CERC Recruitment 2026 — Joint Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief & More, 17 Posts (Deputation Only)

Important: this is a deputation/short-term-contract recruitment, open only to serving officers of Central/State Governments, Public Sector Undertakings, or Autonomous Bodies — it is not open to fresh graduates or the general public. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has invited applications for 17 posts — Joint Chief (Finance), Deputy Chief (RA), Assistant Secretary (FOR), three Assistant Chief posts (Economics/Engineering/Finance), Pay and Accounts Officer, Senior Account Officer, Private Secretary, and Assistant — to be filled on deputation on Foreign Service terms or short-term contract basis. Applications, routed through the candidate's employer, must reach CERC by 18 October 2026.

Who Should Apply

• Joint Chief (Finance), 1 post — a Chartered Accountant or certified Cost Accountant (preferably with an Engineering degree), currently holding an analogous post, or with 3 years' regular service at Level-12, or 8 years at Level-11.
• Deputy Chief (RA), 1 post — a Graduate in Law/Engineering/Regulation, with the equivalent regular-service background one level below.
• Assistant Secretary (FOR), 1 post — a Graduate with a PG Diploma in Financial Management, with the equivalent regular-service background one level below.
• Assistant Chief (Economics), 1 post — a Postgraduate in Economics (specialisation in Econometrics), Mathematics (specialisation in Operational Research), or Statistics.
• Assistant Chief (Engineering), 1 post — a Graduate in Engineering (a Diploma in Engineering is accepted for serving members of the Central Power Engineering Group 'A' Services promoted from feeder service).
• Assistant Chief (Finance), 1 post — a Chartered Accountant or certified Cost Accountant (preferably with an Engineering degree).
• Pay and Accounts Officer, 1 post — a Graduate in Commerce.
• Senior Account Officer, 1 post — a Graduate in Commerce.
• Private Secretary, 4 posts — Secretariat Staff, computer literate and proficient in MS Office.
• Assistant, 5 posts — preferably computer literate and proficient in MS Office; for 2 of the 5 posts, preference goes to candidates with GeM portal/procurement process experience.

For every post, the "or" pathways above (holding an analogous post, or a specific number of years' regular service at a defined lower pay level) are alternative routes to the same eligibility — you need to meet the qualifying service criterion through at least one of these routes, on top of holding the stated educational qualification.

Eligibility & Age Limit

This recruitment is restricted entirely to serving Central/State Government, PSU, and Autonomous Body officers. Each post requires either holding an analogous post on regular basis, or a specific number of years of regular service at a defined lower pay level (for example, Joint Chief needs 3 years' regular service at Level-12, or 8 years at Level-11), combined with the post's stated educational qualification. Officers currently working on deputation or contract must additionally state the date of their initial appointment, period of deputation/contract, and their parent organisation in the application.

Maximum age: 56 years for all posts. [Check] — the notification doesn't state a minimum age or a specific cut-off date for calculating age; check the official notification directly, or confirm with your sponsoring department. Deputation tenure is ordinarily limited to 5 years as per the Recruitment Rules for these posts. OBC/SC/ST candidates would be given preference where all other conditions are equally fulfilled.

Check your exact age as on the cut-off date once you've confirmed the exact reference date from the official notification.

Salary & Pay Scale

Pay follows the 7th CPC Pay Matrix: Joint Chief (Finance) is Level-13 (₹1,23,100–2,15,900), Deputy Chief (RA) is Level-12 (₹78,800–2,09,200), the three Assistant Chief posts and Assistant Secretary are Level-11 (₹67,700–2,08,700), Pay and Accounts Officer and Senior Account Officer are Level-10 (₹56,100–1,77,500), Private Secretary is Level-07 (₹44,900–1,42,400), and Assistant is Level-06 (₹35,400–1,12,400). Beyond basic pay, deputationists get Dearness Allowance, HRA, and Transport Allowance at rates applicable to Central Government officials, plus Leased Accommodation (up to twice the admissible HRA) if opted for, and either foreign-service-terms benefits (Leave Salary Contribution, Pension/NPS contribution, Deputation Duty Allowance) or short-term-contract benefits (Leave Salary Contribution, Gratuity Contribution, Deputation Duty Allowance, and CPF/EPF/NPS contribution), depending on your deputation basis. CERC does not pay any other allowance or benefit beyond these.

Important Dates

Application Fee

The notification does not mention any application fee for this recruitment.

How to Apply

This is an offline recruitment routed through your employer, with an additional online step — direct applications from individuals without employer routing are not accepted in the normal course.

1. Download the prescribed Bio-Data Proforma (Annexure-II) from the official website, cercind.gov.in.
2. Fill in the form completely, including your present designation, pay details, qualifications, chronological employment history, and whether you're currently on deputation/contract elsewhere.
3. Attach attested photocopies of all documents supporting your age, educational qualifications, and experience.
4. Have your application certified and forwarded by an officer not below the rank of Under Secretary to the Government of India (or the equivalent authority in your organisation), along with your ACRs/APARs for the last five years and a Vigilance Clearance/Integrity Certificate.
5. Superscribe the envelope "Application for the post of ___________," naming your specific post.
6. Send the complete application, routed through proper channel, to: Deputy Chief (Admin), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, 8th Floor, Tower B, World Trade Center, Nauroji Nagar, New Delhi – 110029, to reach on or before 18 October 2026.
7. Additionally apply online through cercind.gov.in/vacancy.html, as instructed in the notification.

Applications not in the prescribed format, or received incomplete in any respect, are summarily rejected.

How Are Candidates Selected

Shortlisting: Based on your Bio-Data Proforma and supporting documents, routed through your sponsoring/forwarding authority. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not by itself entitle you to be called for interaction — CERC shortlists based on its own assessment of suitability.

Interaction: Only shortlisted candidates are called. [Check] — the notification doesn't specify the date, format, or marks structure for this interaction stage.

If selected, you're not permitted to withdraw your candidature afterward; declining an offer of appointment bars you from CERC consideration for any post for the next two years.

Why This Job Matters

CERC is a statutory body constituted under an Act of Parliament, responsible for regulating India's electricity tariffs and market at the central level. This recruitment fills key finance, regulatory-affairs, engineering, and administrative posts entirely through deputation from other government bodies — a route that lets experienced government officers move into a specialised regulatory institution rather than staying in a purely departmental career track, while retaining their government service benefits.

The FreshersLike Take

Best fit: This is a strong fit for a serving Central/State Government, PSU, or Autonomous Body officer who already holds a qualifying post or years of regular service at the right pay level, and who wants a change into electricity-sector regulatory work while keeping deputation-linked service benefits.

Who should think twice: This notification is not accessible to fresh graduates, private-sector professionals, or anyone outside Government/PSU/Autonomous Body service — if that's your situation, this recruitment simply isn't open to you regardless of your qualifications. It's also worth noting that declining a CERC offer after selection locks you out of applying for any CERC post for two years, so don't apply speculatively if you're not genuinely willing to move if selected.

Practical tip: Since your application must be routed through your parent department along with five years of ACRs/APARs and a Vigilance Clearance Certificate, start that internal process with your administration/personnel section well before the 18 October deadline — a late-arriving certificate from your own employer, not your own paperwork, is the most likely reason a well-qualified deputation application misses the cutoff.

Documents Required

• Bio-Data Proforma (Annexure-II), duly filled and signed
• Attested photocopies of documents supporting your age, educational qualifications, and experience
• ACRs/APARs for the last five years, forwarded by your employer
• Vigilance Clearance/Integrity Certificate from your employer
• Certification from an officer not below Under Secretary rank (or equivalent) verifying your bio-data details

What Happens After Selection

Selected candidates are appointed on deputation on Foreign Service terms, or on short-term contract, for a tenure ordinarily up to 5 years as per the Recruitment Rules for the post. Deputationists get Leave Salary Contribution and either Pension/NPS contribution (foreign service terms) or Gratuity Contribution plus CPF/EPF/NPS contribution (short-term contract), along with Deputation (Duty) Allowance if applicable. Medical facilities follow CERC's own Indoor/Outdoor Medical Facilities Regulations, 2005, in place of your parent organisation's CGHS or medical facility, if you opt for CERC's scheme. The posts in this notification are exempted from the principle of immediate absorption. CERC reserves the right to change the number of posts depending on circumstances at the time of selection, and the vacancy position shown is tentative.

Contact & Helpline

For queries, the notification lists Deputy Chief (Admin), Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Tel. 2090 4364. This is the only official contact listed — CERC will not contact candidates through any other number for payment or personal details.

Important Links

Common Questions

Can a fresh graduate or private-sector employee apply for CERC Recruitment 2026?

No. This recruitment is open only to serving officers of Central/State Governments, Public Sector Undertakings, and Autonomous Bodies — it is not open to fresh graduates, private-sector professionals, or the general public.

What is the last date to apply for CERC Recruitment 2026?

Your complete application, routed through proper channel, must reach CERC by 18 October 2026. Applications already in transit through proper channel by that date may still be accepted up to 17 November 2026.

How many vacancies are there?

17, across 10 designations — the notification states these numbers are tentative and may increase or decrease depending on circumstances at the time of selection.

Is there an application fee?

No application fee is mentioned in the notification.

Is there a written exam?

No. Selection is through shortlisting of your routed application, followed by an Interaction — there is no written examination.

What happens if I decline a CERC job offer after being selected?

Your candidature is not considered for any further CERC appointment for two years from the date the offer is cancelled.

How long is the deputation tenure?

Ordinarily up to 5 years, as per the Recruitment Rules applicable to the specific post.

Do I need my employer's involvement to apply?

Yes. Your application must be routed through your parent department/organisation, including your ACRs/APARs for the last five years and a Vigilance Clearance/Integrity Certificate — direct applications without this routing aren't the normal accepted process.

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