Indian Space Research Organisation UDC

ISRO UDC 2026 is the recruitment of Upper Division Clerks for the Indian Space Research Organisation, run by the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) under the Department of Space. The post is a Group C clerical role at Level 4 of the Pay Matrix, and it is filled through one common advertisement along with Assistants, Junior Personal Assistants and Stenographers.

The 2026 cycle was notified under Advertisement No. ISRO:ICRB:01(A-JPA):2026, and the computer-based written test has already been held. This page brings together the verified details from the official advertisement and its corrigenda: revised vacancies, eligibility, fee and refund rules, the written and skill test pattern, qualifying marks, syllabus, salary and a practical preparation plan.

Table of Contents

• ISRO UDC 2026 at a Glance

• Latest Updates

• Important Dates

• ISRO UDC Vacancy 2026

• Eligibility Criteria

• Application Fee and How to Apply

• Selection Process

• ISRO UDC Exam Pattern

• Syllabus Overview

• Salary and Benefits

• How to Prepare for ISRO UDC

• Previous Year Papers and Qualifying Marks

ISRO UDC 2026 at a Glance

Latest Updates

• Written test held: The computer-based test for Assistant, UDC, JPA and Stenographer posts was conducted on 21 September 2026.

• Response sheet and objections: The candidate response sheet and objection window ran from 25 September 2026 (2:00 PM) to 28 September 2026 (2:00 PM).

• Skill test: ICRB has listed the skill test tentatively for 25 October 2026. Shortlisted candidates should watch their registered email and the ICRB recruitment page.

• Vacancies revised: The corrigendum of 11 August 2026 raised UDC vacancies from 22 to 23 by adding one UR post, and Ex-Servicemen posts from 2 to 3.

• Last date extended: The same corrigendum extended the last date for online applications from 16 August to 20 August 2026. The age reference date stayed at 16 August 2026.

• Age relaxation clarified: Corrigendum No. 2 (17 August 2026) limits the serving-employee age relaxation to serving Central Government employees.

Older pages may still show 22 vacancies and 16 August as the last date, so follow the official notice on the ISRO ICRB recruitment page.

Important Dates

The skill test date is tentative and can change. Track the ICRB recruitment page on isro.gov.in and your registered email, because ISRO sends call letters only by email and SMS.

ISRO UDC Vacancy 2026

All 23 UDC posts are notified in the Bengaluru zone under the Department of Space. The table shows the revised category-wise break-up after the 11 August 2026 corrigendum.

Within these posts, 1 is earmarked for PwBD (category A) and 3 for Ex-Servicemen. These are horizontal reservations, so they sit inside the category totals rather than on top of them. ISRO states that the vacancy count is provisional and may be increased, reduced or left unfilled.

The zone only decides where you applied. Selected candidates can be posted to any ISRO or Department of Space centre or unit and can be transferred later.

Eligibility Criteria

Every condition must be met on the closing date. ISRO can reject a candidate at any stage, including after the skill test, if a condition is not met. For a detailed breakdown, see the ISRO UDC eligibility guide.

Educational Qualification

• Minimum marks: Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university with at least 60% marks or a CGPA of 6.32 on a 10-point scale.

• No rounding off: 59.9% or a CGPA of 6.319 does not qualify. There is no relaxation in marks for any category.

• No conversion: You cannot convert CGPA into a percentage, or the reverse, to become eligible. If your marksheet shows both, at least one must meet the norm.

• Within the course duration: The degree must be completed within the period the university prescribes. Finishing late because of backlogs makes you ineligible.

• Result already declared: Final-year students whose results are not out on the application date cannot apply.

• Computer proficiency: This is part of the qualification and is tested directly in the skill test.

Age Limit

The upper age limit is 28 years as on 16 August 2026, with higher limits for reserved categories.

Further relaxation applies to serving Central Government employees, Ex-Servicemen, PwBD candidates (40% or more disability), meritorious sportspersons, and widows, divorced or judicially separated women who have not remarried, as per Government of India orders.

Nationality and Other Conditions

• Nationality: Only Indian nationals can apply.

• Certificates: OBC certificates must be valid on 16 August 2026, and EWS candidates need an income and asset certificate for 2026-27.

• One zone per post: You may apply for different posts, but not for the same post in more than one zone.

Application Fee and How to Apply

ICRB charges an application fee and a refundable processing fee, both paid online through the Bharatkosh gateway.

Candidates who skip the written test get no refund. Refunds go to the bank account entered in the form, so check those details carefully.

Steps to Apply

1. Open the advertisement link on the ICRB recruitment page at isro.gov.in.

2. Register with a valid email ID and mobile number, and note your registration number.

3. Fill in personal, educational and category details, and choose the post, zone and written test city.

4. Upload a recent colour photograph, your signature in black ink, and any SC, ST, PwBD or Ex-Servicemen certificate in JPG format.

5. Pay the fee online and download the submitted application for your records.

Nothing is posted to ISRO. You bring original documents to the skill test, along with a No Objection Certificate if you work for a government body or PSU.

Selection Process

1. Written test (CBT): One objective paper of 200 marks. You must clear the qualifying marks to be considered.

2. Skill test shortlist: Candidates are called in a ratio of up to 1:5 against category-wise vacancies, with a minimum of 10 in aggregate.

3. Computer Literacy Test: A qualifying test in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Its marks are not added to the merit.

4. Final merit: Prepared on written test marks alone, among candidates who pass the skill test.

5. Document verification: Original documents are checked at the skill test stage, and a mismatch with the online application can cancel your candidature.

If two candidates tie, the one with higher marks in General Intelligence and Reasoning ranks higher. If they still tie, the older candidate is placed first.

ISRO UDC Exam Pattern

Written Test

The paper lasts 150 minutes. Each correct answer earns 1 mark and each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. The qualifying mark is 50% for UR candidates and 40% for reserved categories against reserved vacancies.

Computer Literacy Test (Skill Test)

To pass, UR candidates need 60% and reserved candidates need 50%. UDC candidates take only this test; the stenography test applies to other posts.

What This Means for You

• About 45 seconds a question: 150 minutes for 200 questions leaves about 45 seconds each, so speed in English and GK buys time for Quant.

• Guessing has a cost: Four wrong guesses wipe out one correct answer. Attempt only when you can eliminate at least two options.

• Reasoning carries extra weight: It decides ties, so treat it as a scoring section, not a filler.

• Do not ignore the skill test: It is qualifying, but failing it ends your candidature regardless of your written score.

Syllabus Overview

The advertisement gives an outline for each part rather than a detailed topic list. The table summarises what each section covers.

Salary and Benefits

A UDC in ISRO is placed at Level 4 of the 7th Pay Commission Pay Matrix.

Gross and in-hand pay depend on the city of posting and the current DA rate, so they vary from one centre to another.

How to Prepare for ISRO UDC

Because merit comes only from the written test, most of your effort should go there. The skill test needs a few weeks of hands-on practice, not months.

Written Test Preparation

• Start with Quant and Reasoning: They take the longest to build. Cover arithmetic first, then algebra, geometry and data interpretation.

• Read daily for English: Twenty minutes of editorial reading improves comprehension, and a weekly grammar topic covers error spotting.

• Keep GK current: Make monthly notes on national affairs, schemes, science and space. Questions on ISRO missions and launch vehicles are a natural fit for this exam.

• Use the official paper: ISRO has published the 2023 Assistant question paper. Solve it under exam conditions to judge the level.

Mock Tests and Analysis

Full-length practice matters here because 200 questions in 150 minutes is a stamina test as much as a knowledge test. Start sectional tests early, then move to two full mocks a week in the last six weeks. After each mock, note wrong answers, slow questions and questions you skipped but could have solved.

Skill Test Preparation

Practise typing documents with headings, tables and page setup in Word, build sheets with formulas, sorting, filtering and charts in Excel, and create a short formatted deck in PowerPoint. Time yourself, because 75 minutes across three applications leaves little room for searching through menus.

Previous Year Papers and Qualifying Marks

The ISRO Assistant 2023 question paper is available on the official recruitment page and is the most reliable guide to question style for the clerical cadre.

The qualifying marks are the floor, not the target: 100 out of 200 for UR and 80 for reserved categories in the written test. With only 23 posts and a 1:5 shortlist, the score needed to reach the skill test can be well above these minimums. Treat any reported cut-off as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above it.