DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026: Eligibility, Tenure and How to Apply
The Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, has invited applications for Presiding Officer posts in the Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs). The circular names 20 tribunal seats: 4 are vacant now and 16 are expected to fall vacant. More unforeseen vacancies up to 30 April 2027 may also be filled. This is a tenure post for senior judicial and legal-service officers, and it is covered under Other Govt Jobs on our site.
There is no online form here. Your original application must reach the Department in New Delhi by 5:00 PM on 9 November 2026. A corrigendum dated 10 October 2026 added Indian Legal Service (ILS) Grade I-or-above officers to the eligible group and moved the last date from 2 November. Read this guide fully, because GovtJobsAlert.in has pulled both documents together for you.
What Are the Key Highlights of DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India |
| Post | Presiding Officer, Debts Recovery Tribunal |
| Total Vacancies | 20 named tribunals (4 vacant, 16 anticipated), plus unforeseen vacancies up to 30 April 2027 |
| Advertisement | F. No. 07/09/2026-DRT, circular dated 1 October 2026 |
| Corrigendum | Dated 10 October 2026 (governs where it differs) |
| Mode | Offline; original application must reach the Under Secretary (DRT), DFS, New Delhi |
| Last Date | 9 November 2026, 5:00 PM |
The Debts Recovery Tribunals are set up under the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993 to settle claims of banks and financial institutions quickly. There are 39 DRTs in India, and a selected Presiding Officer may be posted at any of the places of vacancy.
How Many Presiding Officer Vacancies Are There in DFS DRT Recruitment 2026?
The circular gives one post and a list of tribunals. It does not give a category-wise split. The first four seats are vacant now, and the other sixteen are anticipated vacancies.
| No. | Debts Recovery Tribunal | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRT-3, Mumbai | Vacant |
| 2 | DRT-2, Chandigarh | Vacant |
| 3 | DRT, Allahabad | Vacant |
| 4 | DRT, Lucknow | Vacant |
| 5 | DRT-1, Chandigarh | Anticipated |
| 6 | DRT, Visakhapatnam | Anticipated |
| 7 | DRT-1, Hyderabad | Anticipated |
| 8 | DRT, Cuttack | Anticipated |
| 9 | DRT-1, Ernakulam | Anticipated |
| 10 | DRT-1, Bengaluru | Anticipated |
| 11 | DRT-2, Ernakulam | Anticipated |
| 12 | DRT, Guwahati | Anticipated |
| 13 | DRT, Pune | Anticipated |
| 14 | DRT-3, Chandigarh | Anticipated |
| 15 | DRT, Dehradun | Anticipated |
| 16 | DRT-1, Kolkata | Anticipated |
| 17 | DRT, Patna | Anticipated |
| 18 | DRT, Nagpur | Anticipated |
| 19 | DRT, Siliguri | Anticipated |
| 20 | DRT-1, Chennai | Anticipated |
Remember that sixteen of these are anticipated, not confirmed. The count of 20 comes from this list, and the unforeseen vacancies up to 30 April 2027 are extra and have no number.
What Is the Eligibility for DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026?
The corrigendum governs eligibility. It replaced the 2021 rules with the National Tribunals Commission and Qualification, Selection and Conditions of Service of Chairpersons and Members of Tribunals Rules, 2026. Under Rule 25 (VI), a person shall not be qualified for this post unless he or she is one of the following.
| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Route A | Is, or has been, a District Judge |
| Route B | Is, or has been, a member of the Indian Legal Service in Grade I or above |
Route B is new. The original circular of 1 October allowed only District Judges, so an ILS officer who read only that first PDF would wrongly think the door was shut. If you work in law or the judiciary, you can also explore law and judicial government jobs on our site.
Serving officers
A serving Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court, or a serving member of any service of the Central or State Government or their undertaking, must resign or take voluntary retirement from the parent service before joining the Tribunal. Plan this early, because it is a condition of joining, not a favour.
Age and tenure
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum or maximum age to apply | Not stated in the circular |
| Age relaxation | Not stated |
| Tenure | Five years, or till age 70, whichever is earlier |
The circular sets no entry age, so there is no Age Calculator here. The only age figure is the 70-year ceiling on tenure under Section 17 (1) (a) of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2026. A candidate who is, say, 67 would serve only till 70, so count your remaining years honestly. The circular also does not set a minimum number of years of experience, but the Committee gives due weightage to qualification and experience.
What Is the Salary for DFS DRT Presiding Officer 2026?
Neither document states a pay figure. Salary and other terms are governed by the 2026 Tribunals Rules named above, so the exact pay is not printed in the circular or the corrigendum. We will not guess a number for you. Check the Rules, or ask the Department, before you decide.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pay scale or monthly pay | Not stated in the circular |
| Governing rules | Tribunals Rules, 2026 |
What Is the Selection Process for DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026?
Selection is done by a committee. A Search-cum-Selection Committee reviews applications and calls shortlisted candidates for a personal talk. The circular prints the name as “Search-Cum-Section Committee”, and says it was formed under the Tribunal Reforms Act.
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1. Scrutiny | The Committee checks each application for suitability, giving due weightage to qualification and experience |
| 2. Shortlisting | Shortlisted candidates are called for personal interaction |
| 3. Final selection | Overall evaluation on qualification, experience and personal interaction |
The circular gives no marks, no weightage figures and no date for the interaction. No TA or DA is paid to candidates called for it, so arrange your own travel.
What Conditions Can Cancel Your DFS Presiding Officer Application?
These lines are easy to skip, and each one can end your candidature.
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Eligibility date | The last date of receipt of applications is the crucial date to check your eligibility |
| Late or incomplete | An incomplete application, or one received after the due date, will not be entertained |
| Postal delay | The Department is not responsible for postal delay or loss, for any reason |
| Declaration | You promise not to withdraw after the Selection Committee meeting, not to decline the appointment, and to join within 30 days of the appointment order |
| Breaking the promise | The Government of India is likely to debar you for three years from appointment outside your cadre and in any autonomous, statutory or regulatory body |
| Wrong information | If anything is concealed or distorted, your appointment is liable to summary termination without notice |
| Posting | You may be posted at any DRT with a vacancy |
| Re-appointment | Under Section 17 (2) of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2026, a member can be considered for re-appointment as per Section 14 |
How to Apply Offline for DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026?
This is an offline process with no portal and no online submission. The advertisement and the prescribed form are on the Department’s website (see Essential Links below). Use the revised Annexure-I form printed in the corrigendum.
- Open the Department’s vacancies page from Essential Links and get the advertisement and the prescribed application form.
- Fill the bio-data proforma (Annexure-I) fully, with your photograph, and sign the declaration.
- Get the other papers ready from the list below, and attach them.
- If you are serving, send the application through proper channel, so that your department forwards it.
- Send the original application to the Under Secretary (DRT), Department of Financial Services, 3rd Floor, Jeevan Deep Building, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110001.
- Make sure it reaches by 5:00 PM on or before 9 November 2026.
| Document | Who needs it |
|---|---|
| Bio-data in Annexure-I (use the corrigendum’s revised form, which adds ILS items 9C and 9D) | Everyone |
| Certificate from employer or forwarding authority (Annexure-II) | Where applicable |
| Photocopies of CR/APAR dossier for at least the last five years (2021-22 to 2025-26), attested by a Group A officer | Where applicable; if APAR for over 3 months is not recorded, send earlier APARs for the matching period with a No Report Certificate (NRC) |
| Cadre clearance | Serving candidates |
| Integrity and vigilance clearance (Annexure-III) | Serving candidates |
| Statement of major or minor penalties in the last ten years | Everyone |
Send your application early and keep proof of dispatch. The Department will not take responsibility for delay, and the last date refers to the day it reaches them, not the day you post it.
What Are the Important Dates for DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Vacancy circular | 1 October 2026 |
| Corrigendum | 10 October 2026 |
| Application start date | Not stated |
| Last date of receipt (corrigendum) | 9 November 2026, 5:00 PM |
| Original last date (withdrawn) | 2 November 2026 |
| Unforeseen vacancies counted up to | 30 April 2027 |
Is There an Application Fee for DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026?
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application fee | Not mentioned in the circular or the corrigendum |
Because no fee is mentioned, nobody should ask you for money on behalf of this recruitment. If someone does, check with the Department first.
Essential Links for DFS Presiding Officer Recruitment 2026
- Corrigendum dated 10 Oct 2026 – eligibility under National Tribunals Commission Rules 2026, revised Annexure-I form, last date 9 Nov 2026
- Vacancy Circular dated 1 Oct 2026 – Presiding Officer, DRTs, original advertisement
- Official Notification Page for DFS Recruitment 2026 – 20 Presiding Officer Posts in Debts Recovery Tribunals (F. No. 07/09/2026-DRT)
- Visit DFS Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
If you are, or were, a District Judge or ILS Grade I-or-above officer, this is a rare chance to lead a Debts Recovery Tribunal. Check your eligibility under the new 2026 Rules, collect your documents and make sure your application reaches Delhi by 5:00 PM on 9 November 2026. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for more such updates, and see all government jobs in one place.