| Conducting body | Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB). Official website ↗ |
|---|---|
| Posts | Section Officer Grade II (Water Resources), Surveyor Grade III (Water Resources), Soil Conservation Assistant, Agriculture Field Assistant, Library Assistant, Horticulture Extension Assistant, Drawing Teacher (School Education), Physical Education Teacher (School Education), Sericulture Field Assistant |
| Qualification | Depends on the post. Sericulture Field Assistant: matriculation with a one-year sericulture certificate. Drawing Teacher: HSSLC with a one-year diploma in fine arts. Physical Education Teacher: HSSLC with at least 50% (5% less for ST/SC) and physical education as an elective, or senior secondary with sports participation under NCTE norms, and the table also lists a degree or diploma in physical education of at least three years. Soil Conservation Assistant: HSSLC with the two-year course of the Soil Training Institute, Sechu-Zubza. Agriculture Field Assistant: HSSLC science with a diploma/IETC in agriculture. Section Officer and Surveyor: degree or 3-year diploma in agricultural or civil engineering (ITI Surveyor also accepted for Surveyor). Library Assistant: Bachelor of Library Science. Horticulture Extension Assistant: B.Sc. Horticulture or Agriculture. |
| Age limit | 21–32 years on 1 January 2026 (general category) |
| Domicile | Required |
| Selection stages | Tier I written exam: Paper I (general, 100 marks) for all posts and Paper II (technical, 200 marks) for every post except Sericulture Field Assistant → Minimum of 30% in Paper II, under Section 24 of the NSSB Regulations 2020 (Amendment) → Post and department preference before the interview → Interview, with original documents checked |
| Latest notification | CETSE 2026 Advertisement, No. NSSB/EXAM-4/8/2022(VOL-1)/15, 3 February 2026 · 55 vacancies |
Last checked . Sources
About NSSB CETSE
The Combined Education and Technical Services Examination (CETSE) is the NSSB exam for Group C posts that need a specific technical or teaching qualification. The 2026 round, advertised on 3 February 2026, covered water resources, soil conservation, agriculture, horticulture, library, sericulture and school posts such as Drawing Teacher and Physical Education Teacher. Like CSRE, it is open only to Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland.
Eligibility
Age limit
General category: 21–32 years, counted on 1 January 2026.
Age relaxation
- SC: 5 years
- ST: 5 years
- SC and ST candidates get 5 more years on the upper limit.
- Serving government employees get relaxation equal to their years of service, up to 5 years, under the office memorandum of 15 October 2024.
Qualification
Depends on the post. Sericulture Field Assistant: matriculation with a one-year sericulture certificate. Drawing Teacher: HSSLC with a one-year diploma in fine arts. Physical Education Teacher: HSSLC with at least 50% (5% less for ST/SC) and physical education as an elective, or senior secondary with sports participation under NCTE norms, and the table also lists a degree or diploma in physical education of at least three years. Soil Conservation Assistant: HSSLC with the two-year course of the Soil Training Institute, Sechu-Zubza. Agriculture Field Assistant: HSSLC science with a diploma/IETC in agriculture. Section Officer and Surveyor: degree or 3-year diploma in agricultural or civil engineering (ITI Surveyor also accepted for Surveyor). Library Assistant: Bachelor of Library Science. Horticulture Extension Assistant: B.Sc. Horticulture or Agriculture.
Other conditions
- All vacancies are reserved for Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland, with further reservation for backward tribes and persons with benchmark disabilities.
- The qualification must be in hand by the close of registration.
Selection process
- Tier I written exam: Paper I (general, 100 marks) for all posts and Paper II (technical, 200 marks) for every post except Sericulture Field Assistant
- Minimum of 30% in Paper II, under Section 24 of the NSSB Regulations 2020 (Amendment)
- Post and department preference before the interview
- Interview, with original documents checked
Exam pattern
Tier I written exam
Mode: Objective, multiple choice (OMR) · Duration: Paper I: 2 hours; Paper II: 3 hours · Negative marking: One third of the question's marks cut for each wrong answer
| SUBJECT | QUESTIONS | MARKS |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I: General Knowledge | 50 | 50 |
| Paper I: General English | 10 | 10 |
| Paper I: English Comprehension | 10 | 10 |
| Paper I: Basic Computer Knowledge | 15 | 15 |
| Paper I: Basic Arithmetic, General Intelligence and Reasoning | 15 | 15 |
| Paper II: Technical subject of the post (30% needed) | 200 |
Interview
| SUBJECT |
|---|
| Interview by NSSB |
NSSB CETSE syllabus
Paper I: General Knowledge
- Current events and everyday science
- Indian history and culture
- Indian polity and the Constitution
- Geography and economy
- Naga history and culture
Paper I: English, computers and aptitude
- Grammar, vocabulary, error spotting, synonyms, antonyms and idioms
- Reading comprehension
- Computer basics, GUI operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and the internet
- Number system, percentage, profit and loss, ratio, averages and data charts (Class 12 level)
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning: analogies, series, coding-decoding and syllogism
Paper II: Technical
- Set on the subject of the post at the level of the qualification in its recruitment rules; the detailed syllabus is notified by the department concerned in consultation with NSSB
What they ask
Paper I is common to all posts: 100 objective questions in two hours, with 50 on general knowledge (including Naga history and culture), 10 on grammar, 10 on comprehension, 15 on basic computer knowledge and 15 on arithmetic and reasoning. Paper II is a 200-mark objective paper on the technical subject of your post, set at the level of the qualification the recruitment rules ask for. You need at least 30% in Paper II to stay in the race, and a wrong answer costs a third of the question's marks.
How to prepare
- Paper II carries twice the marks of Paper I and has a 30% cut-off, so plan most of your study time around your technical subject, whether that is agriculture, surveying, library science or physical education.
- General knowledge is half of Paper I. Cover Indian history, polity, geography, economy and science, and add Naga history and culture.
- Sericulture Field Assistant candidates write only Paper I, so all 100 marks come from GK, English, computers and arithmetic.
- Get your Indigenous Inhabitant, ST and BT certificates in the new government format before document verification, since NSSB has said it will ask for them in the revised format from now on.
Practise NSSB CETSE syllabus topics a few minutes a day with short quizzes in the Improvam app.
How to apply
- Complete one-time registration on the NSSB recruitment portal and apply online through nssb.nagaland.gov.in.
- Pay the Rs 300 exam fee; PwBD candidates are exempt.
- Government employees upload a No Objection Certificate signed by the Head of Department.
Previous papers and answer keys
NSSB CETSE FAQs
Yes. You need at least 30% of the Paper II marks, as laid down in Section 24 of the NSSB Regulations 2020 (Amendment).
Sources
- NSSB CETSE 2026 Advertisement (PDF) ↗ (official, checked )
- NSSB notice: CETSE 2026 Advertisement Notification ↗ (official, checked )
- NSSB CETSE general syllabus (common syllabus for direct recruitment) ↗ (official, checked )
Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.
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