DRDO recruits its technical support cadre through CEPTAM — the Centre for Personnel Talent Management — its centralised recruitment body for 50+ laboratories across India.
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This is the route that does not require GATE. Where Scientist ‘B’ entry rests on a GATE score, CEPTAM offers direct entry to the DRDO Technical Cadre (DRTC) on an ITI or a Diploma.
CEPTAM 11 carried 764 vacancies — 561 Senior Technical Assistant-B and 203 Technician-A. Tier 1 was held on 23 March 2026 and Tier 2 on 15 June 2026; the process is now at the result stage. CEPTAM 12 is expected, with past cycles running from 764 to over 3,000 posts.
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And the two posts sit further apart than most candidates realise: an ITI opens Technician-A at Pay Level 3. A diploma opens STA-B at Pay Level 6 — a difference of ₹13,700 in basic pay, and 358 more vacancies.
Overview
| Technician-A | Senior Technical Assistant-B | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Class 10 + ITI (National Trade Certificate) | 3-year Diploma in Engineering/Science |
| Group | Group C | Group B |
| Pay Level | Level 3 — ₹21,700 – ₹69,100 | Level 6 — basic ₹35,400 |
| Gross | ₹30,000 – ₹35,000 | ₹50,000 – ₹60,000 |
| Vacancies (CEPTAM 11) | 203 | 561 |
| Selection | CBT 1 (Selection Test) → Trade Test | CBT 1 (Screening) → CBT 2 (Selection) |
| Age | 18–28 | 18–28 |
| Portal | ceptam.drdo.gov.in / drdo.gov.in | Same |
1. The Diploma Premium — And Why It Runs Opposite to the Railways
Set DRDO against RRB Technician, covered earlier in this series:
| Employer | ITI route | Diploma route |
|---|---|---|
| RRB Technician | Grade III — Level 2, ₹19,900 — 6,234 posts | Grade I Signal — Level 5, ₹29,200 — 323 posts |
| DRDO CEPTAM | Technician-A — Level 3, ₹21,700 — 203 posts | STA-B — Level 6, ₹35,400 — 561 posts |
At RRB, the ITI route carries the volume — 6,234 posts against 323. A diploma buys higher pay and a far smaller pool.
At DRDO, the diploma carries both. STA-B pays ₹13,700 more in basic than Technician-A and offers 358 more vacancies.
And RRB will not accept a diploma in lieu of an ITI for Level 2. DRDO does not need to — the diploma has its own, better post.
The practical instruction: an ITI holder considering a diploma should note that at DRDO the diploma is worth substantially more, on both counts. At the railways, it is not.
2. Eligibility
| Post | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Technician-A | Class 10 (Matriculation) pass + a valid ITI Trade Certificate — the National Trade Certificate — in the appropriate trade: Fitter, Electrician, Welder and others |
| Senior Technical Assistant-B (Science/IT) | 3-year Diploma in the relevant Engineering or Science discipline |
| Administrative STA-B | Typically a Graduate degree |
| Admin & Allied (A&A) | Posts such as Junior Translation Officer or Stenographer — specific degrees or 12th pass, by skill set |
Age
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| Technician-A | 18 to 28 years |
| STA-B | 18 to 28 years |
| OBC | +3 years |
| SC / ST | +5 years |
| PwBD | +10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Per rules |
| Reference date | The closing date of the online application |
Note the band: 28 for both posts. Narrower than RRB Technician Grade III (30) and Grade I Signal (33), and narrower than BHEL Artisan (27 General but 32 for SC/ST).
CEPTAM is described as “very particular about its cutoff dates for age and qualifications.” Verify against the closing date, not the notification date.
3. Selection — The Two Posts Are Assessed Differently
This is where candidates most often misread the process.
| Post | Stage 1 | Stage 2 |
|---|---|---|
| STA-B | CBT 1 — Screening Test | CBT 2 — Selection Test |
| Technician-A | CBT 1 — Selection Test | Trade Test / Skill Test |
The CBT 1 paper is common to both posts. Its function is not.
For STA-B, Tier 1 is purely a screening test — it filters the field using General Intelligence, Reasoning and Basic Science, and does not by itself determine selection.
For Technician-A, “this score actually matters for your provisional selection.” Tier 1 is the Selection Test.
The consequence: a Technician-A candidate cannot treat the CBT as a hurdle to clear efficiently the way an STA-B candidate can. For Tech-A, the CBT is the examination.
The Trade Test — Qualifying, and Fatal
“Trade Test will be conducted for Technician-A posts. This test is conducted to test the practical skills of the candidates and will be of ITI level in the related trade. The duration of the Trade Test may vary depending on the trade. The trade test is qualifying in nature.”
| Minimum in Trade Test | Category |
|---|---|
| 50% | UR / OBC / EWS |
| 45% | SC / ST / PwBD |
And the provision that decides outcomes:
“The Tier-2 Trade Test is mandatory and qualifying. Even if you secure the highest marks in the Tier-1 written exam, failing the practical Trade Test will lead to immediate disqualification.”
Read the two rules together. The CBT decides your rank. The Trade Test decides whether your rank counts. A candidate topping the written test who cannot demonstrate ITI-level practical skill in their trade is disqualified — the marks do not carry.
This is the same shape as the DRDO Scientist ‘B’ interview floor covered in the PG series, where a 70% minimum in the interview voids an outstanding GATE score. DRDO consistently gates on a qualifying threshold that a high headline score cannot rescue.
The trade test is at ITI level in your own trade. For a genuine ITI holder it should not be difficult — but it is not a formality, and practical skill decays. Practise the trade, not only the paper.
4. Examination Pattern
Tier 1 — Common to Both Posts
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subjects | English Language, General Awareness, General Intelligence & Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude / Mathematics, and domain / science subjects |
| Marking | 1 mark per correct answer |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Minimum qualifying | 40% — UR/OBC/EWS · 35% — SC/ST/PwBD |
A conflict to note: one source states that “historically, there is no negative marking in the DRDO CEPTAM exams,” while advising verification. Multiple other sources state 0.25 negative marking in both tiers. Verify in the official notification — it materially changes attempt strategy.
Tier 2
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 120 |
| Structure | Part I — Personality Test · Part II — subject-specific to the post code |
| Personality Test | Qualifying in nature |
| STA-B Part II | Discipline-specific — Chemical Technology, Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, Electric Circuits and Fields, Signals and Systems, Electrical Machines and others |
| Technician-A Tier 2 | ITI-based Trade Test — practical |
| Minimum qualifying (Part II) | 40% — UR/OBC/EWS · 35% — SC/ST/PwBD |
On the final merit — sources conflict. One states the merit list is prepared on “the total marks obtained in Tier 1 and Part II (subject-specific)”; another states “final merit is based on Tier II performance.”
These are materially different. If Tier 1 counts, it cannot be treated as a screening stage even for STA-B. Verify in the notification before allocating preparation time.
5. Salary
| Post | Pay Level | Basic | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technician-A | Level 3 | ₹21,700 – ₹69,100 | ₹30,000 – ₹35,000 |
| Senior Technical Assistant-B | Level 6 | ₹35,400 | ₹50,000 – ₹60,000 |
Plus Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and medical facilities, and other allowances admissible under central government rules. Gross varies by posting city.
Context across this series: Technician-A at Level 3, ₹21,700 is the same basic as a CAPF constable (BSF, CRPF) and the same as RRB’s Commercial cum Ticket Clerk. STA-B at Level 6, ₹35,400 is the same as RRB Station Master — reached on a diploma rather than a degree.
On the 8th Pay Commission: its recommendations, expected during 2026, may revise these figures. Treat any revision as upside rather than assumption.
6. Where CEPTAM Sits
DRDO operates 50+ laboratories and establishments across India, engaged in aerospace, missiles, electronics, naval systems, armaments and cybersecurity.
CEPTAM recruits for the DRDO Technical Cadre (DRTC) — Technician-A (Group C), Senior Technical Assistant-B (Group B) and Administrative posts — across all of them.
The distinction from the Scientist route matters:
| Route | Entry |
|---|---|
| Scientist ‘B’ | GATE score (2023/2024/2025), via RAC — or the tabulation route for specialised M.Sc/M.Tech |
| CEPTAM | ITI or Diploma — no GATE required |
“Unlike scientist roles that demand rigorous GATE scores, CEPTAM offers a direct entry for the technical support cadre — the backbone of defence infrastructure.”
7. Application
Applications are submitted online via the official DRDO website.
- Go to the CEPTAM notice board on drdo.gov.in or ceptam.drdo.gov.in.
- Register with a valid email and mobile number.
- Log in and fill in personal and educational history carefully.
- Upload scanned documents — Class 10 / ITI / Diploma certificates.
- Pay the fee — approximately ₹100 for General/OBC; exempted for SC/ST and women.
- Submit and retain the confirmation.
Note the fee exemption: women of all categories are exempt, not only SC/ST candidates — the same provision seen in DRDO’s RAC Scientist ‘B’ advertisement.
CEPTAM 11 — The Cycle for Reference
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Vacancies | 764 — STA-B 561, Technician-A 203 |
| Tier 1 | 23 March 2026 |
| Tier 1 result | Declared |
| Tier 2 | 15 June 2026 |
| Tier 2 answer key | Released — objections invited |
CEPTAM 10 concluded in 2024-25 with approximately 3,117 vacancies.
CEPTAM 12 is expected, with estimates of 1,000 to 3,000+ vacancies for Technician-A, STA-B and Administrative posts. Monitor ceptam.drdo.gov.in — the notification does not follow a fixed annual calendar.
8. The Apprentice Track
Separate from CEPTAM, individual DRDO laboratories engage apprentices under the Apprentices Act — Graduate, Diploma and ITI categories.
Recent examples: DEBEL engaged 28 Graduate Apprentices through NATS; DEAL notified 77 apprentice posts across Graduate, Diploma and ITI categories.
As with the JRF track covered in our DRDO Scientist guide, this is decentralised — individual labs release their own notifications based on requirement, year-round. They do not appear in the CEPTAM advertisement.
And as established across this series: an apprenticeship completed under the Apprentices Act produces a certificate that RRB accepts in lieu of an ITI for Technician Grade III, and that BHEL requires — as the NAC — for its permanent Artisan Grade IV post.
Monitor drdo.gov.in’s vacancies page for lab-level apprentice notices, separately from CEPTAM.
9. Documents Checklist
- ☐ Class 10 / Matriculation certificate
- ☐ ITI Trade Certificate — National Trade Certificate — for Technician-A
- ☐ 3-year Diploma in the relevant Engineering or Science discipline — for STA-B
- ☐ Graduate degree — for Administrative STA-B posts
- ☐ Caste / category certificate
- ☐ EWS certificate, where applicable
- ☐ PwBD certificate, where applicable
- ☐ Ex-Servicemen documentation, where applicable
- ☐ Scanned documents to specification
- ☐ Registration credentials and printed application
10. Assessment
In favour:
- No GATE required — direct entry to the DRDO Technical Cadre on an ITI or Diploma
- STA-B at Level 6, ₹35,400 basic, gross ₹50,000 – ₹60,000, on a 3-year diploma
- Technician-A at Level 3, ₹21,700, gross ₹30,000 – ₹35,000
- 561 STA-B posts against 203 Technician-A — the diploma route carries the volume and the pay
- 50+ laboratories across India
- Fee approximately ₹100, and nil for SC/ST and women
- CEPTAM 10 carried ~3,117 posts — intakes can be substantial
- 8th Pay Commission revision expected, as upside
Against:
- Age 28 — narrower than RRB Technician (30/33)
- The Trade Test is fatal — the highest CBT score does not survive failing it
- 50% minimum in the Trade Test for UR/OBC/EWS
- No fixed annual cycle — CEPTAM notifications are irregular
- Sources conflict on negative marking and on whether Tier 1 enters the final merit
Recommendations:
If you hold a 3-year diploma, apply for STA-B, not Technician-A. Level 6 against Level 3, ₹35,400 against ₹21,700, and 561 posts against 203. At DRDO the diploma is worth more on both counts — unlike the railways, where the ITI carries the volume.
If you hold an ITI, understand that your CBT score is your selection — Tier 1 is the Selection Test for Technician-A, not a screening filter. And practise your trade. The Trade Test is at ITI level in your own trade, requires 50%, and failing it disqualifies you regardless of your written marks.
Verify the negative marking and the merit basis in the notification. Sources disagree on both, and each changes how the paper should be attempted.
And watch the lab-level apprentice notices separately. They are not in the CEPTAM advertisement — and the certificate they produce is what BHEL requires and RRB accepts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the qualification for DRDO Technician-A? Class 10 (Matriculation) pass plus a valid ITI Trade Certificate — the National Trade Certificate — in the appropriate trade, such as Fitter, Electrician or Welder. No GATE score is required.
Q2. What is the DRDO Technician-A salary? Group C, Pay Level 3 — basic ₹21,700 – ₹69,100. With DA, HRA and other allowances, gross in-hand is approximately ₹30,000 – ₹35,000 per month, depending on the posting city.
Q3. What does a diploma get me at DRDO? Senior Technical Assistant-B — a Group B post at Pay Level 6, basic ₹35,400, gross ₹50,000 – ₹60,000. It requires a 3-year Diploma in the relevant Engineering or Science discipline. CEPTAM 11 carried 561 STA-B posts against 203 Technician-A posts.
Q4. How is Technician-A selected? CBT 1 — the Selection Test — followed by a Trade Test. The CBT score determines provisional selection. The Trade Test is practical, at ITI level in the related trade, and qualifying — requiring 50% for UR/OBC/EWS and 45% for SC/ST/PwBD.
Q5. What happens if I fail the Trade Test? You are disqualified. “Even if you secure the highest marks in the Tier-1 written exam, failing the practical Trade Test will lead to immediate disqualification.”
Q6. Is there negative marking? Sources conflict. Several state 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer in both tiers, with 1 mark per correct answer. One states that CEPTAM historically has no negative marking. Verify in the official notification.
Q7. What is the age limit? 18 to 28 years for both Technician-A and STA-B, calculated as on the closing date of the online application. Relaxation: OBC +3, SC/ST +5, PwBD +10, Ex-Servicemen per rules.
Q8. When is CEPTAM 12 expected? No fixed annual calendar. CEPTAM 11 carried 764 vacancies with Tier 1 on 23 March 2026 and Tier 2 on 15 June 2026. CEPTAM 10 concluded in 2024-25 with approximately 3,117 vacancies. Monitor ceptam.drdo.gov.in.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. Vacancy numbers, eligibility, age limits, examination pattern, marking scheme, qualifying percentages, fees and dates are set by the official CEPTAM advertisement and are revised each cycle; CEPTAM does not follow a fixed annual calendar. Secondary sources conflict on negative marking and on whether Tier 1 marks enter the final merit list. DRDO laboratories engage apprentices separately under the Apprentices Act, outside the CEPTAM process. Candidates must read the official notification on ceptam.drdo.gov.in or drdo.gov.in before applying and treat it as the final authority.