As of December 22, 2025, job-seekers tracking Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) have two major developments to watch: the 2,785-post Apprentice Recruitment 2025-26 has already closed (and is moving into result/document verification stages), while a fresh Non-Executive Personnel recruitment for 394 vacancies across IOCL’s refineries is currently open with applications running into early January 2026.
This article breaks down what’s active, what’s closed, and what candidates should do next—based on reporting and the official recruitment documents issued this week.
1) IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2025-26: The 2,785-post window has closed — here’s the timeline now
The IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2025-26—covering 2,785 apprentice positions across multiple refinery locations—closed on December 18, 2025 (5:00 PM), according to the published schedule.
Key dates candidates should remember
Applicants who successfully submitted forms should now shift focus from “apply” to “track the next steps,” because the process timeline has already moved forward:
- Applications opened: November 28, 2025
- Applications closed: December 18, 2025 (5:00 PM)
- Result/merit list date: December 27, 2025
- Document Verification (DV): January 2–7, 2026
Who this apprentice drive targeted
This apprentice intake spans candidates with qualifications including Class 10, ITI, diploma, and degree (depending on discipline/trade). The vacancies were reported across refineries in locations such as Guwahati, Barauni, Gujarat, Haldia, Mathura, Panipat, Digboi, Bongaigaon, and Paradip.
Age and selection method (important for shortlisting expectations)
- Age band:18 to 24 years, with eligibility reckoned using November 30, 2025 as the age reference date (as reported).
- Selection: A merit list based on marks in the qualifying examination, followed by document verification and a medical examination.
- Fee: Reporting indicates no application fee was applicable across categories for this apprentice intake.
What applicants should do right now (Dec 22)
With the window closed, the practical next move is to prepare for DV and medical checks rather than hunting for an “apply” link that won’t accept submissions anymore. Keep essentials ready: identity documents, educational certificates/mark sheets, category certificates (if applicable), and anything required for medical fitness during onboarding (requirements vary by notification and trade). The Times of India
2) IOCL Non-Executive Recruitment 2025-26: 394 vacancies open across nine refinery/petrochemical units
While the apprentice window is over, IOCL has also issued a fresh recruitment notice for Non-Executive Personnel in its Refineries Division, dated December 20, 2025, and this one is live for applications.
Why this recruitment is drawing attention: pay scale up to ₹1.05 lakh
The official notification states that selected candidates will be in the pay scale of ₹25,000–₹1,05,000 (with additional benefits/allowances as per company rules). That “over one lakh” ceiling is also why many outlets are highlighting this as a high-value PSU opportunity. IOCL+2IOCL+2
Where the jobs are: refineries and petrochemical units
The recruitment is for IOCL’s refinery/petrochemical units including Guwahati, Barauni, Gujarat (Vadodara), Haldia, Mathura, Panipat (PRPC), Digboi, Bongaigaon, and Paradip.
Important dates (application and exam timeline)
Per the official schedule:
- Online applications open:December 20, 2025 (10:00)
- Last date to apply + fee payment:January 9, 2026 (23:55)
- CBT call letters: around 7 days before the test
- CBT month (tentative):last week of January 2026
Several outlets publishing on Dec 22 are summarising the same registration window and pointing candidates to the official PDF and application portal.
3) Posts on offer: Junior Engineering Assistant, Junior Technical Assistant, Junior Quality Control Analyst, Fire & Safety
The recruitment covers a cluster of technical and operational non-executive roles. As reported in the vacancy breakup:
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV (Production): 232
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV (P&U): 37
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV (P&U-O&M): 22
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV / Junior Technical Assistant-IV (Electrical): 12
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV / Junior Technical Assistant-IV (Mechanical): 14
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV / Junior Technical Assistant-IV (Instrumentation): 6
- Junior Quality Control Analyst: 20
- Junior Engineering Assistant-IV (Fire & Safety): 51
The official document also lays out refinery-wise vacancy distribution (including reservation categories) for these post codes.
4) Eligibility snapshot: diploma/BSc routes, Fire & Safety requirements, and Boiler credentials
Eligibility varies by post code, but here are the headlines candidates keep missing:
- Many engineering roles require a 3-year diploma in the relevant branch (chemical, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, etc.), typically with minimum percentage criteria that differ for categories.
- Quality Control is aligned with a BSc (science subjects such as Physics/Chemistry/Maths/Industrial Chemistry) route in the published criteria.
- Fire & Safety positions can require 10+2, a Sub-Officers’ Course (as specified), and a valid heavy vehicle driving licence (as reported in the eligibility outline).
- P&U roles may require Boiler Competency (or an equivalent credential, depending on the wording in the criteria), which can be a deal-breaker if missing—so candidates should verify this before applying.
5) Age limit and relaxations: what applies as of Dec 22 coverage
The official notification sets the cut-off date for age and qualification as December 31, 2025 and details category-wise relaxations.
Key points being highlighted in Dec 22 coverage include:
- SC/ST: relaxation up to 5 years
- OBC (NCL): relaxation up to 3 years
- PwBD: higher relaxations (with different limits by category/identified posts)
(Exact eligibility depends on the post and reservation/identified categories, so candidates should reconcile their details against the official criteria before submission.)
6) Selection process: CBT + qualifying skill/physical test
For the Non-Executive recruitment, the selection model is clearly laid out:
- Computer Based Test (CBT) followed by a Skill/Proficiency/Physical Test (SPPT)
- SPPT is qualifying in nature, meaning the merit ranking is driven by CBT marks for those who clear SPPT
CBT format highlights include:
- 100 objective questions
- 120 minutes
- Conducted in English and Hindi
- No negative marking (as specified)
7) Application fee: ₹300 for some categories, exemptions for others
The official recruitment document states:
- General / EWS / OBC (NCL):₹300 application fee (non-refundable)
- SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-servicemen:exempted from fee payment
A smart safety note for candidates: IOCL explicitly warns that it does not seek payment beyond the specified application fee—an important reminder given the spike in fake links during major PSU recruitment cycles.
8) Missed the 2,785 apprentice deadline? Another IOCL apprenticeship notice is still active
Apart from the refineries apprentice drive that closed on Dec 18, IOCL has also issued an apprenticeship notification under its Marketing Division (Eastern Region) dated December 10, 2025, covering engagement of Trade/Technician/Graduate Apprentices across multiple eastern and northeastern states/UTs.
The notification lists an application timeline running:
- From: December 10, 2025 (10:00 AM)
- To: January 9, 2026 (5:00 PM)
This matters for candidates who narrowly missed the Dec 18 refinery-apprentice cutoff and are looking for a legitimate IOCL pathway that is still open as of Dec 22.
The bottom line on Dec 22, 2025
- The IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2025-26 (2,785 posts) is closed, with results expected Dec 27 and DV scheduled Jan 2–7.
- The IOCL Non-Executive Personnel Recruitment (394 posts) is open right now, with applications running until Jan 9, 2026 (23:55) and a CBT tentatively in the last week of Jan 2026.
- The pay band for these non-executive roles runs up to ₹1,05,000, making this one of the more closely watched PSU hiring windows heading into 2026.
If you want, I can also rewrite this into a tighter Google Discover style (shorter paragraphs, more “quick-scan” formatting) while keeping all dates and eligibility intact—still without images or charts.
