ASC Centre South Group C Recruitment 2026: 62 Vacancies, 10th Pass Eligibility, Pay Level & Written Exam Pattern
The Ministry of Defence, ASC Centre (South), Bangalore has published a recruitment advertisement in the Employment News issue dated 15–21 August 2026 for 62 Group ‘C’ civilian posts in the Indian Army. The posts include Fireman, Leading Fireman, Tradesman Mate, Civilian Motor Driver, Fire Engine Driver, Cook, Cleaner, MTS (Chowkidar) and Civilian Catering Instructor. The best part — the minimum qualification for every single post is just Matriculation (Class 10), and there is no application fee at all. For 10th pass candidates looking for a permanent central government job, opportunities like this do not come often.
Applications are accepted offline by post only — there is no online portal for this recruitment. The application window runs from 15 August 2026 (8:00 AM onwards) to 4 September 2026 (till 5:00 PM). Do note that the vacancy table in the advertisement marks every post as being for male candidates only. In this article we have covered the complete post-wise and category-wise vacancy split, qualification, age limit, pay level, the physical and trade test standards, the written exam pattern and the full postal application process. Read it fully and keep GovtJobsAlert.in bookmarked for every defence sector job update.
Key Highlights — Indian Army ASC Centre South Recruitment 2026
The Army Service Corps (ASC) Centre (South) at Agram, Bangalore, is a major training and administrative establishment of the Indian Army. Civilian Group ‘C’ staff recruited here support catering, transport, fire safety and general duties across Army units. Selected candidates carry All India service liability, meaning you can be posted to hard areas, high altitude areas, remote localities and field areas regardless of the station you applied against.
- Post Names: Fireman, Leading Fireman, Tradesman Mate (Labour), Civilian Motor Driver, Fire Engine Driver, Cook, Cleaner, MTS (Chowkidar), Civilian Catering Instructor
- Total Vacancies: 62 posts
- Pay: ₹18,000 / ₹19,900 / ₹21,700 plus DA and other admissible allowances
- Job Location: More than 20 Army stations across India
- Application Start Date: 15 August 2026 (8:00 AM onwards)
- Last Date to Apply: 4 September 2026 (till 5:00 PM)
Indian Army Civilian Vacancy 2026: How Many Posts in Each Trade?
| Post Name | Pay Level | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Fireman | Level 2 | 24 |
| Leading Fireman | Level 3 | 14 |
| Tradesman Mate (Labour) | Level 1 | 8 |
| Civilian Motor Driver (OG) | Level 2 | 6 |
| Civilian Catering Instructor | Level 2 | 3 |
| Fire Engine Driver | Level 3 | 3 |
| Cleaner | Level 1 | 2 |
| Cook | Level 2 | 1 |
| MTS (Chowkidar) | Level 1 | 1 |
| Total | — | 62 |
The category-wise split published in the advertisement is given below.
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| ST | 19 |
| UR | 18 |
| OBC | 14 |
| EWS | 8 |
| SC | 3 |
| Total | 62 |
Horizontal reservation applies within these totals — 4% for Persons with Disability, 10% for Ex-Servicemen and 5% for Meritorious Sports Persons. Note that only the 5% Meritorious Sports Persons share is applied at the discretion of the appointing authority — the PwD and Ex-Servicemen shares are not qualified that way. A large share of the 62 seats is earmarked for Ex-Servicemen, so do read the reservation column of the official advertisement carefully before applying. One more point PwD candidates must note: the advertisement identifies no PwD vacancy in seven of the nine trades — the single PwD seat sits inside the Fireman unreserved quota.
What is the Eligibility for Indian Army Civilian Recruitment 2026?
Educational Qualification
- Fireman, Leading Fireman, Cleaner, MTS (Chowkidar), Tradesman Mate: Matriculation or equivalent from a recognised board, and proficiency in the trade.
- Cook: Matriculation, knowledge of Indian cooking and proficiency in the trade. One year of experience is desirable.
- Civilian Catering Instructor: Matriculation plus a Diploma or Certificate in catering from a recognised institution. One year of experience as a catering instructor is desirable.
- Civilian Motor Driver (OG): Matriculation, a valid driving licence for both heavy and light motor vehicles, and at least two years of driving experience.
- Fire Engine Driver: Matriculation, a valid heavy vehicle driving licence with at least three years of experience, and preferably a fireman course certificate from a reputed institution.
Since Class 10 is the base qualification here, you may also want to look at other current 10th pass government jobs on our site.
Age Limit
The crucial date for age is the last date for receipt of applications, that is 4 September 2026. Date of birth as recorded in your Matriculation certificate is the only proof accepted.
- Civilian Motor Driver: 18 to 27 years
- All other eight posts: 18 to 25 years
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| PwBD (UR) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 15 years |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and instantly check your eligibility — including SC / ST / OBC / PwBD age relaxation. →
Ex-Servicemen get relaxation equal to total service rendered in the Armed Forces plus 3 years. Important warning — SC, ST and OBC candidates who apply against an unreserved post get no age relaxation and no other category concession.
What is the Salary for Indian Army Civilian Group C Posts 2026?
Pay is fixed under the 7th Pay Commission pay matrix, and each post sits at a specific level.
- Pay Matrix Level 1 — ₹18,000 plus DA and other admissible allowances: Tradesman Mate, Cleaner, MTS (Chowkidar)
- Pay Matrix Level 2 — ₹19,900 plus DA and other admissible allowances: Fireman, Cook, Civilian Motor Driver, Civilian Catering Instructor
- Pay Matrix Level 3 — ₹21,700 plus DA and other admissible allowances: Leading Fireman, Fire Engine Driver
Entry pay ranges from ₹18,000 to ₹21,700 per month depending on the post, with Dearness Allowance and other allowances paid on top as admissible under Central Government rules.
Along with pay, these are permanent Central Government civilian posts under the Ministry of Defence, which brings job security, pension benefits under the National Pension System, medical facilities and regular pay revision.
What is the Selection Process for ASC Centre South Recruitment 2026?
Read this section carefully, because the order of the stages here is unusual and trips up many candidates.
Stage 1: Shortlisting
Meeting the minimum qualification does not automatically get you a call letter. If a large number of applications are received for one post, shortlisting may be done on the basis of marks obtained in the minimum essential qualification to bring numbers down to a reasonable limit.
Stage 2: Skill, Physical and Practical Trade Test
This is a qualifying gate — you must clear the trade and physical test before you become eligible to sit the written test. For Tradesman Mate, the physical endurance standard is a 1.5 km run in 6 minutes and carrying a 50 kg weight over 200 metres in 100 seconds. Ex-Servicemen below 40 years get a relaxed standard of 1.5 km in 7 minutes 11 seconds. Driver posts are tested on actual vehicle handling, and trade posts on practical proficiency.
For the Fireman, Leading Fireman and Fire Engine Driver posts, the physical standards are stricter: minimum height 165 cm (2.5 cm concession for ST candidates), chest 81.5 cm unexpanded and 85 cm expanded, minimum weight 50 kg, carrying a 65.5 kg fireman lift over 183 metres in 96 seconds, jumping a 2.7 metre ditch and climbing a 3 metre rope. Both the trade or physical test and the written test are held at ASC Centre (South), Bangalore only, and no TA or DA is paid for attending.
Stage 3: Written Examination
The written test is an offline objective multiple-choice paper of 150 questions for 150 marks in 2 hours, with 0.25 negative marking per wrong answer.
| Part | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part-I | General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 |
| Part-II | General Awareness | 50 |
| Part-III | General English | 50 |
| Part-IV | Numerical Aptitude | 25 |
All questions are of Matriculation standard. The paper is bilingual in English and Hindi, except the General English section which is in English only. Final merit is based solely on written test marks, subject to qualifying in the skill or physical test — and there is no interview. Start your preparation early using our exam syllabus and preparation guides.
How to Apply Offline for Indian Army Civilian Recruitment 2026?
This recruitment is offline only — there is no online portal, no registration link and no email submission. Applications must reach the recruitment board by post.
- Prepare the application on plain paper, neatly typed or handwritten, strictly in the prescribed proforma printed in the advertisement.
- Fill every field carefully — post applied for, name, Aadhaar number, date of birth as per Matriculation certificate, addresses, qualification details, category and a working email ID.
- Prepare your own Admit Card in the Appendix format given in the advertisement, in duplicate, and attach it with the application.
- Attach self-attested copies of all supporting documents — Matriculation certificate, caste or category certificate, driving licence and experience certificates as applicable.
- Enclose a self-addressed registered envelope with appropriate postal stamps affixed.
- Superscribe the envelope with the name of the post applied for, exactly as instructed in the advertisement.
- Send the complete application by post to the Presiding Officer, Civilian Direct Recruitment Board, ASC Centre (South), Agram Post, Bangalore – 560007, Karnataka.
- Ensure it reaches the office on or before 5:00 PM on 4 September 2026 — late applications are rejected.
All correspondence, including despatch of call letters for the written test, is done through email only, so give an email ID you actually check. No physical call letter will be sent to your address.
Indian Army Civilian Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement in Employment News | 15–21 August 2026 |
| Offline application starts | 15 August 2026 (8:00 AM) |
| Last date to submit application | 4 September 2026 (5:00 PM) |
| Age reckoned as on | 4 September 2026 |
| Trade / Physical test date | To be announced |
| Written exam date | To be announced |
Examination dates will be intimated to eligible candidates later and will be indicated in the call letter.
One caveat on the closing date. The advertisement itself does not print a calendar deadline — para 4.17 says only that the last date for receipt of applications will be 21 days from the date of publication of the advertisement in Employment News / Rozgar Samachar. The 4 September 2026 date used above follows that 21-day rule for the 15–21 August 2026 issue, so treat it as your working deadline, but do confirm the exact closing date printed on the advertisement copy you are applying against.
Is There Any Application Fee for Indian Army Civilian Recruitment 2026?
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| All categories | No Fee |
The advertisement prescribes no application fee for any category. No demand draft, postal order, challan or online payment is required anywhere in this recruitment — so if any website or agent asks you for money for this vacancy, it is a fraud.
Essential Links — Indian Army ASC Centre South Recruitment 2026
- Download Official Notification PDF
- Visit Indian Army Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
A permanent Ministry of Defence job on a Class 10 qualification, with no application fee at all — this is as accessible as government recruitment gets. Post your application early, because delivery by post takes time and it must physically reach Bangalore before 5:00 PM on 4 September 2026. Start your running and fitness practice today, since the physical test comes before the written exam. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for more defence job notifications.