A major career opportunity has opened up for engineering graduates across the country. Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC), a premier Navratna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Coal, has officially released a comprehensive notification for the recruitment of Graduate Executive Trainees (GET). With a total of 143 vacancies announced across core engineering disciplines, the recruitment drive is targeted specifically at candidates who have qualified the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2025.

Eligible and interested candidates can submit their applications online through the official NLC portal at nlcindia.in. The online application window, which opened on November 13, is scheduled to close on December 14, 2026.

Breakdown of Vacancies and Branch Eligibility

The recruitment drive spans across major foundational engineering sectors, including Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, and Mining engineering. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must fulfill specific educational and academic criteria established by the corporation:

• Academic Qualifications: Candidates must hold a full-time Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (BE, B.Tech, or B.Sc. Engineering) from a recognized university or institution in the relevant discipline. For candidates applying under mechanical engineering, Associate Membership (AMIE) qualifications are also accepted.

• Percentage Criteria: General, EWS, and OBC-NCL candidates are required to secure a minimum of 60 percent marks in their qualifying engineering degree. For candidates belonging to the SC/ST categories, the relaxed minimum threshold is set at 50 percent.

• GATE Requirement: A valid and qualifying score in GATE 2025 in the corresponding paper is mandatory for all applicants.

Age Limits and Category-Wise Relaxations

Age parameters have been structured to ensure broad accessibility for young engineering professionals. As of the cut-off date of November 1, 2026, applicants must meet the following age guidelines:

• Minimum Age: 18 years across all categories.

• Maximum Age: 30 years for General and EWS unreserved candidates.

In accordance with government guidelines, upper age limit relaxations apply to reserved categories: 3 years for OBC-NCL, 5 years for SC/ST, and up to 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), with additional provisions for ex-servicemen.

Multi-Tier Selection Process

The final merit list for absorption into NLC will be formulated through a rigorous, two-stage evaluation methodology designed to assess both technical aptitude and personal suitability:

1. GATE 2025 Score (80% Weightage): The candidate's percentile score in the GATE 2025 examination forms the primary foundation for shortlisting, carrying an overwhelming 80 percent weightage in the final merit computation.

2. Personal Interview (20% Weightage): Shortlisted candidates based on their GATE scores will be called for a personal interview, which accounts for the remaining 20 percent of the evaluation criteria.

Lucrative Salary and Career Growth Structure

Selected candidates inducted as Graduate Executive Trainees will undergo a structured one-year training program. During this probationary training period, candidates are placed in the E-2 grade, drawing a competitive pay scale ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹1,60,000, with a starting basic pay of ₹50,000.

Upon successful completion of the training period and fulfillment of all service milestones, candidates will be absorbed into the regular E-3 grade, where the pay scale ascends to ₹60,000 to ₹1,80,000, accompanied by comprehensive public sector perks, dearness allowances, medical benefits, and performance-linked incentives.

Application Fee and How to Apply Online

Applicants must complete their submissions via the official digital portal. The fee structure varies by category:

• General, EWS, and OBC-NCL Candidates: ₹854 total (comprising a ₹500 application fee and a ₹354 processing fee inclusive of GST).

• SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen: ₹354 (strictly processing fee; application fees are fully waived).

Steps to Apply:

1. Visit the official NLC India website at nlcindia.in.

2. Navigate to the careers or recruitment section and select the link for Advertisement No. 10/2026.

3. Register using valid personal credentials to generate a unique login ID and password.

4. Fill out the application form with accurate personal, academic, and GATE 2025 details.

5. Upload scanned copies of required documents, passport-size photographs, and signatures.

6. Complete the secure online fee payment and submit the form.

7. Download and print a hard copy of the final application confirmation for future reference.