DRDO STA-B Exam Pattern 2026: Tier I and Tier II

The DRDO STA-B exam pattern has two computer based tests run by CEPTAM for the Senior Technical Assistant-B post. Tier I is a 150-question screening paper common to all post codes, and Tier II is a discipline-specific paper that decides provisional selection. Both are objective, both are held online, and both are offered in English and Hindi. This page covers the pattern used in CEPTAM-11, the cycle with 561 STA-B vacancies.

Knowing the structure matters more than usual here. Tier I reportedly runs each section on its own clock, and Tier II carries the final merit, so the way you split your preparation time has a direct effect on your result. Two details, the negative marking rule and the Tier II duration, are reported differently by different sources; this page flags both clearly so you can check them in your admit card instructions.

Table of Contents

• DRDO STA-B Exam Pattern at a Glance

• Tier I Exam Pattern

• Tier II Exam Pattern

• Tier I vs Tier II: How the Two Papers Differ

• Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

• What the Pattern Means for You

• Qualifying Marks, Shortlisting and Final Merit

• Document Verification and Medical Examination

• Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

• Key Changes and Older Pages

DRDO STA-B Exam Pattern at a Glance

One source reports that Tier I and Tier II marks are combined for merit, while most reports say provisional selection is made on Tier II merit alone. Follow the scheme of examination in the CEPTAM-11 advertisement for the final word.

CEPTAM-11 advertisement page: https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/en/offerings/vacancies/ceptam-11-advertisement-post-sta-b-and-technician

Tier I Exam Pattern

Tier I is the same paper for every STA-B post code. It was held on 23 March 2026 in two shifts for CEPTAM-11.

Sectional timing and section lock

The CEPTAM-11 exam interface, as reported before Tier I, gave each section a fixed 30-minute window. You could move freely between questions inside a section, but you could not switch to another section early. When a section's time ended, the next one opened automatically.

This means you cannot save time in English and spend it on Maths. Treat Tier I as four separate 30-minute tests in a row.

Level of questions

Candidates rated CEPTAM-11 Tier I as easy to moderate. General Science and Maths were at about Class 10 level, with some Class 11 and 12 physics numericals. English and Reasoning were reported as easy, which makes accuracy in those two sections important for clearing the screening.

Tier II Exam Pattern

Tier II for CEPTAM-11 was held on 15 June 2026, as fixed by the DRDO notice of 26 May 2026. It has two parts taken in the same session.

Inside the subject test

Some reports say the CEPTAM-11 Tier II subject test was divided into four sections of 30 questions each, with sectional timing, similar to Tier I. This structure was not confirmed in a DRDO document we could read, so treat it as tentative. Either way, all 120 questions come from your own discipline: a Computer Science candidate sees programming, data structures and networks, while a Mechanical candidate sees thermodynamics, machines and manufacturing.

Personality test

The personality test has no right or wrong answers in the usual sense. It asks how you would respond in common situations. Answer honestly and stay consistent, because such tests often repeat an idea in different words.

Tier I vs Tier II: How the Two Papers Differ

The two tiers test different skills, and treating them as one exam is a common planning mistake. The table below sets them side by side.

Because you compete only with candidates of your own post code in both tiers, the bar differs widely by discipline. A post code with many vacancies, such as Computer Science or Mechanical, can still be very competitive because it also draws the most applicants.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

Most coverage of CEPTAM-11 states a deduction of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in both tiers. A smaller number of pages say there is no negative marking, and one report says the penalty applies only to part of the Tier II paper. Because we could not read the scheme in the advertisement itself, treat the 0.25 rule as the safe planning assumption and confirm it in the instructions on your admit card and on the exam screen.

The reported interface instructions also stated that a question marked for review is not evaluated even if an answer is selected. If you want an answer to count, save it as answered, not as marked for review.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Each Tier I mark costs the same: All 150 questions carry one mark. Spend no more than 45 seconds on any single Tier I question; a tough Maths sum is worth exactly as much as an easy synonym.

• The cost of a wrong guess: With a 0.25 penalty, four wrong answers cancel one correct answer. A blind guess among four options adds only about 0.06 marks on average and makes your score less predictable, while a guess after eliminating two options adds about 0.37 marks on average.

• Sectional locks reward balance: Because time cannot move between sections, a candidate with steady scores in all four sections usually does better than one who is excellent in two and weak in two.

• Tier II is where selection happens: If Tier II alone decides merit, your discipline preparation decides the job. Do not pause core subjects for months while you prepare for Tier I.

A worked example

Suppose you attempt 120 questions in Tier I and get 104 right and 16 wrong. Your score is 104 minus 4 (16 times 0.25), which is 100 out of 150. If you had skipped 8 of those wrong attempts, you would have 104 minus 2, which is 102. Cutting careless guesses is often the easiest way to add marks.

Section-wise target attempts for Tier I

Candidate feedback on CEPTAM-11 Tier I put good overall attempts at roughly 115 to 125 out of 150. Use the ranges below as a practice target, not as an official benchmark.

These attempt ranges are estimates from reported exam analysis and will shift with the difficulty of each cycle.

Qualifying Marks, Shortlisting and Final Merit

1. Tier I screening: Candidates who meet the minimum marks are shortlisted for Tier II post code-wise and category-wise, in a fixed ratio to vacancies. Reports cite ratios of 1:8 and 1:10, so treat the exact ratio as unconfirmed.

2. Normalisation: Tier I was held in two shifts, so scores may be normalised before shortlisting. This is why some past cut-offs appear as decimal scores rather than whole marks.

3. Preliminary document scrutiny: CEPTAM checks the documents of shortlisted candidates. The DRDO notice of 13 August 2026 said this was in progress for CEPTAM-11 after Tier II.

4. Tier II merit: Provisional selection is made in order of merit in the Tier II subject test for each post code and category.

As of 27 October 2026, the CEPTAM-11 Tier II result had not been found on the DRDO website. Important notice dated 13 August 2026: https://drdo.gov.in/drdo/sites/default/files/announcement/Important_NoticeCEPTAM13082026.pdf

Document Verification and Medical Examination

After provisional selection, candidates go through document verification. Keep originals and copies ready for:

• Proof of age: Class 10 certificate or equivalent.

• Essential qualification: B.Sc or Diploma certificate and mark sheets for the post code you applied for.

• Category and other claims: SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwBD or Ex-Servicemen certificates in the prescribed format.

• Identity: A valid photo identity document and recent photographs.

Appointment is also subject to a medical examination. A mismatch between the application and the documents, or an essential qualification obtained after the crucial date, can lead to cancellation at this stage.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

Tier I

• English (30 questions, 30 minutes): Finish vocabulary and grammar questions in 15 minutes, then spend the rest on the passage.

• Reasoning (40 questions, 30 minutes): Do single-step questions first, then arrangements and puzzles.

• Maths (40 questions, 30 minutes): Take arithmetic first, skip any question that needs more than a minute, and return to it at the end.

• General Science (40 questions, 30 minutes): Most questions are recall; move quickly and keep numericals for the last ten minutes.

Tier II

• First pass: Answer every question you are sure of across the paper.

• Second pass: Work through questions where you can eliminate two options.

• Decide on the rest: With a likely penalty, blind guesses add almost nothing on average, so spend leftover time checking answered questions instead.

Practise in the same structure before the exam.

Key Changes and Older Pages

• Tier I size: CEPTAM-11 Tier I has 150 questions in 120 minutes. Some older pages still show 120 questions in 90 minutes from earlier cycles.

• General Science section: General Science is now a full 40-question section. Older pages list General Awareness in its place.

• Personality test in Tier II: The personality component appears as Part I of Tier II in CEPTAM-11.

• Technician-A is different: Technician-A, the other CEPTAM-11 post, has its own pattern with a trade or skill test. Do not mix its pattern with STA-B.

Older pages may still show the CEPTAM-10 pattern, so follow the current advertisement and the instructions on your admit card.

Official website: https://www.drdo.gov.in/