NHAI Draftsman Design Division Recruitment 2026

NHAI Draftsman Recruitment 2026: Overview

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which builds, maintains and manages the country's National Highways under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is hiring a Draftsman on a contract basis. The post sits in the Design Division at NHAI Headquarters in New Delhi, as part of the Design Experts Team that supports engineers working on highways, bridges and tunnels.

This is not an entry-level opening. NHAI wants an experienced drafter who has already spent years preparing drawings for structures such as bridges and tunnels and who is comfortable with CAD software. If you have that background, whether from an ITI draftsman course, a civil diploma or a civil engineering degree, this is a chance to work on national-level highway design at the authority's head office.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Contract engagement: you are engaged for a fixed period and cannot claim regularisation or absorption in NHAI.
• Tenure: the engagement starts for up to two years; the Chairman may extend or cut it short based on NHAI's needs and your performance.
• Full-time only: you cannot take up any other assignment while working with NHAI.
• Working days: you must attend office or visit the field on all working days, and on holidays too when work demands it.
• Termination: NHAI can end the contract at any time without giving reasons; either side can also end it with one month's notice or one month's pay in lieu.
• Travel on joining: no TA/DA is paid when you join or when you are relieved. Site-visit TA/DA follows the Assistant Manager entitlement.
• Shortlisting: a Scrutiny/Screening Committee scores applications using the weightage marks in Appendix-A for qualification and experience, and decides how many candidates go to the interview.
• Qualifications: every qualification must come from an Indian university or institute recognised by UGC, AICTE or another statutory authority. Eligibility is judged as on the last date of application.
• Vacancy count: NHAI may increase or reduce the number of posts, or choose not to fill it at all.
• Canvassing: any attempt to bring influence disqualifies your application.

Application Submission Notes

Applications are accepted online only through the link on the NHAI website, which closes at 6:00 pm on the last day. Forms sent by post, courier or fax are not considered.

Fill in your work experience and salary details completely, because incomplete forms are rejected and NHAI will not accept clarifications about your job profile later. The application also carries a declaration that you have no conflict of interest with any concessionaire, stakeholder or NHAI staff member.

Corrigenda and Notices

• Updates: any corrigendum, addendum or cancellation will appear only on the NHAI website, not in newspapers, so check the site regularly.

• Convert preliminary designs and sketches into detailed General Arrangement Drawings and structural layouts for highways, bridges and tunnels
• Revise technical drawings based on structural review notes, markups and changing site conditions
• Check that every drawing follows IRC codes, NHAI circulars and statutory guidelines
• Prepare standard drawings for bridges, underpasses and culverts, and schematic layouts for civil systems
• Manage CAD files, drawing registers and revision histories for proper version control
• Extract dimensions and material callouts to help quantity surveyors prepare BOQs and cost estimates
• Produce precise 2D and 3D CAD drawings using standard layers and styles
• Read geotechnical reports, topographical surveys and Design Basis Notes and turn them into clear plans