**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Defence has issued the Recruitment (Amendment) Rules, 2026, for Group ‘C’ Fire Service posts within the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Effective from the date of publication (13 April 2026), the notification renames the "Fireman" post to "Firefighter" and updates the mandatory physical, medical, and endurance standards for recruitment.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Nomenclature and Application**
* The designation of the post in the recruitment schedule is changed from “Fireman” to “Firefighter.”
* The rules apply to Group ‘C’ (Fire Service) posts within the Ministry of Defence, DRDO.
* The amended rules are effective as of April 13, 2026.
**Physical Measurement Standards**
* **Male Candidates:** Minimum height of 165 cm, chest measurement of 81 cm (un-expanded) with 5 cm expansion, and a minimum weight of 50 kg.
* **Female Candidates:** Minimum height of 157 cm and a minimum weight of 45 kg.
* **Relaxations:** A maximum relaxation of 2.5 cm in height and/or chest measurements is permitted for candidates from hilly areas.
* **General Health:** Candidates must be free from physical deformities, bow legs, knock knees, and flat feet.
**Medical and Vision Requirements**
* **Vision:** Must be 6x6 (distant) without aids.
* **Age-related Vision:** Near vision must be normal, though corrections are permitted for individuals over 40 years of age.
* **Field of Vision:** Each eye must have a full field of vision.
* **Disqualifications:** Candidates must not have night blindness or colour blindness.
**Physical Endurance Tests**
* **Male Requirements:** 1600m run in 7 minutes; carrying 63.5 kg for 183m within 96 seconds; 3m vertical rope climb; 20 sit-ups; and clearing a 2.7m wide ditch (long jump).
* **Female Requirements:** 800m run in 5 minutes; carrying 63.5 kg for 183m within 96 seconds; 2.5m vertical rope climb; and 15 sit-ups or a 2.0m long jump.
* **Performance Relaxation:** Candidates over 40 years of age receive a 10% relaxation in performance standards.
**Impact Analysis**
**Candidates and Applicants**
**Impact**
Applicants are now subject to specific, gender-segregated physical measurements and endurance benchmarks. The renaming of the post and the introduction of a 10% performance relaxation for those over 40 years of age directly affects eligibility and testing protocols.
**Action Required**
Prospective candidates must ensure they meet the new physical and medical criteria and prepare for the specific endurance tests (running, weight carrying, and rope climbing) as defined in the 2026 amendments.
**DRDO Recruitment Authorities**
**Impact**
The department must update all official recruitment documentation, advertisements, and assessment rubrics to reflect the new "Firefighter" title and the revised testing standards.
**Action Required**
Administrative bodies must integrate the updated physical and medical measurement scales into their screening processes and apply the 10% relaxation for candidates over age 40 during evaluations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Group ‘C’ (Fire Service) posts Recruitment (Amendment) Rules, 2026: The specific notification amending the physical measurement, medical, and endurance standards for recruitment into the fire service.
Ministry of Defence, Defence Research and Development Organisation Group ‘C’ (Fire Service) posts Recruitment Rules, 2011: The principal rules governing recruitment criteria for fire service posts within DRDO, which are being updated by this amendment.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): The primary organization under the Ministry of Defence for which these recruitment and service standards are established.
Article 309 of the Constitution of India: The constitutional authority enabling the President to frame rules for the recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to the Union services.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एxलx.x-GअID.H-1x3x0x 42026-271785
CG-DLxx-xEG-I1D3E0x4x2x0 26-271785
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 4
PART II—Section 4
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 4] नई दिल्ली, सोमिार, अप्रैल 13, 2026/चत्रै 23, 1948
No. 4] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026/CHAITRA 23, 1948
रक्षा मत्रं ालय
(रक्षा अनसु धं ान और जिकास जिभाग)
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 13 अप्रलै , 2026
का.जन.आ. 4(अ).— राष्ट्रपजत, संजिधान के अनच्ु छेि 309 के परंतुक द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, रक्षा
मंत्रालय, रक्षा अनुसंधान और जिकास संगठन, समूह ‘ग’ (अजििमन सेिा) पि भती जनयम, 2011 म ें संिोधन करने के जलए
जनम्नजलजखत जनयम बनात ेह,ैं अर्ाात्:—
1. सजं क्षप्त नाम और प्रारंभ- (1) इन जनयमों का संजक्षप्त नाम रक्षा मंत्रालय, रक्षा अनुसंधान और जिकास संगठन, समूह
‘ग’ (अजि िमन सेिा) पि भती (संिोधन) जनयम, 2026 ह।ै
(2) य ेरािपत्र म ें प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रिृत्त होंगे।
2. रक्षा मंत्रालय, रक्षा अनुसंधान और जिकास संगठन समूह ‘ग’ (अजििमन सेिा) पि भती जनयम 2011 की अनुसूची
म,ें फायरमैन पि के सामन—े
(1) स्ट्तंभ (1) म,ें “फायरमैन” प्रजिजि के स्ट्र्ान पर “फायरफाइटर” प्रजिजि रखी िाएगी;
(2) स्ट्तंभ (7) म,ें परै ा (2) के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत परै ा रखा िाएगा, अर्ाात्—
2653 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC.4]
(2) िारीररक रूप स ेस्ट्िस्ट्र् और श्रमसाध्य कताव्यों के पालन म ेंसक्षम होना चाजहए और जनम्नजलजखत जिजनर्िाि
परीक्षण उत्तीणा करना चाजहए।:-
(क) िारीररक मापिंड
पुरुष मजहला
ऊंचाई जबना िूतों के न्यूनतम 165 सेंटीमीटर न्यूनतम 157 सेंटीमीटर
सीना (जबना फुलाए) न्यूनतम 81 सेंटीमीटर लाग ूनहीं होता
सीना फुलाने पर न्यूनतम 05 सेंटीमीटर लाग ूनहीं होता
भार न्यूनतम 50 दकलोग्राम न्यूनतम 45 दकलोग्राम
(i) कोई िारीररक जिकृजत तर्ा टेढ े पैर, अंतिाक्र िान ु और सपाट परै नहीं हो; और
(ii) पहाडी क्षेत्रों स े संबंजधत अभ्यर्र्ायों के जलए ऊंचाई और/या सीने की माप म ेंअजधकतम 2.5
सेंटीमीटर की छूट अनुज्ञात की िा सकती ह।ै
(ख) जचदकत्सा मानिंड
िजृ ि
(i) जबना दकसी सहायक उपकरण के िरू की िजृ ि 6×6।
(ii) 40 िष ा स ेअजधक आय ु के व्यजियों के जलए सुधार सजहत जनकट िजृ ि सामान्य।
(iii) प्रत्येक आँख म ेंपणू ा िश्ृ य क्षेत्र।
(iv) रतौंधी और िणाांधता न हो।
(ग) िारीररक क्षमता परीक्षा
परुु ष अभ्यर्ी
(i) 07 जमनट म ें1600 मीटर की िौड
(ii) 63.5 दकलोग्राम भार को 183 मीटर की िरू ी तक 96 सके ंड के भीतर ले िाना।
(iii) ऊध्िााधर रस्ट्सी पर 3 मीटर ऊँची चढाई (िमीन स े3 मीटर ऊपर)।
(iv) 20 जसट-अप्स।
(v) 2.7 मीटर चौडी खाई को कूि कर पार करना और िोनों परै ों पर खड ेहोना (लंबी कूि) (दिए गए 3
अिसरों म ें स े दकसी एक म ेंसफल हो)।
मजहला अभ्यर्ी
(i) 05 जमनट म ें800 मीटर की िौड
(ii) 63.5 दकलोग्राम भार को 183 मीटर की िरू ी तक 96 सेकंड के भीतर ल ेिाना।
(iii) ऊध्िााधर रस्ट्सी पर 2.5 मीटर ऊँची चढाई (िमीन स े2.5 मीटर ऊपर)।
(iv) 15 जसट-अप्स; या
2.0 मीटर लंबी कूि (दिए गए 3 अिसरों म ें स ेदकसी एक म ें सफल हो)।[भाग II—खण् ड 4] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
(घ)‘’40 िष ा स े अजधक आय ुके अभ्यर्र्ायों के जलए प्रििना मानिंडों में 10% की छूट होगी।’’
[फा. सं. डीएचआरडी/87661/भतीजनयम/सी/पी/02/डी1278 तारीख 13 अप्रलै , 2026]
डाँ. इजिता गांगलु ी जत्रपाठी, सयं ुक् त सजचि
रटप्पण :- मूल जनयम भारत के रािपत्र, भाग II, खडं 4 में का.जन.आ. 68, तारीख 28 अिूबर 2011 द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए
गए र् ेऔर तत्पश्चात ्अजधसूचना संखयांक का.जन.आ 35 तारीख 21 अप्रलै 2017 द्वारा संिोजधत दकए गए र्े और
का.जन.आ 85 तारीख 11 अिूबर 2017 द्वारा अंजतम बार सिं ोजधत दकए गए र्े।
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(Department of Defence Research and Development)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 13th April, 2026
S.R.O. 4(E)— In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution, the
President hereby makes the following rules to amend the Ministry of Defence, Defence Research and Development
Organisation Group ‘C’ (Fire Service) posts Recruitment Rules, 2011, namely:-
1. (1) These rules may be called the Ministry of Defence, Defence Research and Development Organisation,
Group ‘C’ (Fire Service) posts Recruitment (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Ministry of Defence, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Group ‘C’ (Fire Service) posts
Recruitment Rules, 2011, in the Schedule, against the post of Fireman,
(1) in column (1), for the entry “Fireman” the entry “Firefighter” shall be substituted;
(2) in column (7), for paragraph (2), the following paragraph shall be substituted, namely:-
“(2) Must be physically fit and capable of performing strenuous duties and passed the tests specified
as under:-
(A) Physical Measurement:
Male Female
Height without shoes 165 centimeter minimum 157 centimeter minimum
Chest(un-expanded) 81 centimeter minimum Not Applicable
Chest expansion min 05 centimeter minimum Not Applicable
Weight 50 Kilogram minimum 45 Kilogram minimum
(i) no physical deformity and bow legs, knock knee and flat foot; and
(ii) a maximum relaxation of 2.5 centimeter in height and/or in chest may be allowed for
candidates belonging to hilly areas.
(B) Medical Standards:
Vision
(i) distant 6x6 without aids;
(ii) near vision normal but with corrections for person above 40 years of age;
(iii) each eye must have full field of vision; and4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC.4]
(iv) no night and colour blindness.
(C) Physical Endurance Test:
Male candidates
(i) running a distance of 1600 meter in 07 minutes time;
(ii) carrying a weight of 63.5 Kilogram to a distance of 183 meter within 96 seconds;
(iii) 03 meter vertical rope climbing (03 meter foot above ground);
(iv) 20 sit ups; and
(v) clearing 2.7 meter wide ditch and landing on both feet (long jump) (to achieve in any one
of the 03 chance given).
Female Candidates
(i) running a distance of 800 meter in 05 minutes time;
(ii) carrying a weight of 63.5 Kilogram to a distance of 183 meter within 96 seconds;
(iii) 2.5 meter vertical rope climbing (2.5 meter foot above ground); and
(iv) 15 sit ups;
or
long jump of 2.0 meter (to achieve in any one of the 03 chance given).
(D) “There shall be 10 % relaxation in the performance standards for the candidates having age more
than 40 years.”.
[F. No. DHRD/87661/RRs/C/P/02/D1278 dated, 13 April, 2026]
Dr. ISHITA GANGULI TRIPATHY, Jt. Secy.
Note:- The Principal rules were published in Gazette of India, Part II, Section 4, vide S.R.O.68, dated the 28th October,
2011, and subsequently amended vide notification number S.R.O. 35 dated the 21st April, 2017 and last
amended vide S.R.O 85 dated 11th October, 2017.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.