Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), under the Ministry of Defence, has announced a large Group C civilian recruitment drive for 2,615 tentative vacancies. The recruitment covers Tradesman Mate, Fireman, Junior Office Assistant (JOA), Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) and Material Assistant posts. Online applications opened on 24 August 2026 through the official AOC recruitment portal.
Candidates should note that the vacancy figures and schedule are described as tentative in recruitment coverage based on the Employment News advertisement. Apply well before the closing date and verify the final portal instructions before submission.
Quick Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) |
| Ministry | Ministry of Defence, Government of India |
| Advertisement No. | AOC/CRC/2026/AUG |
| Recruitment | Group C Civilian Direct Recruitment |
| Total Vacancies | 2,615 (Tentative) |
| Posts | Tradesman Mate, Fireman, JOA, MTS, Material Assistant |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Application Start | 24 August 2026 |
| Last Date | 23 September 2026, 11:59 PM (reported schedule; verify on official portal) |
| Written Exam | November 2026 (Tentative) |
| Job Location | AOC establishments/units across India |
| Official Portal | AOC Recruitment Portal |
AOC Group C Vacancy 2026
The 2,615 tentative vacancies are distributed across five Group C posts.
| Post | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Tradesman Mate | 1,799 |
| Fireman | 520 |
| Junior Office Assistant (JOA) | 104 |
| Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) | 142 |
| Material Assistant | 50 |
| Total | 2,615 |
Candidate note: These vacancy figures are reported from the AOC/CRC/2026/AUG recruitment notice and are described as tentative. Candidates should verify the final category-wise distribution on the official portal.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application start | 24 August 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 23 September 2026, 11:59 PM (verify on portal) |
| Admit card | October 2026 (Tentative) |
| Written examination | November 2026 (Tentative) |
Do not wait until the final day to apply. AOC may publish corrections or revised instructions on the recruitment portal.
Educational Qualification
Eligibility differs by post.
Tradesman Mate
Candidates should have passed Matriculation / Class 10 from a recognised board.
Fireman
Candidates should have passed Matriculation / Class 10 from a recognised board. Physical standards and endurance requirements apply to the Fireman post and must be checked in the detailed instructions.
Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)
Candidates should have passed Matriculation / Class 10 from a recognised board.
Junior Office Assistant (JOA)
Candidates should have passed Class 12 from a recognised board/university and meet the prescribed computer typing requirement. Recruitment coverage reports 35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi.
Material Assistant
Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
Before applying, compare your qualification exactly with the post you select. A higher qualification does not automatically replace a specifically prescribed qualification or skill requirement.
Age Limit
The commonly reported post-wise age range for this recruitment is:
- Tradesman Mate / Fireman / MTS: 18 to 25 years
- Junior Office Assistant / Material Assistant: 18 to 27 years
Age relaxation for SC, ST, OBC, Ex-Servicemen, PwBD and other eligible categories is expected to follow Government of India rules. Because some early recruitment notices did not carry the full age-relaxation table, candidates should verify the final age criteria on the official AOC portal before submitting the form.
Use the Regal Career Age Calculator to calculate your exact age against the recruitment cut-off date.
Salary and Pay Level
The notified posts span Pay Level 1 to Pay Level 5 under the 7th CPC pay matrix.
| Post | Pay Level | Basic Pay Range |
|---|---|---|
| Tradesman Mate | Level 1 | ₹18,000 – ₹56,900 |
| MTS | Level 1 | ₹18,000 – ₹56,900 |
| Fireman | Level 2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 |
| Junior Office Assistant | Level 2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 |
| Material Assistant | Level 5 | ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 |
Allowances are payable as admissible under Central Government rules and according to posting/location.
Application Fee
The exact application-fee position should be checked on the final AOC application portal. Early recruitment information is inconsistent on this point, so candidates should not rely on third-party fee figures. Pay only through the official portal if a fee is shown for your category.
Selection Process
The selection process is expected to include the following stages, depending on the post:
- Written Examination
- Physical Efficiency / Physical Test where applicable, particularly for physical posts
- Typing / Skill Test for Junior Office Assistant where applicable
- Document Verification
- Medical Examination
The exact sequence and qualifying standards can vary by post. Candidates applying for Fireman, Tradesman Mate or JOA should pay particular attention to the physical/skill requirements in the detailed notification.
AOC Group C Exam Pattern and Syllabus
The written examination is expected to be objective-type and to cover broad subjects such as:
- General Intelligence and Reasoning
- General Awareness
- Numerical Aptitude
- General English / English Language
Different recruitment sources currently report different question/mark distributions for the 2026 cycle. For that reason, Regal Career is not publishing an unverified 100-mark or 150-mark table as final. Candidates should use the official AOC detailed notice/admit-card instructions for the final subject-wise pattern, duration and negative-marking rule.
How to Apply Online
- Open the Official AOC Recruitment Portal.
- Read the Group C Recruitment 2026 instructions carefully.
- Select the appropriate post and complete registration.
- Fill in personal, educational and category details exactly as supported by your certificates.
- Upload photograph, signature and other documents in the prescribed format.
- Pay the fee only if the official portal requires it for your category.
- Review every entry before final submission.
- Submit the application and save/print the final acknowledgement for future reference.
For application-file preparation, use the current Regal Career tools directly:
Documents to Keep Ready
Candidates should generally keep the following documents available before starting the application:
- Class 10 certificate/marksheet for date-of-birth proof
- Class 12 certificate where applicable
- Graduation certificate/marksheets for Material Assistant
- Category certificate, if applicable
- EWS/OBC-NCL certificate in the prescribed format, if applicable
- Ex-Servicemen documents, if applicable
- PwBD certificate, if applicable
- Recent photograph
- Signature image
- Valid mobile number and email ID
- Any post-specific skill/typing documents requested by AOC
Important Instructions
- Apply only through the official AOC recruitment portal.
- Select the post only after checking qualification, age and post-specific physical/skill requirements.
- Do not upload blurred or incorrectly sized documents.
- Keep the registration number and submitted application copy safely.
- Check the AOC portal regularly for corrigenda, admit-card notices and exam instructions.
- Treat vacancy numbers and dates marked tentative as subject to official revision.
Official Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| Official AOC Recruitment Portal | Visit AOC Recruitment Portal |
| Ministry of Defence | Visit Ministry of Defence |
Official-source note: The AOC recruitment portal is the primary source for the application form, detailed instructions, corrigenda, admit card and subsequent recruitment updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacancies are announced in Army AOC Group C Recruitment 2026?
A total of 2,615 tentative vacancies are reported across Tradesman Mate, Fireman, Junior Office Assistant, MTS and Material Assistant posts.
What is the last date to apply for AOC Group C Recruitment 2026?
The reported closing date is 23 September 2026 up to 11:59 PM. Candidates should verify the closing date on the official AOC portal because some early reports carried a different date.
Can 10th-pass candidates apply for AOC Group C Recruitment 2026?
Yes. Tradesman Mate, Fireman and MTS are reported as 10th-pass posts. Other posts have higher qualification requirements.
What qualification is required for Junior Office Assistant?
JOA candidates should be 12th pass and meet the prescribed typing-speed requirement.
What qualification is required for Material Assistant?
Material Assistant candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
What is the selection process for AOC Group C posts?
Selection is expected to involve a written examination, followed by physical or typing/skill tests where applicable, document verification and medical examination.
Where can candidates apply online?
Candidates should apply only through the official AOC recruitment portal.
Sources
- Army Ordnance Corps recruitment portal — primary application/update source
- Employment News recruitment advertisement reference: AOC/CRC/2026/AUG
- Cross-verification with current recruitment coverage from Careers360 and other sources tracking the Employment News notice
