DRDO Chair, Distinguished Fellowship and Fellowship for Senior Scientists (across India)

Job Description

DRDO has advertised fifteen senior research positions, two DRDO Chairs, seven Distinguished Fellowships and six Fellowships, for scientists who have retired or are about to retire from the most senior grades, under advertisement DRDO/DHR&V/C&F-2026-01.

At a glance

• Position: DRDO Chair, Distinguished Fellowship or Fellowship
• Vacancies: 15 in total: 8 for DRDO scientists, 7 for others
• Where: Anywhere in India, at the laboratory whose work matches yours
• Honorarium: ₹1,25,000, ₹1,00,000 or ₹80,000 a month by grade
• Tenure: Up to 3 years on contract, renewed annually
• Apply by: 16 October 2026

This scheme keeps senior scientific experience inside the defence research system after formal retirement. Seven of the fifteen positions are open to people from outside DRDO: the tri-services, and scientific and academic institutions of the central government and its autonomous bodies. The research areas named are aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, communication engineering, computer science and IT, electronics, life science, instrumentation, material science, missiles and naval systems.

Why this role matters

Few countries have a clean mechanism for keeping their most experienced researchers working after superannuation. For a scientist who has spent a career reaching Pay Level 14 or above, this is a way to keep leading technical work without administrative load, on a contract that renews on delivery.

What the appointment involves

• Leading research and development in your area of expertise at a DRDO laboratory or establishment
• Attending the laboratory or establishment on all its working days, reporting to the lab to which you are attached
• Serving anywhere in India, particularly in cities where DRDO laboratories connected to your research area are located
• Delivering against agreed outcomes, since annual renewal depends on performance and deliverables

Eligibility

• DRDO Chair: scientists retired, or due to retire within three months of the advertisement, from Distinguished Scientist or equivalent in Pay Level 16; retired Lt. General or equivalent in Pay Level 16 may also be considered
• DRDO Distinguished Fellowship: from Outstanding Scientist or equivalent in Pay Level 15; retired Lt. General or equivalent in Pay Level 15 may also be considered
• DRDO Fellowship: from Scientist ‘G’ or equivalent in Pay Level 14; retired Major General or equivalent in Pay Level 14 may also be considered
• Non-DRDO applicants may come from the tri-services and from scientific and academic institutions of the central government and central autonomous bodies
• Maximum age is up to five years after superannuation
• Qualifications named in the advertisement are B.Tech./B.E., M.Sc. or PhD

The honorarium is fixed: the advertisement states it is restricted to the last basic pay drawn at retirement minus the basic pension, with no annual increment or percentage rise during the contract. Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, government accommodation, medical reimbursement and telephone or broadband reimbursement are not payable, though transport allowance is admissible. The number of positions may vary. DRDO warns that misrepresentation or concealment of facts found later will cancel the candidature without notice.

Pay and duration

• DRDO Chair: ₹1,25,000 a month
• DRDO Distinguished Fellowship: ₹1,00,000 a month
• DRDO Fellowship: ₹80,000 a month
• Paid leave at 1.5 days for each completed month of service
• Contract for a maximum of three years from the date of taking charge, renewed annually on performance and deliverables

How to apply

Send a neatly typed application on A-4 paper to The Director, Directorate of Human Resource and Vigilance (DHR&V), DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Room No. 229 (DRDS-III), DRDO Bhawan, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi-110011, with the envelope captioned “Application for DRDO Chair/DRDO Fellow”. An advance copy may be e-mailed to director-dhrv@gov.in. The application must be endorsed by the Director of the laboratory or establishment and the Cluster DG where you wish to serve. Attach a copy of your PPO and the identity card issued at superannuation, copies of Aadhaar and PAN, one recent passport-size colour photograph, and the annexures named in the application format. The official DRDO advertisement page carries both the advertisement and the application form.

Key dates

• Advertisement DRDO/DHR&V/C&F-2026-01 published 15 September 2026
• DRDO’s vacancy page gives the end date as 16 October 2026
• The advertisement text states the closing date as 21 days from publication in newspapers, so apply early rather than counting days

Please read the official DRDO advertisement DRDO/DHR&V/C&F-2026-01 before applying, and browse more research fellowship jobs on ResearchJobs.in.