BSNL SET 2026: Complete Exam Details

If you are planning to appear in BSNL SET (DR) 2026, this page summarizes the official recruitment details from BSNL's notification and the later date-extension notice.

1. What Is BSNL SET?

BSNL SET means Senior Executive Trainee (Direct Recruitment) exam conducted by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for hiring external candidates into:

• Senior Executive Trainee (DR) - Telecom Stream
• Senior Executive Trainee (DR) - Finance Stream

In simple terms, this exam is for filling Telecom and Finance position vacancies in BSNL through a computer-based objective test, followed by document verification and medical fitness formalities.

Notification reference:

• Advt. No.: BSNLCO-11/12(11)/1/2025-RECTT-CO-Part (1)
• Dated: 29.01.2026
• Extension notice (Efile no. same reference): dated 02.03.2026

2. Important Dates (Updated)

Original notification dates:

• Start of online registration: 05.02.2026 (10:00 Hrs)
• End of online registration: 07.03.2026 (10:00 Hrs)
• Editing window: 08.03.2026 to 15.03.2026 (10:00 Hrs)
• CBT exam: 29.03.2026 (10:00 Hrs, tentative)

Revised dates as per extension notice dated 02.03.2026:

• Revised end of online registration: 31.03.2026 (10:00 Hrs)
• Revised editing start: 01.04.2026 (10:00 Hrs)
• Revised editing end: 08.04.2026 (10:00 Hrs)
• CBT exam date: Will be notified later

3. Vacancy Details

• SET (DR) Telecom: 95 posts
• SET (DR) Finance: 25 posts
• Total: 120 posts

Category split mentioned in notification:

• Telecom (95): SC 14, ST 7, OBC (NCL) 25, EWS 9, OC/OBC(CL) 40
• Finance (25): SC 4, ST 2, OBC (NCL) 6, EWS 2, OC/OBC(CL) 11

Reservation and PwBD applicability are as per Government of India guidelines and RPwD Act provisions mentioned in the notification.

4. Scale of Pay and Service Liability

• Pay scale: IDA E-3 (pre-revised) Rs. 24,900 - Rs. 50,500
• Posting liability: selected candidates can be posted/transferred anywhere in India in BSNL operational areas.

5. Eligibility Criteria

Nationality

• Only Indian nationals are eligible.

Age (as on closing date of application)

• Minimum age: 21 years
• Maximum age (General/EWS/OBC-CL): 30 years

Upper age relaxations listed in notification:

• OBC (NCL): 33 years
• SC/ST: 35 years
• PwBD (General/EWS/OBC-CL): 40 years
• PwBD OBC (NCL): 43 years
• PwBD SC/ST: 45 years

Educational Qualification

Telecom stream:

• BE/BTech or equivalent engineering degree with minimum 60% marks (regular full-time) in:
• Electronics and Telecommunication
• Electronics
• Computer Science
• Information Technology
• Electrical
• Instrumentation
• Or combination of these disciplines with associated emerging branches as core.

Finance stream:

• Chartered Accountant (CA), or
• Cost and Management Accountancy (CMA)

The qualification must be from recognized Indian institutions/universities as specified in Annexure-A and completed by the application closing date.

6. Selection Process

• Stage 1: Computer Based Multiple Choice Objective Test (CBT)
• Stage 2: Document Verification (for candidates in merit list)
• Stage 3: Medical fitness as per BSNL/GoI norms before appointment

If exam is held in multiple sessions, normalization of marks may be applied.

7. Exam Pattern (CBT)

• Total Questions: 200
• Duration: 180 minutes
• Question Type: Objective MCQs

For both streams, one paper has two parts:

• Part-I (Common Aptitude): 40 questions, 40 marks
• Part-II (Core Technical): 160 questions, 160 marks

Telecom candidates attempt Part-II Telecom syllabus.

Finance candidates attempt Part-II Finance syllabus.

8. Marking Scheme and Qualifying Marks

• Correct answer: +1
• Wrong answer: -0.25
• Unanswered: 0

Minimum qualifying marks criteria:

• General candidates:
• Minimum 40% in Part-I
• Minimum 40% in Part-II
• Overall minimum 50% (Part-I + Part-II combined)

• SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/EWS candidates:
• Minimum 35% in Part-I
• Minimum 35% in Part-II
• Overall minimum 45% combined

Final merit is prepared on total marks in Part-I + Part-II, subject to meeting minimum qualifying marks in each part and overall.

9. Syllabus Snapshot

Part-I (Common Aptitude, 40 questions):

• Quantitative ability and data sufficiency
• Analytical/logical/critical reasoning
• Verbal ability, reading comprehension, and analysis

Part-II (Core) Telecom, key blocks from Annexure-B include:

• Basic telecom concepts and signal processing
• Wireless technologies (2G/3G/4G/5G, IMS, backhaul, satellite basics)
• Wireline technologies (NGN, broadband, FTTx)
• Transmission infrastructure and optical systems
• IP/data networking, IPv4/IPv6, MPLS, cybersecurity
• Emerging technologies (IoT, SDN, cloud, AI in telecom)
• Project management concepts

Part-II (Core) Finance, key blocks from Annexure-B include:

• Advanced accounting and IND AS/GAAP concepts
• GST and direct taxation basics
• Cost accounting and budgetary control
• Financial statement analysis and financial management
• Corporate law and related compliance topics
• Audit and assurance
• Receivable management

10. Bond, Training, Probation, and Career Progression

• Bond: Rs. 9,00,000 to serve BSNL for at least 5 years from appointment.
• Probation: 2 years, running with a training schedule of 52 weeks:
• Common managerial training: 13 weeks
• Functional stream training: 13 weeks
• On-job training: 26 weeks
• If training exam is not cleared, probation may be extended by 6 months; repeated failure can lead to cancellation of appointment.

Career progression point in notification:

• After successful probation, designation becomes Senior Executive (DR) in E-3.
• After one additional year as Senior Executive (minimum 3 years from SET appointment), candidate may be considered for AGM (E-4) as per applicable BSNL Management Services recruitment rules.

11. Registration Fee and Application Essentials

Application fee:

• OC/OBC/EWS: Rs. 2500
• SC/ST/PwBD: Rs. 1250
• Payment mode: online only
• Fee is non-refundable

Important application notes:

• In case of multiple registrations, latest registration is treated as final.
• Editing window is provided for limited fields only.
• Govt/PSU/Autonomous body employees must produce NOC at document verification.
• Admit card is downloadable from BSNL external exam portal and is not sent by post/email.

12. Exam Centres and Post-Exam Challenge Window

• Notification lists 27 exam cities (for example: New Delhi, Bhopal, Lucknow, Jaipur, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, etc.).
• Candidate chooses one centre while applying; BSNL may allot listed city or nearby city depending on candidate load.
• Provisional answer key is to be displayed within 5 working days after exam.
• Challenge window: 7 days
• Challenge fee: Rs. 500 per question/answer key (non-refundable)

13. Official Websites and Contact

• Main website: www.bsnl.co.in
• Recruitment portal: www.externalexam.bsnl.co.in
• Recruitment contact email in notice: bsnlrectt@bsnl.co.in

14. Bottom Line

BSNL SET (DR) 2026 is a direct recruitment exam for Telecom and Finance vacancies in BSNL with a 200-question CBT, negative marking, defined qualifying thresholds, and post-exam document and medical stages. Because date revisions have already happened, keep checking official BSNL websites for the latest exam schedule updates.