BSNL SET Telecom 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, Salary & 30-Day Prep Plan | Piyush Wairale
📢 BSNL SET Telecom 2026 — Exam Date: 5 July 2026 | 95 Vacancies | Enrol in the Test Series & Notes today!
BSNL Recruitment · 2026 Edition
BSNL SET Telecom 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus & 30-Day Prep Plan to Crack It
BSNL is hiring 95 Senior Executive Trainees (Telecom) through a Computer-Based Test on 5 July 2026. This is your complete guide — notification highlights, exam pattern, full 7-topic syllabus, E-3 salary structure, and a battle-tested 30-day preparation plan built around the Bank IT Officer-style PSU exam rigour.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has released the direct recruitment notification for Senior Executive Trainees (SET) in the Telecom stream — vide Advt. No. BSNLCO-11/12(11)/1/2025-RECTT-CO-Part (1) dated 29 January 2026. With 95 government posts on offer, an IDA E-3 pay scale, and a clear progression to AGM (E-4) in three years, this is one of the most attractive PSU openings of 2026 for engineering graduates.
The selection is through a single-stage Computer Based Test (CBT) — 200 questions across Aptitude and Technical Telecom in 180 minutes. There is no interview round. The merit list is built purely on CBT scores, which means how you prepare in the next few weeks decides everything.
Why this matters now: The exam date is 5 July 2026 at 10:00 hrs. With registration closed and admit cards scheduled to drop in late June, this is the focused preparation window. The 30-day plan in section 8 below is the exact structure we use inside our Test Series course.
Quick Notification Reference
Detail
Information
Organisation
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
Post
Senior Executive Trainee (DR) — Telecom Stream
Total Telecom Vacancies
95 Posts
Exam Date (CBT)
5 July 2026 at 10:00 hrs
Registration Window
05 Feb 2026 — 07 Mar 2026
Application Editing Window
08 Mar — 15 Mar 2026
Official Portal
www.externalexam.bsnl.co.in
Pay Scale
IDA E-3: ₹24,900 – ₹50,500 (pre-revised)
Exam Mode
CBT — MCQ with negative marking
Total Questions / Duration
200 questions in 180 minutes
Vacancy Distribution
Vacancies & Reservation Breakdown
BSNL is recruiting across two streams in 2026 — Telecom and Finance. Telecom is the headline stream with 95 of the 120 total openings.
PwBD Horizontal Reservation (Telecom): 2 posts under Category C and 2 posts under Category D/E. All reservations follow Central Government norms.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification (Telecom Stream)
A candidate must hold a B.E. / B.Tech degree with minimum 60% marks on a regular full-time basis in any of the following disciplines:
Electronics and Telecommunication
Electronics
Computer Science
Information Technology
Electrical
Instrumentation
Combinations of the above as core, with associated emerging branches
The degree must be from an Indian university or institute established under an Act of Parliament or State Government, or a UGC-deemed university. The degree (including results) must be fully completed on or before the application closing date. CGPA/OGPA holders must indicate the equivalent percentage as per their university's norms.
Age Limit
Category
Maximum Age
Calculation
Unreserved / EWS / OBC (CL)
30 Years
Base limit
OBC (NCL)
33 Years
30 + 3
SC / ST
35 Years
30 + 5
PwBD — General / EWS / OBC(CL)
40 Years
30 + 10
PwBD — OBC (NCL)
43 Years
30 + 13
PwBD — SC / ST
45 Years
30 + 15
Note: Minimum age is 21 years as on closing date. Age is verified only from the Matriculation / Secondary School Leaving Certificate — birth-certificate proofs are not accepted.
Structure
BSNL SET Telecom — Exam Pattern
A single CBT divided into two parts: a common Aptitude paper and the core Technical Telecom paper. Both are attempted in a continuous 180-minute window.
Paper
Section
Questions
Marks
Duration
Part-I (Common)
Aptitude Test
40
40
180 Minutes (combined)
Part-II (Core)
Technical — Telecom
160
160
Total
200
200
Marking Scheme
+1
Correct Answer
−0.25
Wrong Answer
0
Un-attempted
⚡ Minimum Qualifying Marks
General / EWS: 40% in each part AND 50% combined overall
SC / ST / OBC / PwBD: 35% in each part AND 45% combined overall
Final merit list is prepared from total marks (Part-I + Part-II) of candidates clearing the minimums
Normalisation is applied if the CBT is conducted in multiple sessions
Weak on Part-II Technical?Our BSNL SET Test Series covers all 7 telecom topics with concept videos, PDF notes, and 15+ full-length mocks.
Selected candidates join the BSNL Management Cadre as Senior Executive Trainees at the IDA E-3 pay scale.
Senior Executive Trainee — E-3
₹24,900 – ₹50,500
IDA Pay Scale: E-3 (Pre-revised)
Along with the basic pay, selected officers are eligible for Dearness Allowance (IDA), House Rent Allowance, Perks, Medical Benefits, LFC, Pension/NPS, and other allowances as per BSNL service rules. After successful probation, the officer is designated Senior Executive (DR) at the E-3 scale, and is eligible for promotion to AGM (E-4) after a minimum of 3 years of service per BSNL Management Services-2023.
Applications are submitted online only through the BSNL examination portal — www.externalexam.bsnl.co.in. No manual, postal, or paper applications are entertained.
Examination Fee
Category
Examination Fee
OC / OBC / EWS Candidates
₹2,500/-
SC / ST / PwBD Candidates
₹1,250/-
Payment Mode
Online only — Net Banking, Credit/Debit Card, UPI
Documents to Keep Ready
Active mobile number and email ID (for OTP verification)
Valid category certificate where applicable (SC / ST / OBC-NCL / EWS / PwBD)
Important: OBC-NCL and EWS certificates must be issued on or after 01.04.2025. A 7-day editing window is provided after the registration window closes.
The exam will be conducted across 27 cities in India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bhopal, Nagpur, and other regional centres. City allotment is based on candidate preference and centre availability.
How to Prepare
The 30-Day BSNL SET Telecom Preparation Plan
A focused, week-by-week roadmap that turns a 30-day window into a structured campaign — covering all 7 technical topics, aptitude, and full-length mocks before exam day.
Foundation + Aptitude
WEEK 1
Day 1-2: Quant & Data Sufficiency basics, formula sheets
Day 3-4: Reasoning (puzzles, syllogism, critical reasoning)
Day 5-6: Verbal Ability + RC speed practice
Day 7: Aptitude sectional test + Topic 1 (Basic Telecom)
Wireless + Wireline
WEEK 2
Day 8-9: GSM 2G/3G architecture, signalling
Day 10-11: LTE & 5G — KPIs, IMS, USIM/ESIM
Day 12-13: Wireline — NGN, Soft Switches, Broadband, FTTx
Day 14: Topic-wise tests for Topics 2 & 3 + revision
Transmission + IP + Emerging
WEEK 3
Day 15-16: Transmission — OFC, DWDM, OTN, GPON
Day 17-18: IP Networks — OSI, TCP/IP, MPLS, IPv6
Day 19-20: Emerging Tech — IoT, SDN, Cloud, AI in Telecom
Day 21: First full-length CBT mock (200 Qs / 180 min)
Mocks + Revision + Game Day
WEEK 4
Day 22: Project Management (Topic 7) — PERT, CPM, Gantt
Day 23-25: Full-length mocks (3 papers) with timed analysis
Day 26-28: Fix weak areas; revise formula sheets & notes
Day 29-30: Light revision, sleep schedule, exam-day kit
Pro tip: Do not chase 100% syllabus completion. Aim for strong fundamentals in 5 of the 6 high-weight topics + comfortable aptitude. That single combination has historically been enough to clear the cut-off comfortably.
🎯 Flagship Course
The BSNL SET Telecom Test Series & Notes
Built end-to-end for the 2026 BSNL SET syllabus. Designed by Piyush Wairale, M.Tech from IIT Madras, with the same teaching rigour we used at the IIT Madras BS Degree Programme — concept-first, India-context, and exam-ready.
Complete coverage of all 7 Technical Telecom topics
PDF Notes for Wireless, Wireline, Transmission, IP Networks, Emerging Tech
If you'd like to hear the strategy walk-through in Piyush's own voice before committing, here's the free guide covering syllabus, weightage analysis, and how to structure your 30 days.
▶ Free strategy session by Piyush Wairale · Watch on YouTube
Expert Insights
7 Expert Tips to Maximise Your BSNL SET Score
Patterns we've observed across PSU exam-takers in our cohorts. Apply these and your effective score climbs without adding more study hours.
Master the 15% topics first. Topics 1–6 carry equal 24 marks each. Scoring well in any 4 of these 6 virtually guarantees a Part-II pass.
Negative-marking discipline. Skip if you're under 50% confident. Attempt only when you can eliminate at least 2 options. Reckless attempts cost more than they earn.
Wireless is high-yield. GSM / LTE / 5G protocols, USIM-ESIM, and 5G use cases are trending heavily in recent PSU papers. Give Topic 2 extra time.
IP Networks is CS/IT territory. If your background is Computer Science or IT, Topic 5 is your highest-scoring section. Don't skip IPv6 or MPLS.
Aptitude is the silent differentiator. 40 marks at stake. Strong aptitude consistently separates the merit-list candidates from the cut-off-just-passers.
Use the official syllabus as your checklist. Every bullet in Annexure-B is a potential question. Read it twice during your final revision.
Attempt at least 3 full mocks. Time management in a 200-Q CBT is itself a skill. Practise finishing Part-I in 30–35 minutes, leaving 145+ minutes for Part-II.
Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the exam date for BSNL SET Telecom 2026? +
The BSNL SET Telecom 2026 Computer Based Test (CBT) is scheduled for 5 July 2026 at 10:00 hrs. Admit cards are typically released 10–14 days before the exam on www.externalexam.bsnl.co.in.
How many vacancies are available in BSNL SET Telecom 2026? +
95 vacancies in the Telecom stream — broken down as 14 SC, 7 ST, 25 OBC (NCL), 9 EWS, and 40 OC / OBC (CL). PwBD horizontal reservation is 2 each under Category C and Category D/E.
Is there negative marking in BSNL SET 2026? +
Yes — each correct answer gives +1 mark and each wrong answer deducts −0.25 mark. Un-attempted questions carry zero. Smart attempt strategy matters as much as raw knowledge.
What is the minimum qualifying percentage in BSNL SET? +
General / EWS: 40% in each part and 50% overall. SC / ST / OBC / PwBD: 35% in each part and 45% overall. Both conditions must be met simultaneously.
Is B.Tech in Computer Science eligible for BSNL SET Telecom? +
Yes. B.E./B.Tech in Computer Science is explicitly listed as an eligible discipline for the Telecom Stream, alongside Electronics & Telecommunication, Electronics, IT, Electrical, and Instrumentation. Minimum 60% marks required.
What is the salary of BSNL SET (DR)? +
IDA E-3 pay scale: ₹24,900 – ₹50,500 (pre-revised), plus DA, HRA, Perks, Medical, LFC, Pension/NPS as per BSNL service rules. After 3 years of service, promotion track moves you to AGM (E-4).
Where can I get the best BSNL SET Telecom test series and notes? +
Enrol in the BSNL SET Telecom Test Series & Notes at piyushwairale.com — designed by Piyush Wairale (M.Tech, IIT Madras), fully aligned to the 2026 BSNL syllabus with 15+ full-length mocks.
Can a final-year student apply for BSNL SET 2026? +
No. The degree must be fully completed — including final results — on or before the closing date of receipt of applications.
What is the service bond for BSNL SET (DR)? +
Selected candidates must sign a service bond of ₹9 Lakhs and commit to serving BSNL for a minimum of 5 years from the date of appointment.
Your Next Step
The exam is on 5 July 2026.
Every day you delay is a day someone else is sitting through a mock test. Join the BSNL SET Telecom Test Series & Notes today and walk into the CBT centre with full preparation.
