BIS: Public Disclosure Scheme gets priority for lab posts

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued new recruitment regulations for laboratory technical posts, giving first priority to candidates whose examination scores are available through the government’s Public Disclosure Scheme. The BIS notification, dated 4 November 2026 and published in the Gazette of India, provides for selection through that route without a BIS interview, subject to candidates passing its skill test.

The notification replaces the 2019 laboratory recruitment regulations, while preserving actions taken or omitted before their replacement. BIS made the regulations under Section 39 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, with the Central Government’s prior approval. The notification states that they take effect on publication in the Gazette.

The regulations name Technical Assistant (Laboratory), Senior Technician and Technician in their provisions for advertising vacancies. They establish recruitment procedures rather than inviting applications for a particular selection exercise: BIS must separately advertise vacancies with details of the posts, eligibility requirements and reservations.

Publicly disclosed examination scores get priority

Under Regulation 4, BIS must give first preference to recruitment through the Public Disclosure Scheme. The notification describes this as a Department of Personnel and Training initiative that makes available the scores of willing candidates who passed a recruitment examination’s written stage but were not recommended after interview.

The notification names the Union Public Service Commission, Railway Recruitment Boards, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Indian Navy and Staff Selection Commission among the recruiting bodies covered by its description of the scheme.

For BIS recruitment through this route, candidates will be selected subject-wise or trade-wise using their final marks in the latest examination under the scheme, the regulations state. They must also pass a skill test conducted by BIS. Its Director General will approve which examination is to be used for recruitment.

The distinction between examination scores and the BIS skill test matters. Under the notification, the disclosed final marks provide the basis for selection, while passing the skill test is a separate requirement. BIS will not conduct an interview for selection through this route.

The regulations place open competitive examinations second in the order of preference, where the Public Disclosure Scheme is inapplicable or unavailable. They also permit vacancies that cannot be filled through the scheme to be filled through the specified alternatives, including competitive examinations or departmental recruitment.

Written examinations and qualifying tests

For the examination route, the notification requires advertisements in Employment News, at least two leading newspapers, the BIS website and the website of the Central Government department that exercises administrative control over BIS.

Those advertisements must state the number of posts, age limits, qualifications, experience requirements and other necessary particulars, according to the regulations. They must also identify reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, ex-servicemen and other special categories specified by the Central Government.

BIS may conduct a written or online examination internally or through a professional institution or agency approved by the Director General, the notification states.

The number called for a skill, practical or trade test cannot exceed six times the advertised vacancies in the relevant branch or trade. Under the regulations, candidates must be called in merit order from among those securing at least 50 per cent in the relevant branch or trade component of the written or online examination and at least 50 per cent overall.

The skill, practical or trade tests are qualifying tests, the notification specifies. This means candidates must pass them; they are not described as an additional source of marks for ranking.

Alongside the successful candidates’ selection list, BIS must prepare a reserve list valid for one year from its preparation, according to the notification. The reserve list cannot contain more candidates than the number of advertised posts.

Eligibility safeguards and probation

The notification places post-specific recruitment methods, pay-matrix levels, age limits, qualifications and related requirements in its First Schedule. It separately allows the upper age limit for serving BIS officers and employees to be relaxed up to 50 years.

Regulation 12 preserves reservations, age relaxations and other concessions provided under Central Government orders for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen and other special categories.

For Public Disclosure Scheme recruitment, the notification also permits relaxation in accordance with government guidelines where reserved posts cannot be filled under the specified criteria. Candidates selected under that provision must remain suitable for the post.

Direct recruits will serve two years on probation, an initial period in which their suitability for service is assessed, the regulations state. BIS may require training, assign duties or require departmental examinations during that period.

The appointing authority must recommend these requirements and the Director General must approve them, according to the notification. It expressly connects the probation provision to the BIS employees’ service terms and conditions regulations of 2020.

Those service regulations, notified by BIS on 25 June 2020, specify that completing the probation period does not automatically confirm an employee’s appointment. They require a formal order confirming the employee or recording satisfactory completion of probation.

Promotions, deputation and appointment decisions

For posts filled by promotion, the new regulations provide for selection from employees in lower grades on merit with regard to seniority, following recommendations from a committee constituted by the Director General.

Departmental recruitment was also used under the earlier framework. In a circular dated 24 August 2023, the BIS Establishment Department sought to fill 12 Technical Assistant (Laboratory) vacancies through a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, an examination restricted to eligible serving employees. That circular expressly relied on the 2019 regulations; its vacancy count does not describe recruitment under the new notification.

For posts filled through deputation, meaning a temporary posting from another service or organisation, the 2026 regulations set a maximum appointment age of 56 years on the closing date for applications. Deputation should ordinarily last no more than three years, with an overall maximum of five years, the notification states.

The regulations identify the Deputy Director General (Administration) as the appointing authority. A screening committee of three BIS officers, each at least of Scientist C rank, will shortlist candidates for consideration by the selection committee. The selection committee’s recommendations must go to the Director General for approval.

Under Regulation 10, the Executive Committee will determine categories of posts and their sanctioned strength with Central Government approval. For individual recruitment exercises, the notification requires the vacancy advertisement to give the number of posts and the applicable eligibility and reservation details.