ISRO Scientist/Engineer SC 2026 –
Complete Preparation Guide
ISRO recruits Scientist/Engineers 'SC' (Entry Grade, Group A) through the ICRB centralised exam and individual centre drives. The written test has 95 MCQs in 120 minutes (80 technical + 15 aptitude). Final selection = 50% Written + 50% Interview. Entry salary ~₹75,000–₹85,000/month with Pay Level 10.
1Overview – ISRO Scientist/Engineer SC 2026
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), established in 1969, is India's premier space agency and one of the most respected organisations for engineering graduates. The Scientist/Engineer 'SC' post is an Entry Grade Group A Gazetted position — one of the most coveted government engineering jobs in the country, associated with India's landmark missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Gaganyaan, and Aditya-L1.
Recruitment happens through two routes: (1) the ICRB (ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board) which conducts large, multi-discipline drives, and (2) individual ISRO centres like SAC (Ahmedabad), URSC (Bengaluru), VSSC (Thiruvananthapuram), and others that announce their own centre-specific vacancies. Both routes lead to the same Scientist/Engineer SC designation.
2Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date / Status | Status |
|---|---|---|
| ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Notification Released (320 vacancies: Elec/Mech/CS) | 📅 27 May 2025 | ✓ Released |
| ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Online Application Window | 📅 27 May – 16 June 2025 | ✓ Released |
| ICRB:03(CEPO):2025 – Notification Released (Civil/Elec/R&AC/Arch) | 📅 24 June 2025 | ✓ Released |
| ICRB:03(CEPO):2025 – Application Window | 📅 24 June – 14 July 2025 | ✓ Released |
| ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Written Test Held | 📅 26 October 2025 | ✓ Released |
| ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Shortlisting Results for Interview | 📅 29 January 2026 | ✓ Released |
| ICRB:03(CEPO):2025 – Interview Results Published | 📅 22 April 2026 | ✓ Released |
| SAC Recruitment 2026 – Notification (49 SC/SD vacancies) | 📅 23 January 2026 | ✓ Released |
| SAC Recruitment 2026 – Application Window | 📅 23 Jan – 12 Feb 2026 | ✓ Released |
| URSC:01:2026 – Notification (SC, SD & Medical Officer) | 📅 21 March 2026 | ✓ Released |
| URSC:01:2026 – Application Window | 📅 Closed 12 April 2026 | ✓ Released |
| LPSC/01/2026 – Notification (6 SC vacancies) | 📅 25 April 2026 | ✓ Released |
| LPSC/01/2026 – Application Window | 📅 Closed 12 May 2026 | ✓ Released |
| 🆕 ICRB Centralised Recruitment – Next Cycle Notification | 📅 To Be Notified (TBN) | ⚠️ TBN |
| Online Application (next ICRB cycle) | 📅 TBN | ⚠️ TBN |
| Written Test (next ICRB centralised cycle) | 📅 TBN | ⚠️ TBN |
| Interview & Final Selection | 📅 TBN | ⚠️ TBN |
Source: Official ISRO pages — isro.gov.in/ICRB_Recruitment9.html (EMC:2025), ICRB_Recruitment10.html (CEPO:2025), and individual centre notifications. TBN = To Be Notified. Always verify before applying.
3Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
Indian citizens only. Candidates must be Indian nationals as per ISRO recruitment rules.
Age Limit
Minimum 18 years; Maximum 28 years (General/EWS) as on the closing date of application.
Educational Qualification
B.E./B.Tech or equivalent degree in a relevant engineering discipline with a minimum of 65% marks (or 6.84/10 CGPA, or equivalent) from a recognised university.
Final-year students may apply if they will complete all requirements by the time of document verification. Check discipline-specific requirements in each notification.
Engineering Disciplines
Available disciplines vary per notification. Always check the official advertisement PDF.
4Vacancy History
| Recruitment Cycle | Year | Vacancies | Disciplines |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICRB:02(EMC):2025 | 2025 | 320 | Electronics (113) + Mechanical (160) + CS (44) + PRL (3) |
| ICRB:03(CEPO):2025 | 2025 | Confirmed | Civil, Electrical, Refrigeration & A/C, Architecture |
| SAC 2026 (SC/SD) | 2026 | 49 | Multiple engineering disciplines (SC & SD grade) |
| URSC:01:2026 | 2026 | 4 | SC, SD (Engineering) & Medical Officer SC |
| LPSC/01/2026 | 2026 | 6 | Mechanical/Welding, Turbo Machinery, Power Electronics, RF & Microwaves, Metallurgy |
| Next ICRB | 2026 (Expected) | 100–300 (Est.) | All engineering disciplines |
ISRO recruits irregularly — both through ICRB centralised drives and individual centre notifications. Vacancy counts above represent SC-grade posts across all disciplines.
5Exam Pattern
The ISRO Scientist/Engineer SC selection process has two stages: (1) Written Test and (2) Interview. The final merit is based on 50% Written Test + 50% Interview.
| Part | Section | Questions | Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Core Engineering (Discipline-specific) | 80 | 80 | 1/3 per wrong answer |
| Part B | General Aptitude & Reasoning | 15 | 20 | None |
| Total | 95 | 100 | Part A only: –⅓ per wrong | |
Written Test Details
- → Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours)
- → Mode: Online Computer-Based Test (CBT)
- → Question Type: Objective (MCQ), single correct answer
- → PwBD candidates get compensatory time as applicable
- → Shortlisting for Interview: typically top 5× vacancies in each discipline
Interview Stage
- → Interview marks: 100 (50% of final selection)
- → Evaluates: Technical knowledge + project experience
- → Academic achievements (IIT/NIT bonus in scoring)
- → Awareness of ISRO missions & space science
- → Communication skills and problem-solving approach
6Syllabus by Discipline
Part A (Core Engineering) carries 80% of the written test weight. The syllabus is undergraduate B.E./B.Tech level but questions are often more direct and conceptual than GATE. Below are the key subject areas for the most popular disciplines.
📘 Electronics & Communication
📘 Mechanical Engineering
📘 Computer Science
📘 Civil Engineering
📘 Electrical Engineering
📘 General Aptitude (Part B – all streams)
7Previous Year Cut-offs (Indicative)
Below are official cut-off marks published by ISRO for the Written Test held on 26 October 2025 (ICRB:02/EMC/2025 — the most recent large centralised cycle). These are the minimum marks required to be shortlisted for the Interview stage. ISRO does not publish category-wise (OBC/SC/ST) breakdowns — the official table only distinguishes between General/Others and PwBD candidates.
| Discipline | Cut-off (Others / UR) | Cut-off (PwBD) | Total Marks | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics (BE001) | 49.73 / 98 | Not listed | 98 (1 question cancelled) | ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Oct 2025 exam |
| Mechanical (BE002) | 55.70 / 99 | 50.39 / 99 | 99 (1 question cancelled) | ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Oct 2025 exam |
| Computer Science (BE003) | 57.41 / 96 | 44.36 / 96 | 96 (4 questions cancelled) | ICRB:02(EMC):2025 – Oct 2025 exam |
✅ These are official ISRO cut-off marks published at isro.gov.in for the Written Test held on 26 Oct 2025 (ICRB:02/EMC/2025). Cut-offs shown are marks required to be shortlisted for Interview (top 5× vacancies). Total marks differ from 100 because some questions were cancelled during evaluation. Minimum qualifying marks: 50% in Part A AND 50% in Part B (40% for PwBD).
8Salary & Career Growth
| Component | Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay – Pay Level 10 (7th CPC, entry) | ₹56,100/month |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) @ ~60% of Basic Pay (as of 2026) | ~₹33,660/month |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) – X City (24% basic) | ~₹13,464/month |
| Transport Allowance (TA) | ~₹7,200–₹15,000/month |
| Other Allowances (Special Pay, Incentive, Medical) | ~₹3,000–₹5,000/month |
| Estimated Gross In-Hand (varies by city & allowances) | ~₹75,000–₹85,000/month |
Career Progression at ISRO
9How to Apply
106-Month Study Plan
Download the official ISRO syllabus for your discipline. Revise B.Tech fundamentals: focus on the 4–5 high-weightage subjects. Solve 20–25 GATE PYQs per subject to gauge baseline.
Complete all syllabus topics subject-by-subject. Practice 50+ numericals/derivation-based problems per chapter. Start ISRO PYQ papers (2017–2024) to understand question style — ISRO is more conceptual than GATE.
Take 2–3 full ISRO mock tests per week under timed conditions (120 min). Analyse weak chapters and revisit them immediately. Simultaneously prepare Part B (General Aptitude) — 30 min daily is sufficient.
Consolidate all formula sheets and concept cards. Solve the last 3 ISRO papers in exam mode. Focus on speed and accuracy — negative marking in Part A (–1/3) penalises guessing.
11Best Books for ISRO Scientist/Engineer SC
| Book | Author | Subject | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| GATE Electronics & Communication Engineering (Chapter-wise PYQ) | Arihant Experts | Electronics/ECE | — |
| GATE Computer Science & IT — Topic-wise Solved Papers | Made Easy Publications | Computer Science | — |
| GATE Mechanical Engineering — 31 Years Solved Papers | GK Publications | Mechanical | — |
| GATE Civil Engineering — Solved Papers | Made Easy Publications | Civil Engineering | — |
| GATE Electrical Engineering — Topic-wise PYQ | Arihant Experts | Electrical | — |
| ISRO Scientist/Engineer Previous Year Papers (2006–2024) | Various / Free PDFs | ISRO PYQs | — |
| A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal | General Aptitude | Buy |
ISRO Previous Year Question Papers (2006–2024) are available as free PDFs online — these are the single most important resource. Always cross-check recommendations with the latest ISRO syllabus notification PDF.
12Free Resources
13Expert Preparation Tips
ISRO has its own official syllabus document (downloadable from isro.gov.in). Topics outside GATE — like specific control systems topics or VLSI design details — appear regularly. Map every chapter to the official ISRO syllabus before studying.
GATE questions are application-heavy; ISRO questions are often more direct but test deep conceptual clarity. Solve ISRO papers from 2017 to 2024 as your primary practice material in the last two months — the difficulty and style differ from GATE.
Part A carries ⅓ negative marking, which can dramatically reduce your score. Attempting 65 questions confidently is better than attempting 80 with guesses. Identify your "skip-if-unsure" topics and hold back on those during the actual exam.
The interview carries 50% of final selection weight — equal to the written test. Prepare to explain every topic on your mark sheet, your B.Tech projects, and current ISRO missions (Gaganyaan, Aditya-L1, NISAR). Practice mock interviews with peers or mentors.
ISRO recruits through both the centralised ICRB and individual centre notifications (SAC, URSC, VSSC, ISAC, etc.). Each centre may recruit for the same disciplines but at different times. Monitor all ISRO official pages and apply to every relevant notification — do not wait for only the big centralised ICRB drive.