OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026: 89 Group B Posts in Forensic Science, Apply Online from 6 November
The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has released Advertisement No. 14 of 2026-27 for the OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026. A total of 89 posts of Scientific Officer (Group B) will be filled across 10 divisions of the State Forensic Science Service Organisation under the Home Department, Government of Odisha. Postgraduates in science, forensic science, psychology or computer science with at least 55% marks can apply online at opsc.gov.in from 6 November 2026 to 26 November 2026 (5:00 PM).
Selection will be through a written exam on 17 January 2027 followed by a personality test. In this article, we cover the OPSC Scientific Officer division-wise vacancies, salary, eligibility, age limit, fee, exam pattern and how to apply. You can also check the TGPSC MPSO / ASO Recruitment 2026 and the GSSSB Food Safety Officer Recruitment 2026.
Quick summary:
➤ Commission: Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC)
➤ Advertisement: No. 14 of 2026-27
➤ Post: Scientific Officer (Group B), State Forensic Science Service
➤ Vacancies: 89 (29 for women)
➤ Pay: ₹44,900 (Level 10, Cell 1) + DA and allowances
➤ Age: 21 – 42 years (as on 01.01.2026)
➤ Selection: Written exam (400 marks) + personality test (50 marks)
➤ Apply online: 06.11.2026 to 26.11.2026 (5:00 PM)
OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026 Overview
The OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026 is for forensic science laboratories under the Odisha Home Department. The key details are given below.
| Commission | Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) |
| Advertisement No. | 14 of 2026-27, dated 28.10.2026 |
| Department | State Forensic Science Service Organisation, Home Department, Odisha |
| Post name | Scientific Officer (Group B) |
| Vacancies | 89 in 10 divisions |
| Pay scale | ₹44,900 (Level 10, Cell 1, ORSP Rules 2017) |
| Application fee | ₹700 (SC / ST / PwD exempt) |
| Exam date | 17 January 2027 |
| Official website | opsc.gov.in |
OPSC Scientific Officer 2026 Important Dates
The OPSC Scientific Officer online registration starts next week. The important dates are given below.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement date | 28 October 2026 |
| Online registration and fee payment starts | 6 November 2026 (Friday) |
| Last date for online application | 26 November 2026 (Thursday), 5:00 PM |
| Written exam | 17 January 2027 (Sunday) |
OPSC Scientific Officer Vacancy 2026 Division-wise
The OPSC Scientific Officer vacancy is spread over 10 divisions. A candidate can apply for only one division. The division-wise and category-wise vacancies are given below. W means posts reserved for women.
| Division | Total | UR | SC | ST | SEBC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | 07 (02-W) | 04 (01-W) | 01 | 02 (01-W) | 00 |
| Ballistics | 06 (02-W) | 03 (01-W) | 00 | 02 (01-W) | 01 |
| Chemistry | 10 (03-W) | 04 (01-W) | 03 (01-W) | 03 (01-W) | 00 |
| Toxicology | 13 (05-W) | 08 (03-W) | 03 (01-W) | 02 (01-W) | 00 |
| Biology | 14 (05-W) | 06 (02-W) | 04 (01-W) | 02 (01-W) | 02 (01-W) |
| Serology | 04 (01-W) | 03 (01-W) | 01 | 00 | 00 |
| DNA | 12 (04-W) | 06 (02-W) | 02 (01-W) | 03 (01-W) | 01 |
| Forensic Psychology | 06 (01-W) | 03 (01-W) | 01 | 01 | 01 |
| Cyber Forensic | 11 (05-W) | 05 (02-W) | 02 (01-W) | 02 (01-W) | 02 (01-W) |
| Document | 06 (01-W) | 03 (01-W) | 01 | 01 | 01 |
| Total | 89 (29-W) | 45 (15-W) | 18 (05-W) | 18 (07-W) | 08 (02-W) |
4 posts are reserved for persons with disabilities (40% or more permanent disability), one each in Toxicology, Biology, Forensic Psychology and Document. Transgender candidates can also apply. If enough eligible women are not found in a category, the posts will go to men of the same category.
OPSC Scientific Officer Salary 2026
The OPSC Scientific Officer salary starts at ₹44,900 per month in Level 10, Cell 1 of the Odisha pay matrix (ORSP Rules, 2017), plus Dearness Allowance and other allowances as sanctioned by the Government of Odisha. New appointees are covered under the National Pension System (NPS).
OPSC Scientific Officer Eligibility 2026
The OPSC Scientific Officer eligibility requires a postgraduate or master's degree with at least 55% aggregate marks in the subject required for the division. The division-wise qualifications are given below in short; check Annexure-A of the advertisement for the exact wording.
| Division | Required Qualification (minimum 55%) |
|---|---|
| Physics | M.Sc. in Physics / Applied Physics / Electronics (with Physics in all three years of B.Sc.), Integrated M.Sc. Physics, or M.Sc. Forensic Science with Forensic Physics / Ballistics |
| Ballistics | M.Sc. in Physics / Applied Physics / Mathematics / Applied Mathematics (with Physics or Mathematics in all three years of B.Sc.), Integrated M.Sc. Physics or Mathematics, or M.Sc. Forensic Science with Forensic Physics / Ballistics |
| Chemistry | M.Sc. in Chemistry / Analytical / Applied / Bio-chemistry / Pharmaceutical Chemistry / Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, Integrated M.Sc. Chemistry, or M.Sc. Forensic Science with Forensic Chemistry / Toxicology |
| Toxicology | M.Sc. in Chemistry / Analytical / Applied Chemistry, Integrated M.Sc. Chemistry, or M.Sc. Forensic Science with Forensic Chemistry / Toxicology |
| Biology and Serology | M.Sc. in Zoology / Microbiology / Life Science / Genetics / Biotechnology / Biochemistry / Molecular Biology, Integrated M.Sc. Biology, or M.Sc. Forensic Science with Forensic Biology / Serology / DNA |
| DNA | M.Sc. in Zoology / Biotechnology / Genetics / Biochemistry / Molecular Biology / Microbiology / Life Sciences, Integrated M.Sc. Biology, or M.Sc. Forensic Science with Forensic Biology / Serology / DNA |
| Forensic Psychology | Master's degree in Psychology or Forensic Psychology, with Psychology as Honours / principal subject at BA or B.Sc. level |
| Cyber Forensic | M.Sc. / M.Tech in Computer Science / CSE / IT / Cyber Security; MCA (with BCA / B.Sc. in Computer Science, Electronics, Physics, Mathematics or IT); or Master's in Digital Forensics / Forensic Science with specialisation in cyber forensics, information security, AI, data science and similar fields |
| Document | Master's degree in Physics or Chemistry, or Forensic Science with Chemistry or Physics as a subject at B.Sc. level |
Knowledge of Odia: candidates must be able to speak, read and write Odia. They must have passed M.E. School or higher with Odia as a language, or Matriculation with Odia as a medium, or Odia as a language in Class VII, or an Odia test of M.E. standard conducted by the School and Mass Education Department / BSE Odisha.
OPSC Scientific Officer Age Limit
The OPSC Scientific Officer age limit is 21 to 42 years as on 1 January 2026. Candidates must be born between 2 January 1984 and 1 January 2005. The age relaxation is given below.
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SEBC / SC / ST / Women / Ex-Servicemen | 5 years |
| Persons with disabilities (40% or more) | 10 years |
| PwD belonging to SEBC / SC / ST | Up to 15 years (cumulative) |
Reservation and relaxation for SC, ST and SEBC are only for candidates belonging to these categories of Odisha.
OPSC Scientific Officer Application Fee
The OPSC Scientific Officer application fee is ₹700 for all candidates except SC, ST and PwD, who do not have to pay. The fee is refunded to candidates who appear in both Paper I and Paper II of the written exam.
OPSC Scientific Officer Exam Pattern 2026
The OPSC Scientific Officer exam pattern has two objective (MCQ) papers. Paper II is separate for each division and is of master's degree standard. There is a negative marking of 25% of the marks for each wrong answer in both papers. The details are given below.
| Stage / Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I, Part A: General English | 50 | 50 | 90 minutes |
| Paper I, Part B: General Awareness, General Aptitude and Reasoning | 50 | 50 | |
| Paper II: Division subject (2 marks each) | 150 | 300 | 150 minutes |
| Personality Test / Viva Voce | - | 50 | - |
| Total | 250 | 450 | - |
The written exam will be held at Kataka (Cuttack) / Bhubaneswar. The division-wise Paper II syllabus is given in Annexure-B of the advertisement.
OPSC Scientific Officer Selection Process
- Written exam (Paper I and Paper II), with minimum qualifying marks fixed by the Commission for each paper.
- Shortlisting for the personality test at twice the number of vacancies in each category, based on written exam marks.
- Personality test / viva voce (50 marks); the Commission may also test Odia reading, writing and speaking.
- Division-wise merit list based on total marks (written + personality test).
- Document verification and medical examination.
If two candidates get the same total, the one with higher Paper II marks ranks higher, and then the older candidate.
How to Apply for OPSC Scientific Officer 2026
- Visit opsc.gov.in between 6 November and 26 November 2026 (5:00 PM).
- Complete the online registration. A Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN) will be generated.
- Fill in the application form for Advertisement No. 14 of 2026-27 and choose one division.
- Upload your photo, full signature and left thumb impression, and all certificates merged into a single PDF (up to 10 MB).
- Pay the ₹700 fee online (if applicable) and enter your bank details for the refund.
- Print and sign the submitted application. Keep it ready for document verification.
OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026 FAQs
Q1. How many posts are there in OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026?
89 posts of Scientific Officer (Group B) across 10 forensic science divisions.
Q2. When does the online application start?
6 November 2026. The last date is 26 November 2026, 5:00 PM.
Q3. When is the written exam?
17 January 2027 (Sunday), at Kataka / Bhubaneswar.
Q4. Can I apply for more than one division?
No. A candidate can apply for only one division.
Q5. Can candidates from West Bengal apply?
Only if they meet the Odia language requirement. Candidates from outside Odisha can apply as unreserved candidates only, since SC, ST and SEBC benefits are for Odisha candidates.
OPSC Scientific Officer Recruitment 2026 Important Links
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Advertisement (No. 14 of 2026-27) | Download Official Notice Link |
| Apply Online (from 06.11.2026) | opsc.gov.in |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join Now |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Now |
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Pradip Chakraborty is a Biology teacher with 6+ years in content writing, including 3.5+ years on government jobs and education. He checks every official notice and explains it in simple words for students and job seekers. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.