Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), the central power utility headquartered in Kolkata, has opened a Special Drive to recruit 108 Executive Trainees (ETs) in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, C&I and Mining engineering under Advt. No. PLR/ET/04/2026/05 dated 06-11-2026. There is no written test and, going by the English text of the advertisement, no interview either: you are shortlisted on your GATE marks, your documents are checked, and the merit list is drawn from the same GATE marks. Online applications are open from 6 November to 6 December 2026 (23:59 hrs) on the DVC website.
Before you read about pay or posts, check one thing: the year on your GATE scorecard. DVC accepts only GATE-2025 marks. Not 2024, and not 2026. If that rules you out, the rest of this article will not matter to you. If it does not, read on for the discipline-to-paper table, the 16 backlog posts hidden inside the 108, the 65% rule, the ₹5 lakh bond, and the four-step application. Page numbers from the 20-page advertisement are in brackets. For dates and links in one place, see our DVC Executive Trainee 2026 job page.
DVC ET 2026 at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Advertisement | Advt. No. PLR/ET/04/2026/05, dated 06-11-2026, Human Resource Department, DVC Towers, Kolkata (p.1) |
| Post | Executive Trainee (ET), Special Drive through GATE 2025 |
| Total posts | 108: Mechanical 17, Electrical 50, Civil 26, C&I 12, Mining 3 (p.2–3) |
| Backlog posts included | 16 (Mechanical 3, Electrical 5, Civil 6, C&I 2) |
| GATE year accepted | GATE-2025 only; marks out of 100 (p.4, p.9) |
| Qualification | Full-time B.E./B.Tech in the listed branch with 65% (SC/ST/PwBD 60%) (p.5–6) |
| Upper age | 29 years for UR, as on the closing date, 06-12-2026 (p.3–4, p.20) |
| Pay | ₹56,100–1,77,500, Pay Matrix Level-10 of 7th CPC (M2 grade) (p.3, p.11) |
| Selection | GATE-2025 marks → Document Verification (1:5 or more) → merit on GATE marks → medical (p.9–10, p.15) |
| Fee | ₹300 for General/OBC (NCL)/EWS; nil for SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-SM/DVC departmental (p.11) |
| Service bond | 4 years; ₹5,00,000 (SC/ST/PwBD ₹2,50,000) plus interest (p.12) |
| Apply | Online only, 06-11-2026 to 06-12-2026, 23:59 hrs (p.16, p.20) |
Read This First: Only a GATE-2025 Score Counts
The advertisement says it twice, on page 4 and again on page 9: "Please note that only GATE-2025 Marks (Out of 100) are valid for this recruitment process. GATE Marks of 2024 or prior to that are not valid." The section on eligibility adds that you "should have appeared in the corresponding paper of GATE-2025 ... and qualified in the same". The selection section says the process "consists of marks obtained (out of 100) in the corresponding paper of GATE-2025 only".
The advertisement names 2024 as invalid but does not mention 2026 by name. It does not need to: "only GATE-2025" leaves no room for any other year. So:
- You can apply if you appeared in GATE 2025 in the matching paper (ME, EE, CE, IN or MN), crossed the qualifying marks for your category, and hold the required degree.
- You cannot apply if your only GATE attempt is GATE 2026, however high the score.
- You cannot apply on a GATE 2024 or older score. The advertisement rules that out in plain words.
- You cannot apply if you wrote GATE 2025 but did not qualify. Being qualified is the minimum; the qualifying marks are those declared by the GATE-2025 organising institute (p.4).
- If you wrote both 2025 and 2026, only your 2025 marks go into this form, even if 2026 went better.
- DVC departmental candidates have no upper age limit but still need a qualifying GATE-2025 score in the matching paper (p.4, p.9).
Open your GATE 2025 scorecard and check three things now:
- Paper code. It must match the post (table below). A Mechanical graduate who wrote PI, or an Electronics graduate who wrote EC, does not fit.
- Marks out of 100. DVC ranks you on this figure, not on the GATE score out of 1000. Note it down; you will enter it in the form.
- Your documents. At Document Verification you must show the GATE-2025 admit card and the original scorecard (p.10, p.19). If you have lost either PDF, recover it before you pay the fee.
Our view: if you are a GATE 2026 candidate, do not spend ₹300 hoping DVC will be flexible. The wording does not leave room for that.
Discipline, Degree and GATE Paper
This is Table-B (p.4–5) and Table-C (p.5–6) of the advertisement put side by side. Your degree must be in one of the listed branches, and your GATE-2025 paper must be the one in the third column.
| Post (Post No.) | Degree branches accepted | GATE-2025 paper |
|---|---|---|
| ET Mechanical (2026/07) | Mechanical; Production; Industrial Engg.; Production & Industrial Engg.; Thermal; Mechanical & Automation; Power Engineering | ME |
| ET Electrical (2026/08) | Electrical; Electrical & Electronics; Electrical, Instrumentation & Control; Power Systems & High Voltage; Power Electronics; Power Engineering | EE |
| ET Civil (2026/09) | Civil Engineering | CE |
| ET C&I (2026/10) | Electronics & Instrumentation; Instrumentation & Control; Electronics, Instrumentation & Control (Table-B also lists "Instrumentation") | IN |
| ET Mining (2026/11) | Mining Engineering | MN |
A few things worth noticing:
- Production and Industrial graduates are accepted for Mechanical, but the paper must be ME. If you wrote PI in GATE 2025, the table does not include you.
- Power Engineering appears in both the Mechanical and Electrical lists. Which one fits you depends on which paper you wrote, ME or EE. You can apply for only one post (p.16).
- C&I takes the IN paper. An E&I graduate who wrote EC or EE instead of IN does not match the table.
- Plain ECE, CSE and IT graduates are not in any list. There is no Electronics or Computer post in this drive.
- Full-time only. Every row says "Full-time Bachelor's Degree". A part-time or distance degree does not meet the wording.
The C&I row has a small mismatch: Table-B names "Instrumentation" on its own, while the essential qualification in Table-C lists only the three combined branches. If your degree title is plain "Instrumentation Engineering", we suggest you email recruitment@dvc.gov.in or call 033-6607 2532/2539 before paying.
Posts and Category Split: 108 Includes 16 Backlog
| Post | Total | UR | OBC (NCL) | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 14 + 3 BL = 17 | 07 | 0 + 02 BL | 02 + 01 BL | 03 | 02 |
| Electrical | 45 + 5 BL = 50 | 23 | 06 + 04 BL | 07 + 01 BL | 04 | 05 |
| Civil | 20 + 6 BL = 26 | 10 | 0 + 04 BL | 08 + 01 BL | 0 + 01 BL | 02 |
| C&I | 10 + 2 BL = 12 | 05 | 01 + 01 BL | 03 + 01 BL | 0 | 01 |
| Mining | 03 | 03 (Unfilled) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 108 | 48 | 18 | 24 | 8 | 10 |
Source: Table-A, p.2–3. BL = backlog. The bottom row is our own addition; the advertisement does not print category totals.
What the table tells you:
- 16 of the 108 posts are backlog, all of them in reserved categories: 11 OBC (NCL), 4 SC and 1 ST. Backlog posts are reserved vacancies that were not filled earlier and have been carried forward. They are counted inside the 108, not added on top.
- Mechanical OBC and Civil OBC have no fresh post at all. Their OBC seats (2 and 4) are entirely backlog. Civil ST is the same: one backlog post, no fresh one.
- Electrical is the big pool: 50 of the 108 posts, with 23 UR seats. Mining is the smallest: 3 posts, all UR, marked "Unfilled", with no reserved seat.
- C&I has no ST post, and Mining has nothing for OBC, SC, ST or EWS. A reserved-category candidate can still apply there, but only against the UR seats.
- The advertisement says these are "projected vacancies" that may increase or decrease at DVC's discretion (p.3).
PwBD posts
Eight posts overall are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, horizontally, for all posts except ET Mining (p.3). Horizontal means these 8 sit inside the category counts above. The split by disability: blindness and low vision 1; deaf and hard of hearing 2; locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy 3; autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, mental illness and multiple disabilities 2. The advertisement does not say which discipline each PwBD post belongs to. You need a permanent disability of at least 40% and a certificate from a Government Medical Board in the Government of India format (p.7, p.9, p.16).
One line on page 7 says the PwBD criteria apply "for only ET-IT Post". There is no IT post in this advertisement, so this looks like text carried over from an older notice. The English version prevails over the Hindi one (p.20), but on this point neither helps. If you are a PwBD applicant, confirm with DVC by email.
Eligibility: 65% Is Higher Than Most PSUs Ask
- Minimum marks: not less than 65% for General, OBC (NCL) and EWS, and 60% for SC, ST and PwBD, in the aggregate of all years or semesters (p.5–6). For Mining the 60% line names SC/ST only, which fits the fact that Mining has no PwBD reservation.
- CGPA: convert using your university's own certified formula. If your university has no formula, DVC divides your CGPA by the maximum CGPA and multiplies by 100 (p.13). By that fallback, a 6.5 out of 10 is exactly 65%.
- Approved institution in India: the degree must be from an Indian university or institute recognised by AICTE or the appropriate statutory authority. DVC asks you to bring a printout of the AICTE approval showing your college and course (p.13).
- Result awaited: GATE-2025 qualified candidates who wrote their final semester in 2025 and are still waiting for results may apply, but must show the final mark sheet and provisional or final degree at Document Verification. Without it you will not be allowed into DV (p.14).
- Nationality: Indian nationals only (p.12).
- Employed candidates: if you work in a government department, PSU or autonomous body, bring a No Objection Certificate to DV (p.14, p.16).
Our view: 65% is a real filter. For comparison, NLC India's GATE-2025 recruitment this season asks for 60%. The DVC advertisement says "not less than 65%" and mentions no rounding, so if you are at 64.8%, assume you are out and check your exact conversion before paying.
Age Limit as on 06-12-2026
The upper age is 29 years for unreserved candidates "as on closing date of online application" (p.3–4), and the dates table on page 20 confirms the cut-off date for age, qualification and category is the closing date, 06-12-2026.
| Category | Relaxation (p.7) | Upper age (our arithmetic on 29) |
|---|---|---|
| UR / EWS | None | 29 |
| OBC (NCL) | 3 years | 32 |
| SC / ST | 5 years | 34 |
| PwBD (UR) | 10 years | 39 |
| PwBD + OBC (NCL) | 13 years | 42 |
| PwBD + SC/ST | 15 years | 44 |
| J&K domicile (01-01-1980 to 31-12-1989) | 5 years | 34 |
| Ex-Servicemen / riot victims | As per Govt. of India rules | — |
| DVC departmental | No upper age limit | — |
A note on the table on page 3: age relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD is "subject to respective vacancy". In practice, as we read it, relaxation is meant for posts reserved for your category. In Mining, for instance, every post is UR. OBC candidates in the creamy layer must apply as General and get no concession (p.8). EWS gets no age relaxation in this advertisement.
Salary: Level-10, With Central DA
You are placed in ₹56,100–1,77,500, Pay Matrix Level-10 of the 7th CPC (M2 grade) during a one-year probation. After you complete probation you are absorbed as Assistant Manager in the same scale (p.11–12).
The advertisement lists the package: Basic Pay, Central Dearness Allowance (CDA), Medical Reimbursement, Leave Travel Allowance, NPS, Conveyance Allowance, Leave Encashment and HRA, "admissible as per Corporation Rules in force from time to time" (p.12).
Two points, plainly put:
- This is a pay-matrix scale, not an E-grade. The advertisement uses the 7th CPC Level-10 matrix and says "Central Dearness Allowance". It does not use an E-grade or Industrial DA scale of the kind many PSU advertisements print. For comparison, NLC India's GATE-2025 advertisement puts its trainees in an E-2 scale of ₹50,000–1,60,000. The two are different pay systems, so do not compare them on the starting figure alone.
- No CTC figure is given. The advertisement does not state a cost-to-company, a monthly in-hand amount, or any performance pay. We have not added one. Your HRA and conveyance will depend on the city of posting and DVC's rules, which the advertisement does not reproduce.
The Bond: ₹5 Lakh for Four Years
This is the clause to read twice. Selected candidates must sign a service agreement bond to complete the one-year probation and then serve DVC for at least three more years, "i.e. overall 4 (Four) years" (p.12).
| Category | Bond amount |
|---|---|
| General / OBC (NCL) / EWS | ₹5,00,000 plus applicable interest |
| SC / ST / PwBD | ₹2,50,000 plus applicable interest |
The words "plus applicable interest" matter: the amount you might owe on leaving early is not capped at the round figure. The advertisement does not say how the interest is calculated. Our view: if you already have a PSU offer in the pipeline, or you plan to sit for UPSC ESE or another GATE cycle within a year or two, think hard before joining. ₹5 lakh is a large sum for a first job.
Selection: GATE Marks, Then Document Verification
Section 5 (p.9–10) and the general instructions (p.15) set out the process:
- Screening: only candidates who qualified the corresponding GATE-2025 paper are considered.
- Shortlisting for DV: candidates are ranked on GATE-2025 marks out of 100 and called for Document Verification "in the ratio of 1:5 or more to the number of vacancies category-wise in each discipline". If several candidates tie at the last place, all of them are called, even if the ratio goes above 1:5. DVC may increase or decrease the ratio.
- Document Verification (DV): you bring your GATE-2025 admit card, original scorecard and all originals. DV date, time and venue are posted only on the DVC website; no call letter comes by post.
- Final merit: on GATE-2025 marks. If two or more candidates have equal marks, the older candidate is placed higher (p.15).
- Medical: a pre-employment medical examination by the DVC Medical Board, with no relaxation in health standards (p.12).
Is there an interview? The English text, which prevails, does not mention one. It says selection "consists of marks obtained ... in the corresponding paper of GATE-2025 only", and every later step is Document Verification. One stray Hindi line in the note on page 20 refers to "साक्षात्कार की तिथि" (date of interview), while the English sentence beside it says Document Verification. We read this as a translation slip, but if DVC adds an interview, it will say so on its website.
What 1:5 means in numbers, using our own arithmetic: 23 UR Electrical posts could mean about 115 UR candidates at DV; 7 UR Mechanical posts about 35; 3 UR Mining posts about 15. These are minimums from the ratio, not cut-offs. We do not know, and the advertisement does not say, what GATE marks will be needed.
Our view: with no interview, there is nothing left to prepare except your paperwork. Your rank is already fixed by an exam you wrote in early 2025. The way to lose this job now is a document problem: a missing NOC, an OBC certificate older than a year, a CGPA conversion you cannot prove, or a signature that does not match.
Where You Could Be Posted
The advertisement says only that "selected candidates may be posted at any of the DVC establishments" (p.13). It does not list plants or towns. What it does say about DVC (p.1–2): the corporation was set up in 1948 for the Damodar valley, an area of 24,235 sq km spread across Jharkhand and West Bengal; its headquarters is in Kolkata; its business is generation, transmission and distribution, mining, water resources management and soil conservation; and it has over 6,700 MW of thermal, hydel and renewable capacity with a target of 15 GW by 2030. The advertisement points you to the DVC website for details of its plants and stations.
Our view: expect a power station, a substation, a dam or a mine rather than an office in Kolkata, especially in your first years. Plan for that before you sign a four-year bond.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC (NCL) / EWS | ₹300, non-refundable, online only; bank charges extra |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen | Exempt |
| DVC departmental candidates | Exempt |
Source: p.9, p.11, p.17. Pay the full ₹300 in one go; a smaller amount is not accepted. The last date for payment is 06-12-2026. After paying, download the e-receipt: you have to produce it at DV. The application is treated as complete only after the fee is paid, where it applies.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement | 06-11-2026 |
| Online application opens | 06-11-2026 |
| Online application closes | 06-12-2026, till 23:59 hrs |
| Last date for fee payment | 06-12-2026 |
| Cut-off date for age, qualification and category | 06-12-2026 |
| DV list, date, time and venue | To be notified later on the DVC website |
Source: p.11, p.16, p.20. Note that 6 December 2026 is a Sunday. Our advice: finish by the first week of December, when payment gateways are less crowded.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Check your GATE-2025 scorecard: year, paper code, qualified status, marks out of 100.
- Check your degree: full-time, AICTE-approved, branch in the list, 65% (60% for SC/ST/PwBD) after conversion.
- Pick one post. You can apply for only one post or discipline (p.16).
- Prepare files: a 3.5 × 3.5 cm photo with a clear front view (no cap or sunglasses) and your signature, in PNG, JPG or JPEG, up to 2 MB; certificates, mark sheets and the GATE scorecard as PDF, up to 2 MB each (p.17). Use the same photo throughout the process.
- Go to the DVC website, Career section → Recruitment Notices, and open the application link (p.16, p.19).
- Step 1, fill in the form. You can edit and update while filling. Enter your GATE Roll/Registration Number and name exactly; they cannot be changed after submission (p.17). Use an email and mobile number that will stay valid for at least a year, because DVC communicates by email (p.18).
- Step 2, upload the photo, signature and documents.
- Step 3, preview the whole form.
- Step 4, submit. Once submitted, the form cannot be edited (p.18).
- Pay the fee through the payment link, if you are not exempt, and download the e-receipt.
- Print the application with the system-generated Unique Application Number. A printout without that number is not accepted. Do not post any hard copy to DVC HQ (p.18–19).
Documents to Carry to Document Verification
Bring originals plus one set of self-attested photocopies of (p.15–16):
- Printout of the online application form
- Original GATE 2025 scorecard (and the GATE 2025 admit card, p.19)
- Date of birth proof: Class 10 board certificate or passing certificate
- Certificates and mark sheets of Class 10, Class 12, diploma and degree, semester-wise or year-wise
- Degree or provisional degree certificate
- SC/ST/OBC (NCL)/EWS/PwBD certificate in the central government format; OBC (NCL) and EWS certificates must not be older than one year from the DV date
- Age relaxation-cum-domicile certificate or discharge certificate, if relevant
- Experience certificate, if any
- NOC from your current employer if you work in a PSU or government body
- Fee payment e-receipt
- Four recent passport-size colour photographs
- Identity proof: Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence or voter ID
OBC (NCL) candidates also give a self-undertaking about non-creamy-layer status at DV (p.9). Formats for caste, income-and-asset and disability certificates are in Annexures 1 to 4 on DVC's recruitment notices page. Sign the same way every time: the advertisement warns that different signature styles during recruitment may lead to rejection (p.14).
Another PSU Using GATE-2025: NLC India GET 2026
DVC is not the only PSU recruiting on GATE-2025 marks this season. NLC India's Graduate Executive Trainee recruitment (Advt. No. 10/2026) also accepts only GATE-2025 scores, for 143 posts in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Mining, with online registration open till 14 December 2026. Its rules are different: an age limit of 30, 60% marks, and an interview. If you have a GATE-2025 score in ME, EE, CE or MN, read our NLC GET 2026 guide and consider both.
Who Should Apply, and Who Should Skip
Apply if you qualified GATE 2025 in ME, EE, CE, IN or MN; you have a full-time degree in a listed branch with 65% (60% for SC/ST/PwBD); you are within the age limit on 6 December 2026; and you are ready to work at a DVC plant, station or mine for at least four years.
Skip if your only score is from GATE 2026 or 2024; you wrote a paper other than the one matched to your branch; your aggregate is under 65% (General/OBC/EWS); your degree was part-time or distance; or a ₹5 lakh bond would trap you while you wait for a better offer.
Our view: for a GATE-2025 candidate with a good ME or EE score who has not yet converted it into a PSU offer, this is a clean, low-cost application. ₹300, no interview, no fresh exam, and a Level-10 central pay scale. The real question is not "can I get in" but "do I want to sign for four years". Answer that before DV, not after the offer letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I apply with my GATE 2026 score?
No. The advertisement says only GATE-2025 marks out of 100 are valid for this recruitment (p.4, p.9).
Q: Can I use my GATE 2024 score?
No. The advertisement states that "GATE Marks of 2024 or prior to that are not valid".
Q: Is there an interview in DVC ET 2026?
The English advertisement mentions none. Selection is on GATE-2025 marks, with Document Verification for candidates shortlisted at 1:5 or more, and a pre-employment medical.
Q: How many posts are backlog?
16 of the 108: Mechanical 3, Electrical 5, Civil 6 and C&I 2. All are in OBC (NCL), SC or ST.
Q: What is the minimum percentage?
65% aggregate for General, OBC (NCL) and EWS; 60% for SC, ST and PwBD, in a full-time B.E./B.Tech from an AICTE-approved institution.
Q: What is the age limit?
29 for unreserved candidates as on 06-12-2026, with 3 years' relaxation for OBC (NCL), 5 for SC/ST, 10/13/15 for PwBD, and no upper limit for DVC departmental candidates.
Q: What is the salary?
₹56,100–1,77,500 in Pay Matrix Level-10 (7th CPC) during the one-year probation, continuing as Assistant Manager in the same scale. Allowances include Central DA, HRA, LTA, NPS, conveyance and medical reimbursement as per DVC rules.
Q: How much is the bond?
₹5,00,000 for General/OBC (NCL)/EWS and ₹2,50,000 for SC/ST/PwBD, plus applicable interest, for one year of probation and three years of service after it.
Q: Can I apply for both Electrical and C&I?
No. A candidate can apply for one post or discipline only.
Q: My final-year result is still pending. Can I apply?
The advertisement allows GATE-2025 qualified candidates whose final-semester (2025) result is awaited to apply, but you must show the final mark sheet and a provisional or final degree at Document Verification.
Official Sources
- DVC Advertisement No. PLR/ET/04/2026/05: Executive Trainees through GATE-2025 (PDF)
- DVC online application
- DVC Recruitment Notices (updates, Annexures 1–4, DV schedule)
- Helpline: 033-6607-2851 (technical); 033-6607 2532 / 2539 (eligibility), during office hours
- Email: recruitment@dvc.gov.in
