If you have an ITI certificate in Civil Draftsman or a Diploma in Civil Engineering and you're from Gujarat, GSSSB's Class-3 technical cadre is probably already on your radar. Junior Draftsman and Surveyor keep coming up in GSSSB's recruitment cycles under the same "Technical Class-3" bracket, and they share almost the same exam pattern, so it's worth understanding both together.
This post lays out where things stand as of August 2026: what the job pays, what to study, and where candidates usually lose marks. Where GSSSB hasn't confirmed a date yet, it's marked tentative or based on the last cycle.
Quick Answer
GSSSB runs Junior Draftsman and Surveyor as separate Class-3 technical recruitments that share a similar exam format. The Draftsman post (Advt 357/202526) had 52 vacancies with applications closing on 30 January 2026, and Surveyor ran in multiple 2026 drives, including a 15-post cycle and a later special PwD drive for 47 posts, with the CBRT held 12 May 2026 for several Class-3 posts including Surveyor. If a fresh notification hasn't opened when you're reading this, use the details below as reference and keep checking gsssb.gujarat.gov.in and pareeksha.in/news.
Latest Notification and Important Dates
Both posts had separate advertisement cycles this past year. Treat any date not yet confirmed by GSSSB as tentative.
| Detail | Junior Draftsman, Class-3 | Surveyor, Class-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Advertisement No. | 357/202526 | 383/202526 (and special drives) |
| Notification date | 15 January 2026 | Rolling, latest special drive mid-2026 |
| Application start | 16 January 2026 | 20 February 2026 |
| Application end | 30 January 2026 | 6 March 2026 (extended in one drive) |
| Fee payment last date | 2 February 2026 | Same as application end |
| Total posts (latest cycle) | 52 | 15 (plus a 47-post special PwD drive) |
| CBRT exam date | Part of Class-3 combined schedule | 12 May 2026 |
| Admit card | Released about a week before exam | Released about a week before exam |
| Result | Awaited/as per GSSSB calendar | Final result and select list already declared for one cycle |
GSSSB runs several Class-3 exams on the same CBRT calendar, so double-check your specific advertisement number on the call letter. Don't assume a general "Class-3 exam date" update covers your post unless it names your advt number.
What the Job Actually Is
A Junior Draftsman prepares technical drawings, tracings, and site plans for government construction projects, converting survey data and design ideas into scaled drawings and maintaining drawing records. It's an office-heavy role with occasional field visits.
A Surveyor spends more time on-site, measuring land, taking levels, marking boundaries, and generating data that engineers use for roads, buildings, irrigation and municipal works, using total stations, GPS equipment, and mapping software. Postings span Roads & Buildings, Panchayat, Municipal Corporations, or Irrigation departments, so expect transfers across districts.
Both are entry-level technical government jobs with decent security and a real path into higher technical cadres over time.
Vacancy Details
Numbers change every cycle. Junior Draftsman (Advt 357/202526) had 52 posts spread across offices in Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot. Surveyor had 15 posts under a Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation-linked advertisement, plus a separate special drive that opened 47 posts for Persons with Disabilities later in the year.
If you're checking this closer to a fresh cycle, expect the vacancy count to reset. GSSSB splits posts by district and department, so read the annexure of your specific advertisement before applying, since reserved-category seats aren't spread evenly across every location.
Eligibility
Age Limit
The general age band for both posts is 18 to 33 years, calculated as of the cut-off date mentioned in the advertisement. Relaxation brings the effective ceiling up for reserved categories.
| Category | Age Relaxation | Effective Max Age (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| General/Unreserved | None | 33 |
| Women / SC / ST / SEBC | +5 years | 38 |
| EWS | Same as general in most cycles | 33 |
| Persons with Disability | +10 to 20 years depending on category | up to 45+ |
| Ex-Servicemen | +3 years (service period counted separately) | varies |
Education Qualification
- Junior Draftsman: A two-year Certificate in Civil Draftsman from a government-recognised ITI, plus a basic computer application certificate.
- Surveyor: A Diploma in Civil Engineering from a recognised university or board, plus a basic computer knowledge certificate.
There's no separate domicile requirement beyond the usual Gujarat state-level eligibility, but check the specific advertisement, since some posts carry a local-candidate preference for certain districts.
Application Process and Fee
Applications go through the OJAS portal. Here's the fee from the latest cycles:
| Category | Draftsman Fee | Surveyor Fee |
|---|---|---|
| General/Unreserved | ₹500 | ₹350 |
| SC/ST/SEBC/EWS/Women/PwD/Ex-Servicemen | ₹400 | ₹300 |
Steps to apply: Register on ojas.gujarat.gov.in, locate the correct advertisement number (a common mistake is applying against the wrong one), fill in personal, educational and category details, upload photo, signature and certificates in the specified format, pay the fee online, and save the confirmation page.
Keep your ITI/diploma marksheets and category certificate scans ready before you start. Half-filled forms tend to get abandoned or rushed through with errors.
Exam Pattern
Both posts follow GSSSB's standard CBRT format, split into a common section and a technical section.
| Part | Subject | Questions/Marks | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, General Comprehension (Gujarati/English/GK) | Around 90 marks | Std 10-12 |
| Part B | Post-specific technical subject (Civil Draftsman or Surveying) | Around 120 marks | Diploma/ITI level |
| Total | 210 marks, 210 questions | 3 hours |
Negative marking is 0.25 for every wrong answer in most Class-3 exams, though some Surveyor cycles have run without it, so check your notification's exam scheme before the day. Selection after the CBRT is purely on merit, with roughly double the vacancy count called for document verification before the final list.
Detailed Syllabus
Part A: Common Section
- Reasoning: analogy, coding-decoding, series, blood relations, direction sense, syllogism, Venn diagrams, seating arrangement.
- Quantitative Aptitude: number system, percentage, ratio-proportion, profit-loss, interest, time-speed-distance, time and work, average, mensuration, data interpretation.
- General Knowledge: Gujarat history, geography, culture, freedom movement, Constitution basics, current events of the last 6-12 months, Gujarat schemes.
- Gujarati and English: grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, idioms, one-word substitution.
Reasoning practice and quantitative aptitude prep built for SSC-level exams work well here, and our general awareness guide covers the GK portion.
Part B: Technical Section
For Junior Draftsman: engineering drawing basics (orthographic and isometric projections), building drawing and plan-elevation-section reading, civil engineering materials (cement, steel, aggregates), surveying basics relevant to drawing work, AutoCAD and drafting software fundamentals, building bye-laws, scales and symbols used in civil drawings, and basic estimating and costing.
For Surveyor: chain and compass surveying, plane table survey, leveling (types, instruments, booking and reduction of levels), theodolite surveying and traversing, total stations and modern survey instruments, contouring and topographic mapping, curves used in road/rail alignment, area and volume computation, and basic GPS/GIS knowledge.
Both technical papers draw from standard ITI/diploma textbooks, so if you studied your diploma syllabus properly, this shouldn't feel unfamiliar. It's the common section where technically strong candidates lose easy marks, so don't skip it out of overconfidence.
Salary, Pay Scale and Career Growth
The two posts sit at different pay levels because of the qualification gap.
- Junior Draftsman: Fixed pay of around ₹26,000 per month for the first five years, moving to regular Pay Level-2 (₹19,900 to ₹63,200 as per the 7th Pay Commission matrix) after that, plus standard allowances (DA, HRA, and others as applicable).
- Surveyor: Fixed pay of around ₹40,800 per month for the first three years, then regular Pay Level-5 (₹29,200 to ₹92,300) with full allowances.
In-hand pay during the fixed period stays close to the base figure since allowances are limited during probation. Once you move to the regular pay matrix, HRA and DA push it up noticeably, often 25-40% above basic depending on your posting. Career growth moves toward Senior Surveyor, Head Draftsman, or supervisory roles after years of service, through departmental promotion exams.
Previous Cut-off
Cut-offs vary a lot by advertisement, location, and vacancy count, but here's a recent Surveyor cycle's Select List cut-off out of 210 marks as a reference point:
| Category | Common | Female |
|---|---|---|
| General | 155.00 | 127.25 |
| EWS | 151.00 | 126.00 |
| SC | 148.00 | - |
| SEBC | 146.25 | 114.00 |
| ST | 129.25 | 106.25 |
Draftsman cut-offs aren't out yet for the current cycle. Expect a similar range, since the exam format and difficulty match. Don't fixate on an exact number months in advance, aim for 70% or more and you'll be in a strong position regardless of category.
Best Books and Preparation Strategy
For the common section, standard SSC-level reasoning and quant books work fine, paired with a current affairs digest for the last six months. For the technical section, stick to your ITI or diploma textbooks, GSSSB rarely goes beyond the standard curriculum.
A rough three-month plan: Month 1, revise your core diploma/ITI subject thoroughly and build a notes file of formulas and diagrams you tend to forget. Month 2, start daily reasoning and quant practice with weekly GK revision, and begin attempting full-length mock tests to get used to the 3-hour format. Month 3, shift to timed topic-wise practice sets, focus on weak areas, and do two full mocks a week, keeping the last week for revision only.
Browse related Gujarat and SSC-style exam guides on pareeksha.in/exams too, the prep overlaps more than you'd think.
Common Mistakes and Honest Advice
Most candidates over-prepare the technical section and under-prepare the common section, because it feels "easier" and gets pushed to the last week. That's backwards. The technical section rewards what you already studied in your diploma; the common section is where the real edge is won, since everyone's technical knowledge is roughly at the same level.
Other common mistakes: applying against the wrong advertisement number, missing the fee payment deadline (it sometimes falls a couple of days after the application closes), and skipping full-length mocks. A 3-hour, 210-question exam tests stamina as much as knowledge, and short bursts of practice won't prepare you for that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GSSSB Junior Draftsman notification out in 2026? Yes, Advt 357/202526 for 52 posts was released in January 2026 with applications that closed on 30 January 2026. Check OJAS for whether a fresh cycle has opened since then.
Is the GSSSB Surveyor notification out in 2026? Yes, multiple Surveyor cycles ran through 2026, including a 15-post drive and a later special drive for 47 posts for PwD candidates.
What is the age limit for these posts? 18 to 33 years generally, with 5 years' relaxation for women and reserved categories, and 10-20 years for PwD candidates depending on the disability.
What qualification is needed? A two-year ITI Certificate in Civil Draftsman for Junior Draftsman, or a Diploma in Civil Engineering for Surveyor, both with a basic computer knowledge certificate.
What is the salary for these posts? Junior Draftsman starts at a fixed ₹26,000/month before moving to Pay Level-2 (₹19,900-₹63,200); Surveyor starts at a fixed ₹40,800/month before moving to Pay Level-5 (₹29,200-₹92,300).
Is there negative marking in the GSSSB Class-3 exam? Most recent cycles apply 0.25 negative marking per wrong answer, though a few Surveyor cycles ran without it. Check your specific advertisement.
How many questions are there in the exam? Typically 210 questions worth 210 marks in a 3-hour CBRT, split into a common section (around 90 marks) and a technical section (around 120 marks).
What is a good cut-off score to aim for? Recent Surveyor General category cut-off was around 155 out of 210. Aim for 70% or higher for a safe buffer across categories.
Related reads on Pareeksha
- GSSSB Talati cum Mantri recruitment guide
- Gujarat Police Constable recruitment guide
- SSC CGL guide for candidates also considering central government technical/non-technical posts
- RRB Group D guide for railway technical-level openings with a similar exam pattern
Final Word
These two posts don't get as much attention as Talati or Police Constable, but for diploma and ITI holders in civil engineering, they're a solid entry into Gujarat government service. Competition is real, but it's narrower than the mega-recruitment exams since fewer people even qualify on the education criteria.
Don't wait for the "perfect" notification date to start studying. The syllabus and pattern stay stable across cycles, so prepare now and slot into whichever advertisement opens next. Track pareeksha.in/news and pareeksha.in/current-affairs for updates, and build your study plan around the syllabus above.
Official sources: GSSSB official website | OJAS Gujarat portal
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