The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), through its Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB), conducts one of the most prestigious engineering recruitment exams in India for the post of Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ — an Entry Grade, Group A, Gazetted position offering a chance to work directly on missions like Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, and Aditya-L1. With 320+ vacancies announced across Mechanical, Electronics, Computer Science, Civil, and Electrical disciplines for the 2026 cycle, this guide breaks the recruitment down into distinct sections — eligibility, exam pattern, branch-wise syllabus, the interview stage, salary, and a realistic preparation strategy — so you know exactly what to study and how the exam is actually scored.
ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ Recruitment 2026 — Quick Overview
Before the syllabus and pattern, here’s the recruitment’s basic shape in one place — useful for orientation only, not preparation detail (that comes further below).
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) |
| Conducting Body | ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) |
| Post Name | Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ (Entry Grade, Group A, Gazetted) |
| Total Vacancies (2026) | 320+ across disciplines (plus separate centre-specific drives, e.g. SAC’s 49 posts in January 2026) |
| Branches Covered | Mechanical, Electronics & Communication, Computer Science, Civil, Electrical, Refrigeration & AC |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) / Written Test |
| Total Questions | 95 (80 Core Engineering + 15 General Aptitude) |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Exam Duration | 120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 mark — Part A only |
| Selection Stages | Written Test → Interview → Document Verification → Medical Fitness |
| Final Merit Weightage | 50% Written + 50% Interview |
| Entry Pay Level | Level 10 (7th CPC), ₹56,100 starting basic |
| Official Website | isro.gov.in / icrb.res.in |
ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ Eligibility Criteria 2026
This section is distinct from the syllabus below — it covers who can apply, not what’s tested. Confirming eligibility first saves wasted preparation time, especially since ISRO’s academic threshold is stricter than many comparable PSU exams.
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | B.E./B.Tech in the relevant engineering discipline from a recognised University/Institute |
| Minimum Marks | 65% aggregate or 6.84 CGPA on a 10-point scale |
| Final Year Students | Eligible to apply — must complete degree before document verification/joining |
| Lateral Entry (Diploma → Degree) | Eligible with First Class degree + 65% marks or 6.84 CGPA |
| Nationality | Indian Citizen |
Age Limit & Relaxation
| Category | Maximum Age |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 28 Years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 31 Years (+3) |
| SC / ST | 33 Years (+5) |
| PwBD (General) | 38 Years (+10) |
Note: PwBD relaxation stacks with category relaxation (e.g., PwBD-OBC gets +13 years, PwBD-SC/ST gets +15 years). Ex-servicemen relaxation applies as per standard Government of India rules. Always verify exact figures against the specific ICRB notification you’re applying under, since individual centre-specific drives (SAC, URSC, VSSC) may carry minor variations.
ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ Exam Pattern 2026
The exam pattern tells you how the 100 total marks are split across two distinct parts, while the branch-wise syllabus further below tells you what is asked within Part A. Keeping these separate matters for planning your section-wise time investment correctly.
| Part | Section | Questions | Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Core Engineering (discipline-specific) | 80 | 80 (1 mark each) | Yes — 1/3 per wrong answer |
| Part B | General Aptitude & Reasoning | 15 | 20 | No negative marking |
| Total | 95 | 100 |
Critical detail candidates often miss: Part B’s 15 questions are worth 20 marks (not 15), meaning each Part B question carries slightly more weight per question than a Part A question — and crucially, there’s zero penalty for wrong answers here. This makes Part B mathematically the highest-value, lowest-risk section of the entire paper.
Duration: 120 minutes for all 95 questions — working out to roughly 75 seconds per question on average, though Part A’s technical questions typically demand more time per question than Part B’s aptitude questions.
Minimum Qualifying Marks — Category Wise
This section focuses purely on the scoring threshold — separate from what’s asked, this is the minimum you must clear on the written test to even be considered for interview shortlisting.
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 60 |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 55 |
| SC / ST / PwBD | 50 |
Candidates who clear the minimum qualifying marks are then shortlisted for interview in a 1:5 ratio based on merit — meaning roughly five candidates are called to interview for every one final vacancy, making the written test a genuine filter rather than a formality.
ISRO Syllabus 2026 — Mechanical Engineering (Part A)
Each subject below is a distinct, high-weightage block within Mechanical’s 80-question Part A paper.
Engineering Mechanics
Free-body diagrams & equilibrium, friction (rolling, belt-pulley, brakes), trusses and frames, virtual work, kinematics of rigid bodies, impulse & momentum, Lagrange’s equation.
Strength of Materials
Stress-strain diagrams, elastic constants & Poisson’s ratio, Mohr’s circle for stress/strain, bending moment & shear force, thin & thick cylinders, Euler’s column theory, deflection of beams.
Thermodynamics
Laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic cycles (Carnot, Rankine, Brayton), properties of pure substances, refrigeration & heat pump cycles, air standard cycles, psychrometry.
Theory of Machines
Displacement/velocity/acceleration analysis, cams, gears & gear trains, flywheels and governors, balancing of reciprocating masses, gyroscope, vibrations (free & forced).
Manufacturing Engineering
Casting, forming, joining processes; metal cutting (tool geometry, forces); machining processes (turning, drilling, milling); metrology & inspection; powder metallurgy; CNC machining basics.
Fluid Mechanics
Properties of fluids, fluid statics, Bernoulli’s equation & applications, laminar & turbulent flow, boundary layer theory, flow through pipes, compressible flow.
Based on ISRO’s historical question distribution, Thermodynamics, Theory of Machines, and Strength of Materials together tend to carry over 50% of the weightage in Mechanical’s Part A — prioritise these three subjects if your revision time is limited.
ISRO Syllabus 2026 — Electronics & Communication Engineering (Part A)
Analog Circuits
Small signal equivalent circuits, biasing of BJT & FET, single & multi-stage amplifiers, feedback amplifiers, power amplifiers, oscillators (RC, LC, Crystal), Op-Amp applications.
Digital Circuits
Boolean algebra & minimization, logic gates (TTL, CMOS), combinational circuits, sequential circuits (FF, counters, registers), ADC & DAC converters, memory (RAM, ROM, Flash), microprocessors (8085/8086).
Signals & Systems
LTI systems & convolution, Fourier series & transform, Laplace & Z-transforms, sampling theorem, discrete time signal processing, DFT and FFT.
Communication Systems
Amplitude, frequency, and phase modulation; demodulation techniques; noise in communication; digital modulation (ASK, FSK, PSK, QAM); multiplexing (TDM, FDM, CDM); satellite & mobile communication basics.
Electromagnetic Theory
Maxwell’s equations, plane wave propagation, transmission lines, waveguides, antenna basics (dipole, arrays), radar fundamentals.
Control Systems
Transfer functions & block diagrams, signal flow graphs (Mason’s rule), time domain analysis, frequency domain (Bode, Nyquist), stability (Routh-Hurwitz), PID controllers, state space analysis.
Given ISRO’s satellite and communication mission focus, Communication Systems and Electromagnetic Theory carry disproportionate practical relevance beyond just their exam weightage — strong command here also helps significantly at the interview stage.
ISRO Syllabus 2026 — Computer Science Engineering (Part A)
Data Structures & Algorithms
Arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues; trees (BST, AVL, Heap, B-tree); graphs (BFS, DFS, shortest path); sorting (Quick, Merge, Heap, Radix); hashing & collision resolution; dynamic programming; complexity analysis (Big-O).
Operating Systems
Process management & scheduling, threads & concurrency, memory management (paging, segmentation), virtual memory & page replacement, file systems, deadlock detection/prevention, I/O management.
Database Management Systems
ER model & relational model, SQL (DDL, DML, DCL, TCL), normalization (1NF to BCNF), transactions (ACID properties), concurrency control, indexing & B+ trees, NoSQL basics.
Computer Networks
OSI & TCP/IP model, data link protocols, IP addressing & subnetting, routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, RIP), TCP/UDP protocols, HTTP/FTP/DNS/SMTP, network security basics.
Computer Organization & Architecture
Number systems & Boolean algebra, CPU design (ALU, control unit), instruction set architecture, pipeline & hazards, memory hierarchy (cache, RAM), I/O interfacing, RISC vs CISC.
Programming & Software Engineering
C, C++, Java programming; object-oriented programming concepts; compiler design (parsing, lexing); software development lifecycle; software testing & debugging; version control (Git basics); web technologies (HTML, CSS, JS basics).
ISRO Syllabus 2026 — Civil Engineering (Part A)
Structural Engineering
Stress, strain, elastic constants; bending moment & shear force diagrams; analysis of trusses & frames; RCC design (beams, columns, slabs); steel structure design; pre-stressed concrete basics.
Geotechnical Engineering
Soil classification & properties, effective stress & consolidation, permeability & seepage, shear strength of soils, foundation design, earth retaining structures.
Fluid Mechanics & Hydraulics
Properties of fluids, flow through pipes, open channel flow, hydraulic machines (pumps & turbines), groundwater hydrology, irrigation engineering basics.
Transportation Engineering
Highway design & alignment, pavement design (flexible & rigid), traffic engineering, railway engineering basics, airport planning basics, highway materials testing.
ISRO Syllabus 2026 — Electrical Engineering (Part A)
Electric Circuits
Network theorems (Thevenin, Norton, Superposition), KVL & KCL, AC circuit analysis, resonance in circuits, two-port networks, transient analysis.
Electrical Machines
Transformers (single & three phase), DC machines (generators & motors), induction motors, synchronous machines, special machines (stepper, BLDC), drives & control of motors.
Power Systems
Power generation (thermal, hydro, nuclear), transmission & distribution, load flow analysis, fault analysis (symmetrical), circuit breakers & protection, power factor correction.
Measurements & Instrumentation
Measuring instruments (moving coil, iron), bridges (Wheatstone, Maxwell), CRO & signal generators, transducers & sensors, data acquisition basics, error analysis.
ISRO Syllabus 2026 — General Aptitude (Part B, Common to All Branches)
Unlike Part A, this section is identical for every engineering discipline — the same 15 questions, same topics, regardless of whether you’re a Mechanical, CS, or Civil candidate. Since it carries zero negative marking, it deserves a distinct, non-negotiable preparation slot rather than being treated as an afterthought.
Quantitative Aptitude
- Number system & HCF/LCM
- Percentage, Profit & Loss
- Ratio & Proportion
- Simple & Compound Interest
- Time, Speed & Distance
- Time & Work
- Mensuration — Area & Volume
- Data Interpretation
Logical Reasoning
- Analogy & Classification
- Number & Alphabet Series
- Coding-Decoding
- Blood Relations
- Direction Sense
- Syllogism
- Seating Arrangements
- Venn Diagrams
Since Part B has no negative marking, always attempt all 15 questions — even a random guess carries roughly a 25% chance of scoring on a typical 4-option MCQ, making an unattempted question strictly worse than a guessed one here, unlike in Part A.
ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ Selection Process 2026
This section is different from the exam pattern above — it shows the full end-to-end journey from application to appointment, not just the written test structure.
- Online Application — submitted through isro.gov.in or icrb.res.in within the notified window.
- Written Test (CBT) — Part A (Core Engineering) + Part B (General Aptitude), 120 minutes, 100 marks total.
- Shortlisting for Interview — based on merit, in a 1:5 ratio (five candidates per vacancy).
- Personal Interview — 100 marks, covering technical knowledge, communication skills, and awareness.
- Document Verification — original certificates checked against submitted application details.
- Medical Fitness — health checkup as per ISRO’s prescribed medical standards.
- Final Merit List — computed as 50% written test score + 50% interview score.
Interview Stage — Evaluation Breakdown
This is distinct from the written test above — since the interview carries a full 50% of the final merit, many otherwise well-prepared written-test candidates lose the final selection here, making this section worth studying just as seriously as the syllabus.
| Component | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Knowledge | 40 | Core engineering concepts, problem-solving ability |
| Communication Skills | 20 | Clarity, confidence, presentation |
| Aptitude & Awareness | 20 | Space awareness, current affairs in science & technology |
| Academic Achievements | 20 | CGPA, institute ranking, publications |
| Total Interview | 100 | 50% weightage in final merit |
Given that “Aptitude & Awareness” explicitly tests knowledge of ISRO’s own missions and current space-technology developments, candidates should treat staying updated on ISRO’s ongoing programs (Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, Aditya-L1, and upcoming launches) as a mandatory, ongoing part of preparation — not a last-minute cram before the interview date.
ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ Salary & Career Growth 2026
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Pay Level (7th CPC) | Level 10 (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500) |
| Starting Basic Pay | ₹56,100 per month |
| Approx. Gross Salary (with DA+HRA) | ₹70,000 – ₹80,000 per month |
| Approx. In-Hand | ₹60,000+ per month |
| Other Benefits | CGHS/ISRO medical scheme, PF (10% employer contribution), LTC once in 2 years, ISRO township accommodation (subject to availability), education allowance |
| Career Progression | Scientist SC → SD → SE → SF → SG → Outstanding Scientist → Distinguished Scientist |
How to Prepare for ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ 2026 — Strategy
This section moves from “what’s tested” to “how to actually study it” — treat each point as part of a single, integrated preparation plan.
- Start with the GATE syllabus for your branch. ISRO’s Part A closely mirrors the GATE syllabus — if you’ve prepared for GATE, you’re already substantially ready for ISRO’s technical section. GATE previous papers double as strong ISRO practice material.
- Identify your branch’s top 3–5 high-weightage subjects and master them first — for Mechanical, that’s Thermodynamics, Theory of Machines, and Strength of Materials; for CS, it’s Data Structures, Operating Systems, DBMS, and Computer Networks.
- Solve the last 10 years of ISRO papers. ISRO tends to repeat concepts (not exact questions) across cycles — previous papers reveal the real difficulty level and which subtopics get tested most often.
- Treat Part B as guaranteed marks. With no negative marking, budget around 20 minutes to comfortably attempt all 15 aptitude questions and aim to score 15+ out of 20 here — this section has a far better effort-to-score ratio than the harder Part A questions.
- Manage exam-day time deliberately. With roughly 75 seconds per question on average, skip difficult Part A questions on your first pass, complete Part B fully first, then return to the skipped technical questions with remaining time.
- Prepare for the interview as a separate, parallel track — not something to start only after clearing the written test. Read about ISRO’s ongoing and past missions, recent space-technology news, and revisit your core branch fundamentals at a conceptual (not just formula-recall) level.
- Take full-length mock tests regularly — aim for at least 15–20 full-length attempts before the actual exam to build both speed and the discipline needed for Part A’s negative-marking environment.
Recommended Books — Branch Wise
| Subject | Recommended Authors/Books |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | R.K. Bansal (Fluid Mechanics), V.B. Bhandari (Machine Design), P.K. Nag (Thermodynamics) |
| Electronics & Communication | Sedra & Smith (Analog), Morris Mano (Digital), Haykin (Communications), Hayt (Electromagnetics) |
| Computer Science | Cormen (Algorithms), Tanenbaum (OS & Networks), Ramakrishnan (DBMS), Patterson (Computer Organization) |
| Electrical Engineering | Chapman (Electrical Machines), Nagrath & Kothari (Power Systems), Golding (Measurements) |
| Civil Engineering | R.K. Bansal (Hydraulics), Arora & Bindra (Soil Mechanics), Krishna Raju (RCC Design) |
| General Aptitude | R.S. Aggarwal (Quantitative Aptitude & Verbal-Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These are process-level mistakes, distinct from the content-level syllabus above — about how candidates approach their preparation, not what they study.
- Neglecting Part B because it’s “only 20 marks.” Since it has zero negative marking, it’s actually the highest-certainty scoring block in the entire paper — skipping proper preparation here is a costly mistake.
- Guessing recklessly in Part A without at least partial elimination of wrong options — the 1/3 negative marking here means blind guessing has a negative expected value over a full paper.
- Preparing for the written test only, then scrambling for the interview after results. Since the interview carries equal 50% weight, starting interview preparation late routinely costs otherwise strong written-test performers their final rank.
- Ignoring GATE-level previous papers — since ISRO’s Part A syllabus closely tracks GATE, skipping this well-established practice resource means missing a highly relevant, abundant source of quality questions.
- Assuming diploma-level preparation suffices. ISRO’s technical difficulty sits closer to GATE than to typical PSU/SSC technical exams — under-preparing on depth is a common reason otherwise hardworking candidates fall short in Part A.
ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ Syllabus 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the exam pattern for ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ 2026?
95 total questions — 80 from Core Engineering (Part A, 1 mark each, 1/3 negative marking) and 15 from General Aptitude (Part B, 20 marks, no negative marking). Total marks: 100. Duration: 120 minutes.
Q2: Is there negative marking in the ISRO exam?
Yes, but only in Part A — 1/3 mark is deducted per wrong answer. Part B (General Aptitude) has no negative marking.
Q3: What is the eligibility for ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ 2026?
A B.E./B.Tech degree in the relevant discipline with a minimum of 65% aggregate marks or 6.84 CGPA, with a maximum age of 28 years for General category (relaxed for other categories).
Q4: What is the salary of an ISRO Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’?
A starting basic pay of ₹56,100/month under Pay Level 10 (7th CPC), with gross salary (including DA, HRA, TA) approximately ₹70,000–₹80,000/month.
Q5: Is the syllabus the same for all engineering branches?
No — Part A (Core Engineering) varies by discipline (Mechanical, Electronics, Computer Science, Civil, Electrical). Part B (General Aptitude) is common across all branches.
Q6: What is the selection process for ISRO Scientist/Engineer 2026?
Written Test (Part A + Part B, 100 marks) → Interview shortlisting in a 1:5 ratio → Personal Interview (100 marks) → Document Verification → Medical Fitness → Final Merit List (50% written + 50% interview).
Q7: Is a GATE score required for the ISRO exam?
No — GATE is not mandatory for Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ recruitment, since ISRO conducts its own written exam through ICRB. However, GATE preparation is highly relevant since the Part A syllabus closely overlaps.
Q8: What is the minimum qualifying mark to clear the written test?
60 out of 100 for General/EWS, 55 for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), and 50 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.
Q9: How many vacancies are there for ISRO Scientist/Engineer in 2026?
Over 320 vacancies across Mechanical, Electronics, Computer Science, and other disciplines through the main ICRB drive, with additional centre-specific openings (such as SAC’s 49 posts) announced separately through the year.
Q10: Where can candidates download the official ISRO syllabus PDF?
From the official ISRO careers page at isro.gov.in/Careers.html, under the relevant Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ recruitment notification.
This article reflects the officially notified ISRO ICRB Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ syllabus and exam pattern for 2026. Syllabus and exam pattern details are subject to revision by ISRO — always verify against the latest notification on isro.gov.in before finalising your preparation plan.