ICMR Section Officer Recruitment 2026 – 47 Vacancies, Eligibility, Salary, Selection Process and Application Details
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi has released a Vacancy Circular for the recruitment of Section Officer posts on Deputation Basis, including Short Term Contract. The recruitment is being conducted for vacancies available at ICMR Headquarters and various ICMR Institutes/Centres across India.
According to the official vacancy circular dated 06 August 2026, a total of 47 vacancies are available for the post of Section Officer in Pay Level-7, with a pay scale of ₹44,900–₹1,42,400. Eligible employees working in Central Government, State Government, Autonomous Bodies and Public Sector Undertakings can apply through proper channel.
This recruitment is different from a regular open competitive examination because the vacancies are being filled through deputation, including short-term contract. Therefore, candidates must carefully check the service conditions, educational qualification, experience, age limit and requirement of forwarding the application through the proper channel before applying.
The deputation period will initially be one year, which may be extended further depending upon the requirement. The notification covers ICMR Headquarters in New Delhi as well as several ICMR institutes and centres located in different parts of the country.
ICMR Section Officer Recruitment 2026 Notification
The ICMR issued the vacancy circular under No. ICMR/R&PCell/Section Officer/Deputation/2026, dated 06 August 2026. The recruitment is specifically for the post of Section Officer, Pay Level-7.
ICMR is an autonomous organization under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Through this vacancy circular, applications have been invited from eligible employees of Central/State Government, Autonomous Bodies and PSUs.
Notification Details
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) |
| Department | Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare |
| Post Name | Section Officer |
| Pay Level | Level-7 |
| Pay Scale | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 |
| Total Vacancies | 47 |
| Recruitment Type | Deputation Basis including Short Term Contract |
| Initial Deputation Period | 1 Year |
| Age Limit | Not exceeding 56 years |
| Selection Process | Shortlisting and Interview |
| Application Mode | Through Proper Channel |
| Circular Date | 06 August 2026 |
| Application Deadline | Within 30 days from publication of vacancy circular in Employment News |
The official circular states that the number of vacancies is tentative and may change depending on the requirement of ICMR.
ICMR Section Officer Vacancy 2026
There are 47 Section Officer vacancies available under this recruitment. These vacancies are distributed among ICMR Headquarters and various institutes/centres.
Vacancy Details
| Post Code | ICMR Institute/Centre | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| S-1 | ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi | 22 |
| S-2 | NIOHR, Ahmedabad | 1 |
| S-3 | NITM, Belagavi | 1 |
| S-4 | NIREH, Bhopal | 1 |
| S-5 | NIHR, Bhubaneswar | 2 |
| S-6 | NIRT, Chennai | 1 |
| S-7 | NIMR, Dwarka | 1 |
| S-8 | NICHR, New Delhi | 1 |
| S-9 | NIHR, Dibrugarh | 1 |
| S-10 | NIN, Hyderabad | 5 |
| S-11 | NIHR, Patna | 2 |
| S-12 | NIVCR, Puducherry | 3 |
| S-13 | NIV, Pune | 4 |
| S-14 | NIHR, Sri Vijayapuram | 1 |
| S-15 | CRMCH, Chandrapur | 1 |
| Total | 47 |
The largest number of vacancies is available at ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi, with 22 posts, followed by NIN, Hyderabad with 5 posts and NIV, Pune with 4 posts.
Candidates interested in more than one institute must mention the appropriate post code(s) in their application. The notification clearly states that candidature will be considered only for the institute(s) against the post code(s) mentioned in the application. Requests to add, delete or change institute/post codes after submission will not be entertained.
ICMR Section Officer Eligibility Criteria 2026
The eligibility conditions are particularly important because this is a deputation-based recruitment.
Educational Qualification
Applicants must possess any degree and should have working knowledge of computers.
The notification provides two routes for eligibility:
First route: Officers from Central Government, State Government, Autonomous Bodies or PSUs who are holding an analogous post and possess any degree along with working knowledge of computers.
Second route: Assistants in Level-6 and Level-7 who possess any degree, have working knowledge of computers and have 5 years of regular service in the grade in Central Government, State Government, Autonomous Body or PSU.
Therefore, candidates should not apply merely because they possess a graduation degree. Their current post, pay level, government/organization status and required service experience must also satisfy the conditions mentioned in the circular.
Age Limit
The maximum age limit is 56 years as on the last date of receipt of the application.
Important Service Condition
Departmental officers are not eligible for deputation, and deputationists are not eligible for promotion, as specifically mentioned in the vacancy circular.
Applicants should therefore carefully verify their service status and eligibility with their cadre controlling authority before forwarding the application.
ICMR Section Officer Salary 2026
The Section Officer post is placed in Pay Level-7, carrying a pay scale of:
₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
The pay level and scale are specified directly in the vacancy table of the official circular.
Since this is a deputation-based position, applicants should also refer to the applicable ICMR Recruitment Rules, DoPT instructions and relevant government rules for other service-related benefits and conditions.
Nature of Duties of Section Officer
The Section Officer will be responsible for supervising and managing administrative functions of the concerned section and ensuring that work is completed efficiently, within time and according to applicable rules.
The duties mentioned in the notification include supervision, distribution and coordination of work among staff, maintenance of discipline, record management, indexing, digitization and weeding of files.
The Section Officer may also deal with establishment, personnel, recruitment, service matters, vigilance, RTI matters, court cases and other administrative procedures under Government of India rules and ICMR guidelines.
Other responsibilities include handling financial, budgetary, procurement, accounts and audit matters. This may involve scrutiny of budget estimates, expenditure control, inventory and asset management, purchase procedures, grant accounting and compliance with applicable financial rules.
The position can also involve administrative work related to research programmes and projects, including processing project proposals, administrative approvals, grant management and coordination with scientists and other stakeholders.
The officer may additionally be required to prepare notes, correspondence, office orders, reports and PowerPoint presentations, examine complex cases and ensure compliance with DoP&T and ICMR instructions.
ICMR Section Officer Selection Process 2026
The selection process under this recruitment is not based on a written competitive examination.
As per the vacancy circular, applications received through proper channel will be scrutinized and eligible candidates will be shortlisted. The shortlisted candidates will subsequently be called for an interview, which may be conducted offline or online at ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi.
Selection Stages
- Submission of application through proper channel
- Verification of eligibility and documents
- Shortlisting of eligible candidates
- Interview
- Final selection after verification
The notification states that the date and time of the interview will be communicated later. Candidates appearing for the interview will not be paid TA/DA.
Applicants should therefore ensure that their application contains complete and accurate information and that all required documents are forwarded by the competent authority.
Documents Required for ICMR Section Officer Recruitment
The vacancy circular specifies several documents that must accompany the application. The Cadre Controlling Authority is required to forward the complete application along with the necessary documents.
Required Documents
- Prescribed Application Form
- Educational Qualification Certificates
- Experience Certificate(s)
- Cadre Clearance
- APARs of the preceding five years
- Vigilance Clearance
- Integrity Certificate
- No Objection Certificate (NOC)
- Statement/list of major or minor penalties imposed during the last ten years, if any
The five years of APARs specifically mentioned in the notification are 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Because the recruitment is through proper channel, candidates should coordinate with their parent department/cadre controlling authority well before the deadline.
How to Apply for ICMR Section Officer Recruitment 2026
Eligible officers have to apply in the prescribed application format given as Annexure-I in the vacancy circular.
The application should clearly mention the relevant post code of the ICMR institute for which the candidate wishes to be considered. Candidates applying for more than one institute should mention all applicable post codes in the prescribed application.
Step-by-Step Application Process
Step 1: Read the complete ICMR vacancy circular and verify your eligibility.
Step 2: Download and complete the prescribed application form given in Annexure-I.
Step 3: Clearly mention the required ICMR institute and corresponding post code.
Step 4: Attach educational qualification and experience certificates.
Step 5: Arrange the required service documents, including Cadre Clearance, Vigilance Clearance, Integrity Certificate, NOC, APARs and penalty statement, wherever applicable.
Step 6: Submit the complete application to your Cadre Controlling Authority/parent department.
Step 7: The application must be forwarded through proper channel to the address specified in the vacancy circular.
“Application for the post of Section Officer (on Deputation) at ICMR Headquarters/Institutes/Centres”.
Applications received through any route other than proper channel, or applications received after the prescribed deadline, will not be considered.
ICMR Section Officer Important Dates 2026
The vacancy circular is dated 06 August 2026. However, the notification does not provide a fixed calendar date for the closing date. Instead, it states that applications should reach ICMR within 30 days from the date of publication of the vacancy circular in Employment News.
| Event | Date/Details |
|---|---|
| Vacancy Circular Date | 06 August 2026 |
| Application Start | After publication of the vacancy circular |
| Last Date | Within 30 days from publication in Employment News |
| Interview Date | To be intimated later |
| Deputation Period | Initially 1 year |
| Extension | As per requirement |
Note: Candidates should verify the Employment News publication date and calculate the exact last date accordingly. The uploaded ICMR circular itself does not specify a fixed numerical closing date.
ICMR Section Officer Recruitment 2026 – Important Links
| Description | Link/Information |
|---|---|
| ICMR Official Website | Click Here |
| Official Vacancy Circular | Click Here |
| Last Date | 05-09-2026 |
Important Instructions for Candidates
Candidates should carefully follow all instructions mentioned in the vacancy circular. Canvassing of any kind will result in disqualification.
The candidate should not have been convicted by any court of law. If any information or declaration submitted by the candidate is found to be false, or if material information has been deliberately suppressed, the candidature may be terminated and further action may be taken by the appointing authority.
ICMR also reserves the right to amend, cancel or make changes to the advertisement, either wholly or partly, without assigning any reason.
The decision of the competent authority regarding interview, document verification and selection will be final and binding on candidates. Any dispute will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Law at New Delhi.
Candidates are also advised to regularly check the official ICMR website for any corrigendum, addendum, revision or other recruitment-related information because such updates will be posted on the official ICMR website.
The ICMR Section Officer Recruitment 2026 is an important opportunity for eligible serving employees of Central/State Government departments, Autonomous Bodies and PSUs who meet the prescribed deputation conditions. With 47 vacancies across ICMR Headquarters and various institutes, the recruitment provides opportunities at multiple locations including New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Belagavi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Patna, Puducherry, Pune and other centres.
The post carries Pay Level-7 with a pay scale of ₹44,900–₹1,42,400, while the initial deputation period is one year and may be extended according to requirement.
Candidates should remember that this is not a normal online recruitment examination. The application must be completed in the prescribed format and forwarded through the proper channel along with the required service documents, including Cadre Clearance, Vigilance Clearance, Integrity Certificate, NOC and APARs.
Most importantly, applicants should not wait until the last moment because obtaining the required clearances and forwarding the application through the parent department may take time. Since the circular specifies the closing date as 30 days from its publication in Employment News, candidates should verify the Employment News publication date and submit their applications accordingly.
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