Department of Space Recruitment 2026: Under Secretary, Assistant Section Officer and Private Secretary Posts
Are you a serving central government employee looking for a posting in Bengaluru? The Department of Space (DoS) has invited applications for 60 posts in its Secretariat on deputation basis. The biggest groups are Assistant Section Officer (17), Under Secretary (11) and Private Secretary (6), and the list goes up to senior posts at Level 13. Pay is in Level 7 to Level 13 of the 7th CPC pay matrix.
This is not an open recruitment. Only officers and officials of ISRO and of All India Services or Central Services can apply, and the application must travel through your department. The last date works out to 8 November 2026. Read the tables below for your own post, and read the conditions table twice. You can also browse more central government jobs on GovtJobsAlert.in.
Key Highlights of Department of Space Deputation 2026
The Department of Space runs India’s space programme and works closely with ISRO. This Office Memorandum fills Group A and Group B posts in its Secretariat at Antariksh Bhavan, Bengaluru. Posts sit in the Officers, Stenographic, Official Language and Clerical cadres. The memorandum is also being published on the ISRO website and has been sent to all Ministries, Departments, Cadre Authorities and Union Territories.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Department of Space, Government of India (Antariksh Bhavan, Bengaluru) |
| Notification | Office Memorandum No. A.26011/1/2025-I (Vol.II) dated 9 October 2026 |
| Mode | Deputation only, no direct recruitment |
| Total Posts | 60 (Group A 32, Group B 28) |
| Pay | Level 7 to Level 13 (7th CPC) |
| Place of Posting | Department of Space Secretariat, Bengaluru |
| Last Date | 8 November 2026 (30 days from the OM date) |
How Many Posts Are Vacant in Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
The notification lists sixteen post titles in six cadres: 26 Group A posts in the Officers’ cadre, 5 Group A in the Stenographic cadre, 1 Group A in the Official Language cadre, 17 Group B Clerical, 9 Group B Stenographic and 2 Group B Official Language. The notification gives no category-wise split, so there is no reservation table here. The total of 60 is our sum of the sixteen rows, because the notification prints no grand total.
| Post | Pay Level | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Sr. Head, Audit | Level 13 | 1 |
| Principal Pay and Accounts Officer | Level 13 | 1 |
| Deputy Secretary | Level 12 | 2 |
| Under Secretary | Level 11 | 11 |
| Sr. Audit Officer | Level 11 | 4 |
| Principal Accounts Officer | Level 11 | 1 |
| Audit Officer | Level 10 | 5 |
| Accounts Officer | Level 10 | 1 |
| Principal Staff Officer (Stenographic) | Level 13 | 1 |
| Senior Principal Private Secretary | Level 12 | 1 |
| Principal Private Secretary | Level 11 | 3 |
| Assistant Director (Official Language) | Level 10 | 1 |
| Assistant Section Officer | Level 7 | 17 |
| Private Secretary | Level 8 | 6 |
| Personal Assistant | Level 7 | 3 |
| Senior Translation Officer | Level 7 | 2 |
What is the Eligibility for Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
There is no educational qualification in the notification. Eligibility is based on the post you hold now, or on years of regular service in the feeder level. Most posts give ISRO and central staff two routes: (a) holding an analogous post on regular basis, or (b) the years of regular service shown below.
| Post | Service Requirement (route b) |
|---|---|
| Sr. Head, Audit; Principal Pay and Accounts Officer | ISRO: 5 years as Head, Accounts and IFA (Level 12), failing which 10 years combined as Senior Accounts Officer (Level 11) and Head, Accounts and IFA, with at least 3 years as Head. Central Services Group A: 5 years in Finance and Accounts at Level 12 or equivalent |
| Deputy Secretary | 5 years as Sr. Administrative Officer (Level 11) or equivalent administrative post |
| Under Secretary | ISRO: 5 years as Administrative Officer, Accounts Officer or Purchase and Stores Officer (Level 10). All India or Central Services Group A: 5 years in the Administrative cadre at Level 10 |
| Sr. Audit Officer; Principal Accounts Officer | ISRO: 5 years in the Accounts Officer cadre (Level 10). All India or Central Services Group A: 5 years at Level 10 on regular basis |
| Audit Officer; Accounts Officer | ISRO, or Central Services Group A (not All India Services): analogous post on regular basis only |
| Principal Staff Officer | ISRO (only route, no analogous-post option): Senior Principal Personal Secretary (Level 12) with 5 years regular service. Central Services Group A stenographic cadre: analogous post, or 5 years in the equivalent cadre at Level 12 |
| Senior Principal Private Secretary | ISRO: Principal Personal Secretary (Level 11) with 5 years regular service. Central Services Group A stenographic cadre: 5 years in the equivalent cadre at Level 11 |
| Principal Private Secretary | ISRO: Senior Personal Secretary (Level 10) with 5 years regular service. Central Services Group A stenographic cadre: 5 years in the equivalent cadre at Level 10 |
| Assistant Director (Official Language) | 3 years as Senior Translation Officer (Level 7), or Junior Translation Officer (Level 6) who reached Level 7 after 10 years |
| Assistant Section Officer; Personal Assistant | 9 years regular service in the equivalent cadre at Level 4 |
| Private Secretary | 5 years regular service in the equivalent cadre at Level 7 |
| Senior Translation Officer | 5 years regular service in the equivalent Official Language cadre at Level 6 |
Group B posts accept Central Services staff in general, while the Private Secretary post names Central Services Group B. If you are unsure whether your parent cadre counts as analogous, ask your Cadre Controlling Authority before applying. Many posts carry a lower-level fallback route. For example, an Under Secretary seat can be filled by someone who already holds an analogous post, or by someone with five years at Level 10. Match your current level to the table, not just your designation. Browse other central government jobs if this one does not fit your service.
What is the Age Limit for Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| All candidates | 56 years as on the closing date of receipt of applications |
🎂 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 check whether you are within the age limit. →
The notification states no minimum age and no age relaxation for any category. The age is counted on the closing date for receipt, not the day you send the form.
What is the Salary for Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
The notification gives pay only as a level in the pay matrix. It does not print basic pay figures. Deputation pay is governed by DoPT Office Memorandum No. 6/8/2009-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 17 June 2010, as amended.
| Posts | Tenure of Deputation |
|---|---|
| Sr. Head Audit, Principal PAO, Deputy Secretary, Sr. Audit Officer, Principal Accounts Officer, Principal Staff Officer, Sr. Principal Private Secretary, Principal Private Secretary, Assistant Director (OL), Senior Translation Officer | 5 years |
| Under Secretary, Audit Officer, Accounts Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Private Secretary, Personal Assistant | 3 years |
Think about the posting before you apply: all 60 posts are in Bengaluru, and you will report to the Department of Space Secretariat there. The Department may extend or curtail the tenure based on its requirement. The total period, including any ex-cadre post you held just before this one, cannot exceed 5 years. There is also a mandatory cooling-off period of 3 years after every period of deputation or foreign service.
What is the Selection Process for Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | A Selection Committee in the Department reviews your service record and past performance |
| Panel | Selected candidates are empanelled; the panel is valid for 1 year from the date of empanelment |
The notification prescribes only the evaluation above. It does not mention a written test or an interview, so keep your service record and APARs in order.
What are the Important Dates for Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Office Memorandum issued | 9 October 2026 |
| Last date to forward applications | 8 November 2026 (30 days from the OM date) |
The notification prints no calendar date. It asks for applications within 30 days from the date of issue, which works out to 8 November 2026, a Sunday. It says nothing about holidays, so ask your office to forward the papers by Friday, 6 November. Check the ISRO website for any later notice.
Application Fee
The notification mentions no application fee.
How to Apply for Department of Space Recruitment 2026?
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Download the notification (link in Essential Links) and note the format of Annexure-A (bio-data) and Annexure-B (certificate) printed in it |
| 2 | Fill Annexure-A, sign it and paste your latest passport size colour photograph |
| 3 | Collect attested copies of your APARs for the last 5 years |
| 4 | Get Annexure-B filled and signed by your Employer or Forwarding Authority |
| 5 | Get a No Objection Certificate from your Cadre Controlling Authority |
| 6 | Send the full set through proper channel to Director (Personnel and Administration), Department of Space, Antariksh Bhavan, New BEL Road, Bangalore 560 094 |
No online portal is mentioned, so do not look for one. Your own office does the forwarding, so give the clerk who handles deputation cases a full week and meet the signing officer early. A missing attestation or an unsigned Annexure-B is the easiest way to lose a good claim. Annexure-B must certify vigilance and disciplinary clearance, any major or minor penalties in the last ten years, and that you will be relieved immediately if selected.
Conditions That Can Cost You the Application
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Proper channel | Applications are considered only if received through proper channel |
| Missing papers | Applications without the certificates and documents listed in the notification will not be entertained |
| Time limit | Your Ministry or Department must forward the application within 30 days of the OM date |
| Age | Maximum 56 years on the closing date |
| Cooling off | 3 years mandatory after every period of deputation or foreign service |
Each row above comes straight from the notification. If a row confuses you, read the original Annexure and the post-wise table in the PDF before you ask your office to forward the papers.
Department of Space Deputation 2026 Essential Links
- Download Official Notification PDF (Deputation Advertisement, 60 Group A/B Posts)
- Visit Department of Space Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
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If you are a serving employee with the right level and years of service, a posting at the Department of Space in Bengaluru is a rare chance. Start the paperwork this week, because the forwarding office is the slowest step. Remember the last date of 8 November 2026 and ask your office to forward early. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for more such updates.