India PGCIL Engineer Trainee Recruitment 2026: 319 Posts via GATE, Apply by 18 November
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Power, has opened applications for 319 Engineer Trainee posts for 2026. The recruitment is being made through the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026, under Advertisement No. CC/04/2025 dated 27 September 2025, with the vacancy notice published on 3 November 2026. Applications opened on 3 November 2026 at 5 pm and will close on 18 November 2026 at 11:59 pm. Candidates must apply only through powergrid.in, and should read the full advertisement there before submitting a form, since the official notification is final in case of any difference.
The 319 vacancies are spread across three disciplines: Electrical with 250 posts, Civil with 48 posts and Computer Science with 21 posts. For Electrical, candidates must have appeared in the GATE 2026 Electrical Engineering (EE) paper; for Civil, the GATE 2026 Civil Engineering (CE) paper; and for Computer Science, the GATE 2026 Computer Science (CS) paper. Scores from GATE 2025 or earlier years are not accepted. Reservation details and accepted degree branches are given in the detailed advertisement, and candidates should match their own degree and GATE paper against that list before applying.
Eligibility rests on a full-time engineering degree and a valid GATE 2026 score. Applicants must hold a full-time B.E., B.Tech or B.Sc. (Engineering) degree in the prescribed discipline, with at least 60 per cent marks or an equivalent CGPA. For reserved posts, the minimum is relaxed to pass marks for SC, ST and PwBD candidates. Final-year students are also eligible if they expect results by 14 August 2026 and have scored at least 60 per cent, or pass marks for reserved categories, up to their pre-final examination. The upper age limit is 28 years as on 31 December 2025, with relaxation for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates as per government rules.
Selection will be made without a separate written examination by POWERGRID. The final merit will rest on the GATE 2026 normalised score, carrying 85 per cent weightage, followed by a group discussion carrying 3 per cent and a personal interview carrying 12 per cent, and then a medical examination. An application fee of Rs 500 applies to the applicable categories, and candidates should check the official notification for the fee position for their own category before paying.
Selected candidates will join as Engineer Trainees for a one-year training period. During training, the basic pay is Rs 40,000 per month in the IDA pay scale of Rs 40,000 to Rs 1,40,000, with an approximate annual cost-to-company of Rs 11 lakh. On successful completion of training, trainees are absorbed as Engineers in the E2 grade, in the pay scale of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,60,000, with an approximate annual cost-to-company of Rs 22.5 lakh, including allowances, provident fund, gratuity, pension and medical facilities. Selected candidates must also sign a service bond to serve POWERGRID for at least three years after training, of Rs 5,00,000 for General, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) and EWS candidates and Rs 2,50,000 for SC, ST and PwBD candidates.
To apply, candidates should visit powergrid.in, open the Engineer Trainee 2026 recruitment link, fill in their personal, qualification and GATE 2026 details, upload the documents asked for, pay the applicable fee and submit the form before 18 November 2026. Apply well before the last date, since the portal may slow down near closing time and no application can be submitted after the deadline. Keep a copy of the submitted form and fee receipt, and watch the POWERGRID careers page for the group discussion and interview schedule.
