IREL Tradesman Trainee Recruitment 2026 – 131 Fitter, Electrician, Instrumentation & AOCP Posts, Apply by 13 November
IREL (India) Limited, the Mini Ratna PSU under the Department of Atomic Energy that mines and processes beach sand minerals and rare earths, has published Advertisement No. CO/HRM/36/2026 for 131 Tradesman Trainee posts on a regular basis. The openings are in four trades – Fitter, Electrician, Instrumentation and Attendant Operator (Chemical Plant) – at plants in Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Bhopal. You need an ITI/NAC in the trade and two years' work experience. Online registration runs from 24 October to 13 November 2026 (6 PM).
About IREL (India) Limited (Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India)
Fitter has the most seats, 93: OSCOM Chhatarpur (Odisha) 32, Chavara (Kerala) 26, Manavalakurichi (Tamil Nadu) 20, RED Aluva (Kerala) 13, and one each at REPM Visakhapatnam and RETTP Bhopal. Electrician has 12 (OSCOM 4, Chavara 3, Manavalakurichi 4, RED Aluva 1), Instrumentation has 6 (OSCOM 4, REPM 1, RETTP 1) and Attendant Operator Chemical Plant (AOCP) has 20 (Chavara 4, RED Aluva 11, REPM 3, RETTP 2). Across all 131 seats the category split is UR 81, OBC (NCL) 24, EWS 10, SC 10 and ST 6; the full unit-wise table is in section 3 of the advertisement. You may apply for only one post at one unit – applying for two disciplines gets the application rejected. The unit you choose becomes your place of posting, though the job is transferable anywhere in India. Five percent of vacancies are kept for compassionate appointments, and IREL states that none of these posts is suitable for PwBD candidates.
Vacancy Details
| Post | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Tradesman Trainee (Fitter) – OSCOM Odisha 32, Chavara 26, Manavalakurichi 20, RED Aluva 13, REPM Visakhapatnam 1, RETTP Bhopal 1 | 93 |
| Tradesman Trainee (Electrician) – OSCOM 4, Chavara 3, Manavalakurichi 4, RED Aluva 1 | 12 |
| Tradesman Trainee (Instrumentation) – OSCOM 4, REPM Visakhapatnam 1, RETTP Bhopal 1 | 6 |
| Tradesman Trainee (Attendant Operator Chemical Plant) – Chavara 4, RED Aluva 11, REPM Visakhapatnam 3, RETTP Bhopal 2 | 20 |
| Total (UR 81, EWS 10, SC 10, ST 6, OBC-NCL 24) | 131 |
Eligibility
Fitter: ITI/NAC in the Fitter trade. Electrician: ITI/NAC in the Electrician trade and a valid statutory licence (essential). Instrumentation: ITI/NAC in the Instrumentation trade. AOCP: ITI/NAC in Attendant Operator (Chemical Plant), or 10+2 Science with Chemistry as a subject and at least 50% aggregate marks. On top of the qualification every post needs two years' post-qualification experience in that trade at a reputed industrial establishment (for AOCP, in operating a chemical or allied process industry). On-the-job training and apprenticeship under the Apprentices Act, 1961 count towards this experience; teaching or research fellowships do not. Courses must be full-time and recognised by the State/Central Government. IREL's own employees can apply with SSC and four years' experience in the trade. Qualification, age and experience are all judged as on the closing date, 13 November 2026.
The upper age limit is 35 years as on 13 November 2026; the advertisement does not set a minimum age. Relaxation: OBC (NCL) 3 years, SC/ST 5 years, PwBD 10 years (13 for OBC-NCL, 15 for SC/ST), regular employees of Central/State Government, PSUs and autonomous bodies 5 years, J&K domiciles of 1980–89 5 years (plus category relaxation), ex-servicemen by length of military service plus 3 years, and IREL internal candidates 10 years. Even with all relaxations your age cannot exceed 50 years. Relaxation is given only if a valid category certificate is uploaded with the application.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement posted on irel.co.in | 24 October 2026 |
| Online registration opens | 24 October 2026 (10:00 AM) |
| Last date to apply and pay fee online | 13 November 2026 (6:00 PM) |
| Cut-off date for age, qualification and experience | 13 November 2026 |
| Computer Based Test / Skill Test | To be announced by e-mail and on irel.co.in |
Application Fee
| UR / EWS / OBC (NCL) | ₹826 (₹472 application fee + ₹354 processing fee, incl. GST) |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen / Women / IREL internal candidates | ₹354 processing fee only (application fee exempted) |
| Payment mode | Online only – Debit/Credit Card, Net Banking, Wallets, UPI; non-refundable |
Salary / Stipend
| Pay | ₹34,200 per month consolidated stipend during 1-year training (plus HRA if no bachelor accommodation); on absorption, W-3 Tradesman in ₹22,000–88,000 pay scale, CTC about ₹6.5 lakh a year |
Selected candidates first undergo one year of training with a consolidated stipend of ₹34,200 a month. During training you also get HRA at your posting place (calculated on ₹22,000) if company bachelor accommodation is not given, plus medical cover for yourself and dependants at W-3 level. After successful training you may be absorbed as Tradesman in W-3 grade, pay scale ₹22,000–88,000, with Industrial DA, HRA, increments, leave encashment, loans, insurance, uniforms, PF, gratuity and pension as per company rules. IREL puts the approximate CTC at ₹6.5 lakh a year (worked out on Y-class city HRA, so it varies with the posting).
Selection Process
Selection starts with a Computer Based Test of 2 hours with 150 MCQs in Hindi and English: Section I has 100 questions on your trade, Section II has 50 on general knowledge, reasoning, numerical ability and English. Each answer carries one mark and there is no negative marking. To qualify you need 50% in each section (UR/EWS) or 45% (SC/ST/OBC-NCL). Qualified candidates are called in merit order, five per post, for a Skill/Trade Test, which is qualifying only. The final merit list is made unit-wise and trade-wise on CBT marks alone, followed by document verification, a pre-employment medical and character verification. CBT centres are tentatively at Mumbai, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Trivandrum, Kochi, Bhopal, Indore, Chennai, Nagercoil, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada (you pick two). Sleeper-class rail fare is refunded for the Skill Test, but not for the CBT. A wait-list stays valid for one year.
How to Apply
Apply only online through the IREL recruitment portal linked on irel.co.in/careers. Step I: register with your mobile number and e-mail, verify both OTPs and note the Application Sequence Number and password that arrive. Step II: log in, fill personal, qualification and experience details, upload a photo (100–200 KB, white background, 3.5 x 4.5 cm) and signature (80–150 KB, black ink), category or ex-servicemen certificates, then pay the fee. The fee is ₹826 for UR/EWS/OBC (NCL) (₹472 application + ₹354 processing) and ₹354 for SC/ST/PwBD/ex-servicemen/women/internal candidates, payable by card, net banking, wallet or UPI and non-refundable. The last date is 13 November 2026, 6 PM. Print your form, as it cannot be downloaded after the closing date. Government/PSU employees must apply through proper channel or bring an NOC to the Skill Test. Helpdesk: 022-61087577 (Mon–Fri, 10 AM–5 PM) or hrmrect-ho@irel.co.in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many posts are in IREL Tradesman Trainee Recruitment 2026?
131: Fitter 93, Electrician 12, Instrumentation 6 and Attendant Operator Chemical Plant 20.
What is the last date to apply?
13 November 2026 up to 6 PM, including fee payment.
What qualification is needed?
ITI/NAC in the relevant trade plus two years' post-qualification experience; Electricians also need a valid statutory licence.
What is the age limit?
Up to 35 years as on 13 November 2026, with relaxation for reserved categories; the maximum after relaxation is 50.
What is the salary?
₹34,200 a month stipend during one year of training, then W-3 Tradesman pay of ₹22,000–88,000 with a CTC of about ₹6.5 lakh a year.
Is there a written exam?
Yes, a 150-question CBT with no negative marking, followed by a qualifying Skill/Trade Test.