ISRO Assistant, UDC and Stenographer Recruitment 2026: 244 Posts, No Interview, Apply by 16 August

An office job at ISRO is one of the most searched sarkari dreams, and this is the recruitment that offers it: 244 posts of Assistant, Upper Division Clerk, Junior Personal Assistant and Stenographer across ISRO centres, with no interview anywhere in the selection. The bar that trips up most applicants sits right at the start, though: graduation with 60% and no rounding, so 59.9% is a rejection. Applications are open until 16 August 2026.

ISRO Assistant and UDC 2026: Quick Facts

One number to get right up front: several sites report 242 posts. The official vacancy tables sum to 244, and the notification itself prints no grand total, so trust the tables.

The 60% Rule With No Mercy

ISRO’s FAQ spells this out more bluntly than most notifications ever do. You need graduation with a minimum of 60% marks or a CGPA of 6.32 on a 10-point scale, and there is no rounding: 59.9% is not eligible, and neither is a CGPA of 6.319. You cannot convert CGPA to percentage or the other way around, a strong post-graduation cannot compensate for a weaker graduation, and the degree must have been completed within its stipulated duration, so backlog years disqualify. There is no relaxation in marks for any category. The result must be declared by the date you apply. Check your marksheet against this rule before paying the fee, because it is the single most common rejection here.

Where the 244 Posts Sit

You may apply for different posts, but not for the same post in two zones, and all your applications must choose the same exam city. Selected candidates can be posted or transferred to any ISRO or Department of Space centre in India. The posts are permanent, held as temporary only until probation completes.

Who Fits Which Post

• Assistant and UDC: graduation with the 60% rule plus computer proficiency. No prior work experience is needed, whatever some job sites claim; the notification asks for none.
• JPA and Stenographer: graduation or a Diploma in Commercial or Secretarial Practice with the same 60% bar, English stenography at 60 words per minute, a year’s experience as a steno-typist or stenographer, and computer proficiency. Diploma holders can count a BOAT apprenticeship certificate as the experience.
• Age as on 16 August 2026: up to 28 for UR and EWS (born on or after 17 August 1998), 31 for OBC and 33 for SC/ST where posts are reserved, with further relaxations per government rules for PwBD, ex-servicemen and others.

The ₹500 Fee That Comes Back

ISRO’s fee works differently from most exams. Every applicant pays ₹500 per application upfront, through the Bharatkosh gateway, regardless of category. The refund comes after you actually appear in the written test: women, SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates get the full ₹500 back, and everyone else gets ₹400 back, with ₹100 retained as the application fee. Skip the exam and there is no refund at all. The refund lands in the bank account you enter in the form, so fill the account number and IFSC carefully. Applying for both post groups costs ₹1,000 upfront.

A 200-Mark CBT, a Computer Test, and No Interview

Selection is a written test followed by a qualifying skill test, and the final merit comes from the written test alone:

• CBT for Assistant and UDC: 200 questions for 200 marks in 150 minutes: General English 50, Quantitative Aptitude 50, Reasoning 50 and General Knowledge 50, with +1 for a correct answer and 0.25 negative marking. Qualifying is 50% for UR and 40% for reserved candidates.
• CBT for JPA and Stenographer: the same 200 marks and timing, but weighted to language: English Language and Comprehension 100, Reasoning 50, Quant and GK 50.
• Skill test (qualifying only): a Computer Literacy Test of 100 marks in 75 minutes covering Word, Excel and PowerPoint, needing 60% (50% reserved). JPA and Stenographer candidates also face a stenography test: 300 words dictated at 60 wpm, transcribed on a computer in 30 minutes, in Pitman’s shorthand, with at most 10% mistakes (12% for reserved).

Candidates are called for the skill test at up to 5 times the vacancies. There is no interview, and ties in the CBT are broken by the reasoning-section marks (English section for steno posts) and then age. The exam runs across roughly 38 cities nationwide, from Port Blair to Jammu, and the date will be announced later.

Pay at Level 4 and What ISRO Adds

All four posts sit in Level 4 of the pay matrix with a basic pay starting at ₹25,500 a month, plus dearness allowance, house rent allowance and transport allowance, under the New Pension Scheme. ISRO layers on medical cover for the family, subsidised canteen, limited staff quarters in lieu of HRA, leave travel concession and group insurance. For a graduate-level clerical post, a central government Level 4 at ISRO with no interview is among the cleaner deals in this cycle, which is exactly why the 60% gate and the CBT cut-offs run high.

How to Apply for ISRO ICRB 2026

1. Open the Careers section on isro.gov.in and follow the apply link for Advertisement ISRO:ICRB:01(A-JPA):2026.
2. Register and fill the form, uploading a recent passport-style photo (20 to 50 KB) and signature (10 to 20 KB), and choosing your exam city, which stays common across your applications.
3. Enter your bank account and IFSC correctly, since the fee refund is paid there.
4. Pay ₹500 per application via Bharatkosh and submit before 16 August 2026, 11:55 PM. Hall tickets come by email and SMS only.

This joins our ISRO ISTRAC Apprentice coverage and the wider PSU jobs we track.

Should You Attempt ISRO ICRB 2026?

If your graduation clears the 60% bar, this is one of the strongest clerical-grade targets of the year: an ISRO posting, Level 4 pay, a refundable fee, and a selection that begins and ends with your exam performance. The honest caveats are the hard marks gate, competition concentrated by the prestige of the name, and, for the steno posts, a genuine 60 wpm Pitman shorthand requirement with an experience condition. The form closes on 16 August, and with the fee refundable on appearance, the real cost of a serious attempt is your preparation time.

ISRO ICRB 2026: Common Questions

What is the qualification for ISRO Assistant and UDC 2026?

Graduation with at least 60% marks or CGPA 6.32, with no rounding and no category relaxation in marks, plus computer proficiency. No work experience is required for Assistant or UDC.

How many posts are in ISRO ICRB 2026?

244 by the official vacancy tables: 130 Assistant (including autonomous institutes), 82 JPA, 22 UDC and 10 Stenographer. Sites reporting 242 are miscounting.

Is there an interview for ISRO Assistant 2026?

No. Selection is the 200-mark CBT plus a qualifying computer literacy test (and a stenography test for JPA/Steno). Final merit comes from the CBT alone.

What is the ISRO ICRB application fee and refund?

₹500 upfront per application. On appearing in the exam, women, SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen get the full amount back; others get ₹400. No refund if you skip the exam.

What is the ISRO Assistant salary?

Pay Level 4 with basic pay from ₹25,500 a month plus DA, HRA and transport allowance, under the New Pension Scheme, with ISRO’s medical, canteen, LTC and insurance benefits.

What is the last date for ISRO ICRB 2026?

16 August 2026 at 11:55 PM, online only. The window opened on 27 July 2026, and the exam date will be announced separately.

✍️ Written & reviewed byLokesh Rathore

Lokesh Rathore is a content writer with over 4 years of experience covering Government Jobs, Sarkari Result, Admit Card and Sarkari Yojana. He turns complex official notifications into clear, accurate and easy-to-follow updates for job seekers across India - with every post cross-checked against official government sources.

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