ISRO Scientist/Engineer SC Syllabus 2026: Discipline-Wise Topics

The ISRO Scientist/Engineer SC syllabus is the first thing aspirants search for after reading the notification, and it is also the part that is most often misreported. The ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) names the two parts of the written test, but it does not publish a topic-wise syllabus for Electronics, Mechanical or Computer Science in its advertisement.

That is why this page is built differently. It lists what the official advertisement confirms, then gives a working checklist for each discipline, assembled from the standard BE/B.Tech curriculum and from the previous question papers that ISRO itself hosts on its Careers page. Use it to plan your study, and use the official papers to confirm the depth of each topic.

Honesty note: ICRB names the tests in its notification but does not publish a topic-wise syllabus. The topic lists below are working checklists, not an official list.

Table of Contents

What the Official Notification Confirms

The current advertisement, ISRO:ICRB:03(EMC):2026, describes the written test as a computer-based test of 100 marks.

The advertisement describes Part B as covering numerical, logical, diagrammatic, abstract and deductive reasoning. It gives no further breakdown for Part A, beyond the fact that the questions are specific to your discipline.

Key Changes and Points to Know

• No official topic list: any site that presents a "complete official syllabus" is interpreting the previous papers, not quoting ISRO.

• Previous papers are the best guide: ISRO has put the 2023 and 2025 question papers for Electronics, Mechanical and Computer Science on its Careers page. They show the real spread of topics.

• Discipline-specific means undergraduate level: the questions test the BE/B.Tech core, so the depth is that of a good final-year student, not a research-level specialist.

• Part B is separate: it needs its own qualifying score of 50% for unreserved candidates, so it cannot be left for the last week.

• Other ISRO posts differ: the GATE-based advertisement uses a GATE paper in place of the written test, and centre-specific technical posts have their own tests. This page covers the written test for Electronics, Mechanical and Computer Science only.

Part A: Electronics Syllabus

Electronics papers lean on circuits, signals and communication. The table groups topics by subject and suggests where to begin.

Network theory, analog and digital electronics, and signals and systems tend to feature heavily in the sample papers, so build these first. Communication and electromagnetics follow naturally once the signals basics are strong.

Part A: Mechanical Syllabus

Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer connect directly to propulsion and thermal systems, which is the work many ISRO mechanical engineers eventually do. Give those three extra revision cycles.

Part A: Computer Science Syllabus

For this paper, strong fundamentals in data structures, algorithms and operating systems usually give the best return, because their questions can be solved from first principles even under time pressure.

Part B: Aptitude and Ability Syllabus

Part B is common to all disciplines and carries 20 marks. The official description lists five areas:

Since this part has no negative marking, attempt every question. A steady 15 to 20 minutes of daily practice for a month is usually enough to clear the 50% line comfortably.

Engineering Mathematics Across Disciplines

Mathematics supports Part A in all three branches, so budget time for it separately.

• Calculus and differential equations: limits, partial derivatives, multiple integrals and first- and second-order equations.

• Linear algebra: matrices, eigenvalues, rank and systems of equations.

• Probability and statistics: distributions, expectation and basic hypothesis ideas.

• Numerical methods and transforms: root finding, interpolation, Laplace and Fourier basics, which matter most for Electronics and Mechanical.

Overlap Between the Written Test and the Interview

Whatever you learn for Part A returns in the interview, where technical knowledge carries 40 of 100 marks. The table shows how to plan once and use it twice.

Interview: Is There a Syllabus?

There is no separate syllabus for the interview. The panel marks you on technical knowledge (40), general awareness in the area of specialisation (20), presentation and communication (20), comprehension (10) and academic achievements (10). In practice, the technical questions come from the same core subjects listed above, which is why a strong foundation pays off at both stages.

How to Cover the Syllabus: Week-Wise Plan

This plan assumes about ten weeks before the written test. Compress it if you have less time, but keep the order.

1. Weeks 1 to 4, core concepts: finish the first four to five subjects in your branch table and engineering mathematics. Make short notes and a formula sheet as you go.

2. Weeks 5 to 6, remaining subjects: complete the rest of the checklist and start Part B practice for 20 minutes a day.

3. Weeks 7 to 8, previous papers and topic tests: solve the official 2023 and 2025 ISRO papers for your branch under a timer, then attempt topic-wise tests.

4. Weeks 9 to 10, full-length practice: take full 120-minute simulations, analyse them the same day and revise your error log. Keep one day a week for light revision of formulas.

Once the written test is done, shift attention to interview preparation using the same notes. Download the official papers from the ISRO ICRB notification page and confirm the final syllabus-related instructions in the advertisement and FAQs.