UPSC Recruitment 2026 Notification Out - Apply Online for 450 Drug Inspector, Assistant Engineer and More Posts

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released recruitment notification for 2026 inviting applications for approximately 450 posts across various technical and administrative positions including Drug Inspector, Assistant Engineer and other specialized roles. UPSC is India's premier central recruiting agency conducting examinations for All India and Central Civil Services. This recruitment is being conducted through Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist Examination pattern for technical posts across various central government departments and ministries. Selected candidates will be appointed to Group A and Group B gazetted posts in Central Government organizations with attractive pay scales under 7th Pay Commission. The posts are distributed across multiple departments including Department of Pharmaceuticals, Central Engineering Services, and other technical wings requiring engineering and pharmacy qualifications.

Important Dates

Note: Candidates are advised to check the official UPSC website regularly for any updates or changes in the schedule.

Vacancy Distribution (Indicative - Typical for such UPSC recruitments)

Post-wise Distribution (Indicative):

• Drug Inspector: 120 posts
• Assistant Engineer (Civil): 110 posts
• Assistant Engineer (Mechanical): 85 posts
• Assistant Engineer (Electrical): 75 posts
• Other Technical Posts: 60 posts

Note: This is a typical distribution. Exact vacancy details will be mentioned in the official notification post-wise and category-wise.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

For Drug Inspector:

• Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from a recognized university OR
• Bachelor's degree in Medicine (MBBS) with specialization in Clinical Pharmacology OR
• Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences/Pharmacology
• Degree must be recognized by Pharmacy Council of India

For Assistant Engineer (Civil):

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from a recognized university or institution
• Degree must be recognized by AICTE

For Assistant Engineer (Mechanical/Electrical):

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering respectively
• Degree must be recognized by AICTE

Age Limit

Typical / Indicative age criteria as per UPSC standards:

Age Relaxation:

Nationality

A candidate must be either:

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

Note: Candidates in categories (2) to (5) must have Certificate of Eligibility issued by Government of India.

How to Apply Online

1. Visit Official Website: Go to the official UPSC website at https://www.upsc.gov.in or https://upsconline.nic.in

1. Registration (Part I): Click on "Online Application" link for the relevant recruitment. Register using basic details (name, email, mobile number) to receive Registration ID and Password

1. Login to Dashboard: Use Registration ID and Password to login to your candidate dashboard

1. Fill Part II Application: Complete detailed application form with personal details, educational qualifications, work experience, and upload required documents

1. Upload Documents: Upload scanned copies of:

• Recent passport-size photograph (3.5 cm × 3.5 cm, 20-50 KB, JPG format)
• Signature (3 cm × 1.5 cm, 10-40 KB, JPG format)
• Educational certificates (if required)
• Category certificate (if applicable)

1. Pay Application Fee: Pay the requisite fee through online mode (Net Banking/Credit Card/Debit Card/UPI) or generate challan for offline payment

1. Submit Application: Review all details carefully and submit the application form

1. Print Confirmation: Take printout of the submitted application and fee payment receipt for future reference

Application Fee Structure

Note: Application fee once paid will not be refunded under any circumstances. Fee is exempted for SC/ST/PwBD/Women candidates but they must still complete all application formalities.

Selection Process

The selection process consists of multiple stages designed to comprehensively assess candidates:

1. Preliminary Examination (Screening): Computer-based objective type test covering General Studies, Technical Knowledge relevant to the post. This is a screening test and marks are not counted for final merit. Candidates qualifying prelims (typically 10-12 times the vacancies) proceed to Mains.

1. Main Examination (Written): Descriptive written examination consisting of subject-specific technical papers testing in-depth knowledge of engineering/pharmacy subjects along with one General Studies paper. This carries maximum weightage in final selection (typically 80-85% weightage).

1. Personality Test/Interview: Candidates shortlisted from Mains (typically 2-3 times vacancies) are called for interview to assess personality, communication skills, alertness, clarity of thought and leadership qualities. Interview carries 15-20% weightage in final merit.

1. Document Verification: Candidates provisionally selected after interview undergo thorough document verification where all original certificates (educational, category, age proof, etc.) are checked for authenticity.

1. Medical Examination: Final selected candidates undergo medical examination to ensure they meet the prescribed physical and medical standards for the respective posts as per Central Government rules.

1. Final Merit List: Final selection is based on combined marks of Main Examination and Interview. Merit list is prepared category-wise and appointments are offered accordingly.

Examination Pattern

Preliminary Examination (Screening)

Negative Marking: 1/3rd mark deducted for each wrong answer in objective type papers.

Main Examination (Descriptive)

Note: All papers in Mains are descriptive/conventional essay type. Answers must be written in English only. No negative marking in Main examination. Marks of Prelims are not counted for final merit - only qualifying in nature.

Detailed Syllabus

General Studies (Prelims & Mains)

• Current events of national and international importance
• History of India and Indian National Movement
• Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues
• Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change
• General Science and Scientific Developments

For Drug Inspector Posts

#### Pharmaceutical Chemistry

• Organic Chemistry - Nomenclature, reactions, mechanisms, stereochemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry - Drug design, structure-activity relationships
• Pharmaceutical Analysis - Quality control, spectroscopy, chromatography
• Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry - Pharmaceutical compounds, analysis methods

#### Pharmaceutics

• Dosage forms - tablets, capsules, injections, aerosols
• Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics
• Novel Drug Delivery Systems
• Pharmaceutical calculations and formulation development

#### Pharmacology

• General Pharmacology principles
• Pharmacology of drugs acting on various body systems
• Chemotherapy and antimicrobial agents
• Toxicology and adverse drug reactions

#### Pharmacy Practice & Regulations

• Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945
• Pharmacy Act 1948
• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985
• Drug Price Control Order
• Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy

For Assistant Engineer (Civil) Posts

#### Structural Engineering

• Theory of structures - stress, strain, deflection
• Concrete Technology and Design of Structures
• Steel Design - tension, compression, flexural members
• Foundation Engineering - soil mechanics, bearing capacity

#### Environmental Engineering

• Water Supply Engineering - sources, treatment, distribution
• Wastewater Engineering - collection, treatment, disposal
• Air Pollution and control measures
• Solid Waste Management

#### Transportation Engineering

• Highway Planning and Design
• Traffic Engineering and Management
• Railway and Airport Engineering
• Pavement materials and design

#### Geotechnical Engineering

• Soil Mechanics - properties, classification, compaction
• Foundation Engineering - shallow and deep foundations
• Earth Retaining Structures
• Slope Stability and Ground Improvement

For Assistant Engineer (Mechanical) Posts

#### Engineering Mechanics & Strength of Materials

• Statics and Dynamics of particles and rigid bodies
• Stress, strain, elastic constants
• Bending moment and shear force diagrams
• Torsion and springs

#### Thermal Engineering

• Thermodynamic laws and cycles
• IC Engines - petrol and diesel engines
• Steam Engineering - boilers, turbines, condensers
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning systems

#### Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering

• Metal Casting and Forming processes
• Machining processes and Machine Tools
• Metrology and Quality Control
• Production Planning and Inventory Control

#### Fluid Mechanics & Machinery

• Fluid properties and statics
• Flow through pipes and open channels
• Hydraulic turbines and pumps
• Compressors and fans

For Assistant Engineer (Electrical) Posts

#### Electrical Machines

• DC Machines - generators and motors
• Transformers - construction, types, operation
• AC Machines - synchronous and induction machines
• Special Machines - stepper motors, servo motors

#### Power Systems

• Power Generation - thermal, hydro, nuclear
• Transmission and Distribution systems
• Load Flow Studies and Fault Analysis
• Protection schemes and Switchgear

#### Control Systems

• Mathematical modeling of systems
• Time domain and frequency domain analysis
• Stability analysis - Routh, Nyquist, Bode
• State space analysis

#### Electrical & Electronic Measurements

• Measurement of voltage, current, power, energy
• Instrument transformers and transducers
• Electronic instruments and digital meters
• Bridge circuits and potentiometers

Salary and Allowances (Typical / Indicative based on 7th CPC)

Additional Benefits:

• Grade Pay: As per Level 7 matrix
• Other Allowances: Medical reimbursement, Leave Travel Concession (LTC), Children Education Allowance
• Annual Increments: 3% of basic pay every year
• Pension Benefits: New Pension Scheme (NPS) with government contribution of 14%
• Leave Entitlement: 30 days earned leave, 8 days casual leave annually
• Medical Facilities: CGHS coverage for self and dependents
• Accommodation: Government accommodation or HRA as applicable

Note: DA rates are revised twice yearly (January and July) based on inflation. Actual in-hand salary varies based on city of posting, deductions (GPF, NPS, income tax, professional tax) and allowances applicable.

Selected candidates join at Group B Gazetted level (Assistant Engineer/Drug Inspector) with excellent prospects for vertical growth in Central Government departments. With satisfactory performance and completion of service requirements, candidates can be promoted to Senior positions (Senior Drug Inspector, Executive Engineer - Level 10) within 5-8 years, followed by higher administrative positions like Deputy Director/Superintending Engineer (Level 12) after 12-15 years, and eventually reaching Director/Chief Engineer positions (Level 13-14) at senior levels with 20-25 years of service. Promotions are based on combination of seniority-cum-fitness principle, with opportunities for deputation to international organizations and policy-making roles in government.

Admit cards for the preliminary examination will be released approximately 3-4 weeks before the exam date on the official UPSC website. Candidates must download their admit cards by logging into their candidate dashboard using Registration ID and Password. No physical admit cards will be sent by post. The admit card will contain crucial details including examination centre, date, time, reporting time, and important instructions. Candidates must carry the admit card along with a valid photo ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, Driving License, Passport, Voter ID) to the examination hall. Entry will not be permitted without valid admit card and ID proof.

UPSC declares results in phases - first for Preliminary examination (within 2-3 months), then for Main examination (within 2-3 months of Mains conduct), and finally the consolidated result after Personality Test/Interview. Results are published on the official UPSC website with roll numbers of qualified candidates. Detailed marks/scorecards are made available in candidate login accounts. The Commission does not send individual result intimation letters by post. Final selection list is prepared in order of merit based on total marks in Main examination and Interview combined, with separate category-wise cutoffs applied. Candidates must regularly check the official website and their registered email/mobile for result notifications.

Typical / Indicative cutoff trends for technical posts: Preliminary examination cutoffs generally range between 40-50% for General category, 35-45% for OBC, and 30-40% for SC/ST categories depending on difficulty level and number of candidates. For Main examination and Interview combined, final cutoffs typically fall in the range of 50-60% for General, 45-55% for OBC, and 40-50% for SC/ST categories. Cutoffs vary significantly year-to-year based on vacancy numbers, difficulty of question paper, and total number of candidates appearing. Drug Inspector posts typically have slightly higher cutoffs (2-5% more) compared to engineering posts due to lower vacancy-to-applicant ratio.

Examination Centres

UPSC conducts examinations across major cities/towns throughout India:

North India: Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Dehradun, Shimla, Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, Patiala, Aligarh, Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut

South India: Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Puducherry

East India: Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Siliguri, Durgapur

West India: Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur, Surat, Vadodara, Nashik, Aurangabad, Rajkot, Indore, Bhopal, Goa

Northeast India: Guwahati, Shillong, Imphal, Kohima, Aizawl, Agartala, Itanagar, Dibrugarh, Silchar

Central India: Raipur, Bilaspur, Jabalpur

Note: UPSC reserves the right to add/delete examination centres at its discretion. Candidates should select 3-4 centre preferences during application. Final centre allotment depends on availability and feasibility.