Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Power, has opened online applications for 319 Engineer Trainee (ET-2026) posts through GATE 2026. Eligible engineering graduates can apply online from 3 November 2026 (5:00 PM) to 18 November 2026 (11:59 PM) on the official POWERGRID website.
The recruitment is under Advertisement No. CC/04/2025 dated 27 September 2025, with the vacancy notice published on 3 November 2026. There is no separate written examination — selection is based on the GATE 2026 score, followed by a Group Discussion and a Personal Interview. Only GATE 2026 scores are valid; scores from GATE 2025 or earlier are not accepted.
This article covers the complete details of the PGCIL Engineer Trainee Recruitment 2026 — important dates, vacancy details, eligibility, age limit, application fee, salary, selection process and the step-by-step application procedure — all taken from the official advertisement and vacancy notice.
Recruitment Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Body | Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID / PGCIL) |
| Recruitment Name | Engineer Trainee (ET-2026) through GATE 2026 |
| Advertisement Number | CC/04/2025 dated 27 September 2025 (vacancy notice dated 3 November 2026) |
| Total Vacancies | 319 (309 regular + 10 backlog) |
| Recruitment Through | GATE 2026 score |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Job Location | Anywhere in India or abroad, mostly at project sites |
| Official Website | https://www.powergrid.in/ |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Detailed Advertisement Published | 27 September 2025 |
| Vacancy Notice Published | 3 November 2026 |
| Online Application and Fee Payment Starts | 3 November 2026 (5:00 PM) |
| Last Date for Online Application and Fee Payment | 18 November 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Group Discussion and Interview | To be announced |
Vacancy Details
POWERGRID has announced 319 Engineer Trainee posts in three disciplines. The original detailed advertisement had also listed Electronics (GATE paper EC) as a tentative discipline, but the vacancy notice dated 3 November 2026 announces posts only in Electrical, Civil and Computer Science.
| Discipline | GATE 2026 Paper | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | EE | 250 |
| Civil | CE | 48 |
| Computer Science | CS | 21 |
| Total | 319 |
Category-wise reservation for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), EWS, SC, ST and PwBD will be as per Government of India rules. Candidates should check the careers section of powergrid.in for the category-wise break-up.
Educational Qualification (Eligibility)
| Discipline | Degree Branches Accepted | GATE 2026 Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | Electrical / Electrical (Power) / Electrical and Electronics / Power Systems Engineering / Power Engineering (Electrical) | EE |
| Civil | Civil Engineering | CE |
| Computer Science | Computer Science / Computer Engineering / Information Technology | CS |
- Degree: Full-time B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Sc. (Engg.) from a recognised university or institute.
- Marks: Minimum 60% marks or equivalent CGPA. For SC / ST / PwBD candidates applying against reserved posts, the requirement is relaxed to pass marks.
- GATE: Must have appeared and qualified in the matching GATE 2026 paper. GATE 2025 or older scores are not valid.
- Final-year students: Candidates in the final year may apply if they expect their final result by 14 August 2026 and had at least 60% marks up to the pre-final examination.
- Candidates working in Government organisations or PSUs must produce a No Objection Certificate at the interview.
Age Limit
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 18 years |
| Maximum Age | 28 years |
| Age Cut-off Date | 31 December 2025 |
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| PwBD (UR / EWS) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC-NCL) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen / Riot victims | As per Government of India rules |
Note: The detailed advertisement gives the age cut-off as 31 December 2025. Candidates should verify the latest notice on powergrid.in in case the age cut-off date has been revised.
Application Fee
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) / EWS | Rs. 500 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen / Departmental | Nil |
The fee is non-refundable and must be paid online after logging in to the candidate section. The application is treated as complete only after the fee is paid.
Salary
| Stage | Pay Scale | Approximate CTC per Year |
|---|---|---|
| During 1-year training | Rs. 40,000 – 3% – Rs. 1,40,000 (IDA); basic pay Rs. 40,000 | Rs. 11.00 lakh |
| After training (Engineer, E2) | Rs. 50,000 – 3% – Rs. 1,60,000 (IDA) | Rs. 22.50 lakh |
During training, trainees get basic pay with IDA, HRA and perks at 12% of basic pay. After regularisation, the package includes DA, cafeteria perks, Performance Related Pay, company accommodation or HRA, conveyance and digital reimbursement, laptop, PF, gratuity, pension, leave encashment, group insurance and medical facilities. The CTC varies with the place of posting. Selected candidates must sign a bond of Rs. 5,00,000 for General / OBC (NCL) / EWS and Rs. 2,50,000 for SC / ST / PwBD candidates to complete the training and then serve POWERGRID for at least three years.
Selection Process
There is no separate written examination. Selection is based on the GATE 2026 score, Group Discussion and Personal Interview, followed by a pre-employment medical examination.
| Stage | Weightage |
|---|---|
| GATE 2026 marks (out of 100, normalised) in the matching paper | 85% |
| Group Discussion | 3% |
| Personal Interview | 12% |
| Total | 100% |
- Candidates are shortlisted category-wise for Group Discussion and Interview based on their GATE 2026 normalised marks.
- Shortlisted candidates may also take a psychometric assessment, used as input in the interview.
- Group Discussion has no qualifying marks. The interview must be qualified — 40% for UR / EWS and 30% for OBC (NCL) / SC / ST / PwBD (for reserved posts).
- Group Discussion and interview can be taken in Hindi or English.
- Tie-breaker: If marks are equal, the older candidate is placed higher.
- Final appointment depends on passing the pre-employment medical examination.
How to Apply
- Visit the official POWERGRID website at https://www.powergrid.in/ and open the Careers / Job Opportunities section.
- Open the Engineer Trainee 2026 through GATE 2026 recruitment link (Advertisement No. CC/04/2025).
- Register with your GATE 2026 Application Number, GATE 2026 Registration Number, email ID and mobile number.
- Fill in your personal, educational and category details. Final-year students should enter marks up to the pre-final examination.
- Upload the required documents, including the GATE 2026 admit card and score card, mark sheets and degree certificate, and category certificates in the Central Government format, if applicable.
- Log in and pay Rs. 500 online (not required for SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen candidates).
- Submit the form before 11:59 PM on 18 November 2026 and save a copy for your records.
For queries, candidates can email the POWERGRID recruitment team. For technical issues, use the subject line format given in the official advertisement.
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Recruitment Page — Engineer Trainee 2026 through GATE 2026 | https://www.powergrid.in/en/job-opportunities/recruitment-engineer-trainees-2026-through-gate-2026-advt-no-cc042025-dated |
| Apply Online (POWERGRID Careers Portal) | https://careers.powergrid.in/ |
| POWERGRID Official Website | https://www.powergrid.in/ |
| Official Notification — Advertisement No. CC/04/2025 | Available on the official website powergrid.in |
FAQs
Q1. How many vacancies are there in the PGCIL Engineer Trainee Recruitment 2026? A total of 319 posts — Electrical 250, Civil 48 and Computer Science 21 — under Advertisement No. CC/04/2025.
Q2. What is the last date to apply for the PGCIL Engineer Trainee Recruitment 2026? The last date to apply online and pay the fee is 18 November 2026, up to 11:59 PM. Applications opened on 3 November 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Q3. Which GATE paper is needed for PGCIL Engineer Trainee 2026? GATE 2026 in EE for Electrical, CE for Civil and CS for Computer Science. GATE 2025 or older scores are not accepted.
Q4. What is the educational qualification required? A full-time B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Sc. (Engg.) in the relevant branch with at least 60% marks (pass marks for SC / ST / PwBD candidates on reserved posts), along with a valid GATE 2026 score in the matching paper.
Q5. What is the age limit for the PGCIL Engineer Trainee post? The upper age limit is 28 years as on 31 December 2025, with relaxations as per Government of India rules.
Q6. What is the application fee? Rs. 500 for General / OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) / EWS candidates. SC, ST, PwBD, Ex-Servicemen and departmental candidates are exempted from the fee.
Q7. What is the salary of a PGCIL Engineer Trainee? Basic pay of Rs. 40,000 during the one-year training with an approximate CTC of Rs. 11 lakh. After training, the CTC is about Rs. 22.5 lakh in the E2 scale (Rs. 50,000–Rs. 1,60,000).
Q8. How are candidates selected? There is no separate written examination. Selection is based on GATE 2026 marks (85%), Group Discussion (3%) and Personal Interview (12%), followed by a medical examination.
Q9. Is there a service bond in the PGCIL Engineer Trainee recruitment? Yes. Rs. 5 lakh for General / OBC / EWS and Rs. 2.5 lakh for SC / ST / PwBD candidates, for the training period plus three years of service.