Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
Last Date: July 7, 2026

The Central Industrial Security Force is hiring 24 ASI-level paramedical personnel across three trades: Pharmacist, X-Ray Technician, and Lab Technician. Online applications opened on June 8, 2026, and the window closes on July 7, 2026 at 2359 hours. These are combatized posts within a central armed police force, and the selection process includes physical standard testing that many paramedical candidates do not expect.

CISF Para Medical Staff Recruitment: Quick Overview

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CISF Para Medical Staff Recruitment: Quick Introduction 

The Central Industrial Security Force has been operational since 1969 and currently deploys around 1.88 lakh personnel across more than 350 critical national establishments. These include nuclear power stations, space research centres, international airports, seaports, and defence production units. A workforce of this size across such sensitive locations requires its own paramedical infrastructure, and direct recruitment for ASI-level paramedical posts in CISF is not a frequent event. Most CISF paramedical admission happens at the Constable level; an ASI-level opening with a written examination makes this a distinct opportunity within the force's recruitment calendar.

The 24 vacancies are trade-specific and narrowly targeted. This is not the kind of recruitment where any graduate can register. Each post demands a professional diploma or degree, and for the Pharmacist post, an additional active registration under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 is mandatory on top of the degree. That specific requirement is a genuine filter that removes a portion of candidates who are otherwise qualified on paper but have not completed their State Pharmacy Council registration after finishing their course.

What separates CISF paramedical recruitment from most other government medical jobs is the combatized nature of the posts. These are armed police force positions. The selection includes height and chest measurements identical to those applied for general duty CISF recruits, because selected candidates are liable to be deployed anywhere in India and abroad based on operational requirements.

Vacancy Details

Of the 24 total vacancies, 18 belong to ASI (Pharmacist), 5 to ASI (Lab Technician), and 1 to ASI (X-Ray Technician). The single X-Ray Technician vacancy falls entirely in the unreserved category.

The 10% ESM reservation carves out 2 seats within the Pharmacist category. If suitable ESM candidates are not found, those seats will be allotted to the direct (non-ESM) pool. No ESM seats exist for the X-Ray Technician or Lab Technician posts.

Reserved category distribution outside the Pharmacist category is almost nil (only one). SC and ST vacancies exist only within Pharmacist. OBC holds a single seat in Lab Technician. EWS has just one seat, also only in Pharmacist. Candidates from reserved categories who are targeting X-Ray Technician or Lab Technician should verify that a vacancy exists in their specific category before applying. Vacancies may increase or decrease at any stage due to administrative reasons; any revision will appear on the CISF recruitment website.

Application Fee

Male candidates in the General, EWS, and OBC categories need to pay Rs. 100. Female candidates are fully exempt from the fee. SC, ST, and ESM candidates are also exempt.

Online payment is accepted through net banking, credit card, debit card, Rupay card, or UPI, and the deadline for this is July 7, 2026 (23:59 hours). Candidates who want to pay in cash must generate an SBI Challan on the portal by July 7 and deposit the cash at an SBI branch by July 9, 2026 during bank working hours. Any payment mode other than these will not be accepted. The fee is non-refundable under all circumstances and cannot be adjusted toward any future examination or selection process.

Age Limit

All three posts share the same age requirement: minimum 18 years and maximum 28 years, with July 7, 2026 as the age cut-off date.

The departmental relaxation for Central Government employees applies only when the candidate has a minimum of 3 continuous years of service, has completed probation satisfactorily, has a record free of any punishment (major or minor), and has maintained an annual performance grading above "Average" throughout their service. All four conditions must be met together.

The 18-year minimum is worth noting for the Lab Technician and Pharmacist posts, given that the qualification requires a two-year diploma after 10+2, which typically places most diploma holders at around 20 years of age so, the practical floor for most applicants is closer to 20 and not 18.

Educational Qualification

Each post has its own specific requirements, and all conditions for that post must be satisfied together.
For ASI (Pharmacist), three conditions must all be met simultaneously: passing 10+2 from a recognized board or university, holding a Diploma or Degree in Pharmacy from an institution recognized by the Central or State Government, and being registered as a "PHARMACIST" under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. Satisfying only two of these three conditions disqualifies the candidate.

For ASI (X-Ray Technician), the requirements are 10+2 from a recognized board and a 2-year Diploma in Radiography from an institution recognized by the Central or State Government.
For ASI (Lab Technician), the 10+2 must specifically include Science as a subject, along with a 2-year Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology from a recognized institution.

One important point: if the educational certificate is not from a State Board or CBSE, it must be accompanied by a Government of India notification declaring that the qualification is equivalent to Matric/10th or 10+2 for Central Government service. Without this supporting document, the certificate is not accepted.

Ex-Servicemen applying for ASI (Pharmacist) must hold a 10+2 or equivalent from Army or Air Force records with a minimum of 15 years of service as on the closing date, plus a Diploma or Degree in Pharmacy from a recognized institution of Central or State Government, or from the Army University of Pune.

Physical Standards

These are the height and chest measurements that apply to all three posts. A candidate eliminated at the Physical Standard Test exits the entire recruitment, regardless of how well they performed in the written examination.

Female candidates have no chest measurement requirement. The chest figure for males indicates the expansion range, not a single measurement.

Candidates from specific communities or states who claim height and chest relaxation must produce the certificate in Appendix-D format from the competent district authority at the PST stage itself. ST candidates must produce their original ST certificate. No certificate submitted after the PST date is accepted for this purpose.

If a candidate is declared not qualified in physical standards at PST, they may appeal to the Appellate Authority at the centre through the Presiding Officer on the same day. This is the only appeal window. No further representation is entertained after that day, and the Appellate Authority's decision is final.

Knock knees, flat foot, varicose veins, and squint in eyes are disqualifying medical conditions. On tattoos: CISF permits tattoos depicting religious symbols or figures as followed in Indian Army tradition. Location is restricted to the inner forearm only; tattoos on the dorsum of the hand are not allowed. Tattoo size must be less than one-fourth of the relevant body part. Weight is assessed proportionate to height at the Medical Examination stage, not at PST.

Selection Process

Five stages make up this recruitment: Written Examination (OMR/CBT), Physical Standard Test, Documentation, Basic Vocational Aptitude Test (BVAT), and Medical Examination. (CISF has explicitly reserved the right to change the sequence of these stages for administrative or operational reasons).

The Written Exam is 100 marks, 2 hours, objective type (all multiple choice), bilingual in Hindi and English. There is no negative marking. Tentative answer keys will appear on the CISF website after the exam; candidates may submit online representations within the given time window. Representations through any other mode, such as letter or email, will not be considered. No request for revaluation or re-checking of answer sheets will be entertained at any point. If the exam is conducted in multiple shifts, scores will be normalized.

Candidates equal to 5 times the number of vacancies per category will be shortlisted from the Written Exam for PST and subsequent stages. With 24 total vacancies, this means roughly 120 candidates across all categories will move forward to the physical stage nationally. The written exam cutoff can therefore be high.

The BVAT (Basic Vocational Aptitude Test) assesses trade-specific suitability and is qualifying in nature only. Passing it is mandatory, but BVAT marks do not count toward the final merit list. The Medical Examination (Detailed Medical Examination, and if declared unfit, an optional Review Medical Examination on the candidate's written consent) is similarly a pass/fail gate, the final select list is drawn entirely from Written Examination marks, with separate category-wise lists for each post. No waiting list will be maintained or kept. Biometric credentials of all candidates (fingerprints) will be captured before the PST stage and used through all subsequent stages.

Salary, Job Location, and Service Conditions

All three ASI posts carry the same Pay Level-5 under the 7th Pay Commission, with a basic pay range of Rs. 29,200 to Rs. 92,300, plus allowances applicable to Central Government employees. 

These are combatized posts. Selected candidates from any of the three trades, including Pharmacist and Lab Technician, are liable to be posted anywhere in Indian Territory and abroad. Postings follow CISF operational requirements, not the candidate's preference or home state. This is main difference from most paramedical government jobs, where postings are typically facility-specific and more stable.

Selected candidates undergo basic training at CISF Regional Training Centres during a probation period of two years. The probation period can be extended, and during probation, the service can be terminated if the candidate is found unfit for any reason. The posts are described as temporary but likely to become permanent; this is not a guarantee of permanency. The applicable pension system is the National Pension System for Central Government employees who joined service on or after January 1, 2004.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official CISF recruitment website at https://cisfrectt.cisf.gov.in
2. Click "Login" and select "NEW REGISTRATION" to complete One-Time Registration (OTR) for the first time; keep your mobile number and email ID ready before starting
3. Fill the OTR form with your basic details, contact information, and declaration; your Registration Number and auto-generated Password will be sent to your registered email and mobile number
4. Log in with your Registration Number and Password, then click on the "Recruitment of Paramedical Staff in CISF - 2026" tab
5. Enter your Registration ID, Password, and Captcha, then click SUBMIT to open the application form
6. Fill in all required personal, educational, and trade-specific details carefully; verify everything before proceeding, as no correction is possible after final submission
7. Upload your recent passport-size colour photograph in JPEG format (3.5 cm wide x 4.5 cm high, 20 KB to 50 KB), without cap or spectacles, both ears visible, and with the date the photograph was taken clearly printed on it; applications without this date printed on the photo will be rejected
8. Upload your signature in JPEG format (4.0 cm wide x 2.0 cm high, 10 KB to 20 KB); illegible signatures lead to rejection of the application
9. Upload scanned copies of your Date of Birth certificate and educational qualification certificate in PDF format, not exceeding 1 MB per document
10. Click PAYMENT and complete the fee payment through UPI, net banking, credit or debit card, or Rupay card; alternatively, generate an SBI Challan and deposit cash at any SBI branch by July 9, 2026
11. Take a printout of the filled application form and the payment confirmation and retain both

Required Documents and Important Instructions

Keep these documents ready before attending the Documentation stage: all educational qualification certificates, date of birth proof (Matriculation or 10th pass certificate), Pharmacist registration certificate under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 (mandatory only for ASI Pharmacist applicants), SC/ST/OBC/EWS certificates in the prescribed formats given in the notification appendices, the Appendix-D height/chest relaxation certificate if applicable, NOC in Appendix-E format for government employees applying as direct candidates, discharge certificate with Appendix-F undertaking for serving defence personnel, Appendix-G certificate for employed officials applying against ESM quota, Appendix-H undertaking for Ex-Servicemen, and four recent passport-size photographs with the date clearly printed (not older than three months from the notification publication date).

Each candidate may apply for one post only. If the same person submits more than one application, only the first application received is processed and the rest are discarded. After clicking Final Submission, no change, correction, or modification of any field is permitted under any circumstances, by any mode including email, fax, or in person. Names, date of birth, father's name, and mother's name must exactly match the Matriculation certificate, or the candidature may be cancelled at documents verification.

Persons with Disabilities (PwD) are not eligible to apply for this recruitment. This is explicitly stated in the notification and differs from many central government recruitment advertisements where PwD candidates have reserved seats and fee concessions. No PwD vacancy exists across any post or category.

No TA/DA is payable for travel or accommodation at any stage of the recruitment. Candidates should prepare for a 2 to 3 day stay at their own expense when attending PST and Medical Examination. For any query during the application process, CISF's helpline numbers 011-24366431 and 011-24307933 are available between 10:00 and 18:00 hours on working days.

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To help aspirants better understand the recruitment process, here are some important practical insights from the official notification.

When the Pharmacy Degree Is Not the Full Requirement

Many D.Pharm and B.Pharm holders assume they automatically satisfy the ASI Pharmacist eligibility. They meet two of the three mandatory conditions. The third condition, registration as a "Pharmacist" under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 with a State Pharmacy Council, is a separate post-degree process that requires its own application, fee, and verification. Freshers who completed their course without pursuing this registration are ineligible regardless of their degree or written exam score. State Pharmacy Council registration timelines vary across states; some take weeks. Candidates should confirm their registration status before applying, not after the exam date has passed.

Physical Standards in a Medical Trade Post

Most paramedical government jobs in state hospitals and PSUs do not include height and chest measurements in the selection process. CISF's ASI posts do. A male general category candidate needs to stand at least 170 cm with a chest expansion from 80 to 85 cm, the same benchmark as general duty CISF recruits. Many diploma holders with the right qualifications will sit for the written exam and still be eliminated at PST, simply because this requirement does not appear prominently when people search for paramedical government jobs. Checking your height against the notified standard before investing weeks in exam preparation is essential, not optional.

What the 5x Shortlisting Math Means for 24 Posts

CISF shortlists only 5 times the vacancy count per category from the written exam for PST. With 24 total vacancies, the national PST shortlist across all categories will be approximately 120 candidates. From the thousands expected to appear for the written exam, only 120 will proceed. The written exam cutoff will therefore be very high relative to the 100-mark paper. Since there is no negative marking, the advantage goes to candidates who attempt the maximum questions correctly. The BVAT and Medical Examination do not contribute to the final merit list; everything depends on those 100 marks in the written test.

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❓Frequently Asked Questions 

How many vacancies are there in CISF Para Medical Staff Recruitment 2026?

Twenty-four posts in three trades: ASI Pharmacist (18), ASI Lab Technician (5), and ASI X-Ray Technician (1). The single X-Ray Technician vacancy is unreserved. A separate merit list is drawn for each post, and the number of vacancies may be revised at any stage due to administrative reasons.

What is the last date to apply?

July 7, 2026, up to 2359 hours for online applications and online fee payment. Candidates generating an SBI Challan for cash payment must deposit at an SBI branch by July 9, 2026 during bank working hours, provided the challan was generated before July 7. No extension will be granted.

Who is eligible to apply?

Indian male and female citizens between 18 and 28 years of age as on July 7, 2026, who hold the specific trade qualification for their chosen post. Only one post can be applied for per candidate. PwD candidates are explicitly excluded from this recruitment.

What is the age limit including relaxations?

Minimum 18 and maximum 28 years as on July 7, 2026. SC and ST get 5 years relaxation (upper limit 33 years). OBC gets 3 years (upper limit 31 years). Departmental Central Government employees may apply up to 40 or 45 years depending on category, subject to specific continuous service and performance conditions.

What qualification is required for ASI Pharmacist?

Three separate conditions must all be satisfied: 10+2 from a recognized board, a Diploma or Degree in Pharmacy from a government-recognized institution, and active registration as a Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. Holding only the degree without Pharmacy Act registration makes the candidate ineligible, regardless of other qualifications.

What is the selection process?

Five stages: Written Examination (100 marks, 2 hours, bilingual, no negative marking), Physical Standard Test, Documentation, BVAT (qualifying in nature, marks not counted), and Medical Examination. Final merit is based entirely on Written Exam marks. CISF can change the order of stages if needed for administrative reasons.

What is the salary for these posts?

All three ASI posts are at Pay Level-5 under the 7th Pay Commission, with a basic pay range of Rs. 29,200 to Rs. 92,300 per month, plus allowances applicable to Central Government employees. The exact in-hand figure is not stated in the notification.

What is the application fee?

Rs. 100 for male candidates in General, EWS, and OBC categories. Female candidates are completely exempt. SC, ST, and ESM candidates are also exempt. The fee is non-refundable and cannot be adjusted against any other recruitment or exam.

How do I apply online?

Go to https://cisfrectt.cisf.gov.in and complete One-Time Registration first. Then log in, select the Paramedical Staff 2026 recruitment tab, fill the application form, upload all required documents, and complete fee payment. No offline or postal application is accepted. No correction is allowed after final submission.

What is the official website for this recruitment?

https://cisfrectt.cisf.gov.in is the only official CISF recruitment website for this notification. All updates, exam date announcements, admit card downloads, answer keys, and the final select list will be published here only. CISF does not send admit cards by post and does not communicate updates through any other platform.

Is Pharmacy Act registration mandatory, or is a D.Pharm degree enough?

Registration is mandatory and cannot be replaced by the degree. Condition (iii) of the ASI Pharmacist eligibility specifically requires registration as a Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. A candidate with a D.Pharm or B.Pharm degree who has not yet registered with the State Pharmacy Council is not eligible for this post.

Are PwD candidates eligible for any post in this recruitment?

No. The CISF notification explicitly states that Persons with Disabilities are not eligible for this recruitment. No PwD reservation or concession exists across any post or category. This differs from many other central government recruitments where PwD candidates have reserved seats and application fee waivers.

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Concluding Remarks for Aspirants

One important thing to do before July 7 (Last date of application) is the photograph. The CISF photo specification requires that the date of the photograph be clearly printed on the image itself. Applications without this date printed are rejected outright. The photograph must also be taken no earlier than March 2026 (within three months of notification publication) and must meet the size, format, and appearance conditions stated in Annexure-II of the notification. A photograph that fails even one of these conditions leads to rejection without reconsideration.

The One-Time Registration structure means your Registration ID is linked to all CISF examinations going forward. Once you click Final Submission on the application form, no change is permitted under any circumstances, by any mode. Verify every field, particularly your name, date of birth, father's name, and mother's name, against your Matriculation certificate before submitting. A mismatch here can lead to cancellation at any stage, including after being called for PST or Medical Examination.

For all upcoming updates including the exam date, admit card link, answer key, and final select list, watch only https://cisfrectt.cisf.gov.in. CISF will not communicate exam schedules through email, SMS, or any other channel. The helpline at 011-24366431 and 011-24307933 is available from 1000 to 1800 hours on working days for clarification queries during the application process.

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.