AP Assistant Professor Lateral Entry Recruitment 2026: Notification & Details

The Andhra Pradesh Medical Services Recruitment Board (APMSRB) has issued Notification No. 02 of 2026 (dated 08.01.2026) inviting applications for Assistant Professor positions (Lateral Entry) in government medical colleges under the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Andhra Pradesh. This lateral-entry drive covers both general and backlog vacancies in Clinical, Non-Clinical, and Super-Specialty disciplines. A total of 97 vacancies are advertised (60 Clinical, 3 Non-Clinical, 34 Super-Specialty), offering a vital career opportunity for eligible Andhra Pradesh medical faculty. Applications must be submitted online through the DME websites during the specified window. Below is a comprehensive overview of this AP Assistant Professor Lateral Entry Recruitment 2026, including vacancies, dates, eligibility, application steps, and other key information drawn directly from the official notification.

AP Assistant Professor Lateral Entry Recruitment 2026 – Overview

The lateral entry recruitment is conducted by APMSRB (AP Medical Services Recruitment Board) under the Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department. The table below summarizes the key facts of the recruitment:

Table: Overview of APMSRB Assistant Professor Lateral Entry Recruitment 2026 (APMSRB notification details)

Important Dates

The schedule for the lateral-entry recruitment is as follows:

Candidates should note that the notification was published on 08.01.2026, and applications must be submitted online between 12.01.2026 and 27.01.2026. All future updates (such as result announcements or certificate verification dates) will be posted on the APMSRB and DME official websites, so applicants must check these regularly for notifications.

Vacancy Distribution

The lateral entry recruitment advertises a total of 97 Assistant Professor vacancies across different categories. The breakdown is:

• Clinical Specialties: 60 vacancies
• Non-Clinical Specialties: 3 vacancies
• Super-Specialty (DM/MCh): 34 vacancies

This distribution (60+3+34 = 97) is confirmed by the official notification.

Table: Category-wise vacancy distribution for AP Assistant Professor (Lateral Entry) Recruitment 2026.

Specialty-Wise Vacancies (Clinical)

The notification provides a detailed specialty-wise breakdown for Clinical disciplines through lateral entry. The table below lists the Clinical departments and their respective vacancies (as per Annexure I of the notification):

Table: Clinical specialty-wise Assistant Professor vacancies (Lateral Entry). (The notification’s Annexure lists these clinical departments and vacancies.)

Note: In addition to the above Clinical fields, the lateral entry recruitment also includes 3 Non-Clinical and 34 Super-Specialty vacancies (DM/MCh fields). (The notification does not list the non-clinical and super-specialty department names in detail; only aggregate numbers are given.)

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements to apply under the lateral entry quota:

• Educational Qualification:
  • Broad (Clinical/Non-Clinical) Posts: MD/MS/DNB in the concerned specialty (from an institution recognized by Medical Council of India/NMC).
  • Super-Specialty Posts: DM/MCh/DrNB/DNB in the relevant super-specialty.
• Current Service: Applicants must be serving Assistant Professors (broad specialty) in DME or Civil Assistant Surgeons (CAS) in either the Directorate of Public Health & Family Welfare or APVVP (secondary health department) of Andhra Pradesh. Only such candidates are eligible for lateral entry.
• Probation Status: Candidates should be an approved probationer or have completed the probation period in their current cadre (CAS or Assistant Professor).
• Discipline Record: No disciplinary charges should be pending against the candidate; and the candidate must not have any unauthorized absence from duty.
• No Objection Certificate: A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Head of the Department (current appointing authority) in the prescribed format (Annexure IV) is mandatory.
• Post-Lateral Duties: Candidates selected through lateral entry do not require prior senior residency; however, they will be appointed as Senior Residents for one year upon selection and then promoted to Assistant Professor.
• Reservations: All vacancies are subject to state reservation norms (vertical reservations for SC/ST and horizontal reservations for women and PwD as per Andhra Pradesh rules). (Promotions through lateral entry also follow promotion reservation rules.)

Table: Eligibility criteria for AP Assistant Professor (Lateral Entry) posts. Candidates must satisfy all requirements above to apply.

Selection Process

Selection for lateral-entry Assistant Professor posts is not based on an examination. Instead, the APMSRB will prepare a merit list and select candidates based on their existing seniority/rank and reservation rules. The procedure is as follows:

• The ranking awarded to a candidate at the time of their original appointment as CAS or Assistant Professor is used to prepare the merit list. In other words, more senior candidates (higher rank) are given higher preference.
• The final selection list is prepared purely on this merit order, while observing statutory reservation rules for promotions.
• In case of equal merit, relevant tie-breaking rules (as per AP state service rules) would apply.
• The decisions of the APMSRB regarding eligibility, merit, and final selection are final and binding on all candidates.

Key Points of Selection: Merit is determined by existing service rank; no entrance test is conducted. Reservations (vertical and horizontal) are applied in forming the final list. Selected candidates will be called for document verification and then appointed sequentially as Senior Residents for one year, before confirmation as Assistant Professor.

How to Apply

Interested and eligible candidates must apply online. There is no offline or paper application. The application process is as follows:

1. Visit Official Portal: Go to the Andhra Pradesh DME recruitment website at https://dme.ap.nic.in or https://dmeaponline.com between 12.01.2026 and 27.01.2026.
2. Registration: Register and complete the online application form for Notification No. 02/2026 (Assistant Professor Lateral Entry). Ensure that your personal details (name, DOB, community, etc.) exactly match your certificates.
3. Upload Documents: Upload scanned copies of all required certificates in PDF format (see list below). Make sure each file is clear and legible.
4. Pay Application Fee: Pay the prescribed fee (OC: Rs. 2000; SC/ST/BC/EWS/PwD: Rs. 1500) using the online payment gateway. Payment can be made by Net Banking, Credit/Debit Card, or other e-payment modes.
5. Submit Form: Review and submit the form. Upon successful submission, an “Application Number” will be generated. Save this number and take a printout of the application confirmation page for your records.
6. Email/SMS Updates: The registered email and mobile number will be used for further communication (if any). After submission, no changes are allowed, so ensure all entries are correct.

Apply Online: Eligible candidates should apply only through the official DME AP portals during the application window. Applications submitted in any other mode or after the deadline will be rejected.

Documents Required

Before applying, candidates should keep scanned copies (PDF format) of the following documents ready for upload:

• Passport-size Photo & Signature: Recent color photo (JPEG/PNG) and scanned signature.
• Proof of Age: SSC/10th class certificate or birth certificate for date of birth.
• Educational Certificates:
  • MBBS degree certificate.
  • PG degree certificate (MD/MS/DNB) with all marks memos.
  • Super-Specialty degree (DM/MCh/DNB) certificate with marks memos (if applying for Super-Specialty posts).
• AP Medical Council Registration: Valid AP Medical Council registration certificate.
• Appointment Order: First appointment order (showing rank, date of joining) as CAS or Assistant Professor.
• Probation Certificate: Declaration of completion of probation period.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC): NOC from the current Head of Department (Annexure IV format).
• Annexure V Declaration: Duly signed declaration form (Annexure V).
• Caste Certificate: If claiming reservation, submit SC/ST/BC/EWS certificate; for SC, include sub-caste (SC-I/II/III) certificates.
• PwD Certificate: If applicable, submit the Persons with Benchmark Disability certificate from a medical board or SADAREM.
• Marksheets: All individual marks memos (as applicable) to be uploaded along with degree certificates.

No extra documents will be accepted after form submission. Originals of all uploaded documents must be produced at the time of certificate verification, so keep them ready. Candidates already working as APs should note that they are not eligible to apply for the same specialty in which they are already serving.

Application Fee

The application fee is as per AP Govt rules and must be paid online during form submission:

Table: Online application fee for AP Assistant Professor (Lateral Entry) Recruitment 2026.

The fee is paid via the online payment gateway (Net Banking/Credit/Debit card). Fee once paid is non-refundable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the APMSRB Assistant Professor Lateral Entry Recruitment 2026?
A: It is a special recruitment drive (Notification No.02/2026) for filling 97 Assistant Professor vacancies in Andhra Pradesh medical colleges through lateral entry. This means existing Assistant Professors or Civil Assistant Surgeons in AP government service are eligible to apply for higher posts. The drive covers Clinical, Non-Clinical, and Super-Specialty disciplines.

Q: How many vacancies are there and what is the split?
A: A total of 97 vacancies are announced. This includes 60 Clinical, 3 Non-Clinical, and 34 Super-Specialty positions. The clinical specialties (e.g., Medicine, Surgery, etc.) account for 60 posts (detailed in the table above), while non-clinical fields have 3 posts and super-specialty (DM/MCh) fields have 34 posts.

Q: What are the eligibility criteria for this recruitment?
A: Candidates must be in Andhra Pradesh state medical service as Assistant Professors (broad specialty) or Civil Assistant Surgeons (APVVP/PH&FW) and should have completed probation. Essential qualifications include MD/MS/DNB in the relevant subject for Clinical/Non-Clinical posts, or DM/MCh/DrNB/DNB for Super-Specialty posts. Applicants must also have no pending disciplinary issues. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the current HOD is required.

Q: How do I apply online for APMSRB Assistant Professor posts?
A: You should apply only through the official AP DME websites between 12 Jan and 27 Jan 2026. Steps: (1) Register on https://dme.ap.nic.in (or dmeaponline.com). (2) Fill in the online form, providing personal and professional details. (3) Upload the required documents (photo, certificates, etc.). (4) Pay the application fee online. (5) Submit the form and note your application number. Ensure all entries are correct, as no edits are allowed after submission.

Q: What is the application fee and payment method?
A: The fee is Rs. 2,000 for OC candidates and Rs. 1,500 for SC, ST, BC, EWS, and PWD candidates. Payment must be made online via the secured payment gateway (using Net Banking, Credit/Debit Card, etc.). Keep the payment receipt for reference.

Q: When is the last date to apply?
A: The last date to submit the online application is 27 January 2026 (11:59 PM). Applications sent after this deadline or by any other means will not be accepted.

Q: What is the selection process?
A: There is no examination or interview. Selection is based on a merit list drawn from service seniority. Specifically, the candidate’s rank at the time of their original AP service appointment (CAS/Asst Prof) determines their merit. The final selection list is prepared purely by merit and reservation rules. Appointments are made in order of the merit list until all vacancies are filled.

Q: How should I stay updated on this recruitment?
A: The APMSRB website and the DME AP recruitment portal will be the sole sources of official communication. Candidates must regularly check these sites for any updates (e.g., provisional selection lists, certificate verification dates, etc.). No individual correspondence will be made, so watch the websites and your registered email/SMS closely.

Final Notes

The AP Assistant Professor Lateral Entry Recruitment 2026 is a great opportunity for in-service AP government doctors (MD/MS/DNB/DM/MCh qualified) to advance their careers. Ensure you carefully review the official notification and fulfill all criteria before applying. Prepare all necessary documents (as listed above) in advance, and submit your online application well before the deadline. Keep track of the DME AP and APMSRB websites for any updates. We wish all applicants the best in their endeavor to secure an Assistant Professor position through this lateral entry process.

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