DRDO Chair and Fellows Recruitment 2026

DRDO Chair and Fellows Recruitment 2026: Overview

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the research and development organisation of the Ministry of Defence, is engaging Chairs, Distinguished Fellows and Fellows for work across its laboratories and establishments. The Directorate of Human Resource and Vigilance is handling this contractual engagement, which brings senior scientific and service experience into defence technology projects. Your research area matters to the placement, because the notice links service to laboratories working in the same field.

Posts and Disciplines

• DRDO Chair: The chair category is part of the same senior research engagement as the fellowships. The current allocation for this category is within DRDO.
• DRDO Distinguished Fellow: This category has allocations for DRDO and non-DRDO officers, allowing experience from outside the organisation to contribute to its research programmes.
• DRDO Fellow: This category also spans DRDO and non-DRDO backgrounds. The notice uses the same broad defence research areas for all the advertised categories.
• Research areas: The listed fields include aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, communication engineering, computer science and information technology, electronics, life science, instrumentation, material science, missiles and naval systems.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Contract period: The initial engagement lasts one year. It may continue through annual renewals for a maximum of three years from taking charge, depending on your performance and agreed work outputs.
• Service location: You may serve anywhere in India, particularly in cities with DRDO laboratories or establishments connected to your research area. The headquarters address is the application destination and does not establish your eventual workplace.
• Office attendance: You must attend the laboratory or establishment to which you report on all its working days. The notice expects regular attendance at the assigned office.
• Paid leave: You earn 1.5 days of paid leave for each completed month of service under this engagement.
• Non-DRDO coverage: The notice includes the three armed services, Central Government scientific and academic institutions, and autonomous bodies under the Central Government in this grouping.
• Changes and accuracy: DRDO may change the number of positions. False information or concealed facts discovered later can lead to cancellation without notice, so check your claims carefully.
• Contact details: Keep your mobile number, email address and residential address stable during the process, as the notice asks applicants to avoid changing these details.

Application Submission Notes

Send your typed A4 application to The Director, Directorate of Human Resource and Vigilance, DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Room No. 229 (DRDS-III), DRDO Bhawan, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi-110011, with the envelope marked Application for DRDO Chair/DRDO Fellow. Your application needs endorsement from the Director of the laboratory or establishment and the Cluster Director General where you wish to serve. You may also email an advance copy to director-dhrv@gov.in.

• Contribute senior technical expertise to defence research in the assigned discipline.
• Guide laboratory teams on scientific and engineering problems within your field.
• Review research progress against agreed project outputs.
• Help assess technical approaches for defence systems and equipment.
• Share specialist knowledge with scientists working on related programmes.
• Support research discussions and technical reporting at the assigned establishment.