CSIR TKDL Senior Project Associate & Project Associate Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 50 Posts

Vacancies: 50 · Posts: 23 post codes · Type: Contractual project staff · Mode: Online · Fee: Not printed · Apply: until 12 October 2026, 5:00 PM · Remuneration: ₹25,000–₹42,000 + HRA · Selection: Written test + interview · Location: Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Palampur, Chennai, Hyderabad

Same-day written test at the posting city, then an interview: the CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Unit has opened 50 project positions under Advertisement No. TKDL/08/2026. Online forms close on 12 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. Information Technology codes are tested on 14 October 2026.

The engagement is purely temporary and on contract, for the project “Information systems of traditional knowledge for protection and promotion” (TKDL-TK, MLP002639). It runs initially up to 31 March 2027, and at most until 31 March 2031, co-terminus with the project. The advertisement says this contract confers no right to absorption or regularisation in CSIR.

CSIR-TKDL Unit, at 14, Satsang Vihar Marg, New Delhi, works under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, an autonomous body under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology. The unit converts traditional knowledge in ancient texts into structured form and modern languages to protect Indian Systems of Medicine from misappropriation. Seats are spread across Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Palampur, Chennai and Hyderabad. The posting may change with project need.

⚠️ Application Alerts

• A separate online form is required for each post code. One submission does not cover a second code.
• Final-semester candidates and anyone whose result is still awaited are not eligible. Essential criteria must be met as on 12 October 2026.
• The written test is at the posting-city venue on the printed date and time. No TA/DA is paid. Results are declared the same day, and candidates are asked to wait unless told otherwise. Information Technology codes are tested on 14 October 2026.
• Applications through any mode other than the online form are not accepted. The form is rejected if the listed certificates, age proof, category proof (where claimed), experience proof, publication or patent list, and biodata are not uploaded.

📋 Official Source Chain

• Official notice: Advertisement No. TKDL/08/2026, pointer dated 22 September 2026 — Download the CSIR TKDL detailed advertisement PDF
• Official application route: Online form on the CSIR recruitment portal for this advertisement, open until 12 October 2026, 5:00 PM — Apply for TKDL/08/2026
• Official updates page: csir.res.in recruitment page
• Last checked: 01 October 2026, 2:45 PM IST

Also Read: CSIR-NML Jamshedpur Project Assistant & Associate Recruitment 2026 – 48 Posts at Burmamines

Who Should Apply?

• B.E./B.Tech (CS/IT) or MCA, plus R&D experience → Senior Project Associate (Information Technology), TKD3901 – 1 seat, Delhi. Route A: B.E./B.Tech (Computer Science or Information Technology) or MCA, with three years’ R&D experience in industry, academia or a science and technology organisation. Route B: M.E./M.Tech (Computer Science or Information Technology) with two years’ such experience. The experience clause asks for Java, J2EE, Spring, Hibernate, Postgres, JavaScript and related tools, or for administering Oracle, SQL Server or PostgreSQL, including migration. Data science knowledge is an added advantage, not a gate.
• B.E./B.Tech (CS/IT/AI/ML/Data Science/Electronics) or MCA → Project Associate-I (Information Technology–Data Science), TKC3901 Chennai and TKH3901 Hyderabad – 1 seat each. Listed software, Python, SQL and machine-learning skills are desirable, not mandatory.
• B.E./B.Tech (CS/IT) or MCA → Project Associate-I (Information Technology) – 4 seats: TKJ3901 Jammu, TKL3901 Leh, TKS3901 Srinagar, TKP3901 Palampur, 1 each. Java stack or RHEL/nginx/Tomcat administration skills are desirable.
• BAMS plus R&D experience, or MD (Ayurveda) plus two years → Senior Project Associate (Ayurveda), TKD3902 – 2 seats, Delhi. Proficiency in Sanskrit or Malayalam is preferred, not mandatory.
• BAMS → Project Associate-I (Ayurveda) – 5 seats: TKD3903 Delhi (2) and TKJ3902 Jammu (3).
• BUMS → Project Associate-I (Unani) – 7 seats: TKH3902 Hyderabad (4) and TKS3902 Srinagar (3). Arabic and/or Persian is preferred.
• Sowa Rigpa medicine degree plus R&D experience, or MD (Sowa Rigpa) plus two years → Senior Project Associate (Sowa Rigpa), TKL3902 – 1 seat, Leh.
• Sowa Rigpa medicine degree → Project Associate-I (Sowa Rigpa) – 5 seats: TKL3903 Leh (2) and TKP3902 Palampur (3).
• BSMS plus R&D experience, or MD (Siddha) plus two years → Senior Project Associate (Siddha), TKC3902 – 3 seats, Chennai.
• BSMS → Project Associate-I (Siddha), TKC3903 – 8 seats, Chennai. This is the largest single row.
• M.Sc (Chemical or Biological Sciences / Bioinformatics / Cheminformatics) plus three years’ R&D, or a doctoral degree in Chemical or Biological Science plus two years → Senior Project Associate (Patent) – 2 seats: TKD3904 Delhi (1) and TKH3903 Hyderabad (1). Patent analytics, informatics or a PG Diploma in IPR, and English writing, are desirable.
• M.Sc. (Chemical or Biological Sciences / Bioinformatics / Cheminformatics) → Project Associate-I (Patent) – 7 seats: TKD3905 Delhi (3) and TKH3904 Hyderabad (4). The same patent skills are desirable.
• MA (Sanskrit) plus three years’ R&D, or a doctoral degree in Sanskrit plus two years → Senior Project Associate (Sanskrit), TKD3906 – 1 seat, Delhi. Knowledge of traditional medical texts is desirable.
• Master’s degree in Yoga → Project Associate-I (Yoga), TKD3907 – 2 seats, Delhi.

Because the advertisement says “or equivalent”, a candidate whose degree title sits outside the named disciplines should get written confirmation from CSIR-TKDL before applying.

Who cannot apply: a final-semester student, or a candidate whose result is awaited, for any of these 23 codes. Mere minimum qualification does not create a right to be called for an interview.

No category-wise reservation breakup is printed. A statutory-category certificate is required only if the candidate claims SC, ST, OBC, PwD or EWS. The advertisement does not print a domicile bar.

Important Dates

No correction window is printed. No extension of TKDL/08/2026 has been announced on the CSIR recruitment page as of 01 October 2026. Advt. TKDL/06/2026 is a different project notice. Do not use its dates for this form.

Quick Overview – CSIR TKDL Project Staff 2026

• Organisation: CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Unit (CSIR-TKDL Unit), New Delhi
• Parent body: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology
• Sector: Scientific research and traditional-knowledge documentation
• Notification / Advertisement No.: TKDL/08/2026
• Project: Information systems of traditional knowledge for protection and promotion (TKDL-TK, MLP002639)
• Posts: Senior Project Associate and Project Associate-I, 23 post codes, 50 positions
• Job Location: Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Palampur, Chennai, Hyderabad. Posting may change.
• Qualification: Varies by code: B.E./B.Tech or MCA; BAMS; BUMS; BSMS; Sowa Rigpa medicine degree; M.Sc or doctoral degree; MA (Sanskrit); Master’s in Yoga
• Age limit: 40 years for Senior Project Associate; 35 years for Project Associate-I, as on 12 October 2026
• Remuneration: Senior Project Associate ₹42,000 + HRA; Project Associate-I ₹31,000 + HRA or ₹25,000 + HRA
• Application fee: Not printed in the advertisement
• Selection: Written test at the posting location, same-day result, then a hybrid interview
• Official Website: CSIR recruitment page
• Last Date: 12 October 2026, 5:00 PM
• Apply Online: Apply online for CSIR TKDL TKDL/08/2026 until 12 October 2026
• Notification PDF: Download CSIR TKDL Advertisement TKDL/08/2026 PDF

What Posts Are Available? – CSIR TKDL Vacancy & Eligibility 2026

Chennai Siddha Project Associate-I is the largest single row, with 8 seats. Siddha, as a discipline, has 11 seats; Patent has 9, and Information Technology, Ayurveda and Unani have 7 each. Sanskrit has a single Delhi seat. Yoga has two Delhi seats. A waitlist panel, valid for one year, will be kept for later vacancies. The Head, CSIR-TKDL Unit, may increase or decrease the numbers, or cancel a code.

Information Technology – 7 seats

Ayurveda, Unani, Sowa Rigpa and Siddha – 31 seats

Patent, Sanskrit and Yoga – 12 seats

Pay and age are not repeated in every row. Senior Project Associate: ₹42,000 + HRA, age 40. Project Associate-I: ₹31,000 + HRA or ₹25,000 + HRA, age 35. City totals: Delhi 12, Chennai 12, Hyderabad 10, Jammu 4, Srinagar 4, Leh 4, Palampur 4.

Test venues

What Is the Age Limit?

Age is reckoned as of 12 October 2026. No minimum age is printed.

Standard Government of India relaxation, labelled as such and not as a figure printed in this advertisement: OBC-NCL +3, SC/ST +5, PwBD +10 on the unreserved limit, with the usual further addition for OBC and SC/ST PwBD candidates. Exact entitlement follows the CSIR / Government of India rule that the advertisement cites. Women are named in the relaxation clause, but the advertisement does not print the extra years.

Examples:

✅ A 39-year-old UR candidate born on 13 October 1987 is eligible for Senior Project Associate (within the 40-year limit as on 12 October 2026). ❌ A 41-year-old UR candidate born on 11 October 1985 is not eligible for Senior Project Associate (exceeds the maximum by 1 year). ✅ A 34-year-old UR candidate born on 13 October 1992 is eligible for Project Associate-I (within the 35-year limit as of 12 October 2026). ❌ A 36-year-old UR candidate born on 11 October 1990 is not eligible for Project Associate-I (exceeds the maximum by 1 year).

Use our Age Eligibility Calculator to check instantly. Senior Project Associate codes also need two or three years of R&D experience. Use our Experience Calculator to count that period up to 12 October 2026.

What Is the Remuneration? – CSIR TKDL Project Staff 2026

The advertisement adds HRA. It does not print the HRA percentage or the city class. No in-hand figure is calculated here because the HRA rate is not in the notice. The notice uses “one-month stipend in lieu” for termination pay. It does not print NPS, pension, medical attendance, or leave rules. Project staff are governed by CSIR project-staff guidelines, as amended.

Extension beyond 31 March 2027 depends on a Review Committee at the end of each year, or earlier. Tenure cannot exceed six years in all, counted together at CSIR-TKDL Unit and other CSIR laboratories. The contract may be ended by one month’s notice from either side, or one month’s stipend in lieu.

What Is the Application Fee?

No application fee is printed in Advertisement No. TKDL/08/2026. The advertisement also does not mention a refund rule. No TA/DA is paid for the written test or the interview.

How to Apply?

1. Open the CSIR TKDL/08/2026 online form, linked from the CSIR recruitment page. The advertisement itself says the form is available at www.csir.res.in. The window closes on 12 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. A start date is not printed.
2. Fill one form for one post code. A second code needs a second form.
3. Enter educational qualification, statutory category and experience.
4. Upload scanned copies of the original documents listed below. Missing uploads lead to summary rejection.
5. Submit and save the generated application number.
6. On the printed test date, report at the posting-city venue with originals, two self-attested photographs, a set of self-attested copies, and a biodata typed on A4 paper. Wait for the same-day result unless told otherwise.

The advertisement does not print photograph or signature pixel sizes for the online form. Do not treat a guessed size as a requirement.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Submitting one form and assuming it covers every eligible code. The advertisement requires a separate application for each position.
• Applying in the final semester, or while the result is awaited. Note 2 says such candidates will not be eligible.
• Booking the Information Technology test late. Those seven codes are tested on 14 October 2026, two calendar days after the form closes, and no admit card is mentioned.
• Sending a paper application or an email in place of the online form. Other modes are not accepted.
• Leaving the experience certificate or the publication list off the upload when the code needs experience, or when the candidate wants that record considered.

सीएसआईआर टीकेडीएल सीनियर प्रोजेक्ट एसोसिएट और प्रोजेक्ट एसोसिएट भर्ती 2026 – 50 पदों के लिए ऑनलाइन आवेदन

सीएसआईआर-पारंपरिक ज्ञान डिजिटल पुस्तकालय इकाई ने विज्ञापन संख्या TKDL/08/2026 के तहत 50 प्रोजेक्ट पद निकाले हैं। ऑनलाइन आवेदन 12 अक्टूबर 2026, शाम 5:00 बजे तक है। यह अनुबंध पर अस्थायी काम है, परियोजना MLP002639 के साथ समाप्त होगा, और नियमित नियुक्ति का अधिकार नहीं देता।

कौन आवेदन कर सकता है? सीनियर प्रोजेक्ट एसोसिएट के लिए आयु 40 वर्ष और प्रोजेक्ट एसोसिएट-I के लिए 35 वर्ष है, दोनों 12 अक्टूबर 2026 को। सूचना प्रौद्योगिकी में B.E./B.Tech या MCA, आयुर्वेद में BAMS, यूनानी में BUMS, सिद्ध में BSMS, सोवा-रिग्पा की मान्य डिग्री, पेटेंट के लिए केमिकल या बायोलॉजिकल साइंसेज में M.Sc, संस्कृत में MA, और योग में मास्टर डिग्री मांगी गई है। सीनियर पदों पर दो या तीन वर्ष का आर एंड डी अनुभव भी है। अंतिम सेमेस्टर के छात्र और जिनका परिणाम बाकी है, वे आवेदन नहीं कर सकते।

वेतन और परीक्षा कहाँ है? सीनियर प्रोजेक्ट एसोसिएट का मुद्रित पारिश्रमिक ₹42,000 और मकान किराया भत्ता है। प्रोजेक्ट एसोसिएट-I के लिए NET, GATE या केन्द्रीय राष्ट्रीय परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण अभ्यर्थियों को ₹31,000 और मकान किराया भत्ता, अन्य को ₹25,000 और मकान किराया भत्ता है। लिखित परीक्षा उसी शहर में है जहाँ पद है। सूचना प्रौद्योगिकी की परीक्षा 14 अक्टूबर 2026 को है। यात्रा भत्ता नहीं मिलेगा। परिणाम उसी दिन, फिर साक्षात्कार।

आवेदन कैसे करें? प्रत्येक पोस्ट कोड के लिए अलग ऑनलाइन फॉर्म भरें। पोर्टल csir.res.in की भर्ती सूची से खुलता है। प्रमाणपत्र, आयु प्रमाण, श्रेणी प्रमाण, अनुभव पत्र, प्रकाशन सूची और बायोडाटा अपलोड करना जरूरी है। आवेदन संख्या संभाल कर रखें। प्रश्न के लिए 011-26851136 और tkdlsupport@csir.res.in पर छपे हैं।

How Are Candidates Selected?

CSIR-TKDL selects these project staff through a written test at the posting location, then an interview of shortlisted candidates.

1. The candidate reports at the city venue on the date and time printed against the post code.
2. The written test is held. The advertisement does not print subjects, marks, duration or negative marking.
3. The result is declared the same day. Candidates are asked to wait after the test unless informed otherwise.
4. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed in hybrid mode, offline and online, on the test day or on another day told after the test. The committee may ask for the interview in person.
5. Original certificates are checked at the test. Candidature stays provisional until eligibility is confirmed.
6. A waitlist panel, valid for one year, is drawn for later vacancies.

No interview-only route is provided. Mere fulfilment of the minimum qualification does not confer a right to be called for interview. Canvassing in any form leads to disqualification.

The SahisarkariJobs.in Analyst’s Take

This is a CSIR project engagement for traditional-knowledge documentation, not a CSIR regular scientist advertisement. The notice itself says the contract confers no right to continuation, absorption or regularisation. The closest decision is whether a short project seat in a named city is useful before regular scientific recruitment.

Best fit: a BAMS, BUMS, BSMS or Sowa Rigpa graduate who can reach Chennai, Hyderabad, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh or Palampur for a same-day test, or an IT graduate who already works in Java or databases and can be in the posting city on 14 October 2026.

Skip this if you need a regular CSIR post, pension, or a city you can choose. The advertisement allows the posting to change, and it asks project staff to travel as needed. Leh, Srinagar and Palampur seats come with no TA/DA for the test.

Practical tip: submit a separate form for every code you want, and keep the application number. For the seven Information Technology codes, arrange travel before 12 October 2026, because the test is on 14 October 2026 and the advertisement does not mention an admit card.

Also Read: DSSSB Delhi District Courts Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 641 SPA, PA, JJA & Other Posts

Related: CSIR organisation page · Scientific research jobs

What Documents Are Required?

Upload scanned copies of the originals while applying. The advertisement says a missing upload leads to summary rejection.

• Educational certificates from matriculation onwards
• Age proof
• Statutory category certificate, if claiming SC, ST, OBC, PwD or EWS
• Experience certificate, if any
• List of publications or patents, if any
• Detailed biodata

At the written test, also carry the originals, two self-attested photographs, a set of self-attested copies for age, qualification, marks and experience, and a biodata typed on A4 paper. Category candidates must bring the original category certificate issued by the competent authority.

If currently employed, the no-objection certificate is required at joining, not at the application stage.

What Happens After Selection?

1. The written-test result is declared on the test day, and the interview follows in hybrid mode on that day or a later day told to the candidate.
2. The engagement order, if issued, is a contract, initially up to 31 March 2027, co-terminus with MLP002639.
3. Any extension beyond 31 March 2027 depends on a Review Committee. The outer date printed is 31 March 2031. Total CSIR project tenure cannot exceed six years.
4. The posting location may change at appointment or during the project. Travel may be required.
5. Performance is reviewed. A person not found up to the mark can be terminated without a reason being assigned. Either side may end the contract on one month’s notice, or one month’s stipend in lieu.
6. The advertisement states that the contract confers no right to absorption or regularisation in CSIR. A serving employee produces the no-objection certificate at joining.

The notice does not state a joining date.

Contact & Helpline

• Telephone: 011-26851136
• Email, including technical problems with the online form: tkdlsupport@csir.res.in
• Office: CSIR-TKDL Unit, 14, Satsang Vihar Marg, New Delhi 110067
• Signatory on the pointer: Deputy Secretary (TKDL)

The advertisement does not print helpline timings. ⚠️ Contact details are taken from Advertisement No. TKDL/08/2026. Verify before contacting. Never pay any money over the phone, or to any person claiming to offer job assistance. Report fraud at cybercrime.gov.in.

Important Links – Project Staff 2026

FAQs – Project Staff Recruitment 2026

What is the last date to apply for CSIR TKDL Project Associate 2026?

12 October 2026, 5:00 PM. The advertisement sets this as the last date to submit the online application. No extension of TKDL/08/2026 was on the CSIR recruitment page when this page was checked on 01 October 2026.

What is the age limit for CSIR TKDL Project Associate?

40 years for Senior Project Associate, and 35 years for Project Associate-I. Both are reckoned as of 12 October 2026. SC, ST, OBC, PwD and women get relaxation as per CSIR / Government of India rules. The advertisement does not print the extra years.

Is there an exam for CSIR TKDL Project Associate, or is it interview-based?

Yes, there is a written test at the posting city, then an interview for those shortlisted. The result is declared the same day. The interview is hybrid, on the test day or on another day. Subjects and marks are not printed.

What is the salary of CSIR TKDL Project Associate?

₹42,000 + HRA for Senior Project Associate. Project Associate-I is ₹31,000 + HRA with the printed NET, GATE or national-selection condition, and ₹25,000 + HRA for others. The HRA rate is not printed, so an in-hand figure is not calculated here.

Can final-year students or result-awaited candidates apply for CSIR TKDL 2026?

No. Note 2 says candidates in the final semester, or whose results are awaited, will not be eligible. The essential criteria must be met as on 12 October 2026.

Is CSIR TKDL Project Associate a permanent government job?

No. The advertisement calls the engagement purely temporary and on contract. It says the contract confers no right to continuation beyond tenure, absorption or regularisation in CSIR. The initial date printed is 31 March 2027.

Can candidates from other states apply for CSIR TKDL recruitment?

Yes. The advertisement does not print a domicile or nativity bar. The candidate must attend the written test at the city printed against the post code. No TA/DA is paid.

Where will I be posted if I get selected for CSIR TKDL Project Associate?

At the city printed against the post code: Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Palampur, Chennai or Hyderabad. The advertisement says the posting may change at appointment or during the project, and that travel may be required.

What should I know before applying?

The honest downside is the contract itself. It ends with the project, can be closed on one month’s notice, and does not confer absorption. Total CSIR project tenure cannot exceed six years. The test is in the posting city, with no TA/DA, and Information Technology candidates are tested on 14 October 2026.

Does GATE or NET change the Project Associate-I pay?

Yes, based on the wording of this advertisement. Qualification in CSIR-UGC NET (including lectureship), GATE, or a national-level selection by a Central Government department, agency or institution is the condition for ₹31,000 + HRA. Others are paid at ₹25,000 + HRA. Senior Project Associate is ₹42,000 + HRA either way.

Before You Apply: Quick Self-Check

• You meet the age and educational criteria as of 12 October 2026, and you are not in the final semester or awaiting the result.
• You are comfortable with a contractual project engagement up to 31 March 2027, extendable only after review, with no right to absorption.
• You can upload the certificates and carry the originals, two photographs and a typed biodata to the posting-city test.
• You can reach the venue on the printed test date. No TA/DA is paid.
• You have read the city against your post code, and you accept that the posting may change.

📄 Primary source: CSIR-TKDL Advertisement No. TKDL/08/2026, pointer dated 22 September 2026. The recruitment facts above are drawn from that advertisement and the CSIR recruitment page. Practical tips are labelled separately.