Last updated: September 11, 2026 at 12:04 AM
The CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Unit (CSIR-TKDL Unit), New Delhi has released Advertisement No. TKDL/06/2026 inviting online applications for 05 project positions — Senior Project Associate (Sanskrit) and Project Associate-I in Metallurgy, Agriculture and Patent. The engagement is purely temporary and on contract basis, up to 31 March 2027 or co-terminus with the project, with all activities based at New Delhi. Shortlisted candidates must appear in person for a written test and interview on 24 or 25 September 2026 depending on the post code applied for.
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CSIR-TKDL Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Post Name | Senior Project Associate (Sanskrit); Project Associate-I (Metallurgy); Project Associate-I (Agriculture); Project Associate-I (Patent) |
| Organization | CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Unit (CSIR-TKDL Unit), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology |
| Notification / Advertisement No. | TKDL/06/2026 |
| Location | New Delhi, Delhi (NCT) — 14, Satsang Vihar Marg, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110067 |
| Total Vacancies | 05 (TKM01 – 01, TKM02 – 02, TKA01 – 01, TKA02 – 01). Category-wise breakup not specified in notification; a waitlist panel in order of merit will also be constituted. |
| Qualification | Master’s / Integrated Master’s Degree, or B.E. / B.Tech, in the relevant discipline — varies by post code, see Eligibility Criteria below |
| Age Limit | 40 years for Senior Project Associate; 35 years for Project Associate-I (criteria as on 23.09.2026) Check your age eligibility → |
| Selection Process | Online Application → In-person Written Test → Interview of Shortlisted Candidates |
| Pay Scale | Rs. 42,000/- + HRA for Senior Project Associate; Rs. 31,000/- or Rs. 25,000/- + HRA for Project Associate-I |
| How to Apply | Apply online only through the CSIR-TKDL recruitment portal; no other mode is accepted |
| Official Notification | Download Notification PDF |
| Official Website / Apply Online | CSIR-TKDL Online Application Portal |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Start date of online application | 03.09.2026 |
| Last date to submit online application | 23.09.2026, 5:00 PM |
| Cut-off date for meeting eligibility criteria | 23.09.2026 |
| Written test / interview — TKM01 (Sanskrit) and TKM02 (Metallurgy) | 24.09.2026, reporting 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
| Written test / interview — TKA01 (Agriculture) and TKA02 (Patent) | 25.09.2026, reporting 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
| Maximum engagement period (co-terminus with project) | Up to 31.03.2027 |
Application Fee
No application fee is mentioned anywhere in Advertisement No. TKDL/06/2026, so a fee table has been left out rather than showing an invented figure. Candidates should note separately that no TA/DA will be paid for attending the written test or interview.
Vacancy Details
| Post Code | Post Name and Domain Area | No. of Positions | Reporting Date and Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| TKM01 | Senior Project Associate (SPA) — Sanskrit | 01 | 24 September 2026, 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
| TKM02 | Project Associate-I (PAT-I) — Metallurgy | 02 | 24 September 2026, 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
| TKA01 | Project Associate-I (PAT-I) — Agriculture | 01 | 25 September 2026, 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
| TKA02 | Project Associate-I (PAT-I) — Patent | 01 | 25 September 2026, 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM |
| Total | 05 | — | |
Eligibility Criteria
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| TKM01 — Senior Project Associate (Sanskrit) | Master’s Degree / Integrated Master’s in Sanskrit language from a recognized University or equivalent, AND three years of relevant research and development experience in industrial or academic institutions or S and T organizations. OR Doctoral Degree in Sanskrit from a recognized University or equivalent with 2 years of research and development experience. |
| TKM02 — Project Associate-I (Metallurgy) | Essential: B.E. / B.Tech in Metallurgy or Metallurgical Engineering, or Master’s Degree in Chemistry or equivalent. |
| TKA01 — Project Associate-I (Agriculture) | Essential: Master’s / Integrated Master’s Degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Animal Science, any branch of Veterinary Sciences or Zoology from a recognized University or equivalent. Desirable: experience in documenting Traditional Agricultural Knowledge. |
| TKA02 — Project Associate-I (Patent) | B.E. / B.Tech / Master’s / Integrated Master’s degree in Natural Sciences from a recognized University or equivalent. Desirable: proficiency in Patent Analytics or Patent Informatics, PG Diploma in IPR, and good written and oral English skills. |
| Age Limit | 40 years for Senior Project Associate; 35 years for Project Associate-I. Eligibility criteria are to be met as on 23.09.2026. Check your age eligibility → |
| Result-Awaited Candidates | Only candidates whose essential qualification result has been declared (at least a provisional certificate in hand) may appear. Result-awaited and final-semester-appeared candidates are not eligible. |
| Counting of Experience | Experience is counted only from the date after acquiring the essential minimum educational qualification. Dissertation or thesis work done during the academic period is not counted as experience. |
| Currently Employed Candidates | Must furnish a No-Objection Certificate from the current employer at the time of interview. |
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 05 years |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 05 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 05 years |
| Women | 05 years |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 03 years |
Selection Process
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 — Online Application and Screening | All eligible candidates must fill the online form on the CSIR-TKDL portal by 23.09.2026, 5:00 PM, uploading scanned certificates for education (matriculation onwards), age, category, experience, publications or patents, and detailed biodata. Incomplete applications, or applications received through any other mode, are rejected outright. Merely meeting the minimum qualification confers no right to be called for the written test or interview. |
| Stage 2 — Written Test (in person, New Delhi) | Candidates must be present in person at CSIR-TKDL Unit, 14 Satsang Vihar Marg, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110067 on 24.09.2026 (TKM01, TKM02) or 25.09.2026 (TKA01, TKA02), reporting between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM. Marks, duration and section-wise pattern are not specified in the notification. No TA/DA is paid for attending. |
| Stage 3 — Interview of Shortlisted Candidates | Interviews of candidates shortlisted from the written test take place on the same day or on another day, as informed after the written test. Candidates must wait for the written examination result and further instructions unless told otherwise. Shortlist ratio is not specified in the notification. |
| Stage 4 — Document Verification and Offer | Two self-attested photographs, original certificates and testimonials, self-attested photocopies supporting age, qualification and experience, and a typed A4 bio-data must be carried for verification. Selected candidates furnish a character certificate and a medical fitness certificate from a Government or CSIR Dispensary Medical Officer, and sign a confidentiality undertaking covering project findings and associated intellectual property. |
| Merit Panel | A panel of waitlisted candidates in order of merit is constituted to fill vacancies that may arise in future. |
Salary and Benefits
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Senior Project Associate (SPA) — monthly emoluments | Rs. 42,000/- per month plus HRA |
| Project Associate-I (PAT-I) — with NET / GATE | Rs. 31,000/- per month plus HRA, for candidates who have qualified CSIR-UGC / ICAR / ICMR NET including lectureship or assistant professorship, or GATE, or national-level examinations conducted by central government departments such as DBT / DST or equivalent and their agencies or institutions |
| Project Associate-I (PAT-I) — others | Rs. 25,000/- per month plus HRA, for candidates who do not fall under the category above |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | Payable as per extant Government of India rules as applicable to CSIR employees |
| Nature of engagement | Purely temporary, time-bound, contract basis; maximum up to 31 March 2027 or co-terminus with the project, whichever is earlier |
| Termination clause | Contract may be terminated at any time with one month’s notice from either side, or one month’s stipend in lieu |
| Cumulative engagement cap | Total engagement of any project personnel under one project or a combination of different projects, at CSIR-TKDL Unit and/or other CSIR laboratories together, must not exceed 6 years |
| Other benefits | Not specified in notification. Engagement confers no claim or right to continuation, absorption or regularization in CSIR or CSIR-TKDL Unit, and no upgradation is permitted within the same or a new project at the Unit. |
How to Apply
- Read Advertisement No. TKDL/06/2026 in full and confirm you meet the essential qualification, experience and age limit for your chosen post code as on 23.09.2026.
- Visit the CSIR-TKDL online application portal and register as a new user with a valid email ID, then log in to open the application form.
- Fill in personal details, educational qualification details and experience details completely and accurately.
- Upload a scanned photograph and scanned signature in JPG or JPEG format, each not exceeding 150 KB, and all supporting documents self-attested in PDF format, each not exceeding 2 MB.
- Submit the form on or before 23.09.2026, 5:00 PM, then save the generated Application No. for all future correspondence, and report in person on your post code’s written test date.
Note: Incomplete applications, or applications received through any mode other than the online form, will not be accepted.
Documents Required
| Document | Format / Notes |
|---|---|
| Scanned photograph | JPG or JPEG, size not exceeding 150 KB Resize your photo and signature → |
| Scanned signature | JPG or JPEG, size not exceeding 150 KB |
| Educational qualification certificates | Matriculation onwards; self-attested PDF, not exceeding 2 MB each. Candidature is summarily rejected if not uploaded. |
| Age proof | Self-attested PDF, not exceeding 2 MB |
| Reservation / statutory category certificate | For SC / ST / OBC / PWD / EWS candidates; self-attested PDF, not exceeding 2 MB |
| Experience certificate | If any; self-attested PDF, not exceeding 2 MB |
| Publications / patents | If any; self-attested PDF, not exceeding 2 MB |
| Detailed biodata | Uploaded with the online form, and also carried neatly typed on A4 paper to the written test |
| Two self-attested photographs | Carried in person to the written test / interview |
| Original certificates and testimonials | Carried to the venue along with a set of self-attested photocopies supporting age, qualification and experience |
| No-Objection Certificate | Required at the time of interview from candidates who are currently employed |
Important Links
| Link | Go To |
|---|---|
| Download Official Notification (PDF) | Download Advt. No. TKDL/06/2026 |
| Apply Online | CSIR-TKDL Online Application Portal |
| Official Website | CSIR Recruitment Notice Page |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Telegram Channel |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join WhatsApp Channel |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Do not skip uploading any of the required document sets — the notification states plainly that candidature will be summarily rejected if they are missing.
- Do not apply if your final result is still awaited; result-awaited and final-semester-appeared candidates are explicitly not eligible to appear in the written test or interview.
- Do not count dissertation or thesis work as experience — experience is counted only from the date after acquiring the essential minimum qualification.
- Do not reach the venue after 10:30 AM on your post code’s date; reporting is only between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM, and the dates differ for the Sanskrit and Metallurgy posts (24 September) versus the Agriculture and Patent posts (25 September).
- Do not send an application by post or email — only the online form is accepted, and incomplete forms are rejected.
- Do not attempt any form of canvassing; the notification states it will render the candidate disqualified.
- Do not discard the Application No. generated after submission — it is needed for all future correspondence.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the last date to apply for CSIR-TKDL Recruitment 2026?
The online application closes on 23 September 2026 at 5:00 PM.
2. How many vacancies are there under Advt. No. TKDL/06/2026?
There are 05 positions in total: 01 Senior Project Associate (Sanskrit), 02 Project Associate-I (Metallurgy), 01 Project Associate-I (Agriculture) and 01 Project Associate-I (Patent).
3. What qualification is needed for the Project Associate-I posts?
Metallurgy needs a B.E./B.Tech in Metallurgy or Metallurgical Engineering or a Master’s in Chemistry, Agriculture needs a Master’s or Integrated Master’s in Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Animal Science, Veterinary Sciences or Zoology, and Patent needs a B.E./B.Tech, Master’s or Integrated Master’s in Natural Sciences.
4. What is the age limit and is any relaxation available?
The upper age limit is 40 years for Senior Project Associate and 35 years for Project Associate-I, with 05 years relaxation for SC, ST, PwBD and Women candidates and 03 years for OBC candidates as per CSIR and Government of India rules.
5. Is there any application fee?
No application fee is mentioned in the notification, and no TA/DA is paid for attending the written test or interview.
6. Where and how do I apply?
Applications are accepted only through the online CSIR-TKDL recruitment portal linked from the CSIR website, and applications received through any other mode will not be accepted.
7. What is the selection process?
Shortlisted applicants must appear in person for a written test at CSIR-TKDL Unit, New Delhi on 24 September 2026 (TKM01, TKM02) or 25 September 2026 (TKA01, TKA02), followed by an interview on the same or another day for those who clear it.
8. What salary do these posts carry and how long does the engagement last?
Senior Project Associate gets Rs. 42,000/- plus HRA and Project Associate-I gets Rs. 31,000/- plus HRA with NET or GATE or Rs. 25,000/- plus HRA otherwise, on a purely temporary contract lasting up to 31 March 2027 or co-terminus with the project.
Disclaimer: The information above has been compiled from the official notification for the convenience of job seekers. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official website before applying.
