Ans. – 4 for general and for PH/SC/ST more than 4 in a calender year.
As per the official rules of the central government,
Applications from permanent Government servants – Both permanent non-scientific and non-technical employees as well as permanent scientific and technical employees could be given 4 four opportunities in a year to apply for outside posts, except where withholding of any application is considered by the competent authority to be justified in the public interest. A permanent Government servant cannot justly complain of hardship or harsh treatment if his application for any other post or employment is withheld.
https://documents.doptcirculars.nic.in/D2/D02est/170_51_Ests_21101952.pdf
You are requested to intimate the employer that you are applying for a certain post against a certain advertisement. For example,

Also indicate that you are gonna need NOC at time of document verification or interviev process.
The NOC and applying via proper channel ensures that are you are gonna get all benefits of services of past to fresh service also.
Make sure to ask for pay protection if you are joining at lover level of pay to protect your basic, either going from Central to PSU pr vice versa or PSU to PSU or PSU to Centre.
OM No. | Subject | |
| 1 | 14017/101/91-Estt(RR) dt. 14/07/1993 | Forwarding of applications for other posts-principles regarding |
| 2 | 28016/5/85-Estt(C) dt.31/01/1986 | Appointment of Central Government servants in the Central Public Enterprises on immediate absorption basis – terms and conditions of. |
| 3 | 28015/2/1980-Estt(C) dt. 22/07/1980 | Forwarding of applications of Government servants working in a Department/Office of the Central Govt. question regarding the retention of lien in the parent Department. |
| 4 | 28016/1/1980-Estt(C) dt. 18/07/1980 | Forwarding of applications of Central Government servants for posts advertised by Staff Selection Commission/autonomous bodies-Procedure regarding. |
| 5 | 42015/4/78-Estt(C) dt. 01/01/1979 | Forwarding of applications to U.P.S.C. from candidates serving under Government. |
| 6 | 42015/3/77-Estt(C) dt.25/02/1978 | Forwarding of application of Government servants – in response to advertisements by UPSC for competition. |
| 7 | 11012/10/75-EStt(A) dt. 18/10/1975 | Forwarding of applications for other posts-principles regarding. |
| 8 | 8/4/70-Estt(C) dt. 06/03/1974 | Forwarding of applications of Central Government servants for posts under the State Government procedure for. |
| 9 | 8/10/72-Estt(C) dt. 09/11/1972 | Forwarding of applications of Government servants working in a Department/Office of the Central Government to posts in other Central Government Department/offices- Question regarding the retention of lien in the parent Department. |
| 10 | 8/22/71-Ests(C) dt. 16/10/1971 | Application of Government servants for outside employment-Applications forwarded in response to U.P.S.C. advertisements for competitive/departmental examinations not to be counted against the permissible number of four opportunities in a year. |
| 11 | 8/15/71-Ests(C) dt. 16/09/1971 | Application of Government servants for employment elsewhere-Principles to be observed in considering the question of forwarding-Number of chances allowed to scientific and technical personnel. |
| 12 | 8/7/69-Estt(C) dt. 01/11/1970 | Forwarding of applications of Central Government servants for posts in private forms-question whether they should be asked to resign or give notice of retirement from service before applying for a post in private forms. |
| 13 | 5/2/68-Estts(C) dt. 06/05/1968 | Applications of Government Servants employment elsewhere-principles to be observed in considering the question of forwarding. |
| 14 | 60/37/68-EStt(A) dt. 14/07/1967 | Forwarding of applications of Government servants working in a Department/Officer of the Central Government to posts in other Central Government Department/Offices question regarding the retention of lien in the parent department. |
| 15 | 5/10/66-Estt(C) dt. 15/04/1966 | Application of Government servants for employment elsewhere- principles to be observed while considering the question of forwarding. |
| 16 | 5/3/65-ESts(C) dt. 21/12/1965 | Applications of Government servants for employment elsewhere-Principles to be observed while considering the question of forwarding. |
| 17 | 60/43/64-EStt(A) dt. 24/08/1965 | Release of Government servants applying for posts etc. in response to the U.P.S.C. Advertisements. |
| 18 | 1/6/64-SCT.1 dt. 19/03/1964 | Forwarding of applications for employment elsewhere of Central Government servants belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. |
| 19 | 70/10/60-Estt(A) dt. 09/05/1960 | Principles to be observed in considering the question of forwarding applications of Central Govt.servants for employment elsewhere. |
| 20 | 170/51-Estt(C) dt. 21/10/1952 | Application of Central Government servants for employment elsewhere-Principles to be observed in considering the question of forwarding. |
| 21 | NA dt. 05/03/1945 | Release of Government servants whose applications are forwarded by their departments in response to Federal Public Service Commission advertisements after selection by the Commission for appointment in other posts. |











