FSSAI
Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods — Cereal and Cereal Products (2022)
Official analytical methods for cereals and flours.
Exam resources
DRDO Scientist 'B' through RAC (Food Science / Food Technology) 2027
DRDO recruits Scientist 'B' officers through its Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC) on GATE scores followed by a written test or interview. Food Science has appeared only occasionally, most recently in 2022 for M.Sc. food science graduates with a valid GATE Life Sciences (XL) score.
DRDO has no post called "Scientific Officer". The entry scientist post is Scientist 'B', recruited by the Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC) mainly on GATE scores, followed by a written test or an interview depending on the discipline. Food Science or Food Technology is rare: it last appeared in RAC Advertisement No. 141 (2022), when RAC added 20 vacancies in eight life-science disciplines and asked food candidates for a first-class master's degree in Food Science (or Food Science and Technology) and a valid GATE score in Life Sciences (XL). DRDO food work is done at the Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysuru, which also hires research fellows and project staff by interview. There is no DRDO-specific food paper to practise; prepare for GATE XL with the Food Technology section, using this site's GATE XL mocks (/exam/gate-xl), and watch rac.gov.in for advertisements that list Food Science.
- Conducted by
- Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence
Who can apply
In RAC Advertisement No. 141 (2022) the food discipline asked for a first-class master's degree in Food Science or Food Science and Technology and a valid GATE score in Life Sciences (XL). Age limits and other terms are set in each advertisement.
- Essential (Advt 141, 2022, as seen in search excerpts of the official PDF): first-class Master's degree in Food Science (or Food Science and Technology) and a valid GATE score in Life Sciences, paper code XL
- Selection: GATE-based shortlisting followed by a written test or interview, as stated in the advertisement
- Persons with disabilities could apply without a GATE score in that advertisement, under separate terms
- A B.Tech in Food Technology without a master's degree did not meet the 2022 food requirement
A summary. Confirm the details in the current notice.
Source: RAC Advt No. 141 (revised), 2022 ↗. Checked 2026-10-30.
Free PDFs and recommended books for DRDO Scientist B (Food Science). How we choose
Free PDFs
12 free PDFsProcessing & preservation
FSSAI · FoSTaC
FoSTaC Manual — Special (Level 2), Bakery
Bakery process hygiene and hazards as FSSAI sets them out.
NCERT
Class 12 Human Ecology & Family Sciences — Food Processing and Technology
A plain-language overview of preservation and processing.
NIOS
Home Science (321), Lesson 9 — Food Preservation
Household and basic industrial preservation principles.
Food chemistry
FSSAI
Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods — Oils and Fats
Official methods for acid, iodine and saponification values and related tests.
NCERT
Class 11 Biology — Biomolecules
Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and enzymes.
NCERT
Class 12 Chemistry — Biomolecules
Structures of sugars, amino acids, vitamins and nucleic acids.
Nutrition
ICMR-NIN
Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024, 2nd edition)
India's official diet, RDA and My Plate guidance.
FAO/WHO
Fats and Fatty Acids in Human Nutrition
Expert consultation on lipid requirements.
FAO
Human Nutrition in the Developing World (Latham)
A classic free textbook on macro- and micronutrients and deficiency diseases.
NCERT
Class 12 Human Ecology & Family Sciences — Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics
A simple introduction to clinical nutrition and dietetics.
Food microbiology
OpenStax · Rice University
Microbiology (OpenStax)
A complete, peer-reviewed university microbiology textbook.
Official and open resources
1 resourceOfficial syllabus
GATE 2027 information brochure and syllabi (IIT Madras)
GATE XL (Chemistry plus Food Technology) is the paper RAC asked food candidates to hold in 2022.
Core food science
4 resourcesCore food science
Food Science by B. Srilakshmi
Food chemistry and nutrition revision.
Reading suggestion
Microbiology
Food Microbiology by M. R. Adams and M. O. Moss
Microbiology for GATE XL-U and the interview.
Reading suggestion
Food engineering
Food Process Engineering and Technology by Zeki Berk
Engineering and unit operations for the Food Technology section.
Reading suggestion
Core food technology
Textbook of Food Science and Technology (ICAR)
Product technology, preservation and packaging, including the ready-to-eat.
Reading suggestion
Full topic list and section weightage DRDO Scientist B (Food Science) syllabus and exam pattern
No tests for this exam yet.