AERB RSO-MRF (RSO Level III) Exam: Eligibility, Pattern & Passing Criteria

A complete guide to the RSO Certification for Medical Radiation Facilities (RSO-MRF) exam, commonly called the RSO Level III exam — who's eligible, how the exam is structured, and what it takes to pass.

Certifying body: AERB Conducted by: RP&AD, BARC Max 3 attempts

What is the RSO-MRF certification?

Every Medical Radiation Facility (MRF) in India — covering diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy — is required by regulation to appoint a full-time Radiological Safety Officer (RSO), approved by the Competent Authority. The RSO-MRF certification exam, prescribed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and conducted by the Radiological Physics and Advisory Division (RP&AD) of BARC, is the standard evaluation every candidate must clear to be recognized as a certified RSO for a medical radiation facility.

Who is eligible?

A Post M.Sc. Diploma in Radiological Physics (Dip. R.P.), or
A Post M.Sc. Diploma in Medical Physics (Dip. M.P.), or
A Postgraduate Degree in Medical Physics [M.Sc. (Med. Phys.)], with the minimum radiation-safety course content prescribed by the Competent Authority, from a recognized university/institution

In addition, candidates need a minimum of 12 months of internship in a well-equipped, recognized radiation therapy department.

Exam pattern (as per the 2021 amendment)

The RSO-MRF evaluation criteria were revised in the 2021 amendment to the standard syllabus. The exam now consists of two components:

Component	Marks	Structure
Written paper	100 marks	90 marks objective + 10 marks subjective-type questions / report writing based on a scenario with radiological consequences
Viva-voce	100 marks	Oral examination

What changed in 2021?

Previously, the written paper was 80 marks descriptive + 20 marks objective. It's now 90 marks objective + 10 marks scenario-based subjective/report-writing — a much heavier emphasis on objective questions, which is exactly why a strong topic-wise MCQ/MSQ/numeric-answer practice routine matters more than ever.

Passing criteria

Not less than 50% each in the written paper and the viva-voce
Not less than 60% in aggregate

Re-appearance rules

If you don't clear the exam on your first attempt, there must be a gap of at least three months before you can re-appear. Across all AERB RSO certifications, the maximum number of permitted attempts is three.

Syllabus overview

The RSO-MRF syllabus is organized into 15 topics, spanning basic radiation physics through to the regulatory framework governing medical radiation facilities in India.

See the complete topic-wise syllabus breakdown →

Related RSO-MRF guides

Prepare with confidence

50+ topic-wise mock tests and 10+ full-length mock tests, built specifically around this exam pattern — including scenario-based practice for the report-writing component.

See the mock test series →

This page summarizes publicly available information from AERB's standard syllabi and its amendments. RadSafety Prep is an independent exam-preparation resource and is not affiliated with AERB or BARC. For official registration and the authoritative syllabus, refer to aerb.gov.in.