Spices Board Trainee (Development) 2026 Notification: SC/ST-Only Selection, Stipend, Test Dates and Eligibility
Good news for agriculture and life-science graduates. The Spices Board, which works under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has released Notification No. 12/2026 for 21 Trainee (Development) posts. This selection is exclusively for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates, so only SC/ST applicants can take part. Selected trainees get a stipend of ₹20,000 per month for a two-year training. If you follow central government jobs beyond the big exams, this one is worth a careful look.
The online application must be submitted by 19 October 2026. After that, you attend a walk-in written test on the date fixed for your office, between 22 and 31 October 2026. Every one of the 21 offices has exactly one seat. This guide on GovtJobsAlert.in covers eligibility, test dates, conditions and the steps to apply. Please read it fully before you apply.
Spices Board Trainee Recruitment 2026: Key Highlights at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Spices Board (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India) |
| Notification No. | 12/2026, dated 1 October 2026 |
| Post | Trainee (Development) |
| Total Seats | 21 (one per office) |
| Who Can Apply | SC and ST candidates only |
| Stipend | ₹20,000 per month |
| Training Period | Two years from the date of joining |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Last Date to Apply | 19 October 2026 |
| Walk-in Written Test | 22, 28 or 31 October 2026 (office-wise) |
Please understand one thing clearly before you go further. The notification says this selection is only a training. It is not linked to any regular appointment and cannot be regularised at any stage. Treat it as two years of paid field experience with a central board, not as a permanent government job. For a fresh SC/ST graduate in agriculture or a related science, two years of training at a Spices Board office can still be a strong first step in your career.
Spices Board Trainee Vacancy 2026: Office-wise Seats, Test Centre and Test Date
The 21 seats are spread across four regions. Each office has one trainee seat.
| Region | Offices | Trainees |
|---|---|---|
| Gangtok | Sukhia Pakhari, Kalimpong, Geyzing | 3 |
| Sakleshpur | Vanagur, Yeslur, Beligeri, Sirsi, Madikeri, Bettadamane | 6 |
| Guwahati | Aizawl, Senapati, Dimapur, Ziro, Roing | 5 |
| Other Region | Guntur, Nizamabad, Jagadalpur, Koraput, Mumbai, Paderu, Patna | 7 |
| Total | 21 offices | 21 |
Here is each office with its test centre (Annexure-I) and its proposed walk-in test date (Annexure-II).
| Office (1 seat each) | Test Centre | Walk-in Test Date |
|---|---|---|
| FO Sukhia Pakhari | Regional Office Gangtok, Tadong | 28 October 2026 |
| DO Kalimpong | Regional Office Gangtok, Tadong | 28 October 2026 |
| FO Geyzing | Regional Office Gangtok, Tadong | 28 October 2026 |
| FO Vanagur | Regional Office, Lakshmipura Extension, Hassan district (Karnataka) | 22 October 2026 |
| Departmental Nursery Yeslur | Regional Office, Lakshmipura Extension, Hassan district (Karnataka) | 22 October 2026 |
| Departmental Nursery Beligeri | Regional Office, Lakshmipura Extension, Hassan district (Karnataka) | 22 October 2026 |
| FO Sirsi | Regional Office, Lakshmipura Extension, Hassan district (Karnataka) | 22 October 2026 |
| FO Madikeri | Regional Office, Lakshmipura Extension, Hassan district (Karnataka) | 22 October 2026 |
| Departmental Nursery Bettadamane | Regional Office, Lakshmipura Extension, Hassan district (Karnataka) | 22 October 2026 |
| DO Aizawl | Divisional Office Aizawl, Mizoram | 22 October 2026 |
| FO Senapati | Field Office Senapati, Manipur | 22 October 2026 |
| FO Dimapur | Field Office Kohima, Nagaland | 28 October 2026 |
| FO Ziro | Divisional Office Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh | 22 October 2026 |
| FO Roing | Divisional Office Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh | 22 October 2026 |
| RO Guntur | Regional Office Guntur, Andhra Pradesh | 28 October 2026 |
| FO Paderu | Regional Office Guntur, Andhra Pradesh | 28 October 2026 |
| RO Nizamabad | Regional Office Nizamabad, Telangana | 22 October 2026 |
| FO Jagadalpur | KD College of Horticulture and Research Station, Jagdalpur | 28 October 2026 |
| FO Koraput | District Skill Development cum Employment Office, Koraput | 31 October 2026 |
| RO Mumbai | Regional Office and Quality Evaluation Laboratory, Navi Mumbai | 28 October 2026 |
| FO Patna | Field Office Patna, Danapur | 22 October 2026 |
In Annexure-II, FO Roing shares a merged date cell with FO Ziro (22 October), and FO Paderu shares one with RO Guntur (28 October). These are proposed dates, so confirm yours on the Board’s website before you travel. The Board also says the number of seats is provisional and may vary at the time of selection.
What is the Eligibility for Spices Board Trainee Recruitment 2026?
Educational Qualification
You need a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised University or Institute in any one of these subjects:
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Forestry
- Botany
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
You also need a working knowledge of computers. If you are a science graduate in one of these subjects, see more graduate-level government jobs too.
Two degree rules can stop you at the gate. First, if you have not yet received your final degree certificate, you need not appear for the test. Second, you must get your original degree certificate within two years of the date your provisional certificate was issued. Candidates who did not get it within those two years shall not be eligible to apply.
Age Limit
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| SC / ST candidates | Not exceeding 35 years as on the date of the written test |
🎂 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 any age relaxation you qualify for. →
Note that the age is counted on the date of your written test, not on the last date to apply. The notification does not mention any separate age relaxation, so treat 35 years as the limit and check your exact age on your office’s test date.
What is the Salary (Stipend) for Spices Board Trainee (Development) 2026?
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly stipend | ₹20,000 per month |
| Field travel | TA paid in case of travel to spice fields |
| Leave | 1 day per month |
| Training period | Two years from the date of joining |
The ₹20,000 is a stipend, not a pay scale. TA is paid when you travel to spice fields during training. Remember that no TA/DA is given for attending the written test, so plan your travel cost to the centre yourself.
What is the Selection Process for Spices Board Trainee 2026?
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certificate verification | At the venue before the test; reach by 10:00 AM (at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time) with all originals and one set of self-attested copies |
| Written test / computer proficiency test | Online written test / computer proficiency test at 11:00 AM at your office’s centre |
| Rank list | Valid up to one year from publication of results, unless a fresh notification for the same training is issued |
The notification does not give an exam pattern or syllabus. Brush up on your degree subjects and basic computer use, and our preparation strategy guides can help you plan. The Board reserves the right to modify, alter, restrict, enlarge or cancel the selection process without giving any reason.
The rank list is used only if a selected candidate does not join, or if a trainee leaves through death or resignation within one year of joining. A requirement that arose in this way, as stated in the notification, shall not be treated as a fresh requirement, and the total filled against this notification can never exceed the seats notified.
Spices Board Trainee 2026: Conditions That Can Cost You the Seat
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Online application | If you fail to submit online, you will not be permitted to take the test |
| Reporting time | Candidates reporting after the specified time will not be permitted to take the test |
| Earlier Spices Board trainees | Anyone already trained in any Spices Board office need not apply again, whether or not they completed the training |
| False or suppressed information | Candidature will stand cancelled; if found after selection, services are liable to be terminated |
| Canvassing | Canvassing in any form is a disqualification |
| Place of training | Selected trainees may train in any Spices Board office under the region / regional office |
| Board’s decisions | Final and binding; no representation, correspondence or appeal will be entertained |
| Communication | Sent to the email and mobile number you give in the application |
How to Apply Online for Spices Board Trainee Recruitment 2026?
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the Spices Board recruitment portal (link in Essential Links below) |
| 2 | Register with a working mobile number and email ID that you check daily |
| 3 | Fill in the online application and enter your degree and SC/ST details |
| 4 | Submit the form on or before 19 October 2026 and save the confirmation |
| 5 | Report at your office’s test centre on the walk-in date by 10:00 AM with original documents |
Carry your identity proof, age proof and degree certificate in original, with one set of self-attested copies. Missing originals at the venue can end your chance before the test even begins. Keep checking your email and phone regularly, as all communication about the selection comes there.
One more practical tip. Test dates and centres are fixed office-wise in Annexures I and II, so plan to reach your centre by 10:00 AM on the test day. A late arrival means you will not be allowed to sit the test, and the Board pays no travel cost for attending it.
What are the Important Dates for Spices Board Trainee Recruitment 2026?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 1 October 2026 |
| Last date for online application | 19 October 2026 |
| Walk-in test (Sakleshpur offices, Aizawl, Senapati, Ziro, Roing, Nizamabad, Patna) | 22 October 2026 |
| Walk-in test (Gangtok offices, Dimapur, Guntur, Paderu, Jagadalpur, Mumbai) | 28 October 2026 |
| Walk-in test (Koraput) | 31 October 2026 |
| Test time | 11:00 AM (reach by 10:00 AM) |
What is the Application Fee for Spices Board Trainee 2026?
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC / ST candidates | No fee is mentioned in the notification |
The notification does not mention any application fee or payment mode. If the portal asks for a payment, check the official notification page first.
Spices Board Trainee Recruitment 2026 Essential Links
- Download Spices Board Trainee (Development) Notification PDF
- Apply Online at Spices Board Recruitment Portal
- Official Notification Page for Spices Board Trainee Recruitment 2026 – 21 Trainee (Development) Posts
- Visit Spices Board Trainee Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
If you are an SC or ST graduate in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, botany, microbiology or biotechnology and not over 35 on your test date, this is a real chance to get two years of paid field training with the Spices Board. Apply online by 19 October 2026, note your office’s test date, and keep your originals ready. The Board asks candidates to rely on its own website for updates. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for more government job updates.