Defence Research and Development Organisation RCI

DRDO RCI Apprentice Recruitment 2026 is the one-year apprenticeship programme of Research Centre Imarat (RCI), a Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratory in Hyderabad. The advertisement, released on 1 October 2026, offers 195 tentative seats for engineering graduates, diploma holders and ITI pass-outs who completed their qualification between 2022 and 2026.

There is no written exam and no application fee mentioned in the notice. Selection depends on your marks in the qualifying course, followed by an interview where RCI requires one. This page explains the seat split, eligibility rules, the stipend under the latest government norms, how to apply on the NATS and Apprenticeship India portals, and the conditions that cause most applications to be rejected.

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DRDO RCI Apprentice Recruitment 2026

About Research Centre Imarat

RCI is a DRDO laboratory located in the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex at Vignyana Kancha, Hyderabad. It works on avionics and related systems for India's missile programmes, so apprentices train in an environment built around electronics, instrumentation, software, precision manufacturing and testing.

For a fresher, that matters in two ways. The training gives hands-on exposure that is hard to get in a classroom, and the apprenticeship certificate from a defence research lab carries weight when you later apply for technical jobs in PSUs, defence units or private industry.

DRDO RCI Apprentice Notification Overview

The notice is issued under the Apprentices Act, 1961 and its amendment rules. The "2027" in the advertisement number refers to the apprenticeship year in which training will run, not the year of release. Search results and news reports call it the 2026 recruitment because it was released in October 2026.

• Three separate streams: Graduate apprentices (B.E./B.Tech), Technician apprentices (Diploma) and Trade apprentices (ITI) apply through different portals and are shortlisted separately.

• Seat split this cycle: 50 graduate, 30 technician and 115 trade seats. The previous cycle reportedly had the same total with more ITI and fewer graduate seats, so engineering graduates have more room this time.

• Regular candidates only: Qualifications earned through distance or other non-regular modes are not accepted.

• Freshers only: Candidates with higher qualifications, more than one year of work experience, or any past or ongoing apprenticeship are not eligible.

DRDO RCI Apprentice 2026 Important Dates

The official notice does not print a fixed closing date. It ties the deadline to the newspaper publication date, which is why different websites show different dates. Apply well before 1 November 2026 to be safe, and keep checking your registered email and the official portals for updates.

DRDO RCI Apprentice Vacancy 2026 and Eligible Disciplines

The notice does not split seats by branch or trade. It only lists which disciplines are eligible in each category:

Seat numbers are tentative and may change based on RCI's training needs. Reservation for SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwD candidates follows the Apprentices Act, 1961 and its rules.

DRDO RCI Apprentice Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification and Minimum Marks

• Graduate apprentices: B.E. or B.Tech in one of the eligible disciplines from a recognised institution.

• Technician apprentices: Diploma in one of the eligible engineering disciplines.

• Trade apprentices: ITI pass in one of the listed trades, affiliated to NCVT or SCVT.

• Minimum score: 70% marks or 7.5 CGPA and above in the qualifying course.

• Passing year: The qualification must be completed in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026. A 2021 pass-out is not eligible, however good the marks.

Age Limit

You must be at least 18 years old as on 1 September 2026. The notice does not set an upper age limit, but the passing-year window and the freshers-only rule keep the applicant pool mostly within the early twenties.

Who Cannot Apply

• Higher qualification holders: A diploma holder who has also completed a B.Tech cannot apply in the diploma category. The same applies to an ITI holder with a diploma.

• Experienced candidates: More than one year of work experience makes you ineligible.

• Past apprentices: Anyone who has completed or is currently undergoing apprenticeship training anywhere is not eligible.

• Non-regular candidates: Only regular-mode qualifications are accepted.

Hiding any of these facts can lead to cancellation even after selection, so check your NATS or Apprenticeship India profile history before applying.

Stipend for DRDO RCI Apprentices

RCI's notice says the stipend will be paid as per government norms, with reference to the Gazette dated 3 September 2025. That notification (G.S.R. 610(E)) revised the minimum monthly stipend under the Apprentices Act with effect from 11 September 2025.

These are the statutory minimums from the Gazette; the RCI notice itself does not print amounts, so confirm the final figure in your offer or contract. For graduate and technician apprentices, 50% of the stipend is paid by the Board of Apprenticeship Training through Direct Benefit Transfer, which is why an Aadhaar-seeded bank account is mandatory.

How to Apply for DRDO RCI Apprentice 2026

There is no offline form. Your category decides the portal.

Graduate and Diploma Candidates (NATS 2.0 Portal)

1. Go to the NATS 2.0 portal and register as a student, if you have not already.

2. Complete your profile with education details, marks and an Aadhaar-seeded bank account, and wait for profile approval.

3. Search for "Research Centre Imarat, DRDO" using Enrolment ID STLRAC000010.

4. Apply to the establishment and save or print the application details.

ITI Candidates (Apprenticeship India Portal)

1. Register on the Apprenticeship India portal and complete your profile.

2. Open "Apprenticeship Opportunities" and search "RESEARCH CENTRE IMARAT" with Establishment ID E05203600040.

3. Select your trade and submit the application.

4. Keep a printout of your profile; it is needed at document verification.

Profile approval on NATS can take a few days, so do not leave registration for the last week.

DRDO RCI Apprentice Selection Process

1. Shortlisting on academic merit: Candidates are ranked on marks in the qualifying B.E./B.Tech, diploma or ITI course.

2. Interview (where required): RCI may call shortlisted candidates for an interview, usually focused on core subjects of your discipline or trade.

3. Document verification: Originals and self-attested copies are checked against your online profile.

4. Joining formalities: Selected candidates submit a valid police verification certificate and sign the apprenticeship contract on the relevant portal before training begins.

All communication goes to the email ID used during registration. Canvassing or personal follow-up leads to disqualification.

Documents Required for DRDO RCI Apprentice

Training Terms and Conditions

• No TA or DA: You travel for the interview and verification at your own cost.

• No accommodation: RCI does not provide hostel, quarters or transport, so plan your stay in Hyderabad.

• Withdrawal is discouraged: Leaving midway is not allowed except for reasons beyond your control.

• No job guarantee: Completing the apprenticeship does not mean employment at DRDO.

Is There a Written Exam for DRDO RCI Apprentice?

No. The current notice does not mention a written test, so there is no official exam pattern or syllabus. Your academic score does most of the work, and the interview (if held) tests how well you understand the basics of your branch or trade. Our DRDO RCI Apprentice syllabus guide lists the discipline-wise topics worth revising before an interview.

How to Improve Your Chances of Selection

You cannot change your marks now, but you can control everything else.

• Apply early and correctly: An approved profile, the right Enrolment or Establishment ID and matching documents prevent avoidable rejections.

• Revise core subjects: Interview panels usually ask about fundamentals, your final-year project and practical work. Electronics and instrumentation candidates should be ready for questions on sensors, digital circuits and measurement.

• Practise technical MCQs: Short objective tests are a quick way to find weak topics. You can attempt discipline-wise online tests on Testkart and use the topic-wise analysis to decide what to revise first.

• Keep the bigger picture in view: The same core subjects are tested in exams such as DRDO CEPTAM, SSC JE and PSU recruitment.

If you are an educator preparing ITI or diploma students for apprenticeship interviews, Testkart also lets you create trade-wise tests and share them with your batch.