DRDO JRF: Stipend, Eligibility, Labs and How Walk-Ins Work

A DRDO Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) is a two-year paid research post at one of DRDO's laboratories, open to engineering and science graduates with GATE or NET, and to M.E./M.Tech holders. DRDO labs don't hire JRFs through one national exam. Each lab advertises its own posts, usually for a walk-in interview or an emailed application, and notices appear all year.

Status on 30 October 2026: CAIR Bengaluru has a JRF walk-in interview on 24 November 2026, with applications closing on 30 October. DMRL Hyderabad's window closed on 27 October. In 2026 at least 18 labs advertised JRF posts, and new notices come out every few weeks, so check the labs below and DRDO's vacancies page.

DRDO JRF at a glance

Who can apply

Every lab writes its own rules, but the 2026 notices follow the same three routes:

• B.E./B.Tech in first division with a valid GATE score in the branch the lab asks for (electronics, computer science, mechanical, electrical and so on).
• M.E./M.Tech in first division, with first division at graduation too. GATE is usually not needed on this route.
• M.Sc. in a basic science with NET or GATE, for labs that hire physicists, chemists, mathematicians or life scientists. DRDE Gwalior asked for an existing CSIR/UGC/DBT/ICMR JRF award.

Most labs want Indian nationals, and if you already work for a government body or PSU you need a no-objection certificate from your employer. Cryptology and cyber security posts at SAG Delhi also ask for an Official Secrets Act undertaking.

How the walk-in works

1. The lab publishes a notice with the number of posts, the branches, the interview date and an application form.
2. You fill in the form and bring it to the interview with original certificates, a set of self-attested copies, your GATE or NET scorecard, a photo ID and, if employed, the NOC. Some labs ask you to email the form a week or two before.
3. The lab shortlists on the day, often by GATE score, then holds a technical interview with its scientists.
4. Results go out by email or on the lab's page. Fellows join on a contract for two years, then are reviewed.

Read each notice closely: reporting times, the number of copies and the exact branch list change from lab to lab, and labs turn away candidates who arrive late or without originals.

DRDO JRF notices in 2026

The pattern matters more than any single notice: Bengaluru and Hyderabad labs hire most often, electronics and mechanical are the most common branches, and most windows stay open for two to four weeks.

JRF, internship or apprenticeship?

A JRF is a paid research job for graduates. If you are still studying, DRDO's paid internships (₹5,000 a month at most labs) are the route in, and recent graduates can also look at lab apprenticeships under the national apprenticeship scheme. Lab by lab, these are all on the DRDO internships guide.

Cover photo: BLT-ARJUN by DRDO, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons.