MACS-Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, has invited applications for 2 permanent Scientist-C posts: one in Genetics & Plant Breeding and one in Developmental Biology. Both posts are unreserved (UR), the pay is Level 11 (₹67,700 – ₹2,08,700), and the maximum age is 40 years.
This is a research job, not an exam job. There is no written test, and selection depends on how strong your research record is. The application has two parts: an online form and a printed copy that must reach ARI by post. This guide explains both parts, how your experience is counted, how to plan the deadline when the last date depends on Employment News, and how to prepare for the interview.
MACS ARI Scientist-C Recruitment 2026 (ADVT/Rect.P/Scientist-C/01/2026) — Complete Guide
2 Permanent Scientist-C Posts | Pay Level 11 | Apply Online and Send Hard Copy Within 30 Days of Employment News
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| Particulars | Details |
| Organization | MACS-Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune (autonomous institute of DST, Govt. of India) |
| Advertisement Number | ADVT/Rect.P/Scientist-C/01/2026 |
| Post | Scientist-C (permanent, 1 year probation) |
| Total Vacancies | 2 (1 UR in each group) |
| Groups | Genetics & Plant Breeding; Developmental Biology |
| Pay Level | Level 11: ₹67,700 – ₹2,08,700 |
| Qualification | First-class M.Sc. in the subject plus 4 years of R&D experience shown by publications. Ph.D. is desirable |
| Age Limit | 40 years on the closing date |
| Application Fee | ₹500 (SC/ST and women exempt) |
| Selection | Shortlisting by committee, then interview |
| Last Date | 30 days from the Employment News advertisement (45 days for remote areas) |
| Job Location | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Online Application | arijob.ourlib.in |
| Official Website | aripune.res.in |
Important Dates and How to Plan the Last Date
| Event | Date |
| Notification Released | October 2026 |
| Online Application | Open now |
| Last Date: Online Form and Hard Copy | 30 days from publication in Employment News |
| Last Date for Remote Areas | 45 days from publication in Employment News |
| Age and Eligibility Counted On | The closing date of the application |
| Interview | Date, time and venue will be informed by e-mail |
The advertisement does not print a fixed calendar date. Employment News comes out weekly, so if the advertisement appears in the issue dated 24 October 2026 (a Saturday), 30 days would end around 23 November 2026, and 45 days around 8 December 2026. This is only an estimate, so do not wait for it. Send your hard copy by speed post or courier at least 7 to 10 days before the earliest possible date, because a late envelope is as bad as no application.
About the Two Posts
| Point | Genetics & Plant Breeding | Developmental Biology |
| Post Code | Genetics & Plant Breeding/Scientist-C/2026 | Developmental Biology/Scientist-C/2026 |
| Vacancy | 1 (UR) | 1 (UR) |
| Pay Level | Level 11 | Level 11 |
| Age Limit | 40 years | 40 years |
| Essential Degree | First-class M.Sc. in Agriculture with specialization in Genetics and Plant Breeding or allied disciplines, or equivalent | First-class M.Sc. in Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Biotechnology or related fields, or equivalent |
| Essential Experience | 4 years of R&D experience after the degree, shown by publications in reputed journals | 4 years of R&D experience after the degree, shown by publications in reputed journals |
| Desirable | Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding, Plant Breeding, Crop Improvement or allied discipline; crop breeding and genomics-assisted research; field experiments, phenotyping and data analysis | Ph.D. in life science (molecular, cell or developmental biology); 3 to 5 years of post-doctoral experience in cell and developmental biology, with cell culture and model organism work |
- Each post is for one particular group. Write the exact post code on your application and on the envelope
- ARI’s research covers six themes: Biodiversity and Palaeobiology, Bioenergy, Bioprospecting, Developmental Biology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, and Nanobioscience
- ARI also runs a Ph.D. programme (affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University), so scientists often guide research scholars
- ARI has advertised other scientist posts separately (for example in Bioenergy and Palaeobiology), and those posts are not part of this notification
How Your 4 Years of Experience Is Counted
- The 4 years must be R&D experience gained after your academic degree, in the required area, and must be shown by publications in reputed journals
- Time spent on a Ph.D. (up to 2 years) can be counted as experience
- Time spent in post-doctoral research (up to 2 years) can also be counted
- For this, you need certificates and your publications as proof
- Experience certificates must show the joining and relieving dates
| Example Profile | Experience That Can Count |
| M.Sc. plus 4 years in a research job with publications | 4 years: meets the requirement |
| M.Sc. plus Ph.D. plus 2 years of post-doc, with certificates and papers | Up to 2 years (Ph.D.) + 2 years (post-doc) = 4 years |
| M.Sc. plus Ph.D. only, no post-doc | Up to 2 years only: below the 4 years needed |
| M.Sc. plus 4 years in a non-research job and no publications | Not accepted, because the experience must be R&D shown by publications |
A Ph.D. with a 2-year post-doc can fully meet the 4-year rule, which is why most successful candidates for a Scientist-C post are Ph.D. holders. If the committee has many applications, it may shortlist on desirable qualifications or experience beyond the minimum, so a Ph.D. and post-doc work are a real advantage.
Age Limit and Relaxation
| Category | Age Rule |
| Maximum age (both posts) | 40 years on the closing date |
| SC / ST / OBC and other categories | Relaxation as per Central Government orders |
| Government servants and employees of autonomous research organisations, research institutes and universities | Up to 5 years, as per Central Government orders |
Both posts are shown as unreserved, so category relaxation matters only for the age limit, as per Central Government rules.
Pay Scale and Benefits
| Post | Pay Level | Pay Scale |
| Scientist-C | Level 11 | ₹67,700 – ₹2,08,700 |
- Allowances as admissible, National Pension System (NPS), medical reimbursement and leave travel concession as per institute rules
- Selected scientists may be asked to serve anywhere in India and abroad
- The post is permanent with a probation of 1 year
For comparison, a Scientist-B post at ARI is in Pay Level 10 with an age limit of 35 and 2 years of probation, so Scientist-C is one level higher with a longer age window and a shorter probation.
Application Fee — ₹500 and How to Pay on SBI Collect
| Category | Fee |
| General and other candidates | ₹500 |
| SC, ST and Women | Nil (exempted) |
| Mode | Online through SBI Collect |
- Open SBI Collect and choose Educational Institutions
- Select Agharkar Research Institute
- Choose payment category “Others” and fill in the payment details
- Pay ₹500 and save the receipt
- Attach the receipt to the printed application and write the receipt number in the online form
The fee is non-refundable in ARI’s notices of earlier years, and the same SBI Collect method is used each time.
How to Apply — Online Form Plus Hard Copy
- Pay the ₹500 fee through SBI Collect, if you are not exempt, and save the receipt
- Apply online at arijob.ourlib.in using a valid e-mail ID
- Print the submitted application form
- Attach self-attested copies of all required documents
- Government, PSU or autonomous body employees must attach an NOC in the Annexure-I format, or produce it at the interview
- Write “Application for <Post Code>” on the envelope
- Send the hard copy to the address below within 30 days of the Employment News advertisement
| Send Your Application To |
| The Director, Agharkar Research Institute, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar Road, Pune – 411004 |
- The online form alone is not enough, and the hard copy alone is not enough. Both are needed
- Keep a photocopy of the full envelope contents and the postal receipt or tracking number
- For questions, write to the e-mail ID given in the official notification
Documents Checklist
| Document | What to Keep Ready |
| Qualification certificates | Self-attested copies of M.Sc. and Ph.D. (if any) with marksheets |
| Proof of date of birth | Self-attested copy |
| Experience certificates | With joining and relieving dates, and the nature of work |
| Category certificate | If you claim relaxation |
| Photograph | Recent passport-size photograph |
| Fee receipt | SBI Collect receipt (if you are not exempt) |
| Publications and patents | A list of all, plus copies of the 4 best papers from the last 5 years |
| NOC | Annexure-I format for government, PSU or autonomous body employees |
Selection Process — Shortlisting and Interview
- Shortlisting: A committee screens the applications. If there are many applicants, it can shortlist on desirable qualifications or on experience beyond the minimum
- Interview: Shortlisted candidates are informed by e-mail about the date, time and venue. The interview is held at ARI, Pune
- Reserve panel: A reserve panel is kept and stays valid for one year from the date of the interview
- Travel: Outstation candidates called for the interview get to-and-fro AC Two Tier rail fare by the shortest route
- There is no written exam mentioned for this recruitment
Job Profile — What a Scientist-C Will Do
Genetics & Plant Breeding
- Run breeding programmes in wheat, soybean and grape for yield, quality and stress tolerance
- Use genomic-assisted breeding: GWAS, QTL mapping, SNP analyses and genomic selection
- Develop breeding populations, work on biofortification and run multi-location field trials
- Characterise germplasm, use marker-assisted selection, and do phenotyping and quality analyses
- Take part in seed production and varietal release, publish research, bring extramural funding and guide research scholars
Developmental Biology
- Start and build independent projects in cell and developmental biology, organelle biology and diseases
- Bring extramural funding and supervise research scholars
- Take part in teaching, training and outreach, and contribute to the institute’s infrastructure and work
Interview Preparation Guide
| Area | Genetics & Plant Breeding Candidates | Developmental Biology Candidates |
| Core Subject | Breeding methods, quantitative genetics, heritability, GWAS and QTL mapping, marker-assisted and genomic selection | Cell and developmental biology, organelle biology, signalling, model organisms, cell culture |
| Methods | Field trial design, phenotyping, data analysis, germplasm characterisation | Imaging, gene editing and molecular tools, experimental design |
| Crops or Systems | Wheat, soybean and grape improvement, stress tolerance, biofortification | Model organism research and disease-related questions |
| Research Plan | A 5-year plan with objectives, field and lab needs, and funding sources | A 5-year plan with objectives, equipment needs and funding sources |
| Publications | Be ready to explain your 4 best papers: question, method, result and your own role | Be ready to explain your 4 best papers: question, method, result and your own role |
The topic list above is a preparation guide built from the job profile, and it is not an official syllabus. Since the post expects you to bring outside research funding and guide students, prepare a short, clear plan for how you will do both.
Mistakes That Can Reject Your Application
- Filling the online form but not sending the printed copy, or the reverse
- Posting the hard copy at the last moment, when the last date depends on the Employment News issue
- Not writing the post code on the envelope
- Showing experience without joining and relieving dates, or without publications to support it
- Forgetting the fee receipt number, if you are not exempt
- Forgetting the NOC (Annexure-I format) if you work in a government, PSU or autonomous body
- Applying for the wrong group because both posts look similar
Important Links |
|
| Apply Online (MACS ARI Scientist-C 2026) | click here |
| Download Official Notification PDF | click here |
| Pay Fee on SBI Collect | click here |
| ARI Pune Official Website | click here |
| firstjob24 jobs | click here |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | click here |
| Subscribe on YouTube | click here |
MACS ARI Scientist-C Recruitment 2026 — FAQs
Q. How many posts are there?
There are 2 Scientist-C posts: 1 in Genetics & Plant Breeding and 1 in Developmental Biology, both unreserved.
Q. What is the salary?
Pay Level 11, ₹67,700 to ₹2,08,700, with allowances as admissible.
Q. What qualification is needed?
A first-class M.Sc. in the relevant subject and 4 years of R&D experience shown by publications. A Ph.D. is desirable.
Q. Can Ph.D. time count as experience?
Yes. Up to 2 years of Ph.D. and up to 2 years of post-doctoral research can be counted, if you have certificates and publications.
Q. What is the age limit?
40 years on the closing date, with relaxation as per Central Government orders.
Q. What is the last date?
30 days from the day the advertisement appears in Employment News, or 45 days for candidates in remote areas.
Q. Is there a written exam?
No written exam is mentioned. Selection is by shortlisting and interview.
Q. Is the application fee compulsory for everyone?
No. SC, ST and women candidates are exempt. Others pay ₹500 on SBI Collect.
Q. Do I need to send a hard copy?
Yes. After applying online, print the form, attach documents and send it to the Director, ARI, Pune within the time limit.
Q. Is the post permanent?
Yes, with 1 year of probation.
