Coal India SECL Exam Date 2026 Out - Mining Sirdar, Surveyor & Assistant Foreman Posts

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, has announced recruitment for technical posts including Mining Sirdar, Surveyor, and Assistant Foreman for 2026. SECL is one of India's largest coal-producing companies operating primarily in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. These positions are critical for coal mining operations, safety supervision, and surveying activities. Selected candidates will be deployed across various SECL coal mines and projects. This recruitment offers stable employment in a Maharatna public sector undertaking with attractive salary and benefits. The selection process includes written examination, skill test, and document verification.

Important Dates

Note: Dates are indicative and subject to official notification

Vacancy Details (Typical / Indicative)

Note: Exact vacancy count varies by post and will be specified in official notification. Post-wise distribution includes Mining Sirdar, Surveyor, and Assistant Foreman positions.

Educational Qualification

Mining Sirdar:

• Matriculation (10th) with Mining Sirdar Certificate of Competency issued by DGMS (Directorate General of Mines Safety)
• Valid First Class Mine Manager's Certificate of Competency (Restricted) OR
• Diploma in Mining Engineering with relevant DGMS certificates

Surveyor:

• Diploma in Mine Surveying from recognized institution OR
• Matriculation with Mine Surveyor Certificate of Competency (Restricted) issued by DGMS

Assistant Foreman:

• Diploma in Mining Engineering / Mineral Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering from recognized institution
• For certain specializations: relevant DGMS statutory certificates may be required

Age Limit

Age Relaxation:

• OBC candidates: 3 years
• SC/ST candidates: 5 years
• PwBD candidates: 10 years (15 years for OBC-PwBD, 15 years for SC/ST-PwBD)
• Ex-Servicemen: As per Government of India rules

Age calculated as on closing date of application

Nationality

Candidate must be:

• A citizen of India, OR
• A subject of Nepal, OR
• A subject of Bhutan, OR
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 with intention of permanently settling, OR
• A person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with intention of permanently settling in India

How to Apply

1. Visit the official SECL website at www.secl.gov.in or Coal India recruitment portal
2. Click on 'Careers' or 'Recruitment' section and locate the notification for Mining Sirdar/Surveyor/Assistant Foreman recruitment 2026
3. Read the detailed notification carefully and ensure you meet all eligibility criteria
4. Click on 'Apply Online' link to register as a new user
5. Complete registration by providing basic details (name, email, mobile number) and create login credentials
6. Login using registered credentials and fill the online application form with personal, educational, and experience details
7. Upload scanned copies of recent photograph (50 KB, JPG format), signature (20 KB, JPG format), and relevant certificates as per specifications
8. Review all filled information thoroughly before submission
9. Pay the application fee through online mode (Net Banking/Credit Card/Debit Card/UPI)
10. Submit the application form and save the registration number and acknowledgement page
11. Take printout of the submitted application for future reference

Application Fee

Application fee is non-refundable. Payment through online mode only. Fee includes GST and processing charges.

Selection Stages

1. Written Examination: Computer-based test covering technical knowledge related to mining operations, surveying, mine safety regulations, general awareness, and aptitude. Questions based on DGMS regulations, mining engineering principles, and coal industry practices. Duration typically 2-3 hours.

1. Skill Test / Practical Test: Hands-on assessment of practical skills relevant to the post. For Mining Sirdar: mine safety procedures and operational knowledge. For Surveyor: surveying equipment handling and measurement techniques. For Assistant Foreman: technical competency in respective engineering discipline.

1. Document Verification: Physical verification of original certificates including educational qualifications, DGMS certificates, age proof, caste certificate (if applicable), experience certificates, and other relevant documents. Candidates must produce all original documents along with self-attested copies.

1. Medical Examination: Comprehensive medical fitness test as per Coal India medical standards. Candidates must be medically fit to work in underground/opencast coal mines. Vision, hearing, physical fitness, and general health parameters checked.

1. Final Merit List: Based on combined performance in written exam and skill test, final merit list prepared category-wise. Appointment letters issued to selected candidates subject to successful document verification and medical fitness.

Examination Pattern

Written Examination

Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer (1/4th of marks allotted to that question).

Skill Test / Practical Test

Note: Skill test is qualifying in nature. Minimum qualifying marks: 40% for General/EWS, 35% for OBC, 30% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.

Detailed Syllabus

Technical Knowledge - Mining Engineering

• Mine surveying principles and practices
• Underground and opencast mining methods
• Coal mining technology and operations
• Mine planning and design
• Rock mechanics and ground control
• Mine ventilation systems
• Explosives handling and blasting techniques
• Mineral processing and coal beneficiation
• Mining machinery and equipment
• Mine environment and pollution control

Mining Safety & DGMS Regulations

• Coal Mines Regulations, 2017
• Mines Act, 1952 and amendments
• Metalliferous Mines Regulations
• DGMS circulars and safety guidelines
• Accident prevention and emergency procedures
• First aid and rescue operations
• Occupational health and safety
• Hazard identification and risk assessment
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Statutory certificates and competency requirements

Surveying (for Surveyor Post)

• Chain surveying and compass surveying
• Levelling and contouring
• Theodolite surveying and traversing
• Tacheometric surveying
• Mine surveying instruments and their uses
• Underground surveying techniques
• Correlation of surface and underground surveys
• Plan preparation and plotting
• Total station and GPS applications
• Computation of areas and volumes

Mechanical/Electrical Engineering (for Assistant Foreman)

• Engineering mechanics and strength of materials
• Thermodynamics and heat engines
• Hydraulics and pneumatics
• Machine design and industrial machinery
• Electrical circuits and machines (for Electrical)
• Power transmission and distribution
• Industrial automation and control systems
• Maintenance engineering

General Awareness

• Current affairs - national and international
• Indian coal industry overview
• Coal India Limited and subsidiaries
• Indian geography, history, and polity
• Economic and social development
• Environmental issues and climate change
• Sports and cultural events

Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning

• Number systems and simplification
• Percentages, profit and loss
• Time and work, time and distance
• Averages, ratios and proportions
• Simple and compound interest
• Data interpretation (tables, graphs, charts)
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Verbal and non-verbal reasoning

Salary Structure (Typical / Indicative)

Additional Benefits:

• Provident Fund (PF) and Pension benefits
• Gratuity as per CIL rules
• Medical facilities for self and family
• Leave Travel Concession (LTC)
• Performance Related Pay (PRP) / Bonus
• Company accommodation (subject to availability) or HRA
• Children education allowance

Note: Salary figures are indicative based on typical SECL scales. Actual may vary based on grade, location, and CIL revision.

SECL offers structured career progression through regular promotions based on seniority-cum-merit. Mining Sirdar can progress to Senior Mining Sirdar and then to supervisory roles. Surveyors advance to Senior Surveyor and Mine Surveyor positions. Assistant Foreman can be promoted to Foreman, Senior Foreman, and eventually to managerial positions like Deputy Manager and Manager in their respective engineering disciplines. Coal India also provides excellent training opportunities, skill development programs, and departmental examinations for faster career advancement.

Admit cards for the SECL written examination will be released approximately 10-15 days before the exam date on the official SECL website. Candidates must login to the recruitment portal using their registration number and password/date of birth to download the admit card. The admit card contains important details including exam date, time, venue, reporting time, and candidate instructions. Candidates must carry the admit card along with valid photo ID proof (Aadhar, PAN, Driving License, or Passport) to the examination centre. No entry will be allowed without admit card and valid ID.

SECL declares results in multiple stages - first the written examination result, followed by skill test result, and finally the merit list. Results are published on the official SECL website and candidates can check their scores by logging in with registration credentials. Written exam results typically include scores, cutoff marks, and list of candidates qualified for skill test. Final merit list contains roll numbers of selected candidates category-wise. Selected candidates are informed via email/SMS and also through official website notifications.

Cutoff marks for SECL technical posts vary based on post, category, and number of applicants. Typically, General category cutoff ranges from 55-65% of total marks, OBC cutoff is 50-60%, while SC/ST cutoff is around 40-50% in the written examination. For Mining Sirdar posts, cutoff tends to be slightly lower (50-60% for General) compared to Assistant Foreman positions which may have cutoff of 60-70% for General category. Final selection cutoff depends on combined performance in written exam and skill test, and varies year-to-year based on difficulty level and vacancy-to-applicant ratio.

Examination Centres

North India: Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Jammu

Central India: Bilaspur, Raipur, Korba, Ambikapur, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior (Primary centres in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh due to SECL operations)

East India: Kolkata, Asansol, Durgapur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur

West India: Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara

South India: Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Vijayawada

Northeast India: Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Agartala

Note: Final exam centres will be specified in the admit card. SECL may add or reduce centres based on number of applications received from each region.