OPSC AEE Recruitment 2026; Apply Online for 48 Assistant Agriculture Engineer Posts EXPIRED

One clarification worth making before anything else, since it trips up quite a few candidates every cycle: this recruitment is for Assistant Agriculture Engineer, commonly abbreviated AAE, not to be confused with Assistant Executive Engineer — a completely different OPSC post (Civil/Mechanical/Electrical, 46 posts) that also gets shortened to “AEE” in casual searches around the same time. If you’re a Civil or Mechanical engineering graduate who landed here expecting a general engineering post, this isn’t it — this recruitment is restricted specifically to Agriculture Engineering degree holders.

As of today, applications are open — the window started 28 August 2026 and closes 28 September 2026, 5:00 PM. What’s confirmed: vacancy count, eligibility, fee, and the full selection scheme. What’s still pending: the exact exam centre and detailed schedule for the Written Examination, tentatively set for 1 November 2026, with the notification stating this will be notified separately closer to the date.

Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) released Notice No. 4661/PSC (Advertisement No. 08 of 2026-27) on 19 August 2026, inviting applications for 48 posts of Assistant Agriculture Engineer, Class-II (Group-B), in the Odisha Agricultural Engineering Service, under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment.

Overview

Vacancy Breakdown

Horizontal reservation within this total covers 1 post for Ex-Servicemen and 6 for Persons with Disabilities — 3 for Hard of Hearing (Cat-II) and 3 for Multiple Disabilities (Cat-IV). Selected Ex-Servicemen and PwD candidates get adjusted against their own social category rather than counted as additional seats beyond the 48.

Eligibility: A Strict, Single-Qualification Rule

Unlike broader engineering recruitments that accept several related disciplines, this one is narrow by design. The notification states plainly: a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Engineering from a University or Institution recognised by any State Government or the Government of India, and no other equivalent qualification is accepted. A B.Tech in Civil, Mechanical, or even a closely related field like Food Technology doesn’t substitute here, regardless of how relevant the coursework might seem. If your degree title doesn’t explicitly read “Agriculture Engineering” (or its recognised equivalent under this specific rule), confirm your eligibility against the notification before investing in the application.

Odia Language Requirement

Candidates must be able to read, write, and speak Odia, satisfied by any one of:

• Middle School Examination with Odia as a language subject
• Matriculation with Odia as the medium of examination in a non-language subject
• Odia as a language subject in Class VII, from a Government-recognised institution
• A departmental Odia test at Middle English School Standard

Other Conditions

• Indian citizenship required
• Sound mental and physical health, verified via Medical Board examination post-selection (provision doesn’t apply to PwD candidates)
• No more than one living spouse, unless exempted by the State Government
• Serving government employees must inform their Head of Office and produce an NOC at document verification

Age Limit

Calculated as on 1 January 2026: minimum 21, maximum 42 years. Date of birth must fall between 2 January 1984 and 1 January 2005.

Only one relaxation applies even if you qualify under multiple categories — whichever is most beneficial. PwD candidates with under 40% disability get no age relaxation at all under this notification.

Salary

₹44,900 starting basic pay at Level-10, Cell-1 of the Pay Matrix under ORSP Rules 2017 (pre-revised PB-2 ₹9,300–34,800 + Grade Pay ₹4,600), plus usual Dearness Allowance and other Government of Odisha allowances. Recruitment follows the Odisha Agricultural Engineering Service (Methods of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2018. Anyone appointed on or after 1 January 2005 falls under the NPS rather than the older pension scheme.

Application Fee

Refunded only to candidates who appear in both papers of the Written Examination — skip either paper, and the refund doesn’t trigger. Applications without fee payment (except exempted categories) are treated as incomplete and rejected outright, and you’ll need to provide bank account details as a backup in case the automatic refund to your original payment method fails.

Selection Process

Written Examination — 200 Marks

Both papers are OMR-based MCQ, 1 mark per question, with 25% negative marking per wrong answer (unattempted questions score zero). OPSC fixes qualifying marks per paper and/or in aggregate, category-wise — clearing one paper strongly doesn’t automatically compensate for a weak showing in the other if a per-paper cutoff applies, so prepare both sections with comparable seriousness rather than leaning entirely on your stronger subject area.

Interview shortlisting runs at roughly 1:2 of the advertised vacancies per category, with a minimum of 5 candidates.

Personality Test — 25 Marks

Final Select List is drawn on combined merit (Written + Interview, out of 225) per category, matching the advertised vacancy count. Ties break first by Written Exam marks, then by age (older candidate ranked higher).

Syllabus Snapshot

The syllabus sits at Bachelor’s Degree standard, split across two broad areas:

Paper I covers General Engineering (computer programming, workshop practice, applied electronics, surveying, building construction, greenhouse design) and Farm Machinery & Power (tractor systems, farm power management, precision agriculture, renewable energy engineering).

Paper II covers Agricultural Processing & Food Engineering (grain processing, drying/storage, food laws under FSSAI/BIS/Codex) and Soil & Water Conservation Engineering (fluid mechanics, irrigation and drainage engineering, hydrology, watershed management).

The complete detailed syllabus is published as Appendix-A of the official notification — worth reading in full given how specialised some of these topics get relative to a general engineering background.

How to Apply

1. Visit www.opsc.gov.in and read Advertisement No. 08 of 2026-27 thoroughly.
2. Register and complete the system-driven online application.
3. Upload a scanned, unsigned/unattested passport photo (within 6 months), signature, and Left-Hand Thumb Impression.
4. Pay the ₹700 fee online, if applicable.
5. Upload required certificates via the Commission’s e-Chayan portal.
6. Receive your unique Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN) on successful submission.
7. Print the finalized form, sign the declaration, and retain it with certificate copies for later verification — don’t attach original certificates at this stage, only self-attested copies marked appropriately.
8. Download your Admission Certificate before the exam and carry it to the centre.

Documents Required

• HSC certificate (date of birth proof) and Intermediate/+2 certificate
• Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Engineering certificate and all mark sheets from HSC onward
• Caste certificate for SEBC/SC/ST claims (SEBC certificate must be dated on or after 29 August 2023)
• Odia Test Pass certificate or equivalent qualifying proof
• Permanent Disability Certificate (40% or more), where applicable
• Ex-Servicemen Release Certificate with notarised Affidavit
• NOC from Head of Office, where applicable
• Photo ID (Aadhaar/EPIC/Driving Licence/Passport/PAN)

Important Conditions

• SC/ST/SEBC reservation is admissible only to candidates belonging to these categories within Odisha specifically — not general national-level SC/ST/OBC status.
• Women candidates claiming SC/ST/SEBC benefit must submit certificates showing “daughter of,” not “wife of.”
• OBC certificates aren’t accepted in lieu of SEBC certificates.
• Your declared caste/community status can’t be changed once entered in the application, under any circumstance.
• Where eligible women candidates aren’t available in a category, unfilled seats go to eligible male candidates of the same category — but exchange between SC and ST categories isn’t permitted.
• Malpractice or forged documents can lead to a 3-year debarment from OPSC exams, alongside possible criminal prosecution.
• Complaints about exam conduct must reach the Grievance Wing within 7 days of the exam — later complaints aren’t entertained.
• This advertisement doesn’t bind the Government to make appointments, and vacancy numbers may change without notice.

important links
Apply Online (Advt. No. 08 of 2026-27)	click here (Active 28 Aug – 28 Sep 2026)
Download Official Notification PDF	click here
Official Website	click here
OPSC Facilitation Counter	0671-2304141 / 2305611 (Ext. 227), 10:30 AM–1:30 PM & 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
OPSC Technical Support	0671-2304707, 10:30 AM–1:30 PM & 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
Grievance Email	opsc@od.gov.in (complaints within 7 days of examination only)
firstjob 24  jobs	click here
join whatsapp channel	click here

FAQs

Q1. I have a B.Tech in a different engineering branch. Can I apply, treating it as “equivalent”?
No. The notification is explicit that no qualification other than a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Engineering is accepted — there’s no equivalence provision for other engineering disciplines here.

Q2. Is this the same recruitment as “OPSC AEE” for Assistant Executive Engineer?
No, and this is worth double-checking if you found this page while searching for either. Assistant Agriculture Engineer (this recruitment, 48 posts, Agriculture Department) is separate from Assistant Executive Engineer (a different OPSC drive, different department, different eligibility). Confirm which notification and advertisement number matches what you’re actually eligible for.

Q3. Do I get my ₹700 fee back if I apply but skip the exam?
No. The refund applies only to candidates who appear in both papers of the Written Examination. Skipping either paper means the fee isn’t refunded.

Q4. Is there a separate qualifying cutoff for each paper, or just an overall aggregate?
OPSC fixes qualifying marks for each paper and/or in aggregate, category-wise, per the notification. Since per-paper cutoffs may apply, prepare both papers to a comparable standard rather than assuming a strong Paper II score can offset a weak Paper I score.

Q5. When exactly is the Written Examination, and where?
Tentatively 1 November 2026 (Sunday), at centres in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The detailed schedule and exact centre allotment will be notified separately on opsc.gov.in closer to the date.

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Disclaimer: All dates, vacancy figures, eligibility, fee, and selection process details above are drawn from OPSC’s official Notice No. 4661/PSC (Advertisement No. 08 of 2026-27) dated 19 August 2026. No figures are estimated. The detailed exam schedule and centre allotment remain unannounced as of 6 September 2026 — check the official source for updates: www.opsc.gov.in.