Government jobPay Level 10Group AGazetted
Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO)
वैज्ञानिक / इंजीनियर 'एससी' (इसरो)
Group A technical post in ISRO at Pay Level 10 — design, testing and operations for launch vehicles and satellites.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) · Department of Space · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹92,000–₹1,02,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- ISRO ICRB
- Qualification
- Professional degree
- Age limit
- 18–28 years
- Transfers
- Rare
- Work hours
- Regular hours, with long days during test and launch campaigns
- Probation
- As per ISRO rules
Estimated in-hand / month
₹97,054
Gross ₹1,06,740 · CTC ≈ ₹14.3 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.
New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.
What you will actually do
- Designing and developing subsystems for launch vehicles, satellites or ground systems
- Simulation, testing and qualification of hardware and software
- Preparing design documents and review material
- Supporting integration and launch campaigns
- Working with industry vendors on fabrication
A typical day
You join a project group at an ISRO centre and are given a piece of a subsystem. Days go in design work, analysis and simulations at your desk, tests in the lab, and a great many reviews where every detail is questioned. Before a launch or satellite dispatch the team works long hours and weekends. Outside those phases, timings are regular and most centres have campus housing.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO) (joining)
Pay Level 10
₹92,000–₹1,02,000 in-hand
Scientist / Engineer 'SD'
About 4 years, through merit review · Level 11 · via dpc
₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 in-hand
Scientist / Engineer 'SE'
Further 4–5 years · Level 12 · via dpc
₹1,16,000–₹1,34,000 in-hand
Scientist / Engineer 'SF' and above
Through periodic merit reviews · Level 13 · via dpc
₹1,66,000–₹1,87,000 in-hand
Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.
How to get in
ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board
- 1.Written test in the engineering discipline (some cycles shortlist on GATE score)
- 2.Interview
Eligibility: BE/B.Tech or equivalent in the notified discipline (electronics, mechanical, computer science and others) with at least 65% marks or a CGPA of 6.84 on a 10-point scale. Age 18–28. Upper age limit of 28 for general candidates; SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD and serving government employees as per rules.
The good
- Work on real space missions
- Promotions depend on review of your work, not on vacancies
- Stable posting at one centre
The hard parts
- Pay is lower than private-sector engineering jobs
- Heavy documentation and review culture
- Some centres are in remote locations
Postings
You are allotted one ISRO centre, such as VSSC Thiruvananthapuram, URSC Bengaluru, SAC Ahmedabad, SDSC Sriharikota or LPSC, and usually spend your career there.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO)?+
Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO) is a Pay Level 10 post with a starting basic pay of ₹56,100. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹92,000–₹1,02,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.
What is the qualification and age limit for Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO)?+
BE/B.Tech or equivalent in the notified discipline (electronics, mechanical, computer science and others) with at least 65% marks or a CGPA of 6.84 on a 10-point scale. Age: 18–28 years. Relaxation: Upper age limit of 28 for general candidates; SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD and serving government employees as per rules.
Which exam do I need to clear for Scientist / Engineer 'SC' (ISRO)?+
ISRO ICRB (ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board).
Is GATE required?+
It depends on the advertisement. ISRO has used its own written test in most cycles and GATE scores for shortlisting in some. Check the current notice.
Compare with similar posts
Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE)
इंजीनियरिंग सेवा अधिकारी (यूपीएससी ईएसई)
Group A engineering services via UPSC ESE — managing public works, defence, telecom, water and power projects.
Junior Engineer (Civil), CPWD
कनिष्ठ अभियंता (सिविल), सीपीडब्ल्यूडी
Pay Level 6 engineering post via SSC JE — supervising construction and maintenance of central government buildings.
Junior Engineer (Railways)
कनिष्ठ अभियंता (रेलवे)
Pay Level 6 supervisory post via RRB JE — running maintenance of track, rolling stock, signals or electrical assets.
Books to prepare for ISRO ICRB
- See on Amazon
Civil Engineering: Conventional and Objective Type
R.S. Khurmi and J.K. Gupta (S. Chand)
A single-volume revision of the civil syllabus with objective questions. Suits JE level; thin for ESE.
- See on Amazon
Mechanical Engineering: Conventional and Objective Type
R.S. Khurmi and J.K. Gupta (S. Chand)
The mechanical counterpart, with short theory and many objective questions.
- See on Amazon
Objective Electrical Technology
V.K. Mehta and Rohit Mehta (S. Chand)
Objective practice across electrical subjects for junior engineer exams.
All 5 books for Engineering exams: SSC JE, RRB JE, UPSC ESE and ISRO
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and does not affect which books we list.
Sources
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.