ISRO Assistant, UDC & JPA Syllabus 2026
Indian Space Research Organisation (ICRB) | Advt. No. ISRO:ICRB:01(A-JPA):2026 | 242 Posts |
ISRO Assistant, UDC & JPA 2026 — Quick Facts
|
| Particulars |
Details |
| Organisation |
Indian Space Research Organisation — Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) |
| Posts Covered |
Assistant, Upper Division Clerk (UDC), Junior Personal Assistant (JPA), Stenographer |
| Total Vacancies |
242 |
| Application Window |
27 July 2026 – 16 August 2026 |
| Centres Covered |
Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hassan, Hyderabad, Mahendragiri, New Delhi, Sriharikota, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Pay Level |
Level-4, 7th CPC Pay Matrix (₹25,500 – ₹81,100 basic) |
| Selection Stages |
Written Test → Skill/Stenography Test (JPA & Stenographer only) → Document Verification — no interview |
|
Exam Stages & Pattern Overview
|
| Stage |
Applicable To |
Nature |
| Stage 1 — Written Test (CBT) |
All posts: Assistant, UDC, JPA, Stenographer |
Qualifying + Merit-ranking |
| Stage 2 — Skill/Stenography Test |
JPA & Stenographer only (UDC/Assistant may have a Data Entry check per post code) |
Qualifying only |
| Stage 3 — Document Verification |
All shortlisted candidates |
Eligibility confirmation |
|
Written Test — Section-wise Marks & Time Table
|
| Section |
Questions |
Marks |
| General English |
50 |
50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
50 |
50 |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning |
50 |
50 |
| General Knowledge |
50 |
50 |
| Total |
200 |
200 |
|
| Mode: Online (CBT), all objective MCQs | Duration: 120 minutes | Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer. This 4-section/200-mark structure follows ISRO’s established Assistant/UDC/JPA pattern used in recent cycles; the 2026 notification’s own Annexure is the final authority once uploaded. |
Syllabus: General English
|
| # |
Topic |
| 1 |
Spotting Errors |
| 2 |
Fill in the Blanks |
| 3 |
Synonyms & Antonyms |
| 4 |
Detecting Misspelled Words |
| 5 |
Idioms & Phrases |
| 6 |
One-Word Substitution |
| 7 |
Sentence Improvement |
| 8 |
Active/Passive Voice |
| 9 |
Direct/Indirect Narration |
| 10 |
Cloze Passage |
| 11 |
Reading Comprehension |
|
Syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude
|
| # |
Topic |
| 1 |
Number System & Simplification |
| 2 |
Percentage, Profit & Loss |
| 3 |
Ratio, Proportion & Averages |
| 4 |
Simple & Compound Interest |
| 5 |
Time, Speed & Distance |
| 6 |
Time & Work |
| 7 |
Mensuration (Area & Volume) |
| 8 |
Data Interpretation (Tables, Graphs, Pie-charts) |
| 9 |
Algebra & Basic Trigonometry |
|
Syllabus: General Intelligence & Reasoning
|
| # |
Topic |
| 1 |
Missing Number Series |
| 2 |
Repeated/Number Series |
| 3 |
Analogy |
| 4 |
Venn Diagrams |
| 5 |
Logical Arrangement of Words |
| 6 |
Coding & Decoding |
| 7 |
Sitting Arrangement |
| 8 |
Ranking/Direction Sense |
| 9 |
Dice, Cube & Cuboid |
| 10 |
Syllogism & Statement-Conclusion |
|
Syllabus: General Knowledge & Current Affairs
|
| # |
Topic |
| 1 |
Indian History & Culture |
| 2 |
Indian Geography |
| 3 |
Indian Polity & Constitution |
| 4 |
General Science (Basic Physics/Chemistry/Biology) |
| 5 |
Space & ISRO-related Current Affairs (missions, launches, recent achievements) |
| 6 |
National & International Current Affairs (last 6-12 months) |
| 7 |
Awards, Sports & Books-Authors |
|
| Since this is a Department of Space recruitment, ISRO’s GK section leans noticeably more toward space-science current affairs than a typical SSC/banking GK paper — candidates who only revise generic GK often under-prepare this specific slice. |
Skill Test Syllabus — Post-wise Breakdown
|
| Post |
Skill Test Component |
Duration |
| Assistant / UDC |
Computer-based Data Entry Speed Test (typing/data-entry accuracy check on the prescribed passage) |
60 minutes |
| JPA / Stenographer |
Shorthand dictation (300 words) followed by transcription on computer, using Pittman’s shorthand system only (longhand not permitted) |
Dictation: 5 minutes @ 60 wpm + Transcription: 30 minutes |
|
| PwBD candidates are entitled to compensatory time on the transcription component, as applicable per ISRO’s standard skill-test norms. |
Skill Test Qualifying Criteria & Shortlisting Ratio
|
- Shortlisting for the Skill Test is done in the ratio of 1:5 (maximum) against category-wise vacancies, with an aggregate minimum of 10 candidates per category.
- For reserved-category posts, additional/distinct candidates are shortlisted separately in the same 1:5 ratio, without double-counting reserved candidates who already qualify under the UR list.
- The Skill/Stenography Test is purely qualifying in nature — it does not add marks to the final merit list, but failing it eliminates the candidate regardless of written-test score.
- The minimum shorthand speed benchmark for JPA/Stenographer eligibility itself is 60 words per minute in English Shorthand.
|
Selection Process Flow
|
| Step |
What Happens |
| 1 |
Online application + fee payment |
| 2 |
Written Test (CBT) — General English, Quant, Reasoning, GK |
| 3 |
Shortlisting for Skill/Stenography Test (1:5 ratio) — JPA & Stenographer, plus applicable UDC/Assistant post codes |
| 4 |
Document Verification of shortlisted/qualified candidates |
| 5 |
Final Merit List & Appointment — no separate interview round |
|
Why the Assistant/UDC Syllabus Differs From JPA/Stenographer Syllabus
|
- The written test syllabus is identical for all four posts — ISRO tests the same general aptitude base regardless of role, because every one of these posts is administrative/clerical at entry level.
- The skill test is where the roles genuinely diverge: Assistant/UDC work centres on data handling and correspondence, so their skill check is a data-entry/typing speed test; JPA and Stenographer work centres on taking dictation for officers, so their skill check is a shorthand-plus-transcription test instead.
- This means a candidate strong in typing but weak in shorthand should lean toward Assistant/UDC preference ordering, while a candidate with an existing stenography background gets a real edge applying for JPA/Stenographer — the written-test prep is shared, but the skill-test prep is not interchangeable.
|
Topic-wise Priority & Expected Weightage
|
| Section |
High-Priority Topics |
Priority Level |
| General English |
Spotting Errors, Cloze Passage, One-Word Substitution |
High |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
Percentage, Data Interpretation, Time & Work |
High |
| Reasoning |
Coding-Decoding, Series, Syllogism |
Medium-High |
| General Knowledge |
Space/ISRO current affairs, Polity, recent national events |
Medium |
|
Section-wise Time Management Strategy
|
| Section |
Suggested Time (out of 120 min) |
| General English |
25 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
35 minutes |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning |
30 minutes |
| General Knowledge |
15 minutes |
| Review/Buffer |
15 minutes |
|
| GK gets the least time here deliberately — it’s a recall section where extra minutes rarely convert unanswered questions into correct ones, unlike Quant/Reasoning where extra time genuinely helps. |
Recommended Books & Resources
|
| Section |
Suggested Resource |
| General English |
Wren & Martin (grammar base) + SP Bakshi’s Objective English |
| Quantitative Aptitude |
R.S. Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude |
| Reasoning |
R.S. Aggarwal’s Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning |
| General Knowledge |
Lucent’s General Knowledge (latest edition) + monthly current-affairs digest, with a specific focus on ISRO/space-mission updates |
| Skill Test (Steno/JPA) |
Pitman Shorthand practice manuals + timed dictation practice at 60 wpm |
| Skill Test (Assistant/UDC) |
Regular typing-speed practice tools to build consistent accuracy under a 60-minute test window |
|
Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid
|
- Preparing only generic GK and skipping ISRO/space-specific current affairs, which recur more often in this paper than in typical clerical exams.
- Practising shorthand only in longhand shortcuts — ISRO’s transcript evaluation requires Pittman’s system, and non-Pittman scripts are simply not evaluated.
- Ignoring negative marking discipline — attempting every question in Reasoning/Quant without a guess-vs-skip strategy costs more than it gains at 0.25 per wrong answer.
- Choosing a post preference (Assistant/UDC vs JPA/Stenographer) based only on vacancy count instead of actual skill-test readiness — clearing the written test doesn’t help if the skill test then eliminates you.
- Leaving typing/shorthand speed-building to the last two weeks — speed skills need weeks of consistent daily practice, not last-minute cramming.
|
Important Dates
|
| Event |
Date |
| Notification Released (Advt. ISRO:ICRB:01(A-JPA):2026) |
27 July 2026 |
| Online Application Start |
27 July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online |
16 August 2026 |
| Written Test Date |
To be notified |
|
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
|
Q: Is the written test syllabus the same for Assistant, UDC and JPA?
Yes — all four posts (Assistant, UDC, JPA, Stenographer) share the same 4-section, 200-mark written test. Only the Skill Test after it differs by post. |
Q: What shorthand system does ISRO require for JPA/Stenographer?
Pittman’s shorthand only — transcripts written in longhand or any other system are not evaluated. |
Q: Is there negative marking in the ISRO written test?
Yes, 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer. |
Q: Is there an interview in this selection process?
No. Selection is Written Test → Skill/Stenography Test (where applicable) → Document Verification only. |
Q: What is the last date to apply for ISRO Recruitment 2026?
16 August 2026, through the official ISRO website. |
Q: What pay level will selected candidates get?
Level-4 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix, starting basic pay ₹25,500/- per month. |
Important Links
|
| ISRO Official Website |
click here |
| Careers / Recruitment Section |
isro.gov.in → Careers |
| official notification |
click here |
| latest job by firstjob24.com |
click here |
| follow on whatsapp |
click here |
| follow on telegram |
click here |