21 May 2026
₹37,000 per month + House Rent Allowance (HRA)
2 years (extendable as per rules)
First Division B.E/B.Tech with valid NET/GATE or M.E/M.Tech with First Division in Electronics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics.
Application form, educational certificates, birth/matriculation certificate, GATE/NET scorecard if applicable, caste certificate if applicable, and ₹10 Indian Postal Order.
Deadline: 21 May 2026
Want to work on defence technology straight out of college? DRDO just opened a small but serious research intake.
The DRDO IRDE JRF 2026 program is inviting applications for Junior Research Fellows at the Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE) in Dehradun. These fellows work on cutting-edge areas like optics, opto-electronics, and photonics, technologies that quietly power everything from advanced sensors to defence imaging systems.
Only eight seats are available this time. And yes, the fellowship pays ₹37,000 per month plus HRA. For many fresh postgraduates or GATE-qualified engineers, that’s actually better than what several entry-level private roles offer.
Program DRDO IRDE Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
| Organisation | Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
| Lab | Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun
| Total Vacancies | 8
| Fields | Electronics, Computer Science, Physics, Mechanical
| Monthly Stipend | ₹37,000 + HRA
| Duration | 2 Years (extendable as per rules)
| Application Mode | Email + Postal Application
| Last Date | 21 May 2026
If you're exploring defence research roles, it’s also worth checking other DRDO opportunities like the DRDO DLRL Internship 2026 and the DRDO DIPAS Internship 2026. Different labs, different domains, but similar research exposure.
The fellowship is distributed across four disciplines. Electronics dominates the intake this year, which isn’t surprising given IRDE’s focus on sensors and imaging technologies.
Discipline Vacancies
| Electronics Engineering | 4
| Physics | 1
| Computer Science | 2
| Mechanical Engineering | 1
That’s eight seats total. Small intake, which usually means strong competition.
The eligibility requirements depend on your discipline, but the academic expectation is fairly clear. DRDO wants strong academic backgrounds and, in most cases, a valid GATE or NET score.
All qualifications must come from UGC-recognised universities or institutes.
If you're planning multiple defence research applications, you may also want to read our DRDO internships 2026 guide, which breaks down labs, selection trends, and common eligibility patterns.
The upper age limit is 28 years as of the application closing date.
Relaxation applies as per Government of India norms:
Selected fellows under the DRDO IRDE JRF 2026 program receive:
The fellowship is initially awarded for two years. It may be extended depending on project requirements and institutional rules.
Quick heads-up: this fellowship does not guarantee permanent employment at DRDO. Many fellows do later pursue PhDs or transition into research roles elsewhere.
The Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE) is one of DRDO’s key labs focusing on imaging and sensor technologies.
The lab primarily works on:
If your background includes signal processing, sensor electronics, photonics, or imaging algorithms, this environment can be particularly valuable.
The application process is slightly old-school. You’ll need to submit both a postal application and an email submission.
During the interview stage, candidates must bring original documents along with two passport-size photographs.
The selection process for DRDO IRDE JRF 2026 typically follows these steps:
Shortlisted candidates are informed via email or speed post. So keep checking your inbox regularly. I’ve seen applicants miss interview calls simply because they ignored official emails for weeks.
If you're exploring government research fellowships broadly, you might also want to check programs like the NITI Aayog Internship Scheme. Different domain, but still a solid policy and research exposure.
And if you want to discover more opportunities like this one, you can always browse all opportunities on Talentd.
The official closing date for applications is 21 May 2026.
The advertisement also notes that the deadline is counted as 21 days from publication in Employment News, so it’s best not to wait until the last moment.
A few quick things that can improve your chances:
Small mistakes derail otherwise strong applications. And with only eight seats available, attention to detail matters.
Technical Content Writer
Radhika is a Technical Content Writer at Talentd, where she creates clear, practical, and research-driven content focused on jobs, internships, career guidance, and technology. She specializes in simplifying complex technical topics and turning them into easy-to-understand resources for students and fresh graduates. At Talentd, Radhika contributes to articles related to hiring updates, interview preparation, career roadmaps, and industry trends, helping thousands of learners stay informed and make better career decisions. Her work focuses on delivering accurate, actionable, and student-friendly content that supports the growing Talentd community.
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