Defence
DRDO CEPTAM 2026
DRDO CEPTAM 2026 exam is scheduled for Tier 2: 15 Jun 2026 (CEPTAM-11, Concluded) with 764 (CEPTAM-11 cycle: 561 STA-B + 203 Technician-A) vacancies.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Mode
Online
Level
Graduate
Vacancies
764 (CEPTAM-11 cycle: 561 STA-B + 203 Technician-A)
Fee
₹250 (STA-B, Gen/OBC/EWS), ₹100 (Technician-A, Gen/OBC/EWS), Nil (Women/SC/ST/PwD/Ex-servicemen)
Last updated: July 4, 2026
Key dates
CEPTAM-11 Advertisement
11 Dec 2025
Application Window (Extended)
11 Dec 2025 – 11 Jan 2026 (Closed)
Tier 1 Exam
23 Mar 2026 (Concluded)
Tier 1 Result
25 May 2026 (Declared)
Tier 2 Exam
15 Jun 2026 (Concluded)
Tier 2 Result / Final Merit
Awaited (as of Jul 2026)
Quick Summary
DRDO CEPTAM-11 (2026) recruits 764 posts (561 STA-B + 203 Technician-A) across DRDO's defence research laboratories. STA-B needs a B.Sc/relevant Diploma in Engineering; Technician-A needs 10th pass + ITI certificate; both require age 18-28 years. Two-tier CBT: Tier 1 (150 questions/150 marks/120 min, common) held 23 Mar 2026 with results 25 May 2026; Tier 2 (discipline/trade-specific) held 15 Jun 2026, with final result awaited as of Jul 2026. No negative marking. Pay Level 6 for STA-B (Rs. 35,400-1,12,400), Pay Level 2 for Technician-A (Rs. 19,900-63,200). Next cycle (CEPTAM-12) not yet announced.
Eligibility
- STA-B (Senior Technical Assistant): B.Sc degree in a relevant Science subject, or a Diploma in Engineering, depending on the specific discipline advertised
- Technician-A: 10th (Xth) pass plus an ITI certificate in the relevant trade
- Age limit: 18 to 28 years for both posts, with standard government relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Ex-servicemen
Syllabus
- Tier I (common for both posts): General Science, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, General Intelligence and Reasoning
- Tier II (STA-B): Discipline-specific technical subject matter
- Tier II (Technician-A): Trade-specific technical subject matter, followed by a qualifying Trade Test
Exam Pattern
- Tier I (CBT): 150 questions, 150 marks, 120 minutes — General Science (40), General English (30), Quantitative Aptitude (40), General Intelligence & Reasoning (40)
- Tier II (STA-B): 120 questions, 120 marks, 120 minutes, discipline-specific
- Tier II (Technician-A): 120 questions, 120 marks, 90 minutes, trade-specific, plus a qualifying Trade Test
- No negative marking in either tier
- Final merit based on combined Tier I and Tier II scores (Trade Test for Technician-A is qualifying only)
Exam overview
DRDO CEPTAM (Centralised Entry Scheme for Technical Assistant/Multi-Tasking Staff) is DRDO's recruitment scheme for Senior Technical Assistant-B (STA-B) and Technician-A posts across its network of defence research laboratories nationwide — the primary entry route into DRDO for candidates without a full engineering degree.
The current cycle, CEPTAM-11, advertised 764 vacancies (561 STA-B and 203 Technician-A) via a notification dated 11 December 2025. Tier 1 was held 23 March 2026 with results declared 25 May 2026, and Tier 2 was conducted 15 June 2026; as of July 2026, the final result/merit list is still awaited. The next cycle (CEPTAM-12) has not been announced.
Preparation tip
Start with the syllabus topics listed above, then practice timed mock tests and revise previous year questions weekly.