ISRO UDC Eligibility Criteria 2026: Age and Qualification

The ISRO UDC eligibility criteria decide who can apply for Upper Division Clerk posts at the Indian Space Research Organisation. Recruitment is handled by the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB), and the current cycle (Advt. No. ISRO:ICRB:01(A-JPA):2026 dated 27 July 2026) recruits UDC and Assistants on the same eligibility rules. Two dates matter most: age is counted as on 16 August 2026, and your graduation must already be complete when you apply.

This page covers every condition in detail: the 60% or 6.32 CGPA rule and how ISRO treats CGPA, percentage and course duration, the age limit with date-of-birth windows, category relaxations, nationality, certificates and the most common reasons applications are rejected. Several rules here are stricter than in many other government exams, so read them before you fill the form.

Table of Contents

• ISRO UDC Eligibility at a Glance

• Educational Qualification

• Age Limit and Date of Birth Window

• Age Relaxation for Other Groups

• Nationality, Certificates and Other Conditions

• UDC Vacancies and Category-wise Eligibility

• Application Fee and Multiple Posts

• Who Is Not Eligible

• Eligibility Checklist Before You Apply

ISRO UDC Eligibility at a Glance

Educational Qualification

For UDC, ISRO asks for graduation with a minimum of 60% marks or a CGPA of 6.32 on a 10-point scale, as declared by a recognised university, and proficiency in the use of computers. Any discipline is accepted; the notification does not restrict the subject of your degree. The details below are where most candidates go wrong.

60% or 6.32 CGPA, With No Rounding Off

The official FAQ is clear that these minimums are applied exactly. A graduate with 59.9% is not eligible, and neither is one with a CGPA of 6.319. If your marksheet shows a figure just below the cut-off, do not apply expecting it to be rounded up.

CGPA and Percentage: Which One Counts?

ISRO goes by what your degree certificate or consolidated marksheet actually shows. Conversion from one system to the other is not allowed, even if your university publishes a formula.

Degree Completed Within the Normal Duration

Your graduation must have been completed within the stipulated duration of the course as prescribed by your university. The official FAQ gives the example of a three-year course finished in four years because of backlogs: such a candidate is not eligible, even with more than 60% aggregate. If you had a year back or a gap caused by failed papers, check this condition first.

Dual and Integrated Degrees

• Separate graduation figure shown: If your dual or integrated degree certificate lists CGPA or percentage separately for the graduation part, that graduation figure is used.

• One common figure shown: If only a single CGPA or percentage for the whole course is shown, that final figure decides eligibility.

• No figure on the certificate: The cumulative CGPA or percentage from the final or consolidated marksheet for the entire course is used.

Final-Year Students and Postgraduates

Candidates whose final semester or final-year result has not been declared cannot apply; only those who have completed graduation as on the date of application are eligible. A postgraduate degree does not make up for weak graduation marks either. If your graduation aggregate is below 60% or 6.32 CGPA, you are not eligible even with a strong master's score.

Proficiency in the Use of Computers

The notification does not ask for a specific computer certificate. Instead, computer proficiency is tested directly through the Computer Literacy Test on MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint, which you must pass after the written test. Treat it as a skill you must be able to demonstrate, not a document you can submit.

No Relaxation in Marks for Any Category

The 60% or 6.32 CGPA requirement applies equally to UR, EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-servicemen candidates. The FAQ confirms there is no relaxation in educational qualification or marks for any category, which is a key difference from many other central government exams.

Age Limit and Date of Birth Window

The upper age limit is 28 years as on 16 August 2026. Where posts are reserved, it is 31 years for OBC and 33 years for SC and ST candidates. Although the application deadline was later extended to 20 August 2026, the second corrigendum (17 August 2026) kept the age reference date at 16 August 2026, so ignore pages that count age on 20 August.

For example, a UR candidate born on 17 August 1998 is within the limit, while one born on 16 August 1998 is not. The notification does not specify a minimum age, and since graduation is compulsory, most applicants are well above 18 in practice.

The OBC and SC/ST limits apply "wherever posts are reserved". In the 2026 cycle, UDC has OBC, SC and ST vacancies, so these higher limits are available for UDC. In a future cycle, check the vacancy table first: if no post is reserved for your category, the general limit may apply to you.

Age Relaxation for Other Groups

The notification grants age relaxation, as per Government of India orders, to serving Central Government employees, Ex-servicemen, persons with disabilities, meritorious sportspersons, and widows, divorced women and women judicially separated from their husbands who have not remarried. It does not list the exact years. The table below shows the standard central government norms usually applied to Group C direct recruitment.

These figures are indicative, because the ISRO notification refers to Government of India orders without stating them. Confirm the exact relaxation in the notification and FAQ for the cycle you apply in.

• Only Central Government employees qualify: The original notice said "serving Govt. employees", but the corrigendum of 17 August 2026 changed this to "serving Central Govt. employees". State Government employees should not expect this relaxation.

• The three-year service condition matters: The FAQ tells Central Government employees with less than three years of continuous service to select "No" for this option in the online form.

Nationality, Certificates and Other Conditions

• Nationality: Only Indian nationals can apply.

• OBC certificate: It must be valid as on 16 August 2026, issued by the competent authority in the central government format.

• EWS certificate: You need a valid Income and Asset Certificate for the financial year 2026-27 in the central government format.

• PwBD certificate: Reservation is available only for 40% or more of the relevant disability. A self-attested copy of the disability certificate from a medical board of at least three members must be produced at the skill test, and ISRO asks candidates to get manual certificates digitised on the UDID portal in advance.

• No Objection Certificate: Candidates working in Central or State Government, PSUs or autonomous bodies must apply with their employer's knowledge and produce an original NOC at the skill test. Private sector employees do not need one.

• Posting: Selected candidates can be posted to, and later transferred to, any ISRO or Department of Space centre or unit.

• Nature of post: The posts are permanent but remain temporary until the probation period is completed.

UDC Vacancies and Category-wise Eligibility

Knowing where the vacancies are helps you understand which age limits and qualifying marks apply to you. After the corrigendum dated 11 August 2026, the UDC vacancies in the 2026 cycle stand as follows, all in the Bengaluru zone.

Within these, 1 vacancy is identified for PwBD category A and 3 for Ex-servicemen. ISRO states that vacancy numbers are provisional and can be increased or decreased. To see how the written test and skill test work once you are eligible.

Application Fee and Multiple Posts

Every candidate first pays a processing fee, part or all of which is refunded after appearing in the written test.

You can apply for different posts in the same or different zones, such as Assistant in one zone and UDC in the Bengaluru zone, but not for the same post in two zones. Candidates applying for more than one post must choose the same written test centre. No refund is made if you do not appear in the written test, and the fee is paid online only, through the Bharatkosh gateway.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Below the marks cut-off: Graduates with less than 60% or a CGPA below 6.32, including near misses such as 59.9% or 6.319.

• Late completion: Candidates who took longer than the normal course duration to finish their degree.

• Awaiting results: Final-year students or anyone whose final result was not declared on the date of application.

• Using conversion: Candidates who meet the norm only after converting CGPA to percentage or the other way round.

• Over age: Candidates above the category limit as on 16 August 2026 without a valid relaxation.

• Wrong details: Anyone whose online form contains false information. There is no option to edit a submitted form, and false details lead to disqualification at the skill test.

Eligibility Checklist Before You Apply

1. Check your marksheet figure: Note exactly what your degree certificate shows (CGPA, percentage or both) and confirm it meets 60% or 6.32 without rounding or conversion.

2. Confirm course duration: Make sure you finished within the duration your university prescribes.

3. Calculate your age: Compare your date of birth with the window for your category as on 16 August 2026.

4. Update certificates: Keep your OBC, EWS or disability certificate valid in the central government format, and digitise a disability certificate on UDID.

5. Arrange an NOC: If you work in government or a PSU, inform your employer before applying.

6. Build computer skills: Start practising MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, since the skill test checks the computer proficiency the post requires.

Always confirm the rules for your cycle on the official ICRB recruitment page.