OPSC AHO Recruitment 2026 Notification Out - Apply Online for 22 Assistant Horticulture Officer Posts

Online Application Start Date: 28.07.2026 Online Application Last Date: 28.08.2026 (5:00 P.M.) Tentative Written Exam Date: 27.09.2026 (Sunday) The detailed schedule and centre of examination will be notified separately by the Commission in due course.

A total of 22 (07-W) vacancies have been notified for the post of Assistant Horticulture Officer, category-wise as follows: Additionally, out of the total 22 (07-W) vacancies: Candidates belonging to the Ex-Servicemen and PwD categories will be adjusted against the categories to which they belong.

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A candidate must possess a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture [B.Sc. (Horticulture)] or Agriculture [B.Sc. (Agriculture)] from any University or Institution recognized by any State Government or the Government of India. No other equivalent qualification except a Degree in Horticulture or Agriculture will be accepted. Candidates must be able to read, write, and speak Odia, and must satisfy at least one of the following: Passed Middle School Examination with Odia as a language subject; or Passed Matriculation or equivalent examination with Odia as the medium of examination in a non-language subject; or Passed Odia as a language subject in the final examination of Class-VII from a recognized school; or Passed a test in Odia in Middle English School standard conducted by the School & Mass Education Department or the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha. Candidate must be a citizen of

A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not be above 42 years as on the 1st day of January 2026, i.e., must not have been born earlier than 2nd January 1984 and not later than 1st January 2005. A candidate who falls under more than one relaxation category will be eligible for only one benefit - whichever is most beneficial. Age relaxation cannot be availed beyond the limits prescribed above. Date of birth as entered in the High School Certificate (or equivalent) will only be accepted.

Selected candidates will be placed at Level-10, Cell-1 of the Pay Matrix under ORSP Rules, 2017 , corresponding to the pre-revised scale of PB-2, Rs. 9,300–34,800 with Grade Pay of Rs. 4,600/-, along with usual Dearness Allowance and other allowances as sanctioned by the Government of Odisha from time to time. The posts are temporary but likely to continue.

Fees must be paid online through Credit Card, Debit Card, UPI, Net Banking, or Wallet. The fee will be refunded only to candidates who actually appear in both papers of the Written Examination. Applications without payment of fee (except SC/ST/PwD candidates) will be treated as incomplete and rejected outright. Candidates must also furnish bank account details (Account Number, IFSC Code, Account Holder Name, Bank Branch Name) for refund purposes in case of technical failure.

Selection will be made through a competitive examination consisting of a Written Examination and a Personality Test (Interview). Both papers are Objective Type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) with Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) evaluation. Each correct answer carries 01 mark. Negative marking applies: 25% of the marks awarded for a correct answer will be deducted for each wrong response. Unattempted questions carry zero marks. Questions will be of Bachelor's Degree standard. The Interview carries 25 marks. Candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks fixed by the Commission for the Written Examination will be shortlisted for the interview, in the ratio of about 1:2 of advertised vacancies per category, subject to a minimum of 5 candidates. The Select List will be prepared based on the aggregate marks secured in the Written Examination and Interview, out of a total of 225 marks. In

The syllabus for both papers is of Bachelor's degree standard and covers Horticulture and allied subjects. Agro Meteorology Soil and Nutrition Water Management Weed Management Dry Land Farming Integrated Farming System Seed Technology Plant Protection Agricultural Economics Agricultural Statistics Related Subjects (tillage, farm machinery, crop rotation, organic farming, protected cultivation, apiculture, mushroom cultivation, composting, digital initiatives of the State Government, etc.) Plant Propagation and Nursery Management Fruit Crops (Mango, Banana, Citrus, Pineapple, Guava, Papaya, Sapota, Ber, Pomegranate, Litchi, Custard Apple, and exotic crops like Passion Fruit, Avocado, Dragon Fruit, Strawberry) Plantation Crops (Coconut, Areca Nut, Cashew Nut, Oil Palm, Cocoa, Coffee, Tea) Vegetable Crops (Solanaceous, Cucurbits, Pod Vegetables, Cole Crops, Bulb Crops, Root Crops, Leafy Veg

Candidates must upload the following scanned documents during the online application, and produce originals for verification if shortlisted: HSC or equivalent certificate (proof of date of birth) Intermediate/+2 Examination Certificate B.Sc. Degree Certificate in Horticulture/Agriculture Mark-sheets of all qualifying examinations (HSC to Bachelor's Degree) Four recent passport-size photographs (unsigned and unattested) Caste Certificate (for SC/ST claimants) Odia Test Pass Certificate Permanent Disability Certificate (for PwD candidates, showing 40% or more disability) Release Certificate (for Ex-Servicemen candidates) along with a notarized Affidavit No Objection Certificate (for candidates already in Government service) Proof of Identity: Aadhar / EPIC / Driving Licence / Passport / PAN Card Identity Certificate (for Third Gender/Transgender candidates, if applicable)

Applications found incomplete in any respect are liable for rejection without further correspondence. Candidates who wish to modify submitted information must cancel and reapply before the closing date. Admission to the Written Examination/Interview is provisional; eligibility will be verified at subsequent stages. Candidates found guilty of malpractice or submitting forged documents will be debarred from OPSC examinations for 03 years. Details such as marks secured by the Last Selected Candidate (LSC) and individual marks will be declared only on the OPSC website after the final result. Any complaint regarding the conduct of the examination must be sent to the Grievance Wing at [email protected] within 07 days of completion of the examination. Submission of an NPS application is mandatory for all recommended candidates at the time of joining Government service.