Engineering students often ask “How to get into DRDO?” The basic eligibility to join DRDO is to have a B.Sc. degree or a Diploma in Engineering/ Computer Science or Technology. There are multiple grades in DRDO to join such as Distinguished Scientist (DS), Scientist B, C, D, E, F, G, H and more.
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How to Join DRDO? The basic eligibility criteria for candidates to get into DRDO is either a Bachelor's Degree in Science or a 3-year Diploma in Engineering/ Technology/ Computer Science/ Allied subjects in the required discipline or domain from a recognised Institute.
Apart from that, the hiring process in DRDO is through an entrance exam known as the Centre for Personnel Talent Management (CEPTAM), for interested candidates.
Among India's most distinguished organizations, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is one of them and securing a job here is a dream come true for many people. So, candidates asking how to get into DRDO must check the eligibility criteria and qualify for the entrance test.
DRDO stands for 'Defence Research and Development Organisation,' an agency run by the Government of India that largely runs research and development efforts for the Indian military's technologies or equipment and plays into the assistance of the country's defence systems.
Because its purpose is so ingrained in defensive warfare, it's under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. The organisation's headquarters are located in Delhi and there are a total of 52 laboratories across India.
But, of course, it doesn't stop at only defence systems; it also covers various fields wherein they could expand the technologies involved, such as;
The rigorous iterative processes are made possible by the sheer volume of engineers, scientists, and everything in between working there; 5,000 scientists belonging to the Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) and 25,000 employees filling scientific, technical, and support-related roles.
Joining the nation's reputed organization for military research and development is most people's dream. However, there are certain steps to follow to learn how to join DRDO. The steps are listed below:
When learning how to get into DRDO, aspirants must fulfil certain requirements to obtain work at DRDO. There are a total of 4 levels of posts for scientists, Scientist 'B', Scientist 'C', Scientist' D', and Scientist 'E', which you can apply for based on the aspirant's eligibility.
Candidates should have a pass certificate from their Class 10 board exam or an equivalent certificate issued by a recognized board or institute. Additionally, they must possess a certificate from a recognised Industrial Training Institute (ITI) branch.
If an ITI branch doesn't provide a certificate in that course, then candidates must have either one of the following:
DRDO is one of the esteemed agencies in India serving the country. Getting a job here is a dream for many. But there are several shoes to fill, such as those of scientists, technicians, assistant technicians, and even support staff.
Each of these roles requires different qualifications and experience, such as:
It's recommended that applicants apply for the shop assistant post after their B.Tech graduation if they wish to be a scientist and better pay. The candidates can also apply directly for Scientist B if they have scored high in the GATE exam.
Scientist B recruitment through the GATE Exam is conducted for candidates age must not be more than 28 years old. Anyone above this age is unsuitable for the DRDO exam. However, there are some relaxations on it, they are as follows:
DRDO comprises different laboratories spread across the country. The laboratories have different research fields, development, core concepts, training policies, and whatnot.
This is why it's recommended that you reach out to the Director of the desired laboratory where you'd like to obtain the internship through the headmaster/chairperson/dean of your college or institute.
First of all, search for the internship you are looking for in your field of specialization.
Other steps for getting an internship at DRDO are:
As a paper-based rest, the DRDO exam, which is called the Scientist Entry Test (SET), is conducted once every year. SET is divided into two sections: Section A and Section B.
When put together, the duration of the paper is calculated to be 3 hours (or 180 minutes, to be exact). Both sections have negative markings; however, the amounts are different; Section A provides a 1-mark penalty for every wrong answer, and Section B deducts 0.5 marks.
As mentioned above, the exam does have an age limit, which ranges between 18-27 years of age (excluding relaxations), depending on the post the candidate is applying for. As for the total marks segregation, Section A takes the majority in that it contains 400 marks worth of content, and Section B gets the rest 100.
Now that the candidates have learnt how to get into DRDO let’s discuss DRDO salaries. The salaries for DRDO employees vary for different posts. In the table below, an average estimation of initial pay in DRDO is mentioned:
DRDO Grade
Pay Matrix Level
Average Initial Pay in DRDO
