WCL Recruitment 2026 — 444 Mining Sirdar & Foreman Posts

Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) is a Mini Ratna Company and a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, functioning under the Ministry of Coal, Government of India, with its headquarters located in Nagpur, Maharashtra. WCL is a major coal mining company operating through 10 areas comprising highly mechanized opencast and underground coal mines spread across Maharashtra (Nagpur, Chandrapur & Yavatmal districts) and Madhya Pradesh (Betul and Chhindwara districts). As one of India's key coal producing subsidiaries under Coal India Limited, WCL plays a vital role in the country's energy security, and regularly recruits statutory supervisory staff to maintain safe and efficient operations across its underground and opencast mining sites.

Why You Should Apply

This recruitment offers a substantial 444 vacancies across two statutory supervisory positions, making it one of the larger coal sector recruitment drives of the year. Candidates get the opportunity to join a Mini Ratna PSU with a stable career path, attractive pay under the National Coal Wage Agreement (NCWA) XI, and additional allowances including Dearness Allowance, HRA, transport subsidy, and medical facilities. The role offers long-term career growth as per prevailing cadre schemes after successful completion of the training/probation period, making it an excellent opportunity for candidates holding statutory mining or electrical supervisory certificates.

About the Post

WCL is recruiting for two Statutory Supervisory Staff positions — Mining Sirdar, T&S Grade-C, and Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor, T&S Grade-C — for its Underground (UG) and Opencast (OC) mines. The Mining Sirdar will be responsible for statutory supervisory duties in underground and opencast coal mining operations, including inspection, safety monitoring, and adherence to provisions of the Mines Act 1952 and Coal Mines Regulations 2017. The Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor will handle electrical supervisory responsibilities in the mines as per the Electrical Supervisory Certificate requirements. Selected candidates can be posted at any UG or OC mine of any area of WCL and are liable to be transferred to any area during their service.

Recruitment Overview

WCL has released Employment Notification No. 2026/69, dated 16.07.2026, inviting online applications from eligible Indian nationals for regular appointment to 444 posts (220 Mining Sirdar and 224 Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor posts) across its Underground and Opencast mines. Selection will be based on a Computer Based Test (CBT). The online application window opens on 20.07.2026 and closes on 10.08.2026, with the same date serving as the cut-off for eligibility and age determination. Candidates can apply for only one of the two notified positions; applying for both will result in cancellation of candidature.

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

Note: The number of vacancies shown is provisional and may increase or decrease at the discretion of WCL management. PwBD and ESM are horizontal reservation categories.

Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit:

• Minimum age: 18 years as on the cut-off date (10.08.2026)
• Upper age limit: 30 years for UR & EWS category candidates as on the cut-off date

Age Relaxation:

Educational/Technical Qualification:

• Mining Sirdar, T&S Grade-C: (a) Valid Mining Sirdar Certificate of Competency issued by DGMS, Valid Gas Testing Certificate, Valid First-Aid Certificate, and 3 years' experience of working in Underground Mines; OR (b) Diploma in Mining Engineering from a Government-recognized institute, Valid Overman competency certificate issued by DGMS, Valid Gas Testing Certificate, and Valid First Aid Certificate.
• Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor, T&S Grade-C: Diploma (minimum 3 years course) in Electrical Engineering from a Government-recognized institute, along with a valid Electrical Supervisory Certificate for Mines issued by the Appropriate Government.

Candidates possessing higher statutory competency certificates issued by DGMS (for Mining Sirdar) or other equivalent/higher qualifications approved by the Central Government are also eligible to apply. Degree/PG/Diploma qualifications acquired through distance learning or part-time mode shall not be considered. Candidates having restricted competency certificates are not eligible, as vacancies pertain to both UG and OC mines.

Experience: 3 years of experience working in Underground Mines is required for one of the eligibility routes for Mining Sirdar; not applicable as a separate requirement for the Electrical Supervisor post beyond the certificate requirement.

Nationality: Applicants must be Indian nationals.

Physical Standards

The post of Mining Sirdar does not fall under the identified list of positions for PwBD candidates as per Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and CIL HQ guidelines; hence, PwBD reservation is not applicable for this post. For the Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor post, the physical requirements are Sitting, Standing, Walking, Bending, Manipulation with Fingers, Seeing, Reading & Writing, Hearing, and Communication. PwBD categories identified suitable for this post include: (a) Hard of Hearing (HH); (b) One Arm (OA), One Leg (OL), Both Legs (BL), Leprosy Cured (LC), Dwarfism (Dw), Acid Attack Victims (AAV); (c) Specific Learning Disability (SLD); (d) Multiple Disabilities (MD) involving categories (a) to (c) above.

Salary/Pay Scale

In addition to the basic pay, other allowances such as Dearness Allowance, attendance bonus, special allowance, HRA, transport subsidy, and medical facility are also admissible as per NCWA XI provisions. Further career growth after training/probation will be as per prevailing cadre schemes and rules.

Selection Process

Eligible candidates meeting minimum eligibility criteria as on the cut-off date will appear for a Computer Based Test (CBT). The CBT consists of 100 questions (Part 1: General Aptitude – 20 questions; Part 2: Technical – 80 questions), each carrying 1 mark, with a duration of 90 minutes. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, bilingual (English and Hindi), with the English version prevailing in case of ambiguity. There is no negative marking, and no marks are awarded for unattempted questions.

Minimum qualifying marks (out of 100 maximum marks) are:

• UR & EWS: 50 marks
• OBC (NCL): 45 marks
• SC/ST: 40 marks

Candidates are shortlisted based on CBT marks, and the zone of consideration for document scrutiny/verification is 3 times the number of vacancies in each category. Shortlisted candidates must appear for document verification with original certificates and self-attested photocopies. In case of a tie, resolution is done first by Date of Birth (elder candidate preferred), then by alphabetical order of first name as per Matriculation certificate. A merit panel is published category-wise after verification, and a provisional offer of appointment is issued based on relative merit and reservation norms. Appointment is subject to candidates being found medically fit in the Initial Medical Examination as per company standards.

Exam Pattern & Syllabus

Exam Pattern: 100 questions total — 20 questions on General Aptitude (Part 1) and 80 questions on Technical subjects (Part 2), 1 mark per question, 90-minute duration, bilingual (English/Hindi), no negative marking.

Syllabus for Mining Sirdar, T&S Grade-C (Annexure I): Part 1 covers General English, Comprehension, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, logical reasoning and analytical ability, quantitative aptitude, data interpretation, and general awareness on current national issues and the coal industry. Part 2 (Technical) covers Explosive and Blasting Practice, Method of work (Board and pillar development, depillaring, mechanized methods), Support systems (Strata control, roof bolting), Stowing, Opencast working methods, Drifting, Geology, Mine Surveying, Danger of inundation, Mine Fires and firefighting, Mine Rescue, Mine Ventilation and gases, Duties of Sirdar, Man riding systems, Winding in shaft, Shaft sinking, Coal dust regulations, Accident classification, Face machineries, Electrical devices used in UG mines, and provisions of the Mines Act 1952, Coal Mines Regulations 2017, and related DGMS circulars.

Syllabus for Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor: Enclosed as Annexure II — Not detailed in the extracted notification text.

Application Fee

Application fee is non-refundable under any circumstances and must be paid through online mode only. Any additional tax or bank charges will be borne by the candidate.

How to Apply

1. Visit the official WCL website at www.westerncoal.in.
2. Navigate to Career > Recruitment > Employment Notification for Open Recruitment of Statutory Supervisory Staff (Mining Sirdar and Assistant Foreman Electrical/Electrical Supervisor).
3. Click on "Apply Online" and follow the detailed step-by-step instructions provided on the portal.
4. Read the complete Employment Notification (available in English and Hindi) carefully to assess your eligibility before proceeding.
5. Register and fill in your personal, educational, and category details accurately in the online application form.
6. Upload a scanned recent passport-size colour photograph (not older than 3 weeks, jpg/jpeg format) and a scanned signature in black ink (jpg/jpeg format).
7. Upload scanned copies of required documents including Matriculation/Secondary certificate, Intermediate/HSC certificate (optional), post-specific competency/qualification certificates, and category certificates (OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwBD/EWS) as applicable.
8. Select your preferred Test City from the list provided (note: this cannot be changed after submission).
9. Pay the applicable application fee (Rs. 1,180/- for UR/OBC-NCL/EWS; Nil for SC/ST/PwBD/ESM/Departmental candidates) through the online payment facility.
10. Carefully review all details before final submission, as no changes are permitted after submission.
11. Submit the application within the window open from 20.07.2026 (10:00 AM) to 10.08.2026 (11:55 PM).
12. Take a printout of the submitted application form for future reference and record-keeping.
13. Regularly check the WCL website and your registered email/mobile for updates on admit card, CBT schedule, and results.

Documents Required

For Mining Sirdar, T&S Grade-C: (a) Valid Mining Sirdar Certificate of Competency issued by DGMS, Valid Gas Testing Certificate, Valid First-Aid Certificate, and Experience Certificate (3 years, Underground Mines) — OR (b) Diploma in Mining Engineering with marksheets, Valid Overman Competency Certificate, Valid Gas Testing Certificate, and Valid First Aid Certificate.

For Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor, T&S Grade-C: Diploma (minimum 3 years course) in Electrical Engineering with marksheets, and Electrical Supervisory Certificate valid for Mines issued by the Appropriate Government.

Common documents for all candidates: Scanned passport-size photograph, scanned signature, Matriculation/Secondary School certificate and marksheet, Intermediate/HSC certificate (optional), category certificate (OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwBD) in prescribed format where applicable, and EWS Income & Asset Certificate where applicable.

Important Instructions

• A candidate can apply for only one of the two notified positions; applying for both will cancel candidature for this recruitment.
• No relaxation in the minimum qualification and eligibility criteria is admissible for any category of candidate.
• Minimum qualification acquired through distance learning/part-time mode shall not be considered.
• Candidates must carefully fill their category in the application; if a valid caste/category certificate is not uploaded, the candidate will be considered UR by default, with no scope for later category change.
• Caste/EWS/PwBD certificates will be verified from the issuing authority; candidature will be cancelled if certificates are found unsatisfactory or non-genuine at any stage.
• Candidates employed in Government/Semi-Government/PSU/Autonomous Bodies must produce a No Objection Certificate at the time of document scrutiny/verification, if shortlisted.
• Selected candidates can be posted at any UG or OC mine of any WCL area and are liable to be transferred anytime during service.
• Appointment is subject to candidates being found medically fit in the Initial Medical Examination.
• No TA/DA will be paid for appearing in the CBT, document verification, or joining, except as otherwise provided.
• Canvassing in any form will lead to disqualification, and candidates found using unfair means during the CBT will face criminal prosecution and disqualification.
• The Court of Jurisdiction for any dispute is the Honourable High Court of Bombay – Nagpur Bench.
• Beware of touts and job racketeers; WCL has not appointed any agent(s) for this recruitment, and candidates are selected purely on merit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. How many total vacancies are there in WCL Recruitment 2026? A1. There are 444 total vacancies — 220 for Mining Sirdar, T&S Grade-C, and 224 for Assistant Foreman (Trainee) (Electrical)/Electrical Supervisor, T&S Grade-C.

Q2. What is the selection process for WCL Recruitment 2026? A2. Selection is based on a Computer Based Test (CBT) of 100 questions (90 minutes), followed by document scrutiny/verification of shortlisted candidates in order of merit.

Q3. What is the salary offered under this recruitment? A3. Selected candidates will receive an initial basic pay of Rs. 47,330.25 per month as per NCWA XI, along with Dearness Allowance, HRA, transport subsidy, and other admissible allowances.

Q4. What is the application fee for WCL Recruitment 2026? A4. UR/OBC(NCL)/EWS candidates must pay Rs. 1,180/- (inclusive of GST); SC/ST/PwBD/ESM/Departmental candidates are exempted from the fee.

Q5. What is the last date to apply for WCL Recruitment 2026? A5. The online application closes on 10.08.2026 at 11:55 PM, which is also the cut-off date for eligibility and age determination.

Q6. Can a candidate apply for both notified posts? A6. No, a candidate can apply for only one of the two positions; applying for both will result in cancellation of candidature.

Q7. What is the age limit for WCL Recruitment 2026? A7. The minimum age is 18 years, and the upper age limit is 30 years for UR/EWS candidates as on the cut-off date, with relaxations applicable for OBC/SC/ST/PwBD/ESM/Departmental candidates.

Important Links

• Official Website: www.westerncoal.in
• Apply Online: www.westerncoal.in > Career > Recruitment > Employment Notification
• Download Notification PDF: Not mentioned (available on official website)
• Official Notification: Employment Notification No. 2026/69, dated 16.07.2026

Conclusion

The WCL Recruitment 2026 for Statutory Supervisory Staff presents a significant opportunity with 444 vacancies for candidates holding Mining Sirdar or Electrical Supervisory competency certificates to join a Mini Ratna subsidiary of Coal India Limited with stable pay, allowances, and long-term career growth. Interested and eligible candidates should complete their online application well before the deadline of 10.08.2026. For more such government and PSU job updates, keep visiting certifica.in.