HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026: The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) has invited Online Recruitment Applications (ORA) for 23 Agriculture Development Officer (ADO), Group-A (Job Trainee) posts in the Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh. The recruitment notification was issued on September 25, 2026, under Advertisement No. 63/9-2026.
Eligible candidates can submit their applications through the HPPSC online portal. The last date to submit the online application and pay the examination fee is October 22, 2026, up to 11:59 PM.
HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026: Highlights
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Authority | Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission |
| Post | Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) |
| Group | Group-A |
| Job Status | Job Trainee |
| Department | Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh |
HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026 Notification:
HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026: Vacancy
The HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026 notification carries 23 vacancies for Agriculture Development Officer (ADO), Group-A (Job Trainee).
The vacancies are reserved as follows:
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Unreserved – Ward of Ex-Servicemen | 19 |
| SC of Himachal Pradesh – Ward of Ex-Servicemen | 3 |
| OBC of Himachal Pradesh – Ward of Ex-Servicemen | 1 |
| Total | 23 |
The notification identifies all 23 vacancies as backlog vacancies under the respective Ward of Ex-Servicemen categories.
HPPSC ADO Eligibility Criteria 2026
Candidates applying for the Agriculture Development Officer post must fulfil the educational and other eligibility requirements prescribed by the Commission.
Educational Qualification
Candidates must possess:
- B.Sc. (Agriculture) under a four-year degree programme, and
- M.Sc. (Agriculture) with Second Class
The degree must be obtained from a college or university recognised by the State Government, Central Government or ICAR.
Desirable Qualification
An M.Sc. (Agriculture) with First Class or above is a desirable qualification.
The Commission has also mentioned knowledge of the customs, manners, and dialects of Himachal Pradesh, and suitability for appointment under the conditions prevailing in the state, as a desirable qualification for HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026. Candidates should ensure that they possess the prescribed essential qualification on the closing date of the online application.
HPPSC ADO Age Limit 2026
The prescribed age limit is 18 to 45 years. The age of candidates will be calculated as on January 1, 2026. The Commission will accept the date of birth recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary Examination Certificate or an equivalent certificate.
Age Relaxation
A five-year relaxation in the upper age limit is available to bona fide SC, ST, OBC and WFF candidates of Himachal Pradesh and persons with disabilities of Himachal Pradesh, subject to the conditions specified in the notification.
Age relaxation for Himachal Pradesh Government employees and Ex-Servicemen of Himachal Pradesh will be governed by the applicable government instructions.
HPPSC ADO Salary 2026
Selected candidates appointed as Agriculture Development Officers under the Job Trainee scheme will receive ₹29,500 per month as emoluments. The post details and monthly job trainee amount are specified in the recruitment advertisement.
Candidates should note that the recruitment and engagement will be governed by the State Government’s scheme for engagement of job trainees on a fixed amount, along with subsequent applicable orders and guidelines.
HPPSC ADO Application Fee
The Commission has prescribed a uniform examination fee of ₹600 for all candidates, irrespective of category or gender.
The fee can be paid online through:
- Debit Card
- Credit Card
- UPI
- Other prescribed online digital payment modes
The fee must be paid by the prescribed closing date. Once paid, the examination fee will not be refunded and cannot be carried forward to another examination or selection.
Also read: HPSC Food Safety Officer Recruitment 2026.
HPPSC Agriculture Development Officer Selection Process
The selection process mentioned in the notification consists of:
- Objective Type Screening Test / Descriptive Subject Aptitude Test
- Personality Test
The Commission may directly call candidates for the Personality Test where the number of eligible candidates in relation to vacancies is six or below. In other cases, candidates must go through the written test process.
Paper 1: Screening Test
Paper I will be a Computer-Based Test (CBT) or an Offline Screening Test of one hour.
It will carry 100 marks and consist of objective-type MCQs.
| Section | Marks |
|---|---|
| General Knowledge of Himachal Pradesh | 30 |
| General Knowledge of National & International Affairs | 30 |
| Hindi Language | 20 |
| English Language | 20 |
| Total | 100 |
The HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026 notification specifies negative marking for incorrect answers.
Paper 2: Subject Aptitude Test
Paper-II will be a Descriptive Subject Aptitude Test (SAT).
- Duration: 3 hours
- Maximum Marks: 120
- Type: Descriptive
- Syllabus: As decided/published by the Commission
Both written papers are to be conducted on the same day in morning and evening sessions, as decided by the Commission.
Negative Marking in HPPSC ADO Exam
Candidates should pay particular attention to the negative-marking provisions.
For objective-type screening tests:
- ¼ (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for a wrong answer.
- Giving more than one answer will be treated as an incorrect answer.
- Leaving a question completely blank also attracts the same penalty.
- Candidates who do not want to attempt a question should select/mark Option E to avoid negative marking.
The notification reiterates that 0.25 of the marks allotted to the question will be deducted as a penalty for an incorrect response.
Minimum Marks for Subject Aptitude Test
To qualify for the Personality Test, candidates must obtain:
- 45% marks – General category
- 40% marks – Reserved categories
Candidates scoring below the prescribed minimum marks in the SAT will be disqualified from the remaining HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026 selection process.
Personality Test
Candidates who qualify through the written examination will be called for a Personality Test carrying 30 marks.
The HPPSC office in Shimla will conduct the Personality Test.
The minimum qualifying marks are:
- General category: 40% = 12 marks
- Reserved categories: 30% = 9 marks
The final ranking/selection will be determined using marks obtained in the 120-mark Subject Aptitude Test plus the 30-mark Personality Test.
HPPSC ADO Exam Centre
The notification lists Shimla as the examination station/city. However, the Commission reserves the right to change examination centres depending on circumstances and availability.
How to Apply for HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026?
Candidates have to apply for HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026 online through the official HPPSC website.
Steps to Apply
- Visit the HPPSC official website.
- Click on Apply Online.
- Select One Time Registration (OTR) for Examinations.
- Complete New Registration if you are not already registered.
- Log in to the OTR account.
- Select the Agriculture Development Officer recruitment.
- Enter the required personal and educational details.
- Upload the required documents.
- Upload the latest photograph and signature.
- Pay the ₹600 examination fee online.
- Carefully check the application preview.
- Submit the application.
- Save/print the submitted application for future reference.
The Commission has clearly stated that applications submitted through any mode other than the prescribed online portal will be rejected.
Candidates should carefully verify all information before final submission because applications generally cannot be modified after submission, except for category changes under the procedure specified by the Commission.
Documents Required
Candidates need to upload documents supporting their claims and eligibility. These include:
- Matriculation certificate for age proof
- Degree certificates
- Marksheets of all years/consolidated marksheet
- Experience certificate, wherever required
- Valid category certificate, wherever applicable
- Bonafide Himachali certificate for reserved-category candidates
- EWS/BPL certificate, wherever applicable
- Relevant Ex-Servicemen documents, wherever applicable
The Commission has provided a detailed document checklist in the HPPSC ADO Recruitment 2026 notification.
Candidates should also ensure that their live photograph is captured during submission of the online application. The Commission will use face authentication at the examination entry, and a mismatch may result in the candidate being denied entry.
HPPSC ADO Admit Card 2026
No admit card will be sent to candidates by post. Provisionally admitted candidates must download the e-Admit Card from the official HPPSC website using their OTR login credentials. Candidates must also paste a passport-size photograph on the downloaded admit card as specified by the Commission.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Date | September 25, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | October 22, 2026 |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | October 22, 2026 |
| Age Cut-off Date | January 1, 2026 |
The application and fee submission deadline is October 22, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
Also read: PGIMER Nursing Officer 2026 Recruitment.
HPPSC Agriculture Development Officer Recruitment 2026: Important Points
Candidates should keep the following points in mind:
- There are 23 ADO Group-A Job Trainee vacancies.
- The required qualification is B.Sc. Agriculture (four-year programme) + M.Sc. Agriculture with Second Class.
- The monthly job trainee emolument is ₹29,500.
- The age limit is 18–45 years as on January 1, 2026.
- The examination fee is ₹600 for all candidates.
- Paper-I carries 100 marks and includes HP GK, national/international affairs, Hindi, and English.
- Paper-II is a 120-mark, three-hour descriptive Subject Aptitude Test.
- There is negative marking of 0.25 marks for an incorrect response in objective tests.
- The Personality Test carries 30 marks.
- Final ranking is based on SAT + Personality Test marks, subject to the Commission’s prescribed procedure.
In The End
The HPPSC Agriculture Development Officer Recruitment 2026 is for 23 Group-A Job Trainee posts in the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Department. Candidates with the prescribed B.Sc. Agriculture and M.Sc. Agriculture qualifications can apply through the HPPSC online recruitment portal.
The application deadline is October 22, 2026, and candidates should complete both the application and fee payment before 11:59 PM on the closing date. Applicants should also carefully check their eligibility, category documents, photograph, educational certificates, and other details before submitting the ORA.
The Commission has advised candidates to regularly visit its website for recruitment-related updates.
FAQs
Q1. I have a Horticulture degree; can I apply?
The Commission clearly stated that candidates must have a BSc or MSc in agriculture to apply for these posts.
Q2. What is the selection process for the Agriculture Development process?
The Commission will recruit candidates through an entrance test, which is divided into two parts: the first part is MCQ-based questions, and the second part is a subjective-type question paper related to your subject, which is the SAT (Subject Aptitude Test).
Q3. Is there any negative marking in the test?
Yes, there is a provision for negative marking. For every wrong answer, 0.25 per cent marks will be deducted, so answer wisely while attempting the question.
Q4. Is there any qualifying Marks?
Yes, the commission has set 45 per cent for general and 40 per cent for reserved category candidates. But you must aim higher. When the merit list of successful candidates is prepared, the candidates who score higher will have a better chance of selection.
