CSIR CFTRI Technician Selection Process 2026 – Screening, Trade Test, Written Exam and Merit List

Getting the application right is only the first step in the CSIR CFTRI Technician Recruitment 2026. After that, your selection depends on a four-stage process: document screening, a qualifying Trade Test, a three-paper written examination and a merit list. The notification (Advertisement No. Rec.02/2026) lays out each stage, the marking scheme and even the tie-breaking order. This blog explains the complete CFTRI Technician selection process 2026 in detail so you can plan your preparation.

CSIR CFTRI Technician Selection Process 2026: Overview

The CSIR-CFTRI Technician Recruitment 2026 selection process includes application screening, a qualifying trade test and a three-paper competitive written examination. Check the recruitment details below.

Candidates must qualify in the trade test and meet the prescribed Paper I threshold to have Papers II and III evaluated. Check the official notification for the applicable cut-offs and detailed selection rules.

CSIR CFTRI Technician Selection Process 2026 Detailed

There is no interview mentioned in the selection procedure for this post. Final merit is based only on the written exam marks in Paper-II and Paper-III.

Stage 1: Screening of Applications

All applications received within the stipulated period are screened by a Screening Committee constituted by the Director, CSIR-CFTRI. Candidates who fulfil the eligibility criteria as recommended by the committee are invited for the Trade Test.

What you should know about screening:

• The committee screens prima facie on the basis of the documents and information in your online application and the hard copy you post.
• Having the minimum qualification does not guarantee a Trade Test call. The notification states the committee adopts its own criteria for shortlisting.
• You should therefore mention all qualifications and experience beyond the minimum, supported by certificates and mark sheets (semester-wise or year-wise where applicable).
• Applications with discrepancies between the information provided and the documents are rejected. Incomplete applications and those without a hard copy are summarily rejected.
• If it is found at any stage that you do not meet the eligibility criteria or gave false information, your candidature is cancelled without assigning any reason.

Stage 2: Trade Test (Qualifying)

Candidates shortlisted by the Screening Committee are invited for the Trade Test in the relevant trade. The notification states that it is qualifying in nature.

What the notification says:

• The Trade Test is in your applied trade, such as Fitter, Electronics Mechanic, Electrician or Welder.
• It is qualifying, so its marks are not added to the merit list.
• The minimum threshold (cut-off) marks for the Trade Test and Paper-I are decided by the Selection Committee for each category of posts and are notified on the CFTRI website before the Trade Test or written exam.
• Only candidates who qualify the Trade Test are invited to the written examination.

Stage 3: Written Examination

Candidates who qualify the Trade Test appear for a competitive written examination with three papers.

Exam scheme

Paper-wise pattern

Totals (my addition): Paper-I is 100 marks and is qualifying. Paper-II (150) plus Paper-III (150) give 300 marks, and these 300 marks decide your merit.

How the three papers work together

1. Paper-I (Mental Ability Test) is qualifying. It covers general intelligence, quantitative aptitude, reasoning, problem solving and situational judgement. There is no negative marking.
2. Paper-II and Paper-III are evaluated only if you score the minimum threshold in Paper-I. The threshold is set by the Selection Committee.
3. Merit depends only on Paper-II and Paper-III. Paper-I marks do not count toward merit.

Paper-II – General Awareness and English Language

• 25 questions each, 3 marks for each correct answer, 1 mark deducted for each wrong answer.
• Time is 30 minutes for the paper, which works out to about 36 seconds per question for 50 questions (my calculation).
• English language questions are asked only in English. All other questions are in English and Hindi.

Paper-III – Concerned Subject

• 50 questions, 150 marks, 3 marks per correct answer and 1 negative mark for a wrong answer.
• The concerned subject is based on the advertised qualification in the relevant trade of the post.
• This paper carries as much weight as General Awareness and English combined, so your trade knowledge is the biggest deciding factor.
• Time allowed is 1 hour, about 1.2 minutes per question (my calculation).

Understanding negative marking

In Paper-II and Paper-III, a correct answer gives +3 and a wrong answer gives −1, and unanswered questions carry no marks. As a general maths point, an answer is worth attempting if you are more than 25% likely to be right, because the expected gain then outweighs the penalty. This is my general guidance, not a rule from the notification. Paper-I has no negative marking, so attempt every question there.

Standard of the exam

The standard is stated as SSC + ITI / XII standard. The notification does not publish a syllabus. Based on the paper names, a reasonable preparation outline (my suggestion, not official) is:

Always check the CFTRI website for any official syllabus or exam notice.

Stage 4: Preparation of the Merit List

• The final merit list is prepared only on the basis of marks in Paper-II and Paper-III.
• It is prepared separately for each post code and category, as the vacancies are category-wise
• The minimum threshold marks for the Trade Test and Paper-I are decided by the Selection Committee for each category of posts and published on the CFTRI website.

Tie-breaking Rules

If two or more candidates have equal aggregate marks in the written exam (excluding the qualifying paper), CSIR’s Circular dated 30.05.2023 applies. The tie is resolved in the following order of preference:

This shows how much Paper-III matters: a better score in the trade paper is the first tie-breaker, and fewer wrong answers is the second.

After the Merit List

• Document verification: You must produce originals of the relevant certificates (caste, EWS, PwBD, ex-servicemen and others) at the time of the test, examination or document verification, as asked.
• Provisional appointment: Appointment orders are provisional until the clearance of character and antecedents. Reserved category appointments are provisional until certificates are verified through proper channels.
• Medical and physical standards: PwBD candidates are eligible for appointment only if they meet the physical and medical standards for the post, after any examination the appointing authority prescribes.
• Probation: Selected candidates are on probation for a specific period, which can be extended or curtailed. They are confirmed after successful completion, as per rules.
• Posting: At the CFTRI headquarters in Mysuru or its resource centres at Hyderabad, Mumbai or Lucknow, with possible transfer to any CSIR lab in India.
• Selected candidates cannot apply elsewhere during the probationary period.

CSIR CFTRI Technician 2026 – Admit Card and Exam-day Rules

• No call letters or admit cards will be mailed. You can download the admit cards of subsequent stages only from recruitment.cftri.res.in or www.cftri.res.in.
• Selection notifications, lists of shortlisted candidates, the criteria adopted and all updates are displayed only on the CFTRI website. The institute is not responsible for any missed update.
• Your live photo captured at application is used for identity verification at the examination hall.
• Your signature on the attendance sheet must match the uploaded signature. A mismatch can lead to disqualification.
• Scribe and compensatory time for PwBD candidates follow CSIR OM dated 04.12.2025 and MOSJE instructions, and the facility is allowed only if you opted for it in the online application.
• Carrying mobile phones or similar electronic devices into the examination hall is treated as unfair means.

Unfair Means and Disqualification

The notification lists many actions that can lead to disqualification, debarment from future CSIR recruitment, or termination if already appointed. These include:

• Using unfair means, impersonation or misbehaving during the test
• Disclosing, publishing or transmitting the exam content in any form
• Carrying mobile phones or devices with storage in the hall
• Taking snapshots or videos of exam material
• Misbehaving with invigilators or officials, or leaving the venue without permission
• Furnishing false, tampered or fabricated particulars, or suppressing material information
• Exchanging seats or canvassing, including bringing any political or other influence

Violations detected even after the process, including after appointment, can lead to retrospective disqualification. There is no provision for re-evaluation or re-checking of scores at any stage, and no correspondence on this will be entertained. The decisions of CSIR-CFTRI on eligibility, selection mode and conduct of tests are final and binding.

CSIR CFTRI Technician Selection Process 2026 Timeline

The CFTRI Technician selection process 2026 is simple to understand but demanding to clear: your documents must pass screening, you must qualify the Trade Test, and then you must clear Paper-I and score well in Paper-II and Paper-III, since only those 300 marks decide merit. Put your biggest effort into your trade subject, keep speed and accuracy in General Awareness and English, and keep checking the CFTRI website for the Trade Test and exam dates.