OPSC Assistant Section Officer Recruitment 2026 is out for 340 posts; apply online from 09 Nov to 30 Nov 2026 at opsc.gov.in. The Odisha Public Service Commission has issued Advertisement No. 15 of 2026-27 for Assistant Section Officer (Group-B) posts in the Odisha Secretariat Service Cadre under the Home Department. Graduates in any discipline with the prescribed Odia knowledge can apply online.
Important Dates
| Notice Date | 05 Nov 2026 |
| Application Start | 09 Nov 2026 |
| Last Date (till 05:00 PM) | 30 Nov 2026 |
| Written Examination (tentative) | 17 Jan 2027 |
| Age Calculated As On | 01 Jan 2026 |
Application Fee
| General / SEBC (candidates other than SC, ST and PWD) | ₹700 |
| SC / ST / PWD | Exempted |
Age Limit
| Minimum Age | 21 years (as on 01 Jan 2026) |
| Maximum Age | 42 years (as on 01 Jan 2026) |
| Date of Birth Range | Not earlier than 02 Jan 1984 and not later than 01 Jan 2005 |
| Age Relaxation - SEBC / SC / ST / Women / Ex-Servicemen | 5 years |
| Age Relaxation - PwD (permanent disability 40% or more) | 10 years |
| Age Relaxation - PwD belonging to SEBC / SC / ST | 15 years (cumulative) |
Vacancy Details
| Post Name | Assistant Section Officer (Group-B), Odisha Secretariat Service Cadre |
| Department | Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) - Home Department, Government of Odisha |
| Total Vacancy | 340 (114-W) |
| Post Name | No. Of Post |
|---|---|
| Assistant Section Officer - UR | 144 (48-W) |
| Assistant Section Officer - SEBC | 38 (13-W) |
| Assistant Section Officer - SC | 81 (27-W) |
| Assistant Section Officer - ST | 77 (26-W) |
Job Details
| Employment Type | Regular / Full Time |
| Salary / Pay | Rs. 35,400/- in Level - 9, Cell - 1 as per the Pay Matrix provided under Rule - 3 of ORSP Rules, 2017 with usual Dearness and other Allowances |
| Job Location | Odisha |
Eligibility / Qualification
Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or equivalent qualification, with adequate knowledge in Computer Application as specified in the Schedule. The candidate must also be able to speak, read and write Odia and meet the prescribed Odia qualification.
Mode Of Selection
- Written Examination (Objective Type - Multiple Choice Questions) - 400 marks (three papers)
- Skill Test in Computer (Practical - Qualifying) - 50 marks; at least 40% marks needed to qualify
- Minimum qualifying marks in each paper of the written exam: UR / SEBC 35%, SC / ST 30%, PWD 28%; Ex-Servicemen and Sports Persons same as the caste category they belong to
- Candidates are shortlisted for the Skill Test on merit of aggregate marks out of 400: about 2 times the vacancies (minimum 5) if vacancies are 5 or less, and about 1.5 times the vacancies if more than 5
- Final ranking is based on aggregate marks in the Written Examination (400 marks) of candidates who qualify the Skill Test
- Tie-break: higher marks in General Knowledge (Paper-I) first, then the older candidate ranks above the younger
Odia Language Requirement
A candidate must be able to speak, read and write Odia. The candidate must have passed Middle School examination with Odia as a language subject, or passed Matriculation or equivalent with Odia as medium of examination in a non-language subject, or passed Odia as a language subject in the final examination of Class VII or above, or passed a test in Odia in Middle English School Standard conducted by the School and Mass Education Department. If Odia was not passed in the High School Certificate Examination, the candidate may provide a certificate from the Headmaster of the concerned High School, a certificate from the Principal of the recognized school showing Odia was taken as a subject in Class VII or above, or an Odia Test Pass Certificate from the School and Mass Education Department / Board of Secondary Education, Odisha issued before the last date of the application form.
Examination Zones
The written examination will be held at centres in 33 zones of Odisha: Baleshwar, Brahmapur, Bhubaneswar, Kataka, Sambalpur, Anugola, Baragada, Bhadrak, Balangir, Boudh, Debagada, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jayapur, Jajapur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapada, Kendujhar, Khordha, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Nayagada, Puri, Rayagada, Raurkela, Sonpur and Sundaragada.
Reservation Rules
Candidates of Ex-Servicemen, PwD and Sports Persons categories are adjusted against the category to which they belong (SC, ST or SEBC). If eligible women candidates are not available in a category, the unfilled vacancies of that category are filled by eligible male candidates of the same category. Exchange of reservation between SC and ST is not allowed. Reservation and relaxation meant for SC / ST by birth and SEBC are admissible to SC, ST and SEBC of Odisha only. The Transgender candidates can apply for the post.
Vigilance Awareness
OPSC conducts an impartial, transparent, corruption-free and merit-based selection process. Candidates are cautioned not to pay money to anyone who promises a job or claims to have the question papers. The examination is covered under the Odisha Conduct of Examinations Act, 1988 and the Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and violations are offences for which an FIR will be registered.
Category-wise Vacancy (including backlog)
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| UR | 144 (48-W) |
| SEBC | 38 (13-W) |
| SC | 81 (27-W) |
| ST | 77 (26-W) |
| Total | 340 (114-W) |
Reserved Posts for Sports Persons, Ex-Servicemen and PwD
| Sub-Category | Current | Backlog | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Persons | 03 (01-W) | - | 03 (01-W) |
| Ex-Servicemen | 08 | 11 | 19 |
| PwD - Category-I (Blindness or Low Vision) | 03 (01-W) | - | 03 (01-W) |
| PwD - Category-II (Hearing Impairment) | 03 (01-W) | 06 (03-W) | 09 (04-W) |
| PwD - Category-III (Locomotor disability incl. cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarf, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy) | 03 (01-W) | - | 03 (01-W) |
| PwD - Category-IV (Autism, Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability, Mental Illness and Multiple Disabilities) | 02 | 08 (03-W) | 10 (03-W) |
| Total PWD | 11 (03-W) | 14 (06-W) | 25 (09-W) |
Exam Scheme
| Paper | Subject | Marks | No. of Questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Awareness | 100 | 100 | 1 1/2 hrs |
| Paper II | (A) Test of Reasoning & Mental Ability + (B) Mathematics (10th Standard Level) | 50 + 50 | 50 + 50 | 1 1/2 hrs |
| Paper III | Language: (a) English + (b) Odia | 100 + 100 | 100 + 100 | 2 hrs |
| Skill Test (Qualifying) | Computer Application (Practical) | 50 | 05 | 1 hr |
Detailed Syllabus
| Paper / Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| Paper I - General Awareness | Current National and International events; History of British Rule in India and Freedom Struggle; Indian Constitution; Salient features of World Physical Geography; Physical Geography of India & Odisha; Governance, Transparency & Accountability, e-governance, Role of Civil Service in democracy, Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Growth, Development and Employment, Poverty Alleviation, Resource Mobilisation and Inflation; Defence & Indian Armed Forces; Scientific Inventions and use of Science in everyday life, Environmental, Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate change; Important National & International Institutions, Organizations and fora - their Structure, mandate etc. |
| Paper II (A) - Reasoning & Mental Ability (Verbal) | Number Series, Alphabet Series, Test of Direction Sense, Coding-decoding, Number Ranking, Arithmetic Reasoning, Problem of Age Calculation |
| Paper II (A) - Reasoning & Mental Ability (Non-Verbal) | Non-verbal series, Mirror Images, Cubes & Dice, Grouping Identical Figures, Embedded figures etc. |
| Paper II (B) - Mathematics | Arithmetic, Algebra, Mensuration (2D & 3D), Statistics & Probability |
| Paper III (A) - English | Grammar (Verb, Preposition, Adverb, Subject Verb Agreement, Error Correction / Recognition, Tenses, Fill in the Blanks with Articles etc., Vocabulary, Synonyms, Antonyms), Comprehension, Sentence Rearrangement |
| Paper III (B) - Odia | Grammar (verb, error correction / identification, tense) and language knowledge test (synonyms, antonyms, adverbs, subject-verb relation), Paragraph, Sentence Rearrangement |
| Paper IV - Skill Test in Computer Application (Practical) | Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point), MS Access, Usage of Internet Services |
How to Apply
- Read the full advertisement and the detailed instructions on the OPSC website before applying
- Visit https://www.opsc.gov.in and register on the online application portal to get a Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN)
- Fill in the online application form with accurate information, select two examination zones in order of preference and furnish bank account details for refund
- Upload scanned photograph, full signature, left-hand thumb impression and the required certificates
- Pay the examination fee online where applicable (SC, ST and PWD are exempted)
- Submit the application on or before 30 Nov 2026 (05:00 PM), verify the submitted copy and take a printout
- Sign the declaration on the printout and keep it with copies of the certificates to produce when asked
Important Links
| Apply Online | Click Here |
| Official Notification PDF | Click Here |
| Official Website | Click Here |
Important Points to Know Before Applying for Assistant Section Officer (Group-B), Odisha Secretariat Service Cadre
- Each wrong answer carries a negative mark of 0.25, and every question carries 1 mark.
- Candidates must select 2 examination zones in order of preference; the second preference may be allotted on a first come, first serve basis, and no request for change of zone or centre will be entertained.
- The exam fee is refunded only to candidates who actually appear in the Written Examination, to the original payment mode; the form asks for bank account number, IFSC code, account holder name and bank branch, and the account must remain active.
- Submit only one application; multiple applications through multiple PPSAN accounts will be rejected.
- Upload a scanned latest passport size photograph, full signature and left-hand thumb impression (LTI); keep at least four passport size photographs for future use.
- Documents to upload: HSC certificate for age, +2 / Diploma certificate, Bachelor's Degree certificate and mark-lists, Odia pass certificate where required, photo ID (Aadhaar preferred), and category, PwD, Sports, Ex-Servicemen or NOC certificates where applicable.
- SEBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate must be issued on or after 10.11.2023; an OBC certificate is not accepted in place of an SEBC certificate.
- Women candidates of SEBC / SC / ST must submit caste certificates showing 'daughter of'; certificates by virtue of marriage ('wife of') are not acceptable.
- Only a valid Permanent Disability Certificate counts for PwD reservation, and only a Sports Identity Card issued by the Director of Sports, Odisha counts for Sports quota; otherwise the candidate is considered under the respective social category.
- Children of Ex-Servicemen cannot apply against the Ex-Servicemen vacancy; Ex-Servicemen must also submit an affidavit (Appendix-II) that they have not been appointed to any civil post after retirement.
- Government servants may apply but must inform their Head of Office in writing and produce a No Objection Certificate during document verification.
- After the written exam, a provisional answer key is uploaded for online objections; candidates who do not challenge it within the given date lose the right to raise the matter later.
- After the written result, shortlisted candidates must submit the signed hard copy of the online application and original documents at verification; an unsigned declaration or missing hard copy leads to rejection.
- Selected candidates must submit an NPS application at joining, and appointees on or after 1 Jan 2005 are covered by the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?
The online application link is available from 09.11.2026 to 30.11.2026 till 05.00 P.M. 30.11.2026 is the last date for submission of the registered online application.
How many Assistant Section Officer vacancies are there?
The vacancy position for the post of Assistant Section Officer is 340 (114-W): 144 (48-W) UR, 38 (13-W) SEBC, 81 (27-W) SC and 77 (26-W) ST.
What is the qualification required for OPSC ASO?
A candidate must possess a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or an equivalent qualification, and must have adequate knowledge in Computer Application as specified in the Schedule. The candidate must also be able to speak, read and write Odia.
What is the age limit for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?
A candidate must have attained 21 years and must not be above 42 years on 1st January 2026, i.e. born not earlier than 2nd January 1984 and not later than 1st January 2005. Upper age limit is relaxed by 5 years for SEBC, SC, ST, Women and Ex-Servicemen and by 10 years for PwD with permanent disability of 40% or more.
What is the application fee for OPSC ASO?
Candidates other than SC, ST and PWD must pay Rs. 700/- only through online mode while filling the Online Application Form. SC, ST and PWD candidates are exempted.
What is the selection process and exam date for OPSC ASO?
Selection is based on a Written Examination (400 marks) and a qualifying Skill Test in Computer (50 marks). The Written Examination will be held on 17.01.2027 (Sunday), tentatively, and the detailed schedule and centres will be notified in due course.