AIIMS and ICMR project posts look simple on paper: a one-page notice, a Google form or an email address, and a last date. That simplicity is exactly why so many good candidates miss out. There is no written exam to prepare for, no admit card and no long window. A Principal Investigator (PI) needs someone for a funded study, puts out a notice, reads what comes in, calls a handful of people for an interview and picks one. If your application arrives late, unreadable, or without the one detail the notice asked for, nobody writes back to ask.
This guide shows you how to apply properly for posts like Project Research Scientist (PRS) I–III, Project Technical Support (PTS) I–III, Project Nurse I–IV, SRF and field staff at AIIMS New Delhi, NCI Jhajjar, NDDTC Ghaziabad, other AIIMS and ICMR institutes. We read 14 project notices that AIIMS New Delhi published between 21 October and 5 November 2026, one large walk-in notice from ICMR-NITHR Jabalpur, the ICMR guidelines for project staff dated 18 October 2024, and ICMR's own recruitment pages. Every rule below comes from those documents. Where something is our advice rather than an official rule, we say so.
Pay and qualifications are not repeated here. For the exact ICMR pay of each post, read our guide to ICMR project staff salary (PRS, PTS, Project Nurse). For how JRF, SRF, Project Associate and RA posts differ, read JRF vs SRF vs Project Associate vs RA.
At a glance: your checklist
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Note the deadline and the time | Write down the date and the clock time (4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM, even 10:00 AM) | The notices we read closed at four different times; one closed at 10 AM |
| 2. Find the method | Google form, email, in person, walk-in, or two of these together | Several notices make two steps mandatory |
| 3. Check age on the right date | Usually the last date of application; at walk-ins, sometimes the interview date | Notices state the cut-off date differently |
| 4. Match essential, not desirable | Essential qualification and experience must be met; desirable only improves your chances | Experience counts only after your minimum qualification |
| 5. Prepare one clean PDF | Application form or CV, then certificates and marksheets in order | One notice asks for a "single PDF file" in plain words |
| 6. Use the right subject line | Post name + project code (+ your name) | Two notices require the post name in the subject; one also the project code |
| 7. Keep originals ready | All originals, one self-attested set, two photos | Interviews and joining need originals |
| 8. Watch your email | Check inbox and spam daily for 2–3 weeks | Shortlisting and interview calls come only by email |
Read this first: speed decides more than you think
Here is what stands out once you line up the notices side by side. Of the AIIMS New Delhi notices we read, the time between the advert date and the last date was between 5 and 19 days, and most were 10 to 15 days. The Ministry of Education-funded oral cancer project at CDER was dated 2 November and closed on 7 November 2026. The DST-funded SRF notice in Neuroanaesthesiology was headed "URGENTLY REQUIRED".
Then there is the clock. The CDER PRS-III (Medical) notice closes on 11 November at 4:00 PM. Pathology, Psychiatry and Radiation Oncology close at 5:00 PM. NCI Jhajjar's form closes at 5:30 PM. The Neurology dementia-study notice closes on 18 November at 10:00 AM. If you plan to "apply on the last day", you may have already lost a working day.
Selection is not by exam. Every notice we read says the same thing in different words: only shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview, and the call will come by email. So the PI's first look at your application is the real exam. A clean, complete, well-labelled application gets read. A blurry phone photo of a marksheet, sent without a subject line, often does not.
The practical rule: apply within two or three days of seeing the notice, and keep a ready-made application PDF on your laptop so that you only need to change the cover page for each post.
How to read an AIIMS or ICMR project notice in five minutes
Most notices follow the same layout. Look for these lines, in this order:
- Funding agency and project code. For example ICMR I-2036 (Pathology), I-2041 (Obstetrics), I-2044 (Radiation Oncology), N-2707 (NCI Jhajjar), N-2793 (NDDTC) or D644 (a DST project). The code goes into your email subject and your file name.
- Post name and number of posts. Most project notices have one post. Some, like NDDTC's 16 November walk-in, have five different posts in one notice.
- Essential qualification. This is the filter. For ICMR posts it follows the 2024 ICMR guidelines; notices often just write "as per ICMR guidelines" and link the circular.
- Desirable qualification or experience. These decide who gets shortlisted when many people meet the essential line. The Pathology notice, for instance, says candidates with CSIR-UGC NET, ICMR-NET, DBT-BET or GATE "will be given preference" for PRS-I.
- Upper age limit and the date it is counted on.
- Pay. Either "₹56,000 + HRA as admissible" or a consolidated figure. A consolidated ₹87,100 for PRS-I (Medical) and ₹36,400 for PTS-III in Delhi notices is simply the ICMR base pay plus 30% HRA (₹67,000 + 30% and ₹28,000 + 30%).
- Project duration. Pathology's project runs 23.09.2026 to 22.09.2029; the DST SRF project only till 21.03.2027. This tells you how long the job can last at most.
- How to apply and the last date with time.
Age limits: which date counts
The ICMR guidelines of 18 October 2024 do not fix an age limit for project posts. Each notice sets its own. In the notices we read: PRS-I 35 years, PRS-II 40, PRS-III 45, PTS-I 25 or 28, PTS-II 30, PTS-III 35, Project Nurse-I 25 or 28, Project Nurse-II 28.
The date matters as much as the number:
- AIIMS Radiation Oncology: "The cutoff date for determining the upper age limit shall be the last date for submission of applications."
- AIIMS CDER (PRS-III): age "as on the last date of application submission, should not exceed 45 years".
- ICMR-NITHR Jabalpur walk-in: "Age will be reckoned from date of Walk-in-interview."
Relaxation is usually 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC (the Obstetrics PrECISE notice says this in so many words). The ICMR guidelines also allow up to 5 years of relaxation, case by case, for people with experience in a Government research organisation. ICMR-NITHR adds that this relaxation for earlier ICMR project service is the lower of five years or the period you actually served. NITHR also notes that relaxation on reserved posts does not apply to unreserved posts.
Method 1: applying by email
Email is still the most common route at AIIMS New Delhi. Orthopaedics, Transplant Immunology, Obstetrics, Radiation Oncology and the DST SRF post all asked for a CV or application by email.
The subject line
Two notices spell it out. The Obstetrics PrECISE notice: "the name of the post and the project code must be clearly mentioned in the subject line." The DST SRF notice: mention "the name of the post in the subject of e-mail". No notice gives a fixed template, so use this (our suggestion):
Application for Project Nurse-II, Project Code I-2041 – Your Full Name
If one PI advertises three posts on the same email, the subject line is how your mail lands in the right pile. Never send one email for two posts; send two emails.
One PDF, in this order
The CDER notice asks you to send the application form and detailed CV "as a single PDF file". Even when a notice does not say so, one PDF is easier for a busy PI to read and forward to the selection committee. A sensible order (our suggestion, built from what the notices ask for):
- Application form, if the notice has one (CDER's form asks for your PG passing year, number of attempts, aggregate percentage and research experience), signed.
- CV with your percentage or CGPA in the qualifying exam written clearly (Radiation Oncology asks for this specifically), a recent passport-size photo, phone, email and full address with PIN code.
- Qualifying degree and marksheets. Radiation Oncology asks for "qualifying degree and marksheet only" by email, so don't attach your whole life.
- NET/GATE/ICMR-NET/BET scorecard, if you have one and it is desirable.
- Experience certificates, newest first, with dates.
- Caste/EWS/PwBD certificate if you are claiming relaxation.
Name the file so it survives forwarding: I-2041_ProjectNurseII_YourName.pdf. Keep it under about 5 MB, scan in colour at a readable resolution, and open the PDF yourself before sending to check that every page is upright and legible.
The body of the email
Four or five lines are enough: the post and project code, your qualification and year, your most relevant experience in one line, and a line saying your CV and documents are attached as a single PDF. Sign it with your name and mobile number. The Obstetrics notice warns that unsigned applications are rejected, so sign the application form and CV.
Method 2: Google form applications
Google forms are now very common. Pathology (PRS-I and PTS-I), Psychiatry (PTS-III and PRS-I Medical), CDER (PRS-III Medical) and NCI Jhajjar all used one. Things to know:
- Some notices need both a form and an email. The Neurology notice says, under "Application Procedure (Mandatory)", that you must scan the QR code and fill the form and email your CV, and that "both steps are mandatory". The CDER field investigator notice also asks for an email plus the form.
- Fill the form in one sitting. Keep your PDFs, photo, marks and experience dates open in another window.
- Type marks and dates exactly as on your certificates. The interview panel will check them against originals.
- Take a screenshot of the confirmation screen and save the email copy if the form offers one. ICMR's own recruitment portal tells candidates to take a printout of the filled form because the link may not be available after the last date; the same habit helps with Google forms.
- If the QR code does not scan, most notices also print the link. Type it carefully.
Method 3: in person and walk-in interviews
Some AIIMS notices accept a hard copy. Radiation Oncology accepts the application "in person in a sealed envelope superscribed with the name of the post" at Room 301, Main Radiotherapy. Obstetrics asks for the CV at Room 731, 7th floor, Mother and Child Block, and also by email.
A walk-in is different: you apply and get interviewed on the same day. Two current examples:
| Detail | NDDTC, AIIMS (Ghaziabad) | ICMR-NITHR Jabalpur |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Monday, 16 November 2026 | 5 and 6 November 2026 |
| Reporting time | 10:00 AM for document verification | 9 AM to 11 AM only; no entry after 11 AM |
| Venue | Board Room, 2nd floor, NDDTC, CGO Complex-II, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad | Institute campus, Nagpur Road, Jabalpur |
| Bring | CV with at least two references, all originals, one set of self-attested photocopies, two recent passport photos | Filled application in the institute's format, copies of certificates, two references |
| Age counted on | Not stated separately | Date of the walk-in interview |
For a walk-in, reach early. The 10 AM or 11 AM line is a gate, not a guideline. Carry a pen, a printed copy of the notice, and enough copies for more than one post if you are eligible for two.
Documents checklist
| Document | Email / form | Interview / joining |
|---|---|---|
| Application form (if given), signed | Yes | Carry a copy |
| CV with % / CGPA, photo, contact details, two references | Yes | Yes (NDDTC asks for two references) |
| 10th certificate (proof of date of birth) | If asked | Original + copy |
| Qualifying degree and all marksheets | Yes | Original + self-attested copy |
| Nursing registration (Project Nurse posts) | Yes | Original + copy |
| NET / GATE / ICMR-NET / BET scorecard | If desirable | Original + copy |
| Experience certificates with exact dates | Yes | Original + copy |
| SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD certificate | If claiming relaxation | Original + copy |
| Government photo ID | No | Yes |
| Two passport-size photos | Scan one | Yes |
| NOC or relieving letter (if employed) | Keep ready | Often needed at joining |
Three official points behind this table. The ICMR guidelines say certificates must be from a recognised board or university and community certificates from authorised Government officers. Radiation Oncology says selected candidates must submit self-attested photocopies. The Obstetrics notice says a candidate who does not bring original certificates at joining "will not be allowed to join".
About the NOC: none of the AIIMS notices we read demanded one at the application stage. ICMR-NITHR Jabalpur goes further: people already in regular time-scale Government service are not eligible for its project posts. If you are currently employed anywhere, ask your employer early for a NOC or confirm your notice period, because the joining date after a project interview is usually close.
How the interview and selection work
From the notices:
- Shortlisting first. The PI or committee screens applications. Meeting the essential qualification "does not guarantee selection" (ICMR-NITHR).
- Call by email only. Date, time and mode of the interview are emailed to shortlisted candidates. Psychiatry says the interview date "shall be intimated subsequently".
- Online or in person. Radiation Oncology and Obstetrics mention the "mode" or "venue/mode" of interview, which leaves room for an online interview. NCI Jhajjar says plainly that its interview "will be done in offline mode". Pathology says interviews are at AIIMS, New Delhi.
- No TA/DA. Almost every notice says no travel or daily allowance for attending; ICMR-NITHR adds none for joining either.
- Originals at the interview. CDER and Radiation Oncology ask for originals for verification.
What gets asked depends on the post. For PRS posts, expect questions on your thesis or past project, the techniques in the "desirable" list, and the study design (for example, a randomised controlled trial). For PTS and nursing posts, expect practical questions: sample collection and storage, data entry, consent, record keeping. Read the project title in the notice and look up what such a study involves; it is the most likely opening question.
Avoid calling the PI to ask about your status. The Obstetrics PTS-II notice says "No enquiries shall be entertained", and ICMR-NITHR says canvassing in any form disqualifies you. If the notice gives an enquiry email, use it once, politely.
Tenure, extensions and what happens when the project ends
All these posts are temporary. The Pathology notice: "purely temporary and co-terminus with the project". Radiation Oncology adds that the selected candidate "will have no claim for regular appointment at AIIMS, New Delhi or ICMR".
The ICMR guidelines of 18 October 2024 set the frame:
- A project staff contract is up to one year, extendable up to three years after requirement and performance review by the PI or Director, because three years is the average ICMR project tenure.
- In exceptional cases the Director General of ICMR can extend up to five years.
- If an extension is not given within the tenure, the engagement ends automatically, and there is no retrospective extension.
- Pay rises by 5% every two years, subject to review. Paid leave is 1.5 days per completed month.
Individual notices can start you on less. The Obstetrics PrECISE notice gives an initial engagement of three months only, extendable on satisfactory performance. NDDTC's posts are for one year, extendable as the project needs. ICMR-NITHR's posts were for three months or until an outsourcing contract was finalised, whichever was earlier.
When the project ends, your job ends. Before that happens: ask for an experience certificate that states the post name, project code, funding agency and exact dates; keep your pay slips; and start applying two or three months before the end date. Your project experience counts towards higher posts (PRS-II needs three years' post-qualification experience), and ICMR project service can earn you age relaxation at ICMR institutes.
Common mistakes that get applications ignored
- No post name or project code in the subject. Two notices require it.
- Doing only one of two mandatory steps. Neurology and CDER needed both a form and an email.
- Missing the clock time. 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM all appeared as cut-offs.
- Counting experience from the wrong date. Experience counts only after your minimum essential qualification (ICMR guidelines; Radiation Oncology notice), and only in the relevant field.
- Unsigned or incomplete applications. Rejected "straight away without any correspondence" (Obstetrics).
- Sending ten separate photos. Send one ordered PDF.
- Applying above the age limit on the cut-off date. Check the date the notice uses.
- Arriving at a walk-in after the reporting time. NITHR shut the gate at 11 AM.
- Not carrying originals. No originals, no joining.
- Not checking spam. Interview emails from Gmail addresses often land there.
Where to find these notices
AIIMS New Delhi posts project notices, including those for NCI Jhajjar and NDDTC Ghaziabad, on its recruitment notices page; each row opens a PDF. ICMR's "Employment Opportunities" page lists ICMR institute notices, which you can filter by institute and by "Temporary Posts". ICMR's online recruitment portal is used for regular posts such as Scientist-B, C and D and Directors, not for project posts at AIIMS. On our site, open AIIMS and ICMR project posts are collected in the research jobs section.
A few open examples as of 6 November 2026, each showing a different method:
- NDDTC AIIMS Ghaziabad walk-in, 16 November 2026 (five project posts)
- NCI AIIMS Jhajjar Project Technical Staff-III (Google form, offline interview)
- AIIMS Delhi Radiation Oncology PRS-I, Project Nurse-I, PTS-I (email or sealed envelope)
- AIIMS Delhi Psychiatry PRS-I (Medical) (Google form)
- AIIMS Delhi Obstetrics PTS-II (CV in person and by email)
Frequently asked questions
Is there an exam for AIIMS project posts?
Not in any of the notices we read. Selection is by shortlisting and interview. A PI may still give a short practical or written test at the interview, but it is not announced as an exam.
Do I need NET or GATE for an ICMR project post?
Not for PRS, PTS or Project Nurse posts under the ICMR guidelines; their essential qualifications are degrees and experience. Some notices list NET, ICMR-NET, DBT-BET or GATE as a preference. SRF posts under DST norms are different: the AIIMS SRF notice requires selection through NET or GATE or a similar national exam.
On which date is my age counted?
Whatever the notice says. AIIMS Radiation Oncology and CDER use the last date of application. ICMR-NITHR used the walk-in interview date.
What should the email subject line be?
Post name and project code, then your name, for example "Application for Project Technical Support-II, Project Code I-2041 – Your Name". Notices require at least the post name; one also requires the project code.
Can I apply for two posts in the same notice?
Yes, if you are eligible for both, but send a separate application for each post with its own subject line, and bring separate sets at a walk-in.
Will I get TA/DA for the interview?
No. Nearly every notice we read says so in writing, and the rest are silent on it. Plan your travel cost before applying to a far-off institute.
Can the interview be online?
It can. Some notices say the mode will be informed by email. Others, like NCI Jhajjar, say the interview is offline. Follow the email you receive.
How long will the job last?
Up to the end of the project. ICMR's rule is one year at a time, up to three years, and in exceptional cases five. Some notices start with three months.
Does project experience help me get a permanent AIIMS or ICMR job?
It does not give you any claim to a regular post; notices say so. It does count as relevant experience, helps with higher project posts, and ICMR project service can bring age relaxation of up to five years at ICMR institutes.
I applied but heard nothing. What now?
Silence usually means you were not shortlisted. Notices say only shortlisted candidates are contacted. Keep applying; most posts are filled within a few weeks and new ones appear every week.
Official sources
- AIIMS New Delhi recruitment notices page and the project advertisements dated 21 October to 5 November 2026 (Pathology, CDER, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radiation Oncology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Transplant Immunology, Neuroanaesthesiology, NDDTC Ghaziabad, NCI Jhajjar).
- ICMR: Amendment in the guidelines of Non-Institutional Project Human Resource Positions, No. 16/29/2023/Admn/E.Office No. 157401, 18 October 2024 (Annexure-1, pages 2–4).
- ICMR-NITHR Jabalpur, Advt. No. 06/2026-27, walk-in for project positions (pages 1, 8 and 9).
- ICMR Employment Opportunities page and ICMR Recruitment Portal.
Notices change and are sometimes corrected. Always read the latest PDF on the institute's own website before you apply.
