Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC)
Last Date: July 2, 2026

The Odisha Staff Selection Commission has released the detailed advertisement for its Combined Technical Services Recruitment Examination (CTSRE) 2025, inviting applications for 646 vacancies spread across 11 posts under multiple departments of the Government of Odisha. The window to apply opens May 30, 2026, and the last date for online form submission is July 2, 2026. Fee payment closes slightly earlier, on June 29, 2026.

This recruitment is governed by the Combined Technical Services Recruitment Examination Rules-2022, and most vacancies falls under the Junior Engineer (Civil) post, which alone accounts for 606 of the 646 total openings.

Before we get into the details, here's a quick rundown:

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OSSC CTSRE 2025 Recruitment: Full Details

OSSC conducts the Combined Technical Services Recruitment Examination as a pooled mechanism to fill technical posts across several departments in one go, rather than running post-specific drives separately. This CTSRE-2025 cycle, advertised under notification number ITE-92/2025/5925/OSSC dated December 30, 2025, covers 11 distinct posts from departments as varied as Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Municipal Administration, Information and Public Relations, Water Resources, and Rural Works.

The 646 vacancies may look like a reasonably sized batch, but the picture changes when you look at the composition. Junior Engineer (Civil) under the Directorate of Panchayati Raj alone carries 450 seats, making it the anchor post of this recruitment. The remaining posts range from 23 vacancies for Architectural Assistant to just one each for Photographer, Sound Recordist, and Mechanic. For candidates eyeing those single-vacancy posts under the Information and Public Relations Department, the competitive reality is stark: one seat, open to all eligible candidates statewide, with negative marking through two written rounds.

OSSC's previous CTSRE cycles have drawn very large applicant pools. The CTSRE-2022 cycle, for context, attracted applications well into the lakhs for JE (Civil) posts. With the Panchayati Raj department now reporting 450 JE (Civil) vacancies, this cycle is likely to see one of the higher application volumes in recent OSSC history. Candidates who treat this as an ordinary exam will find the cutoffs at the Preliminary stage an unpleasant surprise.

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Vacancy Details

The total vacancy count is 646 across 11 posts. The Group-B posts all sit at Level-9 of the ORSP 2017 pay matrix. The two Group-C posts, Junior Draughtsman (Civil) and Tracer, are placed at Level-8 and Level-5 respectively.

Note: Women vacancies are carved out of the total and are not additional. Transgender candidates are also eligible. Vacancies are subject to change at the commission's or government's discretion.

The category distribution in the Panchayati Raj JE (Civil) post is worth examining closely. SEBC candidates actually have more reserved seats (137) than UR candidates (103) in that particular department, which is unusual. This is a reflection of the state government's current reservation framework, and it means SEBC candidates applying for this specific post will be competing within a relatively higher-vacancy pool compared to the other JE clusters.

PwD reservations exist for JE (Civil) posts under Water Resources, Panchayati Raj, and Municipal Administration, as well as for the Architectural Assistant post. PwD candidates with progressive or non-progressive disabilities now qualify under the RPwD Amendment Rules 2024, but certificates marked "likely to improve" under the temporary disability category will not be accepted.

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Application Fee

General, OBC (SEBC), and EWS candidates pay Rs. 500 as examination fee, paid exclusively through online mode via the Odisha Treasury portal linked with the OSSC application form. SC, ST, and PwD candidates are fully exempt from the fee.

The more useful detail: the Rs. 500 fee is refundable, but only if the candidate actually appears in the first stage of the examination (Preliminary Exam). Submitting the form and not showing up means forfeiting the amount. Candidates must furnish correct bank account details, including account number and IFSC code, in the application itself, as the refund will be credited directly. OSSC has clarified it will not entertain any correspondence about incorrect bank details provided by candidates.

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Age Limit

The minimum age is 21 years and the maximum is 42 years, both calculated as on January 1, 2025.

Relaxations are as follows:

• SEBC, SC, ST, and all women candidates: 5 years upper age relaxation (maximum age 47 years)
• PwD candidates: 10 years relaxation
• Ex-Servicemen: Total period of defence service is deducted from age; age relaxation only (not reservation benefit, if they have already used ESM status once)
• PwD candidates from SC/ST categories: Cumulative relaxation of 10 years over and above the normal category relaxation
• A candidate qualifying under multiple categories can claim only the single most beneficial relaxation

An upper age of 42 years (relaxable to 47 for reserved categories) is notably generous for a state technical recruitment, which typically caps out at 38 to 40 years for similar Diploma-level posts. This makes the pool wider than usual and is likely to attract experienced candidates alongside fresh diploma holders.

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Educational Qualification

Requirements vary significantly by post. These are detailed below:

Junior Engineer (Civil) under Water Resources, Panchayati Raj, and Municipal Administration: Diploma in Civil Engineering from an institution recognized by the Directorate of Technical Education, Odisha. Computer literacy is mandatory.

Architectural Assistant under Chief Architect, Odisha: Diploma in Architectural Assistantship from an institution recognized by the Odisha State Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (OSCTE).

Cameraman: Higher Secondary (+2) pass, plus Diploma or Degree in Cinematography from a recognized university. Must have skills in multi-camera setup and AV production.

Photographer: Higher Secondary (+2) pass, plus Diploma in Cinematography from a recognized institution. Should have skills in digital photography, photo editing, and related software.

Sound Recordist: Higher Secondary (+2) pass, plus Diploma or Degree in Sound Recording and TV Engineering or Sound Recording and Design. Must have field and studio recording experience, plus knowledge of digital sound mixing.

Mechanic: Higher Secondary (+2) pass, plus Diploma in Electronics from a recognized institution. Must have skills in repairing audio-visual equipment.

Video Film Editor: Higher Secondary (+2) pass, plus Diploma or Degree in Video Editing or Film Production from a recognized institute or university.

Junior Draughtsman (Civil): Diploma in Civil Engineering from a recognized institution affiliated to NCVT, with knowledge of Computer Application and AutoCAD.

Tracer (State Cadre Field): Four qualifications required cumulatively: HSC pass (or equivalent), NTC (Draughtsman Civil) from a recognized institution, Basic Computer Skill certificate from a recognized institution, and AutoCAD certificate from a recognized institution.

A critical note: All certificates and mark sheets must be possessed by or before the last date of form submission. Uploading the educational qualification certificate is mandatory at the time of application itself. If the document is missing or the upload is not visible, the candidature will be rejected at that stage itself, before even reaching the exam.

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Selection Process

The recruitment runs in three stages:

Stage I: Preliminary Examination One paper, 150 marks, 150 minutes. Covers Arithmetic (Class 10 standard), Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability, Current Events, and Computer/Internet Awareness. MCQ format, with negative marking at 0.25 marks per wrong answer. At least 5 times the number of vacancies (post-wise and category-wise) will be shortlisted for the Main Exam. If vacancies in a category are fewer than 10, the shortlist multiplier rises to 10 times.

Stage II: Main Written Examination (Technical Paper) 200 marks, 120 minutes (2 hours). The syllabus is post-specific. For JE Civil posts, it covers Structural Mechanics, Geotechnical Engineering, Construction Technology, Hydraulics and Irrigation, Estimation and Costing, Structural Design, and Environmental Studies. Candidates numbering 1.5 times the vacancies (post-wise and category-wise) will be shortlisted for Certificate Verification. For sub-10 vacancy categories, the shortlist goes up to 3 times.

Stage III: Certificate Verification Candidates called for document verification must appear on the allotted date. Absence at this stage means automatic cancellation of candidature. No rescheduling requests are entertained ordinarily. Selection and post allotment are based on merit-cum-preference given by candidates at the time of application.

The Preliminary Exam is the real sorting round. Most candidates prepare for the Technical Paper without adequately treating the Prelims as a serious filter. But with 5x shortlisting and negative marking in a competitive pool, the Prelims cutoff at some category-post combinations can be surprisingly high. The Technical Paper syllabus for JE Civil is extensive at diploma level and closely resembles what state PSC exams test; anyone with recent polytechnic preparation has a head start, but the paper runs 200 marks in only 2 hours, which makes time management the actual differentiator.

There is also an important tie-breaking rule: if marks are equal, older candidates rank higher. Then alphabetical order by name is the final tiebreaker. This is unusual and candidates appearing near the cutoff should be aware of it.

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Salary, Job Location, and Service Conditions

Group-B posts (JE Civil across all departments, Architectural Assistant, and all IPR Department posts) are placed at Level-9, Cell-1 of ORSP 2017. This corresponds to a basic pay of Rs. 35,400 per month before allowances. With Dearness Allowance, HRA, and other applicable Odisha government allowances, the approximate gross take-home will vary by posting location.

Group-C posts differ: Junior Draughtsman (Civil) is placed at Level-8, Cell-1 and Tracer at Level-5, Cell-1 of ORSP 2017.

All posts are State Cadre posts, meaning selected candidates may be posted anywhere within Odisha. The notification explicitly states this. Candidates with strong location preferences should note that there is no district-wise or zone-wise preference mechanism at the application stage. The posting decision rests entirely with the respective department after allotment.

For JE (Civil) under Municipal Administration, the working conditions description in the notification clarifies that work is performed both inside and outside the office, involving site visits for surveys, data collection, and execution oversight. This is a field-active role, not a purely desk-based position. Candidates from urban backgrounds who have not done fieldwork in their diploma training should factor this into their preference-ordering.

Probation period and bond conditions are not mentioned in the official notification.

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How to Apply

1. Go to the official OSSC website at www.ossc.gov.in
2. Find the CTSRE-2025 recruitment notification or the Apply Online link on the homepage
3. Register with a valid email ID and active mobile number; keep both active through the entire recruitment cycle
4. Fill in the online application form with accurate personal, educational, and category details
5. Upload your educational qualification certificate and mark sheet in PDF format (100 KB to 500 KB range)
6. Upload your recent passport-size colour photograph in JPG/JPEG format (20 KB to 100 KB)
7. Upload your full specimen signature and left or right thumb impression in JPG/JPEG format (up to 20 KB)
8. Provide correct bank account details (account number, IFSC code, account holder name, bank branch) for fee refund purposes
9. Pay the examination fee of Rs. 500 through the Odisha Treasury portal (not applicable for SC/ST/PwD)
10. The last date for fee payment is June 29, 2026; the form submission window closes July 2, 2026
11. Review all entered data carefully before final submission; editing is allowed until July 5, 2026
12. Download and save the submitted application form printout for records

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Required Documents and Important Instructions

Documents to keep ready for submission at the application stage:

• Recent passport-size colour photograph (JPG/JPEG, 20–100 KB)
• Full signature and thumb impression scans (JPG/JPEG, up to 20 KB)
• Educational qualification certificate and mark sheet for the relevant post (PDF, 100–500 KB)
• Caste certificate in online format for SC/ST/SEBC candidates (SEBC certificate must be within one year prior to the application close date)
• Disability certificate (online, from competent medical authority) for PwD candidates
• NOC from employer, if currently in a State/Central Government or PSU job
• Ex-Servicemen documents if claiming reservation or age relaxation under that category

Key warnings from the notification:

• Applications with blurred or illegible photographs or signatures will be rejected.
• If the uploaded educational certificate is not visible or is missing, the candidature will be rejected outright at that stage.
• Candidates must write their name, date of birth, father's name, and mother's name exactly as they appear in their Matriculation certificate. Mismatch at document verification leads to cancellation.
• The option for medium of examination (Odia or English) must be selected in the online form and cannot be changed once submitted.
• Mobile phones are prohibited in examination halls. Possession alone is a disqualification ground.
• Only one online application is permitted per candidate per recruitment. Do not submit multiple applications.
• The editing window closes July 5, 2026, not July 2. Candidates have three additional days after form submission to correct errors, which is a useful provision many applicants miss.

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Before proceeding with the application form, applicants should go through these important practical observations carefully.

What the Competition Actually Looks Like for This Recruitment

The 606 JE (Civil) vacancies across three departments sound reassuring on paper, but they need to be read against the likely applicant pool. Odisha produces a large number of diploma-holding civil engineering graduates annually, and OSSC exams at this level historically attract applications from candidates who have been waiting multiple cycles. The CTSRE-2022 batch for similar posts saw applications in the range of several lakhs. This time, with 450 seats in Panchayati Raj alone and the application age ceiling extending to 42 years, the pool will be larger and more experienced than a typical fresh-diploma-holder round.

The 1/4 negative marking in the Preliminary stage creates a specific problem for candidates who attempt to score through volume. With a 150-minute window and 150 marks, the most successful strategy involves disciplined accuracy rather than maximizing attempts. Candidates who have cleared SSC CGL or similar central exams recently will find the Prelims relatively familiar territory. The Technical Paper at Stage-II is where domain depth determines the order of merit, and with only 1.5x shortlisting for document verification, the margin between making the list and not is often a single question.

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Who Is Realistically Positioned to Succeed Here

The strongest candidates in this recruitment will be those who can compete on both a general aptitude paper and a specialized technical paper without treating either as secondary. A diploma engineer who has been preparing only domain subjects since graduation will likely underperform in the Prelims against candidates who have been simultaneously preparing for government exams. Conversely, someone strong in aptitude but thin on structural mechanics or geotechnical concepts will hit a wall at the Main Exam.

Candidates preparing for JE-level posts in OPSC (Odisha Public Service Commission), RRB JE, or SSC JE simultaneously will find significant syllabus overlap, particularly in the Civil Engineering Technical Paper. That dual preparation pattern is genuinely advantageous here. The Architectural Assistant post is a niche one with 23 vacancies and a diploma-specific eligibility, which limits the pool considerably and typically results in a more manageable cutoff than the JE (Civil) posts.

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The Post-Allotment Reality in Odisha Government Technical Cadre

OSSC allots posts based on merit-cum-preference, and for candidates applying across multiple posts, the Commission makes the final allotment. Once a post is allotted, there is no scope to contest it on grounds of not meeting some physical or educational standard specific to that post - the notification explicitly warns against this. This means candidates applying for both JE (Civil) under Panchayati Raj and JE (Civil) under Municipal Administration should genuinely think through which posting they would actually want before ordering preferences, not just rank by vacancy count.

JE (Civil) under Municipal Administration involves substantial fieldwork and travel for infrastructure assessment. JE (Civil) under Water Resources is a smaller-batch post with 24 vacancies and is typically considered a more specialized stream with its own project exposure. Panchayati Raj is the highest-vacancy department and covers the widest geographic spread in posting, which means candidates who list it first purely based on seat count may find themselves posted to remote Odisha regions. That is not a problem for everyone, but it is worth knowing before you submit a preference.

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❓Frequently Asked Questions 

How many total vacancies are available in OSSC CTSRE 2025?

The total vacancy count is 646 across 11 posts and multiple departments. Junior Engineer (Civil) accounts for 606 of these vacancies, distributed across Water Resources (24), Panchayati Raj (450), and Municipal Administration (132). The remaining 40 posts span Architectural Assistant, media-related posts under IPR Department, Junior Draughtsman (Civil), and Tracer.

What is the last date to apply for OSSC CTSRE 2025?

July 2, 2026 is the final date to submit the online application form. The fee payment window closes earlier, on June 29, 2026. Candidates have an additional editing window until July 5, 2026, to correct already-submitted forms.

Who is eligible to apply for this recruitment?

Any Indian citizen between 21 and 42 years of age (as on January 1, 2025) who holds the required educational qualification for the specific post is eligible. Odia language proficiency is mandatory, candidates must have passed Middle School or higher with Odia as a subject or medium. Diploma-level qualifications in Civil Engineering, Architecture Assistantship, and relevant trade/technical streams are required for most posts. Specific +2 with Diploma/Degree requirements apply to the media-related posts.

What is the age relaxation for reserved category candidates?

SC, ST, SEBC, and all women candidates receive 5 years of upper age relaxation, making the effective upper limit 47 years. PwD candidates get 10 years. Ex-Servicemen have the total period of defence service deducted from their age. PwD candidates from SC/ST backgrounds are entitled to cumulative relaxation of 10 years over and above their category-specific allowance.

What qualification is required for the Junior Engineer (Civil) post?

A Diploma in Civil Engineering from an institution recognized by the Directorate of Technical Education, Odisha. Computer literacy is additionally required for this post.

What is the full selection process for OSSC CTSRE 2025?

Three stages: Preliminary Examination (150 marks, 150 minutes, general aptitude MCQ paper with negative marking), Main Written Examination (200 marks, 120 minutes, post-specific technical syllabus), and Certificate Verification. Only candidates who qualify all three stages and complete document verification are considered for final selection and merit-based post allotment.

What is the salary for Group-B posts in this recruitment?

Group-B posts including all Junior Engineer (Civil) and Architectural Assistant roles are placed at Level-9, Cell-1 of ORSP 2017, with a basic pay of Rs. 35,400 per month. Group-C posts are placed at Level-8 (Junior Draughtsman Civil) and Level-5 (Tracer) of ORSP 2017.

What is the application fee and is it refundable?

The fee is Rs. 500 for General/SEBC candidates. SC, ST, and PwD candidates pay nothing. The Rs. 500 fee is refundable if the candidate actually appears in the Preliminary Examination. Not appearing means forfeiting the fee.

How do I apply for OSSC CTSRE 2025?

Applications are accepted only online through www.ossc.gov.in. The window opens May 30, 2026. Candidates must upload their educational certificates and photograph/signature at the time of application itself. No physical copies need to be submitted.

What is the official website for this recruitment?

www.ossc.gov.in is the only official website. All updates including admit cards, exam dates, results, and merit lists will be published exclusively on this site. No information will be sent by post at any stage.

Can candidates apply for more than one post?

Yes, candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for multiple posts can apply and give preference ordering. However, once the Commission allots a post based on merit-cum-preference, the decision is final. Candidates cannot contest an allotment on grounds of not meeting post-specific physical or infrastructure requirements, so preferences must be given carefully.

What is the negative marking structure in the examinations?

In the Preliminary Examination: 0.25 marks are deducted per wrong answer (1/4 of total marks for four-option questions). The same 1/4 penalty structure applies in the Main Exam. Questions left unanswered carry no penalty.

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What to Watch for Before You Submit

The application window is active from May 30 to July 2, 2026. Given that this is a large-batch recruitment with a structured shortlisting mechanism, the single most important immediate action is ensuring your educational qualification certificate is in the correct upload format before you begin the form. Rejections at the initial scrutiny stage for unclear or missing document uploads are one of the most avoidable reasons candidates lose their shot at this exam.

Keep the editing window date in mind: July 5, 2026. If you submit on July 2 and later realize a data entry error, you have three more days to correct it. Use that window proactively rather than assuming the submitted form cannot be touched.

For exam-related updates —> admit cards, exam dates, syllabus clarifications, and the final merit list the only reliable source is www.ossc.gov.in. The Commission does not communicate through post at any stage.

This article is based on the official notification and simplified for easy understanding. For the most accurate and updated information, always refer to the official website.