ISRO Scientist CS Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility

The CBT has 100 marks:

• Part A, Computer Science: 80 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes. One mark each, a third of a mark off for each wrong answer.
• Part B, aptitude: up to 15 questions in 30 minutes for 20 marks, no negative marking.

Each part has its own pass mark: half the marks for UR candidates, 40% for PwBD candidates where posts are reserved.

GATE route candidates don't sit this test. Their GATE CS score is used instead.

Part A follows the BE/B.Tech Computer Science curriculum; ICRB gives no detailed list. Part B covers numerical, logical, diagrammatic, abstract and deductive reasoning.

ICRB has posted its 2023 Computer Science paper and 2025 Computer Science paper. They're the closest thing to an official syllabus.

Degree. BE/B.Tech or equivalent in Computer Science Engineering, 65% aggregate (average of all semesters) or CGPA 6.84 out of 10. The GATE route added a valid 2025 or 2026 GATE score in paper CS.

Accepted branches. ICRB's FAQ lists Computer Science, Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Technology, Information Technology, Information Science, Information Science and Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Computer Science and Communication Engineering, Computer Science and Systems Engineering, and CSE specialisations in AI, AI and ML, AI and Data Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Computer Networking and IT.

Not accepted. MCA, whatever the marks. Degrees by correspondence. A degree that took longer than its normal duration.

CGPA. Whatever your certificate states is what counts. A CGPA below 6.84 is not rescued by a university formula that turns it into 65%, and ISRO does not do the reverse either. There is no relaxation of the 65% for any category. AMIE and Grad IETE holders need 65% or 6.84 in Section B, and AMIE only for registrations up to 31 May 2013.

Age. For the written test route, 28 on 16 September 2026; serving Central Government civilian employees, ex-servicemen and PwBD candidates get relaxation as per Government orders. For the GATE route, 28 on 17 August 2026: born on or after 18 August 1998 for UR and EWS, 18 August 1995 for OBC and 18 August 1993 for SC and ST, where posts were reserved.

On the written route, the CBT shortlists five candidates per vacancy (at least ten in all), with an extra list for reserved vacancies. On the GATE route it is seven per vacancy, ranked by GATE score.

Everyone shortlisted faces a 100-mark interview in Bengaluru: technical knowledge 40, general awareness in the field 20, presentation and communication 20, comprehension 10, academic record 10. The academic record marks go 3 for studying at an IIT, IISc, IIST, NIT or NIRF top 20 institute, 4 for CGPA over 9 or over 85% (2 for 7.5 to 9 or 71 to 85%), and 3 for a rank of 1 to 3 in your institute.

The final list weights the CBT (or GATE score) and the interview equally.

Ties on the written route: CBT marks, then degree marks, then the older candidate.

Level 10, basic ₹56,100 a month, with Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance. HRA is not paid if you live in ISRO quarters.

NPS or the Unified Pension Scheme applies. You also get medical cover for the family, LTC, group insurance and house building advance under Central Government rules. Promotions come through the Merit Promotion Scheme, based on periodic review rather than vacancies.

Apply on the advertisement page linked from isro.gov.in/Careers.html. There's no paper form.

• Written route: pay ₹750 at the start. If you turn up for the CBT, ₹500 comes back (all ₹750 for women, SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen). Enter your bank details carefully; that is where the refund goes.
• GATE route: ₹250, kept by ISRO. Women, SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen were exempt.
• Government and PSU employees: apply with your employer's permission and carry the NOC to the interview.
• Applications can't be edited. A fresh one submitted before the deadline replaces the earlier one.

There are 37 CBT cities in 2026, spread from Agartala, Guwahati and Shillong in the north-east to Port Blair and Kavaratti, and covering Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. You pick a city when applying and can't change it later. ICRB can still shift candidates to another centre.

The written-test advertisement has appeared in May (2025) and August (2026). Look for the next one from mid 2027.

Call letters arrive by email, and only by email. Notices are posted on the 03(EMC):2026 page. No travel allowance for the CBT; second-class rail fare for the interview, from the city you gave in the form.

Expect the provisional answer key within three working days of the CBT and a five-day window to object. ICRB then publishes the interview shortlist with cut-offs, and finally a selection panel.

In the 2025 round that took ten months: CBT on 26 October 2025, results on 29 January 2026, revised list on 22 May, interview schedule on 3 July and the Computer Science panel on 14 August 2026.

For candidates other than PwBD, Computer Science had the highest cut-off of the three streams in both rounds. Sources: 2025 cut-offs, 2026 GATE cut-off.

• Posts are few and the cut-off is high. Aim well above the 50% part minimums.
• Solve the 2023 and 2025 ICRB papers in 90 minutes each. They show how ICRB pitches the questions.
• Don't guess blindly in Part A. At minus one third, random guesses on four options average out to zero.
• For the interview, be ready to talk about your final-year project and core subjects; technical knowledge is 40 of the 100 marks.
• A good GATE CS score gives you a second shot through the GATE route.

• ISRO Careers
• Advt. 03(EMC):2026: notification, FAQ, previous papers
• Advt. 02(EMC-CEPO):2026 (GATE route): notification, Computer Science interview list
• Advt. 02(EMC):2025: last cycle's results and panel

Queries to rmt-icrb@isro.gov.in.

Can MCA graduates apply?

No. ICRB's FAQ rules out MCA even with high marks.

Is B.Tech in Information Technology accepted?

Yes, along with IT and Engineering, Information Science and several CSE specialisations.

How many posts are there in 2026?

21 plus 1 at PRL through the written test, and 13 through GATE.

What score got an interview in 2025?

57.41 out of 96 for candidates other than PwBD.

What GATE score was needed in 2026?

827 for UR candidates.

Where do Computer Science scientists work?

The 2026 GATE advertisement named URSC Bengaluru, MCF Hassan, NRSC Hyderabad, SAC Ahmedabad and VSSC Thiruvananthapuram, but you can be posted to any ISRO centre.

Is there an upper age limit?

28, with relaxations as per Government orders.