OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026: 340 Posts Apply Now

The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has announced a major recruitment drive for 340 Assistant Section Officer (ASO) posts in the Odisha Secretariat Service, Home Department, Government of Odisha. The recruitment is being conducted through Advertisement No. 15 of 2026-27, and the notification is dated 5 November 2026. These are Group-B posts, and the selected candidates will work in the state secretariat in Bhubaneswar.

Online applications will open on 9 November 2026 and close on 30 November 2026 at 5:00 PM. The written examination is tentatively scheduled for 17 January 2027 (Sunday). Candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, have knowledge of computer application, and can speak, read and write Odia are eligible to apply. This is one of the biggest OPSC openings of the year for graduates, and the detailed vacancy break-up, dates, fee, age limit, eligibility, pay scale and exam pattern are given below.

A note on the notification date: several news reports about this recruitment appeared on 6 November 2026, but the advertisement itself is dated 5 November 2026. The date used in this post, 5 November 2026, is the advertisement date. Candidates should rely on the official OPSC website, opsc.gov.in, for the final advertisement and any corrigendum.

OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Overview

OPSC ASO Vacancy Details 2026

A total of 340 Assistant Section Officer posts are available in this recruitment. The vacancies include backlog posts, and they are divided category-wise as shown in the table below. Out of the 340 posts, 114 posts are reserved for women, which is roughly one-third of the total vacancies. The category-wise figures are as follows:

The unreserved category has the largest share with 144 posts, followed by the Scheduled Caste category with 81 posts, the Scheduled Tribe category with 77 posts, and the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category with 38 posts. The women’s reservation is built into each category: 48 of the 144 UR posts, 13 of the 38 SEBC posts, 27 of the 81 SC posts, and 26 of the 77 ST posts are reserved for women candidates.

In addition to the category-wise split, there are horizontal reservations within the 340 posts. These are not extra seats; they are adjusted against the category to which the candidate belongs. The horizontal reservations are: 25 posts for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) with 40% or more disability, of which 9 are for women; 19 posts for Ex-Servicemen; and 3 posts for Sports Persons, of which 1 is for a woman. Candidates who belong to more than one horizontal category should check the detailed advertisement for how the adjustment works.

Two points about the women’s reservation deserve attention. First, if suitable women candidates are not available in a category, the reserved posts in that category will be filled by men of the same category, so the seats do not go waste. Second, transgender candidates can also apply for these posts. Candidates claiming reservation under the SC, ST or SEBC categories must belong to those categories of Odisha, because the reservation and relaxation benefits apply only to the Odisha categories.

OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Important Dates

The application window is short — just 22 days from 9 November to 30 November 2026 — so candidates should keep their documents ready before the portal opens. The last date for both the application and the fee payment is the same: 30 November 2026 at 5:00 PM. Applications submitted after that time will not be accepted. The written examination is tentatively fixed for 17 January 2027, which is a Sunday. The detailed exam schedule, the list of examination centres, and the admit card release date will be notified later on the OPSC website, so candidates should check opsc.gov.in regularly after applying.

OPSC ASO Application Fee 2026

The application fee is Rs. 700, payable online through card, UPI, net banking or wallet. Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Persons with Disabilities categories are exempted from paying the fee. An application submitted without the fee, except by an exempted candidate, is treated as incomplete and will be rejected.

There is an important condition attached to the fee that candidates should understand before paying. The fee is refunded only to candidates who actually appear in the written examination. The refund is made to the original payment mode — the same card, UPI account, net banking account or wallet used for the payment. Candidates who pay the fee but do not appear for the written examination will not get a refund. The fee must be paid by the closing date, 30 November 2026, along with the application.

OPSC ASO Age Limit and Relaxation 2026

Candidates must be between 21 and 42 years of age as on 1 January 2026. In terms of birth dates, this means the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2 January 1984 and not later than 1 January 2005. The age will be counted as on 1 January 2026, and the date of birth recorded in the Class 10 certificate or an equivalent document will be treated as the proof of age.

Relaxation in the upper age limit is available as follows, as per the detailed advertisement:

• 5 years: SEBC, SC and ST candidates, women candidates, and Ex-Servicemen
• 10 years: Persons with Disabilities (40% or more disability)
• 15 years in total: Persons with Disabilities who are also SEBC, SC or ST candidates

Candidates who fall under more than one relaxation group get only the single most useful relaxation — the relaxations are not added together beyond the 15-year total mentioned above. The SC, ST and SEBC reservation and relaxation benefits apply only to candidates belonging to those categories of Odisha. Candidates should verify the exact relaxation applicable to them from the detailed advertisement before applying, because the age-relaxation detail is given in the advertisement and a wrong claim can lead to rejection at the document verification stage.

OPSC ASO Eligibility Criteria 2026

The eligibility conditions for the Assistant Section Officer post have three parts: educational qualification, computer knowledge, and Odia language. All three must be satisfied, and the qualification must be held by the closing date of the application, 30 November 2026.

Educational qualification: A candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification. There is no restriction on the subject of the degree — graduates from arts, science, commerce, engineering or any other stream can apply, provided the degree is from a recognised university. In addition, the candidate must have adequate knowledge in computer application, as specified in the Schedule to the advertisement. Candidates should read the detailed advertisement carefully on this point, because the Schedule describing the computer knowledge requirement is a part of the advertisement and the exact expectation should be confirmed from it before applying.

Odia language: Every candidate must be able to speak, read and write Odia. This condition is met if the candidate satisfies at least one of the following:

• Passed the Middle School examination with Odia as a language subject; OR
• Passed the Matriculation or equivalent examination with Odia as the medium of examination in non-language subjects; OR
• Passed Odia as a language subject in the final examination of Class VII or above; OR
• Passed a test in Odia at the Middle English School standard, conducted by the School and Mass Education Department.

Other conditions and cautions: Candidates should note the following points from the detailed advertisement. The SEBC certificate must have been issued on or after 10 November 2023, and an OBC certificate is not accepted in place of an SEBC certificate. Women candidates claiming SEBC, SC or ST reservation need a certificate showing “daughter of” and not “wife of”. Children of Ex-Servicemen cannot use the Ex-Servicemen posts — the benefit is for the ex-serviceman himself or herself. Each candidate must create only one PPSAN account; multiple PPSAN applications by the same candidate are liable to be rejected. For any doubt about certificates or the computer-knowledge requirement, candidates can contact the OPSC Facilitation Counter on 0671-2304141 or 2305611, extension 205.

OPSC ASO Salary / Pay Scale 2026

The selected Assistant Section Officers will be paid a basic pay of Rs. 35,400 at Level 9, Cell 1 of the Pay Matrix under Rule 3 of the Odisha Revised Scales of Pay (ORSP) Rules, 2017. In addition to the basic pay, the appointees will receive the usual dearness allowance (DA) and other allowances as sanctioned by the Government of Odisha from time to time. The ASO is a Group-B post in the Odisha Secretariat Service, and the posting is in the state secretariat, which makes it one of the most sought-after graduate-level posts in Odisha.

Appointees will be covered under the contributory pension scheme, and an NPS (National Pension System) application is compulsory at the time of joining, as per the detailed advertisement. Candidates should not rely on any unofficial figure for the total monthly salary: only the basic pay of Rs. 35,400 at Level 9, Cell 1, plus DA and allowances, is confirmed in the advertisement, and the actual in-hand salary will depend on the allowances in force at the time of joining.

OPSC ASO Selection Process and Exam Pattern 2026

Selection is made in two stages: a Written Examination followed by a Skill Test in Computer Application (practical). Document verification is carried out before the skill test. There is no interview in this recruitment. The final merit list is prepared on the basis of the written examination marks only — the skill test is qualifying in nature.

The written examination carries 400 marks in total. All questions are multiple-choice questions (MCQs), each carrying 1 mark, and there is negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. The medium of the examination is English, except for the Odia paper. The paper-wise pattern below is as given in the detailed advertisement:

Each written paper has a qualifying mark that a candidate must secure: 35% for UR and SEBC candidates, 30% for SC and ST candidates, and 28% for PwD candidates. Ex-Servicemen and Sports Persons follow the qualifying standard of their caste category. Candidates who clear the written examination are called for the skill test in the ratio of about 1.5 times the number of vacancies in each category, based on the written examination marks.

The skill test is a practical test in computer application. It covers Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint), MS Access, and the use of the internet. The pass mark for the skill test is 40%. The skill test is qualifying only — its marks are not counted in the final merit. The final merit and rank are decided on the written examination marks alone. In case of a tie in the written marks, the candidate with higher marks in Paper I (General Awareness) is ranked higher, and if the tie still persists, the older candidate is placed higher.

A note on the pattern: the written examination and the skill test are confirmed by multiple sources, but the paper-wise break-up, the qualifying percentages and the skill-test syllabus given above are drawn from the detailed advertisement. Candidates should treat the detailed advertisement on opsc.gov.in as the final authority for the syllabus and the examination scheme, and prepare accordingly.

How to Apply for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026

Applications are accepted online only, through the OPSC website. The apply link goes live on 9 November 2026, and no offline application will be accepted. Follow these steps:

1. Visit the official website opsc.gov.in and find the OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026 advertisement (Advt. No. 15 of 2026-27) and the apply link.
2. Register on the portal to get your Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN). Keep your PPSAN, mobile number and email address safe — they will be used for all future communication. Create only one PPSAN account; multiple PPSAN applications are liable to be rejected.
3. Log in with your PPSAN and fill in the online application form carefully — personal details, educational qualification, category, and the Odia language condition.
4. Upload your photograph, signature, and the required certificates, including caste, PwD, ex-servicemen or sports certificates wherever applicable.
5. Pay the application fee of Rs. 700 online (SC/ST/PwD candidates are exempted) and submit the form before 30 November 2026, 5:00 PM.
6. Save the application number and a copy of the submitted form, along with the payment receipt, for future reference.

Check every field before the final submit, because the details entered in the form — especially the name, date of birth, category and mobile number — may not be editable after submission. If any correction window is announced, it will be published on the OPSC website. Candidates are advised to apply well before the last date, because the portal usually slows down under heavy traffic in the closing hours and no extension has been announced.

OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Important Links

No direct link to the official notification PDF could be verified at the time of writing, so only the OPSC homepage is linked here. Candidates should open opsc.gov.in and look for Advertisement No. 15 of 2026-27 in the recruitment or advertisement section to read the detailed advertisement.

FAQs – OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026

How many posts are there in OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

There are 340 Assistant Section Officer (ASO), Group-B posts in the Odisha Secretariat Service, under Advertisement No. 15 of 2026-27. The category-wise split is UR 144, SEBC 38, SC 81 and ST 77, with 114 posts reserved for women.

What is the last date to apply for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

The last date to apply online and pay the fee is 30 November 2026 at 5:00 PM. Online applications open on 9 November 2026.

What is the application fee for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

The fee is Rs. 700 for all candidates except SC, ST and PwD candidates, who are exempted. The fee is refunded only to candidates who actually appear in the written examination, to the original payment mode.

What is the age limit for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

Candidates must be between 21 and 42 years of age as on 1 January 2026 (born between 2 January 1984 and 1 January 2005). Relaxation of 5 years applies to SEBC, SC, ST, women and Ex-Servicemen candidates, 10 years to PwD candidates, and 15 years in total to PwD candidates who are also SEBC, SC or ST.

What is the qualification for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, plus adequate knowledge in computer application. The candidate must also be able to speak, read and write Odia, and must satisfy at least one of the four Odia conditions given in the advertisement.

What is the salary of an OPSC ASO?

The basic pay is Rs. 35,400 at Level 9, Cell 1 of the Pay Matrix under the ORSP Rules, 2017, plus usual DA and other allowances as sanctioned by the Government of Odisha.

What is the OPSC ASO exam date 2027?

The written examination is tentatively scheduled for 17 January 2027 (Sunday). The detailed schedule and admit card dates will be notified later on opsc.gov.in.

What is the selection process for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

Selection is through a written examination of 400 marks (with 0.25 negative marking per wrong answer) followed by a qualifying skill test in computer application (40% pass mark). Document verification is done before the skill test, and the final merit is based on the written examination marks only.

Is Odia language compulsory for OPSC ASO Recruitment 2026?

Yes. Every candidate must be able to speak, read and write Odia, and must meet at least one of the four conditions in the advertisement — for example, having passed the Middle School examination with Odia as a language subject, or Matriculation with Odia as the medium of examination.

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