DRDO CVRDE ITI Apprentice Trainee Recruitment 2026

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), through its Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) at Avadi, Chennai, has released a recruitment notification for ITI Apprentice Trainees. Eligible ITI pass-outs from relevant trades can attend the walk-in interview conducted by the establishment. The apprenticeship is governed under the Apprentices Act, 1961.

DRDO CVRDE is inviting candidates for a total of 93 vacancies (tentative) for ITI Apprentice Trainees. The walk-in interview will be held from 2026-09-08 to 2026-09-09, between 09:00 AM and 05:00 PM, at CVRDE, Avadi, Chennai. Candidates are required to report to the venue with the necessary original documents and self-attested copies for verification. Selection will be carried out through shortlisting based on marks obtained in the ITI qualifying examination, followed by a walk-in interview for shortlisted candidates.

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Candidates must possess an ITI certificate from the NCVT/SCVT board in the relevant trade. The qualifying ITI passing year must be 2023, 2024, 2025, or 2026. Candidates who passed earlier than 2023 are not eligible. The notification also specifies that only regular candidates—those who have completed the qualifying exam as regular candidates—are eligible.

Age Limit

The age limit is specified as 18 to 27 years as on 2026-09-01 for unreserved candidates. Age relaxations are provided as follows: OBC up to 30 years (3 years relaxation), SC/ST up to 32 years (5 years relaxation), and PwBD up to 37 years (10 years relaxation). Candidates must meet the age criteria applicable to their category as on the mentioned reference date.

Application Fee

The notification does not mention any application fee. Since the recruitment is through a walk-in interview, candidates are not required to pay an application fee as per the provided information.

How to Apply

1. Check eligibility first: Ensure you have an ITI certificate from NCVT/SCVT in the relevant trade and that your passing year is 2023–2026.
2. Complete mandatory NCVT/SCVT MIS registration: Register on the NCVT/SCVT MIS portal and keep the registration number ready, as registration is mandatory.
3. Prepare documents: Arrange the required documents in original form and also keep self-attested copies (the list is provided in the notification).
4. Visit the venue for walk-in: Report to CVRDE, Avadi, Chennai – 600054 on 2026-09-08 or 2026-09-09 between 09:00 AM and 05:00 PM.
5. Attend document verification: Submit your documents for verification at the venue.
6. Appear for the walk-in interview: Shortlisted candidates will be assessed through the walk-in interview on the scheduled dates.
7. Receive joining letter if selected: Selected candidates will receive a joining letter on the spot at CVRDE, Avadi, Chennai.

Salary & Pay Scale

The stipend is as per the Apprentices Act, 1961 and varies by trade. As per the notification, candidates selected for certain trades will receive 10560 per month, while others will receive 11040 per month.

Selection Process

Selection will be conducted in two stages. First, candidates will be shortlisted based on the marks obtained in their ITI qualifying examination. Second, shortlisted candidates must attend the walk-in interview on the scheduled dates. The notification further states that selected candidates will be issued a joining letter on the spot at CVRDE, Avadi, Chennai.

Eligible candidates should ensure they are ready with the required documents and NCVT/SCVT MIS registration number and attend the walk-in interview on or before 2026-09-09.