCQ)
   • Total: 150 questions / 150 marks
   • Duration: 120 minutes
   • Negative marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer
   Section-wise distribution (indicative – confirm in notification):SectionQuestionsMarksTechnical / Trade-specific100100Reasoning / General Intelligence2020General Awareness / Current Affairs1515Quantitative Aptitude / Numerical Ability1515Total150150
2. Tier-II – Trade/Skill Test
   • Qualifying in nature (no marks added to merit)
   • Hands-on practical test in the relevant trade (for Technician-A)
   • For STA-B: may include descriptive / skill-based assessment
3. Document Verification
   • Original certificates checked
4. Medical Examination
   • Final fitness check

Final merit is prepared on Tier-I marks (for candidates who qualify Tier-II).

How to Apply Online – Step-by-Step Guide

1. Visit official website: drdo.gov.in → Careers → CEPTAM
2. Click on “CEPTAM-11 Recruitment 2025-26” link
3. Click “Apply Online”
4. Register with mobile number and email ID
5. Verify OTP
6. Fill personal details, education, category, post preference, exam centre
7. Upload scanned photo (20–50 KB) and signature (10–20 KB)
8. Preview the application carefully
9. Pay fee online (if applicable)
10. Submit the form and take printout of confirmation page

Note: Keep Aadhaar number, 10th/ITI/Diploma marksheets, mobile and email active. Fill name, father name, DOB exactly as per marksheet.

Documents Required During Verification

• Recent passport-size photo & signature
• 10th marksheet & passing certificate
• ITI marksheet & NCVT/SCVT certificate (for Technician-A)
• Diploma / B.Sc marksheets & provisional/final certificate (for STA-B)
• Caste / category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS – if applicable)
• PwBD certificate (if applicable)
• Ex-serviceman discharge certificate (if applicable)
• Aadhaar card / any photo ID

Keep originals and self-attested photocopies ready.

Preparation Tips for CEPTAM-11 Tier-I CBT

The Tier-I CBT is 150 marks and 120 minutes. Negative marking applies.

Subject-wise strategy

• Technical/Trade-specific (100 marks) – Revise your ITI trade theory & practical OR diploma subjects deeply
• Reasoning – Analogy, series, coding-decoding, blood relation, puzzle
• General Awareness – Current affairs (last 6 months), static GK (defence, science, history)
• Quantitative Aptitude – Simplification, percentage, ratio, time & work, average

Best books

• Arihant / Kiran CEPTAM Guide
• Lucent General Knowledge
• RS Aggarwal Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning
• ITI trade theory books (for Technician-A)
• Diploma engineering textbooks (for STA-B)

Practice – Solve previous year CEPTAM papers and mock tests. Aim for 100–110 marks to be safe.

Some Useful Important Links
Apply Online		Click Here
Download Notification		Click Here
Official Website		Click Here

Final Advice for Candidates

DRDO CEPTAM-11 Recruitment 2025-26 with 764 vacancies is one of the best defence civilian job opportunities for ITI and diploma holders. The job is permanent, offers good salary, pension, medical benefits and postings in prestigious DRDO labs across India.

Start preparing now — revise trade theory, practice aptitude & GK, and keep documents ready. Apply early (11 December 2025 – 11 January 2026) to avoid last-minute server rush. Fill the form carefully because correction window is limited.