Scientist ‘B’ in Farmers’ Plant Varieties and Crop Validation (Agronomy/Horticulture) at NIF

Job Description

NIF Gandhinagar is recruiting a Scientist ‘B’ (post code PC-06) with a Ph.D. in the agricultural sciences, specialising in agronomy, horticulture, or plant breeding and genetics. The work centres on indigenous plant varieties and farm practices developed by farmers: documenting them, testing them in multi-location trials and preparing their registration under India’s plant variety law. It is a regular post at pay Level 10.

At a glance

• Post: Scientist ‘B’ (PC-06), 1 post, Advertisement No. Adv/02/2026
• Focus: Documenting, testing and registering indigenous plant varieties and farm practices
• Pay: 7th CPC pay matrix Level 10 (Rs 56,100 – 1,77,500 basic per month)
• Upper age limit: 35 years on the closing date, with relaxations as per Government of India rules
• Where: NIF campus, Grambharti, Amrapur, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
• Apply by: online; closes 30 days after the Employment News notice (earliest 28 September 2026)

Farmers across India select and keep their own crop varieties. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPV&FRA) lets them register these varieties, which needs careful trials and characterisation that this scientist would support.

What the post involves

• Documenting and scientifically validating indigenous plant varieties, farm practices and post-harvest practices, with technical reports and publications
• Cultivation, crop management and on-farm validation, including multi-location field trials
• Working with grassroots innovators, farmers, state agricultural universities, ICAR institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras
• PPV&FRA procedures: passport data collection, DUS (distinctness, uniformity and stability) characterisation and registration documents

NIF’s advertisement lists essential and desirable qualifications rather than duties; the points above follow its desirable qualifications.

Eligibility

• Ph.D. in the agricultural sciences, specialising in agronomy, horticulture, or plant breeding and genetics, or an equivalent discipline
• At least two original research papers of high standard in national or international journals
• Indian citizens only; upper age limit 35 years on the closing date

NIF’s screening committee may shortlist candidates for a written test and/or interview, so meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee a call. Experience counts only after the essential qualification and not while studying full time. Age and eligibility are judged on the closing date, with relaxations as per Government of India rules. Candidates already working in government, PSUs, autonomous bodies or universities must apply through proper channel or upload a no-objection certificate (or an undertaking to produce it at the interview). The number of posts may change, and a reserve panel stays valid for one year.

Pay and duration

• 7th CPC pay matrix Level 10: Rs 56,100 – 1,77,500 basic pay per month
• A regular post filled by direct recruitment through open, all-India competition

How to apply

Apply online only, through the NIF recruitment portal (jobs.nifindia.org): register with a valid email address and mobile number, complete your profile, then choose the post code and submit. Upload self-attested copies of your date-of-birth proof, degrees, experience certificates (showing designation, dates, duties and pay level), category or PwBD certificates if they apply, a list of publications, and Ph.D. registration and award certificates. UR, OBC and EWS candidates pay a non-refundable fee of Rs 1,000 online; SC, ST, PwBD and women candidates are exempt. Apply for only one post under this advertisement: if you apply for more, NIF considers just one. Queries go to jobs@nifindia.org. NIF’s portal stays open for 30 days from the day the advertisement appears in Employment News/Rozgar Samachar (until 23:59 hrs). NIF’s notice does not give that date, so the earliest it can close is 28 September 2026; apply before then to be safe.

Key dates

• Advertisement No. Adv/02/2026, dated 29 August 2026; online applications opened on 29 August 2026
• Closing: 30 days from publication in Employment News/Rozgar Samachar, 23:59 hrs (earliest possible date 28 September 2026)

Please read the official NIF advertisement No. Adv/02/2026 before applying, and browse more life sciences jobs on ResearchJobs.in.