OPSC has notified 340 Assistant Section Officer (Group-B) posts in the Odisha Secretariat Service cadre under the Home Department. If you are a graduate in any subject, aged 21 to 42, with computer knowledge and the required Odia background, you can apply online at opsc.gov.in between 9 and 30 November 2026.

Selection comes down to one 400-mark objective exam, tentatively on 17 January 2027, followed by a computer skill test you only need to clear. No interview is listed, so your written score decides your rank.

Last updated: 6 November 2026. Source: OPSC Advertisement No. 15 of 2026-27, dated 5 November 2026. Check opsc.gov.in for any corrigendum before you apply.

The numbers in brackets are posts reserved for women, and the totals include backlog posts.

Posts within these categories

Sports, ex-servicemen and PwD posts are not extra. A selected candidate is adjusted against their own social category.

PwD reservation needs a permanent disability of 40% or more. OPSC says the number of vacancies can change without notice.

Education

A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification, plus adequate computer knowledge. Your degree certificate must be issued on or before the day you submit the form.

Age as on 1 January 2026

You must be at least 21 and not above 42, which means born between 2 January 1984 and 1 January 2005. OPSC goes by the date of birth on your High School Certificate.

Apart from that PwD combination, relaxations do not stack. If you fall in two categories, you get the one that helps you most.

Odia requirement

You must be able to speak, read and write Odia, and meet any one of these:

• Passed the Middle School exam with Odia as a language subject.
• Passed Matriculation or equivalent with Odia as the medium of exam in a non-language subject.
• Passed Odia as a language subject in the final exam of Class VII or above.
• Passed the Middle English School standard Odia test conducted by the School and Mass Education Department.

If your High School Certificate does not show this, you will need a supporting certificate from your Headmaster or Principal, or an Odia Test Pass Certificate issued before the last date. Page 6 of the advertisement has the details.

Other conditions

• You must be an Indian citizen and pass a Medical Board examination if selected.
• Government employees can apply, but they must inform their Head of Office in writing and produce a No Objection Certificate at document verification. Get this organised early.
• Transgender candidates are eligible.
• Anyone with more than one living spouse is not eligible unless the State Government has exempted them.

The fee is ₹700, paid online. SC, ST and PwD candidates are exempt. If you are required to pay and do not, your form counts as incomplete and will be rejected.

You get the ₹700 back only if you actually sit the written exam. The refund goes to the account you paid from, and the form also asks for bank details in case that fails, so enter them carefully and keep that account active.

Marks you need

Papers I to III are multiple choice, with one question per mark, so 400 questions in all. Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. You have to reach the minimum in each paper separately:

Ex-servicemen and sports persons follow the minimum for their caste category.

From written exam to final list

• Shortlist: Since each category has more than five vacancies, OPSC calls about 1.5 times the vacancies to the skill test, by merit. That works out to roughly 510 candidates, though OPSC may call more PwD candidates.
• Documents: Before the skill test, you bring the signed printout of your form, photocopies and originals for verification.
• Skill test: You need 40%, or 20 out of 50. These marks do not count towards your rank.
• Final rank: This comes only from the 400 written marks. In a tie, the higher Paper I score goes first, and then the older candidate.

Half the marks are in language. English and Odia together carry 200 of the 400 marks. It is tempting to pour all your time into General Awareness because it feels like the real syllabus, but the marks say otherwise. A candidate who is strong in both languages starts with a real advantage.

Paper III is a speed test. You get 36 seconds a question here, against 54 seconds in Papers I and II. Comprehension passages take longer than that, so you have to win the time back on grammar and vocabulary. Practise this paper against a timer from the start.

One weak paper can end your attempt. The minimum applies paper by paper, so a great General Awareness score will not rescue a Paper II below the mark. If maths has been out of your life since Class 10, begin there.

Guess with some care. Four wrong answers wipe out one right answer. If you can eliminate two options, a guess is usually worth taking. A blind guess on a question you have never seen rarely is.

OCS aspirants have a head start, but only in part. Much of Paper I overlaps with the OCS syllabus, especially polity, the economy, Odisha geography and current affairs. Reasoning, Class 10 maths and speed-based language work need separate practice.

Do not leave the computer test for later. It only needs 20 out of 50, but it is practical and it can knock you out after a good written exam. MS Access is the one many candidates have never opened, so spend some hands-on time with it.

The calendar is tight. The form closes on 30 November and the exam is tentatively on 17 January, which leaves about seven weeks after applying. Sort out your certificates now so that those weeks go to preparation.

OPSC spells these out in the advertisement. Check them before you pay the fee.

• Old SEBC certificate: It must be issued on or after 10 November 2023. An older one means you lose your SEBC claim.
• OBC instead of SEBC: An OBC certificate is not accepted against SEBC vacancies.
• “Wife of” on a caste certificate: Women must submit a certificate showing “daughter of”. Caste status through marriage is not accepted.
• More than one application: Applying through multiple PPSAN accounts gets your applications rejected.
• Temporary disability certificate: Only a permanent disability certificate counts for the PwD quota.
• Sports prizes as proof: Only the identity card or certificate from the Director of Sports, Odisha is accepted.
• Children of ex-servicemen: They cannot apply against ex-servicemen vacancies.
• Certificates dated after the last date: These are not considered, whatever the reason.
• Unclear uploads: Your photo, full signature and left-hand thumb impression must all be clearly visible.

The caste category you enter cannot be changed later, and OPSC will not accept requests to withdraw or change category. If you spot another error after submitting, the only fix is to cancel the application and apply again before the deadline.

• Read first: Go through the advertisement and the instructions on the OPSC portal.
• Keep scans ready: You need your HSC certificate, +2 certificate, degree certificate and mark sheets (including any fail marks), plus an ID proof, preferably Aadhaar. Add your Odia certificate and any category certificate that applies.
• Register at opsc.gov.in: You will get a Permanent Public Service Account Number (PPSAN). Use only this one account.
• Choose two exam zones: There are 33 across Odisha, listed on page 9 of the advertisement. Second choices are given on a first come, first served basis, and OPSC will not change your zone later, so apply early.
• Pay the fee and submit: Then check the submitted copy for errors.
• Print and keep: Sign the declaration on the printout, and keep at least four copies of the photo you uploaded. You will need both at document verification.

If you get stuck

• Technical problems with the form: 0671-2304707
• Questions about the advertisement: 0671-2304141 or 0671-2305611 (Extn. 205)
• Hours: 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2 PM to 5:30 PM on Odisha Government working days
• Exam-related complaints: Email opsc@od.gov.in within 7 days of the exam

With 340 government posts on offer, expect people claiming they can fix a job or have seen the paper. OPSC’s own notice says anyone asking for money to get you the job, or claiming to hold the question paper, is trying to cheat you. Do not pay anyone. The exam falls under the Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and candidates using unfair means face a permanent ban from OPSC exams.

What is the last date to apply for OPSC ASO 2026?

30 November 2026, 5 PM. The application link opens on 9 November 2026 at opsc.gov.in. OPSC accepts online applications only.

Can final-year students apply?

Only if the degree certificate is issued on or before the date you submit the form. OPSC checks eligibility as on the closing date, and it will not accept a degree certificate issued after the last date.

What is the age limit?

You must be between 21 and 42 on 1 January 2026, which means born between 2 January 1984 and 1 January 2005. SEBC, SC, ST, women and ex-servicemen get 5 extra years, and persons with 40% or more permanent disability get 10. PwD candidates from SEBC, SC or ST categories get 15.

Is there an interview in the OPSC ASO selection?

No interview is listed. You write a 400-mark objective exam and then, if shortlisted, take a 50-mark computer skill test that is qualifying only. The final merit list is based on the 400 written marks.

Is there negative marking?

Yes. Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks, so four wrong answers cancel one correct answer.

How much is the application fee, and do you get it back?

The fee is ₹700. SC, ST and PwD candidates do not pay it. Everyone who pays gets it refunded after the exam, but only if they actually sit the written exam.

Can candidates from outside Odisha apply?

The advertisement asks for Indian citizenship and does not limit the post to Odisha residents, but you must meet the Odia requirement. SC, ST and SEBC reservation and relaxation are available only to those categories of Odisha.

In which language do you answer the paper?

In English, except for the Odia language paper or where the question paper says otherwise.

• Current affairs for Paper I: Daily current affairs and Odisha current affairs
• OPSC question practice: Solved OPSC Prelims PYQs
• Also preparing for OCS? OPSC OCS exam guide
• Classroom and online coaching: Strive Edge IAS, Bhubaneswar