Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research
Contractual / Regular

IIT Madras Research Associate Recruitment 2026

Sourced from Official Government PDF
Sep. 21, 2026
Research Associate - III

Required Qualification

Post Graduation3
Ph.D1
★
Get Job Alerts on Google
Save Job

Quick Recruitment Snapshot

Key recruitment parameters at a glance before you apply

Vacancies
1 Post
Pay Scale
₹67,000/- + 30% HRA Per Month (₹87,100/- Total)
Age Limit
As per IIT Madras & Project Norms
Job Location
Tamil Nadu87Chennai26

Crucial Recruitment Dates

Official schedule & key deadlines

Published

Sep 18, 2026

2

Starts

Sep 18, 2026

3

Deadline

Sep 27, 2026

4

Exam Date

TBA

Application Window18 – 27 Sep 2026
Exam / Test DateTo Be Announced

Eligibility Criteria & Educational Qualifications

Who is eligible to apply for this recruitment? Check essential educational qualifications, branch/stream criteria, and age limits.

Educational Qualification

Ph.D./MS or equivalent degree in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Optics, Photonics, Instrumentation Engineering, Data Sciences, or related field; OR ME/M.Tech with at least 3 years of research, teaching, or design and development experience and minimum 1 research paper in an SCI journal. Essential expertise in RF signal processing, microwave photonics, analog optical link characterization, and high-frequency test instrumentation (VNAs, OSAs, RF spectrum analyzers).

Age Limit & Relaxations

Crucial date for determining eligibility criteria is 27.09.2026. Age and experience requirements are relaxable for candidates belonging to SC/ST categories or exceptionally outstanding candidates at the discretion of the Institute.

Check Your Age Eligibility

Selection Procedure & Screening Stages

Verified Official Source

Multi-stage interview and rubric-based evaluation procedure.

Application Screening & Shortlisting

OnlineQualifying Only

Technical Interview / Presentation

HybridMerit Scored

Document Verification

OfflineQualifying Only

Candidates will be shortlisted based on educational qualifications, SCI publication record, and relevance of research experience in microwave photonics and analog optical links. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a Technical Interview/Test by the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Madras. Final appointment is subject to credential verification and submission of No Objection Certificate (NOC) if currently employed.

Selection Criteria & Marking Scheme

Verified Official Source

Official weightage breakdown, qualification scoring, and interview evaluation criteria.

Evaluation Area / ComponentAssessment Criteria & Guidelines
Evaluation ComponentEvaluation of Ph.D./MS/M.Tech academic standing, quality and impact factor of SCI-indexed journal publications in optical/RF engineering.
Evaluation ComponentTechnical interview assessing core foundational concepts in RF signal processing, electro-optic modulators, narrow-linewidth lasers, photodiodes, and high-speed analog optical link design.
Evaluation ComponentPractical competency in operating Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs), Optical Spectrum Analyzers (OSAs), RF spectrum analyzers, link gain, noise figure, SFDR, phase noise, and automated test programming (Python, LabVIEW, PyVISA).

Aspirant Ground Reality & Career Trajectory

Verified Official Source

Practical service rules, posting locations, transfer policy, and promotion ladder curated from official gazettes.

Work Culture & Environment

Office/fieldwork balance, duties, organizational environment.

The Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC&SR) at IIT Madras, Chennai manages sponsored R&D projects with world-class laboratory infrastructure. In the Department of Electrical Engineering under Prof. Deepa Venkitesh, the Research Associate - III works in cutting-edge Microwave Photonics and high-speed analog optical link laboratories. The environment is academically rigorous and research-intensive, centered on precision alignment of optoelectronic hardware (narrow-linewidth lasers, electro-optic modulators, high-power photodiodes), RF system characterization (VNAs, OSAs, spectrum analyzers), and automation scriptwriting (Python, PyVISA, LabVIEW). Typical lab hours are 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM (Monday to Friday), with extended flexible hours during active experimental measurements, journal paper drafting, and project milestone deliveries.

Posting & Transfer Policy

Initial posting criteria, zone preferences, transfer liability.

Stationed at the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras Main Campus, Adyar/Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The position is purely temporary and contractual, initially for a duration of one year, extendable on an annual basis depending on performance evaluation and sponsored project funding availability. Tenure completion confers no right for absorption, regular faculty recruitment, or permanent institute cadre status.

Career & Promotion Ladder

Promotion timeline, seniority ladder, pay grade scaling.

The Research Associate - III role represents the senior-most post-doctoral / experienced researcher slab under Government of India DST/CSIR sponsored project norms, offering ₹67,000/- + 30% HRA per month. While project positions do not have internal permanent cadre promotions, high-impact SCI publications, hands-on microwave photonic prototyping, and project coordination at IIT Madras create a premier gateway to tenure-track Assistant Professorships at IITs/NITs, senior scientist roles at ISRO/DRDO/SAMEER, or principal R&D engineer positions in multinational semiconductor and optical transceiver firms.
Crucial Application Warnings & Eligibility Traps

Avoid common application rejection triggers, photo/signature guidelines, and certificate validity windows.

  • Strict Online Submission: Applications must be submitted through the official IC&SR portal (https://icandsr.iitm.ac.in/careers/current_openings.php). Hard copies sent by post will not be accepted.
  • No Post-Submission Edits: The online application form cannot be edited or reverted once submitted. Candidates must review all entered credentials, publication records, and uploaded files prior to final submission.
  • Single Registration Constraint: Multiple applications by a candidate for the same post using different login credentials are strictly prohibited and will result in summary cancellation.
  • Mandatory NOC for Internal Applicants: Candidates currently working in any project at IIT Madras must apply through proper channel and produce an official No Objection Certificate (NOC) at the time of interview.

Category-Wise Vacancy Breakdown & Pay Scale

Detailed post distribution across UR, OBC, EWS, SC, ST quotas and 7th CPC Pay Matrix / Monthly Stipend.

Category-Wise Vacancy Distribution

  • UR1
  • OBC0
  • EWS0
  • SC0
  • ST0
Total Vacancies1 Post

Pay Scale & Monthly Remuneration

Consolidated pay of ₹67,000/- plus 30% HRA per month under the Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC&SR), IIT Madras.

Consolidated monthly pay of ₹67,000/- plus 30% HRA (₹20,100/-), totaling ₹87,100/- per month.

How to Apply Online Step-by-Step?

Follow this verified step-by-step application procedure on the official recruitment portal.

Application Procedure

  1. Visit the official IIT Madras IC&SR recruitment portal at https://icandsr.iitm.ac.in/careers/current_openings.php.
  2. Locate Advertisement Number Advt.191/2026 for the post of Research Associate - III (Dept. of Electrical Engineering).
  3. Register or log in using an active, valid email ID.
  4. Fill out the online application form with personal, educational, research publication, and technical experience details.
  5. Upload required documents including CV, degree certificates, SCI publication reprints, and relevant experience certificates.
  6. Review the completed form carefully before final submission, as applications cannot be edited or reverted once submitted.
  7. Submit the application online on or before 27th September 2026. Take a printout of the submitted form for future interview and document verification reference (do not send hard copies by post).

Application Fee & Category Concessions

No application fee is prescribed (Nil / Free for all candidates).

Official Notification & Portal Verification

Direct links to the authorized government portal, official notification PDF, and career portal.

Verified Official Domain
Visit Official Website

72h Deadline Tracker

Free Extension

Never miss closing dates on SSC & UPSC portals • Real-time alerts & zero fake links

Get Extension →

Prepare Your Application Documents

🔒 100% Secure & In-Browser: Filling out the application form? Use these free utilities to easily format and compress your uploads. All tools process files locally in your browser—nothing is ever uploaded to our servers.

Smart Image Resizer

Compress photo/signature to exact KB limits (e.g. 20-50KB) for SSC, UPSC.

Passport Photo Maker

Crop and tile photos into printable A4 or 4x6 sheet grids.

Signature Extractor

Remove gray shadows & shadows from signature photos.

Image to PDF Combiner

Merge multiple marksheets/certificates into a single lightweight PDF.

View3Active Post Graduation JobsView87Active Jobs in Tamil Nadu

Frequently Asked Questions & Crucial Aspirant Queries

5 Queries Resolved

Clear, verified answers to top eligibility, exam format, salary calculation, and application queries for this notification.

The last date for online application submission on the IC&SR portal is 27th September 2026.

Sarkari Job Khojo is an independent information service and job discovery platform. All recruitment insights, syllabi, previous year exam cutoffs, and selection stages are compiled from official government notifications, gazettes, and recruitment portals. We are not affiliated with, authorized by, or an official representative of any government agency or recruitment board. Always verify details in the official advertisement PDF before applying.

Join TelegramJoin WhatsApp