UPSC Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 16 Assistant Keeper, Senior Store Officer Grade-II and Livestock Officer Posts

UPSC Recruitment 2026 under Advertisement No. 02/2026 is open for 16 posts, but this is not the kind of notification where everyone should apply first and read later. The vacancies are split across Assistant Keeper, Senior Store Officer Grade-II, and Livestock Officer, and each role has a very different qualification and experience filter. If you want the real decision point in one line, it is this: the vacancy count is small, but the eligibility precision is even smaller. The online application window runs up to 01 May 2026.

Read this if: you want a central-government post through UPSC and your academic background already matches one of these exact tracks: anthropology and museology, stores and logistics management, or veterinary science with sector experience. This notification is worth serious attention for candidates who are already professionally aligned with the role.

You may skip this if: you were expecting a broad-eligibility UPSC online form. This is not a generalist opening. Two of the three roles have clear experience requirements, and even the one-seat Assistant Keeper post is niche enough that many otherwise strong candidates will not qualify.

Assistant Keeper

This post is in the Anthropological Survey of India and is easily the most specialised role in the notification. The official qualification route is Master’s Degree in Anthropology plus a Diploma in Museology. That immediately narrows the field. This usually suits candidates already moving toward museum, curation, or anthropological collection work rather than general humanities applicants.

Senior Store Officer Grade-II

These 7 posts are in DRDO and are a better fit for candidates from procurement, stores, warehousing, logistics, public administration, business studies, economics, commerce, or statistics backgrounds. The qualification route is not enough on its own here. The experience condition is the real filter, with different experience thresholds depending on whether you apply through the postgraduate route or the bachelor’s-plus-diploma route.

Livestock Officer

This is the strongest match for veterinary professionals who already have practical field experience. The official route requires Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, registration with the Veterinary Council of India or a State Veterinary Council, and three years’ relevant experience. Fresh veterinary graduates should verify this carefully before investing effort because this is not positioned as an entry-level clinical role.

The pay is post-wise, so using one combined salary figure for the whole recruitment would reduce clarity.

• Assistant Keeper: Pay Matrix Level 7, generally associated with Rs. 44,900 to Rs. 1,42,400.
• Senior Store Officer Grade-II: Pay Matrix Level 10, generally associated with Rs. 56,100 to Rs. 1,77,500.
• Livestock Officer: Pay Matrix Level 10 plus Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) as officially stated.

From a practical angle, the salary-value equation is strongest for candidates who already meet the exact eligibility path. For everyone else, the real question is not whether the pay is good; it is whether your degree, registration, and experience line up cleanly enough to survive scrutiny.

UPSC has indicated that selection may be done through interview only or through a Recruitment Test followed by interview, depending on the Commission’s decision for the post and applicant volume.

1. Online application and provisional acceptance
2. Shortlisting based on the details filled in the application
3. Recruitment Test, if conducted by UPSC
4. Interview for shortlisted candidates
5. Document verification and eligibility confirmation

That means candidates should not treat this as a formality-based recruitment. The supporting documents behind your qualification and experience matter as much as the form itself.

• Submitted UPSC ORA application printout
• Matriculation certificate for date of birth proof
• All required degree and diploma certificates
• Marksheets of essential qualifications
• Experience certificates in support of the exact claim made in the form
• Category certificate, if claiming reservation or relaxation
• PwBD certificate, where applicable
• Veterinary Council registration certificate for Livestock Officer
• Any equivalence proof, if your qualification is being claimed as equivalent
• Valid photo identity proof

1. Visit the UPSC Online Recruitment Application portal.
2. Complete registration or log in with your existing account.
3. Select the relevant vacancy under Advertisement No. 02/2026.
4. Fill the application carefully for the exact post you are eligible for.
5. Upload photograph, signature, and required details in the prescribed format.
6. Pay the fee, if applicable.
7. Review qualification, experience, category, and age-relaxation claims before final submission.
8. Submit the application before 01 May 2026, 6:00 PM and keep a copy of the final form.

What is the last date for UPSC Recruitment 2026 Advertisement No. 02/2026?

The official last date to apply online is 01 May 2026 up to 6:00 PM.

How many vacancies are there in UPSC Assistant Keeper, Senior Store Officer Grade-II and Livestock Officer Recruitment 2026?

There are 16 vacancies in total: 1 Assistant Keeper, 7 Senior Store Officer Grade-II, and 8 Livestock Officer posts.

Is UPSC 02/2026 a freshers’ recruitment?

Not broadly. Senior Store Officer Grade-II and Livestock Officer require experience. Assistant Keeper is also highly specialised, so this notification is not a wide-open fresher form.

What is the application fee for UPSC Advertisement No. 02/2026?

The fee is Rs. 25 for candidates other than Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates. Exempt categories do not have to pay the fee.

Can veterinary candidates apply in this UPSC recruitment?

Yes, veterinary candidates can apply for the Livestock Officer post if they meet the degree, registration, and experience requirements.

Will UPSC conduct a written test for these posts?

UPSC may hold a Recruitment Test depending on the post and number of applications. Where held, it is followed by interview.

Which UPSC post in Advertisement 02/2026 is most specialised?

The Assistant Keeper post is the most specialised because it requires a very specific Anthropology plus Museology academic combination.

Should I apply just because this is a UPSC notification?

Only if your eligibility is a clean match. In this advertisement, exact fit matters far more than the prestige of the recruiting body.