DRDO RCI Apprentice Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 195 Graduate, Technician and Trade Apprentice Posts

To confirm whether your date of birth meets the required minimum age threshold after applying standard age relaxation rules, candidates can use the online age calculator tool prior to filling out the form.

Eligibility varies strictly across the three engagement tracks. For Graduate Apprentices, candidates must hold a regular four-year B.E. or B.Tech degree in fields such as Electronics and Communication, Computer Science, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical, Chemical, Metallurgical, Aerospace, Aeronautical, Safety, Instrumentation, or Civil Engineering. Technician Apprentice applicants require a state board or university diploma in ECE, CSE, EEE, Mechanical, Chemical, Metallurgy, Instrumentation, or Safety Engineering. Trade Apprentice positions require an ITI pass certificate issued by NCVT or SCVT in trades including Fitter, Turner, Electrician, Electronic Mechanic, Welder, Machinist, COPA, Diesel Mechanic, Grinder, or Draughtsman Mechanical.

Candidates who have already completed an apprenticeship program under the Apprentices Act in any other organisation, or those who possess standard work experience of one year or more after obtaining their qualifying qualification, are ineligible under central apprenticeship rules. Only regular mode qualifications are accepted; distance education or part-time degrees do not fulfill eligibility conditions for DRDO technical apprenticeships.

• Graduate Apprentice: Fixed monthly stipend as per central DRDO apprentice guidelines (typically ₹9,000 per month).
• Technician (Diploma) Apprentice: Fixed monthly stipend as per central DRDO apprentice guidelines (typically ₹8,000 per month).
• Trade Apprentice (ITI): Fixed monthly stipend as per central DRDO apprentice guidelines (typically ₹7,000 to ₹8,050 per month depending on trade duration).

Because these positions are engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961, the stipend provided is a consolidated monthly allowance. It does not constitute regular government salary, and statutory deductions such as National Pension System (NPS), Provident Fund (PF), Dearness Allowance (DA), or House Rent Allowance (HRA) do not apply. The stipend is paid in full directly to the candidate's bank account, subject only to applicable income tax limits. Candidates interested in comparing net income across structured government salary scales can consult the salary calculator.

While an apprenticeship engagement does not guarantee direct permanent employment or absorption into DRDO, completing a one-year training program at Research Centre Imarat provides valuable practical exposure in advanced missile technology, avionics, radar systems, and precision engineering. This credential significantly boosts employability when applying for regular technical assistant, scientist, or technician vacancies in DRDO, ISRO, PSU defence units, and commercial aerospace contractors.

Applications for DRDO RCI apprenticeships are frequently rejected due to easily avoidable administrative and technical errors during the application process. Candidates should carefully review the following common causes of rejection:

• Applying on the Wrong Portal: Engineering degree and diploma holders applying through NAPS instead of NATS, or ITI holders applying through NATS instead of NAPS, will have their applications rejected automatically.
• Incomplete Portal Profile: Submitting an application while the candidate profile on NATS or NAPS is incomplete, unverified, or missing academic percentage scores.
• Mismatched Personal Details: Differences between candidate name, date of birth, or father's name entered on the apprenticeship portal and those recorded on 10th class certificates.
• Prior Work Experience or Apprenticeship: Candidates concealing prior official work experience of over one year or previous enrollment in an apprenticeship scheme face immediate disqualification during document verification.
• Illegible Scanned Documents: Uploading blurry, cut-off, or unreadable copies of marksheets, category certificates, or photographs, which prevents proper verification by RCI authorities.
• Non-fulfillment of Discipline Criteria: Applying for a branch or trade not explicitly listed in the official notification.

Once the final merit list is released and document verification is successfully completed at RCI, selected candidates sign a formal contract of apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act via the NATS or NAPS online portal. Candidates then undergo joining formalities at DRDO Research Centre Imarat, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad.

The total duration of engagement is exactly one year (12 months) from the date of joining. Upon successful completion of the training period and evaluation, apprentices receive a National Apprentice Certificate (NAC) issued by the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. This certificate is widely recognized across public and private sector engineering firms.

Research Centre Imarat (RCI) is a premier laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), located within the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad, Telangana. Established under the leadership of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in 1988, RCI is globally recognised for its pioneering work in the design, development, and delivery of advanced avionics, missile navigation systems, control systems, and electro-optical sensors for India's strategic missile programs.

As a critical hub of India's defence technology infrastructure, RCI houses state-of-the-art research facilities, simulation labs, hardware-in-loop testing setups, and cleanrooms. It works in close coordination with major defence production agencies, academic institutions, and international research partners, maintaining high standards of scientific innovation and technological self-reliance.

Apprentices at Research Centre Imarat work alongside senior scientists, technical officers, and master technicians on live technological projects. Depending on their discipline, Graduate and Diploma Apprentices are involved in design validation, electronic circuit testing, embedded system programming, CAD drafting, structural testing, software quality assurance, and mechanical component fabrication for missile sub-systems.

Trade Apprentices work directly in specialized workshop units, handling precision machining, electrical wiring, electronic assembly, welding, system maintenance, software operation, and draft preparation. The role offers hands-on laboratory experience, exposing trainees to rigorous quality assurance protocols, high-precision manufacturing, and safety procedures essential in advanced defence aerospace production environments.