Young and Bright lining up for Defense Research Organisation in India

The recession has worked out really well for India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).  During the boom years of the economy, DRDO would hardly get any grads from the top notch Science and Engineering schools and colleges.  Every year its intake is 500 for its 52 labs.  (DRDO’s Recruitment and Assessment Centre website)

This year, 60 of those 500 will be IIT-ians.  In 2008, interestingly 150 NRIs applied for positions in DRDO and 30 were finally recruited.  The recruitment process includes a common scientist entry test and hiring via campus recruitment.  The organization goes across 40 campuses and shows no bias towards any college including the IITs.  Requirements for hiring NRIs are as follows

• The provision of appointing scientists on adhoc basis is a measure to reduce the response-time and get the talented manpower inducted in the organization on a fast track.
• The adhoc appointment is considered for such NRI scientists who would have returned  to the country during preceding six months time, and be not holding any position in India.  Also such NRIs who may be planning to return to the country, or who may be desirous  of  returning to the country would also be considered.
• The guiding principle is that the candidates are not available for formal interview in near future, or a formal interview is unlikely to be arranged in near future.
• The candidate for adhoc appointment should have acquired academic qualifications preferably higher than the minimum required viz. MS or PhD for appointment as scientist.  The  candidate should have also acquired working experience in an area which is of direct interest to DRDO.  The other factors specified in the job specification, the age limit, shall have to be met, in case the scientist is considered for regularization.  Practical working experience matching to the level of considered appointment would be a pre-requisite.

What has changed?  Well, the 6th pay commission has made it lucrative for new grads to work for DRDO and also provided better promotion options. The awards for inspiring good scientists has increased to Rs 2 crores this year.  So there is enough incentive for the young and the bright to perform and do well.  DRDO also has a special ROSSA scheme that hires fresh PhDs:

Registration of Students with Scholastic Aptitude (ROSSA) for the fresh PhD scholars. Fresh PhD scholars are those who have pursued the studies up to the PhD level without any break of not more than two academic years,  after the post-graduation in science subjects including Mathematics or Psychology or graduation in Engineering or Medical Sciences.

What say?  Thinking of going back and contributing to building the scientific base of the next big power in the world?  Or at least contibute to the dreams of Dr. Kalam?

Reference Links:

1. IITians now queue up for defense jobs