Soil Survey Officer (Group A’ post) Recruitment Rules, 2026 in Soil and Land Use Survey of India, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Notification dated 12.08.2026
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
(Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 12th August, 2026
G.S.R. 161.—In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution and in supersession of the Soil and Land Use Survey of India (Soil Survey Officer) Recruitment Rules, 2013, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the President hereby makes the following rules regulating the method of recruitment to the post of Soil Survey Officer in the Soil and Land Use Survey of India under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, namely:
-
Short title and commencement.—(1) These rules may be called the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Soil and Land Use Survey of India, Soil Survey Officer (Group A’ post) Recruitment Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
- Number of posts, classification and level in pay matrix.—The number of the said posts, its classification and level in the pay matrix attached thereto shall be as specified in columns (2) to (4) of the Schedule annexed to these rules.
- Method of recruitment, age-limit and other qualifications, etc.—The method of recruitment, age-limit, qualifications and other matters relating to the said post shall be as specified in columns (5) to (13) of the said Schedule.
- Disqualification.—No person,(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living; or (b) who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person,
shall be eligible for appointment to the said post:
Provided that the Central Government may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and other party to the marriage and that there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person from the operation of this rule.
- Power to relax.—Where the Central Government is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may, by order for reasons to be recorded in writing and in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission, relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to any class or category of persons.
- Saving.—Nothing in these rules shall affect reservations, relaxation of age-limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the Other Backward Class, ex-servicemen or other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Central Government from time to time in this regard.
SCHEDULE
|
Name of post. |
Number of posts. | Classification. | Pay level in pay matrix. | Whether selection post or non selection post. | Age-limits for direct recruits. |
|
(1) |
(2) | (3) | (4) | (5) |
(6) |
| Soil Survey Officer. | 7*(2026)
*Subject to variation dependent on workload. |
General Central Services, Group ‘A’, Non-Gazetted, ministerial. | Level 11 in the pay matrix (Rs. 67700-208700). | Selection post. |
Not applicable |
|
Educational and other Qualifications required for direct recruits. |
Whether age and educational qualifications prescribed for direct recruitment will apply in the case of promotes. |
Period of probation, if any. |
|
(7) |
(8) | (9) |
| Not applicable | Not applicable. |
Not applicable. |
|
Method of recruitment, whether by direct recruitment or by promotion or by deputation/absorption and percentage of the vacancies to be filled by various methods. |
In case of recruitment by promotion or deputation/absorption, grades from which promotion or deputation/absorption to be made. |
| (10) |
(11) |
|
Method |
|
|
Hundred percent by promotion. |
Promotion:
Assistant Soil Survey Officer or Assistant Soil Chemist in level-10 in the pay matrix (Rs. 56100-177500) with five years regular service in the grade and having successfully completed one week training in administration rule or establishment rules or financial rules and one week training in Soil or Land Resource Mapping or Inventory using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Technique from a recognised Institute. Note 1: The ratio of feeder grades Assistant Soil Survey Officer and Assistant Soil Chemist shall be maintained in the ratio 4:1. Note 2: Where juniors who have completed their qualifying eligibility service are being considered for promotion, their seniors shall also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying or eligibility service by more than half of such qualifying or eligibility service or two years, whichever is less, and have successfully completed probation period for promotion to the next higher grade along with their juniors who have already completed such qualifying or eligibility service. |
| If a Departmental Promotion Committee exists, what is its composition. |
Circumstances in which Union Public Service Commission to be consulted in making recruitment. |
| (12) |
(13) |
|
1. Departmental Promotion Committee (for considering promotion) consisting of:- (1) Additional Secretary (Integrated Nutrient Management Division), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare -Chairperson; (2) Joint Secretary (Integrated Nutrient Management Division), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare -Member; (3) Joint Secretary (Administration), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare -Member; (4) Additional Commissioner or Director or Deputy Secretary (Integrated Nutrient Management Division), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare -Member; (5) Chief Soil Survey Officer, Soil and Land Use Survey of India -Member. |
Consultation with Union Public Service Commission Is not necessary. |
[F. No. 13-1/2021-SLUSI/INM]
Chandra Shekhar Prasad, Under Secy.
Digitally Sd/-
KUMER CHAND MEENA
COMMENTS