Central Administrative Tribunal Administrative Member Recruitment 2026 – Apply Offline

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has 4 posts of Administrative Member open at a salary of Rs. 2,25,000 (fixed) per month, plus allowances admissible to a Government of India Group 'A' officer carrying the same pay. Officers who have held the post of Additional Secretary to the Government of India, or an equivalent post carrying pay not less than that of an Additional Secretary, may apply. A Member holds office for five years or until the age of sixty-seven years, whichever is earlier. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, has issued the vacancy circular No. A-11013/1/2025-AT dated 5 November 2026. Applications go offline, through proper channel wherever applicable, and must reach DoPT in New Delhi by 05.30 P.M. on 20 December 2026.

CAT Administrative Member at a Glance

The official notification does not specify the age limit for applying, the application fee or the minimum educational qualification.

About CAT Administrative Member

According to the circular, the Central Administrative Tribunal was established under the Administrative Tribunal Act 1985 to adjudicate cases related to service matters of persons appointed under the Government of India. The Principal Bench of CAT is at New Delhi, and its other Benches are at 18 places: Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Madras, Cuttack, Ernakulam, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Calcutta, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Jammu and Srinagar. A Member, upon selection, may be posted to any of these places.

Who Can Apply

The qualifications, eligibility, salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are governed by the National Tribunals Commission and Qualification, Selection, and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and Members of Tribunals Rules, 2026, as amended from time to time. Under rule 25(III)(c) of these Rules, a person is not qualified for appointment as Administrative Member unless he:

• has held the post of Additional Secretary to the Government of India; or
• has held any other equivalent post under the Central Government or a State Government carrying pay which is not less than that of an Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

The circular invites applications of eligible and willing officers. The official notification does not specify the minimum educational qualification; the application form only asks for educational qualifications in reverse chronological order. The last date of receipt of applications, 20 December 2026, is the crucial date for deciding eligibility. Candidates should check the official notification for the full eligibility conditions under the Rules.

Pay and Terms

• Salary: Rs. 2,25,000 (fixed) per month.
• Allowances: as admissible to a Government of India officer holding a Group 'A' post carrying the same pay.
• Pension holders: if the person appointed as Member is in receipt of any pension, the pay is reduced by the gross amount of pension drawn.
• Term: five years or till the Member attains the age of Sixty-Seven years, whichever is earlier.
• Serving officers and judges: a serving Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court, or a serving member of any service of the Central Government or State Government or their undertaking, must either resign or obtain voluntary retirement from the parent service before joining the Tribunal.
• Retirement benefits: Members are not entitled to additional pension, provident fund and gratuity for the services rendered in the Tribunal.
• Re-appointment: Members of CAT are eligible for re-appointment in the same manner as the original appointment, preferably along with all the persons shortlisted in response to the vacancy circular or otherwise. The Search-cum-Selection Committee (ScSC) also considers previous work performance in CAT.

How to Apply for CAT Administrative Member

The advertisement and the prescribed application form can be downloaded from the DoPT or CAT websites, https://dopt.gov.in or https://cgat.gov.in. The form (Annexure-I) has options for a fresh appointment or re-appointment.

1. Fill in the bio-data proforma at Annexure-I, neatly typed, with a photograph duly signed by the candidate, and tick Fresh or Re-appointment.
2. Fill in every point and column; write so where a point is not relevant. Incomplete applications are liable to be rejected.
3. In the work experience table, indicate the entry equivalent to Additional Secretary or above, and attach a copy of the self-attested latest pay slip.
4. Give the write-ups the form asks for: adjudicating experience (200 words, wherever applicable), cases handled before Courts or Tribunals (if applicable), and five major achievements (200 words each).
5. Sign the declaration and attach the documents listed below.
6. Route the application through proper channel (wherever applicable) so the employer can furnish Annexure-II and vigilance clearance.
7. Send the original application by hand, speed post or registered post to: The Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Kartavya Bhawan - 3, Central Secretariat, Kartavya Path, New Delhi - 110001.
8. The application must reach by 05.30 P.M. on or before 20 December 2026 (Sunday).

Documents named in the notice

• Bio-data in the proforma at Annexure-I
• Certificate by the employer, head of office or forwarding authority as in Annexure-II, under the seal and signature of the Cadre Controlling Authority
• Clear photocopies of the up-to-date CR/APAR dossier with CR/APARs of at least the last five years, attested by a Group A officer
• Cadre clearance
• Integrity certificate or clearance from the vigilance and disciplinary angle as in Annexure-III, furnished and signed by the CVO or HOD
• Statement of major or minor penalties, if any, imposed during the last ten years
• Copy of the self-attested latest pay slip

Selection Process

The Search-cum-Selection Committee constituted under the Tribunal Reforms Act 2021, before the establishment of the National Tribunals Commission, will continue and complete the selection, in terms of section 24(3)(a) of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2026. The appointment, salary, allowances and other terms of the selected Member are governed by the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2026.

• Scrutiny and shortlisting: the Committee scrutinises applications for suitability, giving due weightage to qualification and experience, and shortlists candidates for personal interaction.
• Personal interaction: shortlisted candidates are called for interview/interaction.
• Final selection: based on the Committee's overall evaluation of qualification, experience and personal interaction. The declaration refers to appointment by the ACC.

Important Instructions

• Applications received after the due date, incomplete applications, or applications without the necessary Annexures will not be entertained.
• DoPT will not be responsible for postal delay or loss of applications.
• No TA/DA will be admissible for the interview/interaction; candidates make their own arrangements.
• By the declaration, the candidate will not withdraw candidature after the Selection Committee meeting, will not decline the appointment if selected by the ACC, and will join within 30 days from the date of the appointment order.
• Violating any of these three conditions may lead the Government of India to debar the candidate for three years from consideration for appointment outside the cadre and in any Autonomous, Statutory or Regulatory Body.
• Concealed or distorted material information makes the appointment liable to summary termination without notice.
• Contact: Rishi Pal, Under Secretary to the Govt. of India (AT), Tel. 011-26773460/ 62, email [email protected]. The DoPT office is at Room No. 504, Ground Floor, GPOA-3, Netaji Nagar, New Delhi.

Important Links