DRDO apprentice recruitment 2026: apply for 195 posts by October 30

In short

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is conducting an apprentice recruitment drive for 195 posts.
Eligible candidates can apply online through the official DRDO website, drdo.gov.in, by October 30, 2026.
The recruitment includes 50 Graduate Apprentice, 30 Technician Apprentice (Diploma), and 115 Trade Apprentice (ITI) positions.
Applicants must have secured 70% or CGPA 7.5 in qualifying examinations from 2022-2026 and be at least 18 years old.
Stipends range from Rs. 10,560/- to Rs. 12,300/- per month for a one-year training duration.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has initiated an online application process for 195 apprentice posts for the year 2027. Interested and eligible candidates can submit their applications through the official DRDO website, drdo.gov.in, with the deadline set for October 30, 2026.

Official notification screenshot — Screenshot of the official page at drdo.gov.in

This recruitment drive, advertised under DEAL/HRD/Apprenticeship/2026-27 dated June 23, 2026, aims to fill positions across Graduate, Technician (Diploma), and Trade (ITI) apprentice categories. The selection process will involve academic merit or interviews, followed by document verification.

Apprenticeship Categories and Eligibility

The DRDO recruitment drive includes 195 apprentice posts distributed across three main categories. There are 50 positions for Graduate Apprentices, 30 for Technician Apprentice (Diploma), and 115 for Trade Apprentice ITI pass-outs who hold NCVT or SCVT affiliation. The training duration for all selected apprentices will be one year.

Candidates must have secured a minimum of 70% marks or a CGPA of 7.5 and above in their qualifying examinations. These examinations must have been completed in the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, or 2026. The minimum age limit for applicants is 18 years as of September 1, 2026. Candidates with higher qualifications than prescribed, those who have previously undergone or are currently undergoing apprenticeship training, or those with more than one year of work experience are not eligible to apply.

Apprenticeship Category	Number of Posts
Graduate Apprentice	50
Technician Apprentice (Diploma)	30
Trade Apprentice ITI pass out (NCVT / SCVT Affiliation)	115

Application Process and Stipend Details

The application process requires candidates to register on specific government portals before applying through the DRDO website. Graduate and Diploma candidates are required to register and apply on the NATS 2.0 portal (https://nats.education.gov.in) using DEAL ID: NUKDDC000015. ITI candidates must register and apply on the NAPS portal (https://www.apprenticeshipindia.gov.in) using the Establishment Code of DEAL: E01160500005.

Successful candidates will receive a monthly stipend during their one-year training period. Graduate Apprentices will be paid Rs. 12,300/-, Diploma Apprentices Rs. 10,900/-, and ITI Apprentices Rs. 10,560/-. Shortlisted candidates will be notified via the email address provided in their application. At the time of joining, selected candidates must produce a valid Police Verification Certificate from their last residence or permanent address, covering at least the past one year, along with a ‘Certificate of Physical Fitness’ issued by an authorised Medical Officer from a Government Hospital.

Apprenticeship Level	Stipend per month
Graduate	Rs. 12,300/-
Diploma	Rs. 10,900/-
ITI	Rs. 10,560/-

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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