OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer 2026: 238 Posts Open

OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer Recruitment 2026: Overview

The Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) has released the detailed advertisement for the recruitment of 238 Ophthalmic Officer posts in 29 district establishments under the Health & Family Welfare Department of the Government of Odisha. The detailed advertisement, numbered IIE-103/2026-3282/OSSSC, is dated 5 November 2026, and it follows the short notice IIE-103/2026-3226/OSSSC dated 30 October 2026.

This is a district cadre Group-C recruitment, which means selected candidates will be posted in district establishments across Odisha rather than at a single state headquarters. The posts carry Pay Matrix Level-7 with an entry basic pay of Rs. 25,500, and the pay scale runs from Rs. 25,500 to Rs. 81,100.

Online registration opened on 5 November 2026 and will close on 29 November 2026. The final online application must be submitted by 5 December 2026. Candidates should note the two deadlines carefully: registration alone does not count as an application, and only a complete application submitted by 5 December will be accepted.

Eligibility is narrow and specific. A +2 Science qualification alone is not enough. Candidates must also have completed a two-year Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) or Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant (COSA) training course from a Government or Government-recognised institution in Odisha, and they must hold valid registration with the Ophthalmic Officers’ Council in Odisha at the time of application. Candidates also need to satisfy the Odia language requirement. The age limit is 21 to 42 years as on 5 November 2026, with relaxations for reserved categories.

Selection will be through a 100-mark written examination of two hours, followed by document verification and district allotment on merit. The examination fee is Rs. 500 for most candidates, while SC, ST and PwD candidates are exempted, and the fee is refundable to candidates who actually appear for the examination.

OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer Vacancy 2026

OSSSC has announced 238 District Cadre Group-C Ophthalmic Officer vacancies across 29 district establishments in Odisha. The district-wise distribution is given in Annexure-I of the detailed advertisement, and the figures below are taken from that distribution.

Mayurbhanj has the highest number of vacancies with 18, followed by Sundargarh with 16 and Ganjam with 15. Deogarh and Nuapada have the fewest, with 2 posts each.

The category-wise distribution is as follows. The women-earmarked figures are included within the 238 advertised vacancies and must not be added separately.

Special-category reservations for eligible Ex-Servicemen, sportspersons and Persons with Disabilities are also provided in Annexure-I of the advertisement.

Important Dates

The two-step deadline is the most important thing to get right. Registration or re-registration must be completed by 29 November 2026. After registering, candidates must separately fill and submit the online application form by 5 December 2026. Merely obtaining a registration number does not mean the application has been filed, and incomplete applications will be summarily rejected.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must satisfy every eligibility condition by the date specified in the detailed advertisement. The conditions are set out below.

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have passed +2 Science or its equivalent, and must have successfully completed the prescribed two-year certified ophthalmic training programme. The training must be the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) course or the Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant (COSA) course, completed at a Government or Government-recognised institution of Odisha.

A +2 Science qualification alone is not sufficient. Candidates who have passed +2 Science but do not possess the prescribed professional training qualification are not eligible.

Professional Registration

Candidates must have registered their names with the Ophthalmic Officers’ Council in Odisha and must possess a valid registration certificate when submitting the online application form. The registration certificate must be uploaded as required by the application portal. Candidates should not assume that they can obtain the mandatory registration only after the recruitment examination.

Odia Language Requirement

Candidates must be able to read, write and speak Odia, and must satisfy at least one of the following prescribed language-related qualification conditions:

• Passed the Middle School Examination with Odia as a language subject.
• Passed Matriculation or equivalent with Odia as the medium of examination in non-language subjects.
• Passed Odia as a language subject in the final examination of Class VII from a recognised institution.
• Passed the prescribed Odia language test at M.E. School standard conducted by the competent authority.

Knowing conversational Odia alone does not replace the required supporting language qualification or certificate.

Other Conditions

Candidates must be Indian citizens, possess good character, and satisfy the marriage-related and other eligibility conditions prescribed under the relevant Odisha Government service rules.

Age Limit

The minimum age is 21 years and the maximum age is 42 years, calculated as on the detailed advertisement date, 5 November 2026.

Eligible contractual Ophthalmic Assistants working under the Odisha Health & Family Welfare Society or relevant schemes may receive the notified upper-age limit of 45 years, provided they satisfy the eligibility conditions and upload the prescribed employment records. Cumulative relaxation is generally restricted, with specific provisions for eligible PwD candidates belonging to SC, ST or SEBC categories. Candidates must follow the detailed advertisement when calculating their applicable age limit.

Salary and Pay Scale

Selected Ophthalmic Officers will be appointed under Pay Matrix Level-7, Cell-01, with the notified pay scale of Rs. 25,500 to Rs. 81,100 under the Odisha Revised Scales of Pay Rules, 2017. The initial basic pay is Rs. 25,500.

Candidates should note that Rs. 25,500 is the notified entry basic pay, not the guaranteed in-hand salary. Applicable allowances and deductions will be governed by the Odisha Government’s prevailing service rules.

Application Fee

The examination fee is Rs. 500 for candidates other than those belonging to the notified exempted categories. Payment is made online through net banking, credit card, debit card or UPI using the OSSSC payment gateway.

The advertisement provides for a refund of the Rs. 500 examination fee to candidates who actually appear for the examination. The refund will be processed after the examination through the mechanism prescribed by the commission. Candidates who do not attend the examination are not eligible for the refund, and failure to generate the required payment confirmation may also result in an incomplete application.

Selection Process

Selection is based on a 100-mark written examination, followed by document verification, screening and district allotment. The stages are:

1. Online Registration: Candidates register or re-register through the OSSSC website.
2. Application Submission: Complete the recruitment-specific online application and pay the applicable fee.
3. Written Examination: Appear for the 100-mark objective examination.
4. Provisional Merit List: OSSSC prepares the relevant category-wise merit list from examination marks.
5. Document Verification: Shortlisted candidates present original qualification, registration, category and other supporting certificates.
6. District Allotment: Allocation is carried out according to merit, district vacancies, reservation and available preferences.
7. Final Selection: Appointment is subject to successful verification and the recommendation and appointment procedures prescribed by the competent authorities.

OSSSC may shortlist candidates for verification based on the number of vacancies and the applicable category-wise requirements, including a minimum shortlisting ratio of 1.25 times the notified category-wise vacancies where applicable. Provisional inclusion in the merit list does not guarantee appointment, and any discrepancy between the online application and original documents may lead to rejection.

Exam Pattern and Syllabus

The written examination carries 100 marks and has a duration of two hours. It will be held in objective multiple-choice format through OMR or CBRE mode, as notified later. The subject-wise break-up is:

Negative marking of 0.25 marks applies for each incorrect answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty. The minimum qualifying marks are 40% for General and other non-concession categories, and 35% for SC, ST, PwD, Ex-Servicemen and sportsperson categories. Meeting the minimum qualifying marks does not guarantee selection, since final shortlisting depends on examination performance, category-wise merit and the number of vacancies.

If two or more candidates obtain equal written examination scores, the commission will apply the prescribed tie-breaking criteria: first, higher percentage marks in the qualifying Ophthalmic Assistant or Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant examination; second, higher age, where the professional qualification percentage is also equal; third, higher Class 12 examination marks, if the tie continues; and finally, other criteria determined by the commission.

District Preference and Posting

Ophthalmic Officer is a district cadre post, and candidates are recruited for district establishments under the Health & Family Welfare Department. Candidates must exercise district preferences through the online application process, and the commission may provide a subsequent opportunity to revise or re-exercise district choices.

District preference does not guarantee appointment to a particular district. Final allotment depends on examination merit, category reservation, district vacancies and the applicable allocation procedure. If a candidate does not use an available revision facility, the district preferences already submitted may be treated as final, so candidates should monitor official recruitment notices and meet any preference-revision deadlines.

Documents Required

Candidates should keep their original certificates and supporting records ready for application and subsequent verification:

• Class 10 certificate or equivalent age proof.
• +2 Science certificate and marksheet.
• Two-year Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Training Course or Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant Course certificate.
• Valid registration certificate from the Ophthalmic Officers’ Council, Odisha.
• Odia language qualification certificate or prescribed language-test evidence.
• Valid photo identity proof.
• Recent passport-size photograph and scanned signature in JPG, JPEG or PNG format.
• SC, ST or SEBC certificate, where applicable.
• PwD certificate or UDID card, where applicable.
• Ex-Servicemen discharge and service documents, where applicable.
• Sports qualification certificate, if claiming the applicable reservation.
• Appointment letters and relevant employment documents for eligible contractual Ophthalmic Assistants claiming the notified age relaxation.

How to Apply Online

1. Visit the official website at osssc.gov.in.
2. Open the Apply Online section.
3. Select the Ophthalmic Officer Recruitment 2026 application.
4. If you are a new user, select New User Registration.
5. If you have registered previously for OSSSC recruitment, select the prescribed Re-registration option.
6. Carefully complete the registration or re-registration process.
7. Keep the generated User ID and other login credentials secure.
8. Log in to the OSSSC applicant portal.
9. Open the Ophthalmic Officer online application form.
10. Enter the requested personal, educational and professional qualification details.
11. Provide the relevant Ophthalmic Officers’ Council registration information.
12. Enter the applicable category, reservation and other eligibility details.
13. Complete the district preference section as provided in the application form.
14. Upload the required photograph, signature and supporting documents.
15. Pay the applicable examination fee through the online payment gateway.
16. Check that the payment and application confirmation have been generated.
17. Review the application carefully and complete final submission.
18. Save the application details for future reference.
19. Complete registration by 29 November 2026 and final application submission by 5 December 2026.

Candidates must submit a complete online application. Incomplete applications will be summarily rejected, and more than one application submitted by the same candidate may also result in cancellation of the candidature.

Admit Card

OSSSC will announce the written examination date and admit card availability through its official website. Eligible candidates must download their admission letter using the designated applicant login or admission-letter facility. The commission will not send admission letters by post. Applicants should regularly check official notices, their registered mobile number and their email account. The examination date and admit card release date are not yet announced, and this post will be updated when OSSSC notifies them.

Important Links

Note: No direct deep link to the detailed notification PDF is given here, because no verified official PDF link was available at the time of publishing. Candidates should open the OSSSC website and look for Advertisement No. IIE-103/2026-3282/OSSSC dated 5 November 2026 in the advertisements section. The written examination date, admit card date and document verification dates are yet to be announced by the commission.

FAQs

How many vacancies are announced in OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer Recruitment 2026?

A total of 238 District Cadre Group-C Ophthalmic Officer vacancies have been announced across 29 district establishments in Odisha under the Health & Family Welfare Department.

What is the last date to apply for OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer 2026?

Online registration closes on 29 November 2026, and the final online application must be submitted by 5 December 2026. Registration alone does not count as an application.

What qualification is needed for the Ophthalmic Officer post?

Candidates need +2 Science along with a two-year Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) or Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant (COSA) training course from a Government or Government-recognised institution in Odisha, plus valid registration with the Ophthalmic Officers’ Council in Odisha.

What is the age limit for OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer 2026?

The age limit is 21 to 42 years as on 5 November 2026. SC, ST, SEBC and women candidates get 5 years of relaxation, PwD candidates get 10 years, and eligible contractual Ophthalmic Assistants can apply up to 45 years subject to conditions.

What is the application fee for OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer?

The examination fee is Rs. 500 for General and SEBC candidates. SC, ST and PwD candidates are exempted. Candidates who actually appear for the examination are eligible for a refund of the fee.

What is the exam pattern for OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer 2026?

The written examination has 100 objective questions carrying 100 marks, with a duration of two hours. It covers the ophthalmic course syllabus (60 marks), practical skills (25 marks), arithmetic (10 marks) and English (5 marks), with negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

What is the salary of an OSSSC Ophthalmic Officer?

Selected candidates are appointed under Pay Matrix Level-7, Cell-01, with a pay scale of Rs. 25,500 to Rs. 81,100. The entry basic pay is Rs. 25,500.

Is registration with the Ophthalmic Officers’ Council mandatory?

Yes. Candidates must hold valid registration with the Ophthalmic Officers’ Council in Odisha at the time of submitting the online application, and the registration certificate must be uploaded on the portal.

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