Sahitya Akademi Recruitment 2026 — Deputy Secretary, Assistant Editor, Junior Clerk, MTS & More, 30 Posts

Sahitya Akademi, the National Academy of Letters under the Ministry of Culture, has invited offline applications for 30 posts across 13 designations — from Deputy Secretary and Assistant Editor down to Junior Clerk and Multi-Tasking Staff — under Advertisement No. SA/50/2/2026. Qualification ranges from 10th/12th pass to a Master's degree depending on the post, and the maximum age is 50 years across all posts. Applications must reach by post within 30 days of publication, by 21 September 2026.

Who Should Apply

• Deputy Secretary (General-Admin.), 1 post — a Master's degree (Language, or Business/Public Administration) with 7 years of senior administrative experience.
• Assistant Editor, 1 post — a postgraduate degree in a recognised language/literature with 5 years of literary copy-editing experience.
• Senior Library & Information Assistant, 2 posts — a Bachelor's in Library Science with 5 years of library experience.
• Junior Translation Officer, 1 post — a Graduate/Master's with Hindi/English as a main subject and 3 years of literary translation experience.
• Technical Assistant, 1 post — a Graduate with a Diploma in Book Publishing and 5 years of printing/publishing experience.
• Programme Assistant, 1 post — a Graduate with 5 years of experience in a literary, academic, or government organisation.
• Publication Assistant, 5 posts — a Graduate with a Diploma in Printing, or 5 years of relevant printing/publishing experience.
• Proof Reader Cum General Assistant, 2 posts — a Graduate with Hindi/English as a subject, able to read proofs in both languages.
• Stenographer Gr. II, 4 posts — 10+2 pass with 80 w.p.m. shorthand and good typing speed.
• Messenger Cum Rider, 1 post — 10+2 pass with a valid two-wheeler/car licence and 3 years of driving experience.
• Van Driver, 1 post — 10th/10+2 pass with a valid light and heavy vehicle licence and 3 years of driving experience.
• Junior Clerk, 4 posts — 10+2 pass with 35 w.p.m. typing in English or 30 w.p.m. in Hindi.
• Multi-Tasking Staff, 6 posts — 10th/10+2 pass or ITI equivalent, with multi-skilling ability across basic office tasks.

Eligibility & Age Limit

Qualification and experience vary sharply by post — see the "Who Should Apply" list above for the core requirement of each. Every post also carries additional "Desirable" (preferred, not mandatory) qualifications listed in the official notification, such as research degrees or knowledge of additional Indian languages, which are worth checking before you apply. All qualification, age, and experience conditions must be met as on the closing date of application, 21 September 2026.

The maximum age limit is 50 years, uniform across all 13 posts, with relaxation available as per Government of India rules — the notification doesn't spell out post-specific relaxation figures beyond referring to these standard GOI orders.

Since three different qualification levels (10th, 12th, and graduate/postgraduate) apply across these 13 posts with no single primary one, check the post-wise table above for the level that matches your own qualification.

Salary & Pay Scale

Pay follows the 7th CPC Pay Matrix and varies enormously by post: Level-1 (₹18,000–56,900) for Multi-Tasking Staff, Level-2 (₹19,900–63,200) for Messenger Cum Rider, Van Driver, and Junior Clerk, Level-4 (₹25,500–81,100) for Proof Reader Cum General Assistant and Stenographer Gr. II, Level-6 (₹35,400–1,12,400) for Senior Library & Information Assistant, Junior Translation Officer, Technical Assistant, Programme Assistant, and Publication Assistant, Level-10 (₹56,100–1,77,500) for Assistant Editor, and Level-11 (₹67,700–2,08,700) for Deputy Secretary. Your actual in-hand pay will be higher than the basic once DA, HRA, and other Central Government allowances are added.

Important Dates

Application Fee

• Level-10/Level-11 posts (Assistant Editor, Deputy Secretary): ₹1,000 for UR/OBC; ₹500 for SC/ST/Women; Nil for EWS/PwD
• Level-1 to Level-6 posts (all other posts): ₹800 for UR/OBC; ₹500 for SC/ST/Women; Nil for EWS/PwD

Fee is payable only by Demand Draft in favour of "Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi," and is non-refundable and non-adjustable once paid. If you apply for more than one post, you need a separate application form and a separate fee for each one.

How to Apply

This is an offline recruitment — there is no online application portal.

1. Download the prescribed application format for your post from the official website, sahitya-akademi.gov.in.
2. Fill it in with complete details, and attach a recent self-attested passport-size photograph along with self-attested copies of every required document.
3. Fill out a separate application form for each post you're applying to — applying more than once for the same post can get your candidature cancelled.
4. Superscribe the envelope clearly: "Application for the post of ________," naming the specific post.
5. Send the completed application by Speed Post or Registered Post only — email and online submissions are not accepted — to: The Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, 35 Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi-110001.
6. Make sure it physically reaches within 30 days of the advertisement's publication (by 21 September 2026). Applications sent by email, or that are incomplete, unsigned, undocumented, or arrive late, will be rejected.

How Are Candidates Selected

Deputy Secretary and Assistant Editor: Selection is based purely on interview performance — there's no written test for these two posts.

Level-6 posts (Senior Library & Information Assistant, Junior Translation Officer, Technical Assistant, Programme Assistant, Publication Assistant): A 100-mark, 2-hour Written Test — Part-I is 50 objective marks (General Studies/GK, Hindi, English, Computer, Quantitative Aptitude), Part-II is 50 descriptive marks on post-specific subject matter (Library Science, Translation, Publication/Printing).

Level-4 posts (Proof Reader Cum General Assistant, Stenographer Gr. II): The same 100-mark, 2-part written test structure, with post-specific Part-II content. Stenographer Gr. II candidates are additionally shortlisted for a qualifying skill test of 80 w.p.m. shorthand plus typing speed.

Level-1 and Level-2 posts (Messenger Cum Rider, Van Driver, Junior Clerk, Multi-Tasking Staff): A 100-mark, 2-hour Written Test — Part-I is 60 objective marks (General Studies/GK, Hindi Grammar, English Grammar, Computer, Quantitative Aptitude), Part-II is 40 descriptive marks (Essay, Letter, English Comprehension, Notice/Advertisement). Messenger Cum Rider and Van Driver candidates also undergo a qualifying driving skill test; Junior Clerk candidates undergo a qualifying typing test (35 w.p.m. English/30 w.p.m. Hindi).

Only shortlisted candidates are called for the written test, skill test, or interview — there's no interim correspondence.

Why This Job Matters

Sahitya Akademi is India's National Academy of Letters, the country's premier institution for preserving and promoting literature across 24 recognised Indian languages through awards, fellowships, publications, and literary programmes. What's notable here is the sheer range in one notification — from a senior Deputy Secretary post down to Multi-Tasking Staff — spread across the Akademi's Head Office and its Regional/Sub-Offices in four different cities, giving candidates at very different qualification levels a shot at the same institution.

The FreshersLike Take

Best fit: The Junior Clerk, Van Driver, Messenger Cum Rider, and Multi-Tasking Staff posts suit 10th/12th-pass candidates who want a genuine Central Government autonomous-body job with a clear, structured written test rather than a purely discretionary hire.

Who should think twice: This is an entirely offline, postal-application process — there's no online form, and the Akademi explicitly won't accept email submissions or take responsibility for postal delays, so if you're used to online application tracking, budget extra time and use Speed Post or Registered Post well before the deadline. Most Level-4 and Level-6 posts also demand real prior work experience (3 to 7 years), so several posts here aren't genuinely open to fresh graduates despite the modest pay levels.

Practical tip: Since the application fee must be paid only by Demand Draft (no online payment option exists), get your DD made out exactly to "Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi" well ahead of time — a DD in the wrong name or amount is an easy, entirely avoidable way to have your application rejected.

Documents Required

• Recent self-attested passport-size photograph
• Self-attested copies of all educational qualification certificates
• Self-attested experience certificates
• Self-attested category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Ex-Servicemen), in the prescribed Government of India format — OBC certificates must specifically state you don't belong to the creamy layer
• No Objection Certificate (NOC), if you currently serve in Central/State Government, an Autonomous Body, or a PSU (or you may apply through proper channel instead)
• For candidates currently serving at Level-10 and above: last five years' ACRs/APARs, an integrity certificate, and vigilance clearance from your current employer
• Demand Draft for the applicable application fee, in favour of "Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi"

What Happens After Selection

Only shortlisted candidates are called for the written test, skill test, or interview, entirely at their own expense — no TA/DA is paid. Where a departmental candidate is selected for Senior Library & Information Assistant, Junior Translation Officer, Technical Assistant, or Publication Assistant, it's treated as a promotion by selection rather than a fresh appointment. The selected candidate is liable to be transferred to any office of the Akademi located in India. [VERIFY] — the notification doesn't describe a separate medical examination or probation period for these posts.

Important Links

Common Questions

What is the last date to apply for Sahitya Akademi Recruitment 2026?

Your application must physically reach the Akademi within 30 days of the advertisement's publication in Employment News — the notified last date is 21 September 2026.

Can I apply online?

No. This is an offline recruitment. Applications must be sent only by Speed Post or Registered Post to the Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi — email and online submissions are explicitly not accepted.

Can a 10th-pass candidate apply?

Yes, for Multi-Tasking Staff and Van Driver specifically, both of which accept a 10th pass qualification. Every other post requires at least 10+2 or a graduate/postgraduate degree.

Is there a refund if I don't clear the written test?

No. The notification states the application fee, once paid by Demand Draft, is non-refundable and non-adjustable under any circumstances.

Is the written test computer-based?

No specific mode is stated as computer-based in the notification for the written test stages — it's described as a Written Test, distinct from the qualifying skill tests (typing, shorthand, driving) for certain posts.

Do I need work experience to apply?

It depends on the post. Multi-Tasking Staff, Junior Clerk, Van Driver, and Messenger Cum Rider don't require prior experience beyond driving/typing skills, but Stenographer Gr. II and every Level-6, Level-10, and Level-11 post require 3 to 7 years of specific relevant experience.

Is there a correction window if I make a mistake on my application?

[VERIFY] — the notification doesn't mention any correction process for offline applications once submitted; there's no online form to edit after submission.

What happens if I apply for more than one post?

You need a separate application form and a separate application fee for each post — but applying more than once for the same post may lead to cancellation of your candidature for it.

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