ICAR JRF 2027: eligibility, exam pattern and subjects
The All India Competitive Examination for Ph.D. admission and the ICAR Junior/Senior Research Fellowship, conducted by NTA for ICAR. The 2027 cycle is not notified yet, so this guide uses the official 2026 Information Bulletin as the reference and says so wherever a figure comes from it.
The 2026 paper
- +4 for a right answer, -1 for a wrong one
- Master's with 6.50/10 OGPA or 60% (General)
- JRF ₹37,000 a month (2026 bulletin)
Where things stand
2027 is not notified yet
As of 30 Oct 2026, NTA and ICAR have not published a notice or Information Bulletin for AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) 2027. Dates, fee, eligibility cut-off dates and the subject list will come from that bulletin on exams.nta.nic.in/icar and nta.ac.in. Until then, the 2026 cycle below is the best reference for how the year runs.
The 2026 cycle, step by step
- 08 May – 07 Jun 2026Online registration on exams.nta.nic.in/icar (closed 5 PM on 7 June)
- 09 – 10 Jun 2026Correction window for the application form
- 25 Jun 2026Advance intimation of exam city
- 01 Jul 2026Admit cards released
- 04 Jul 2026Computer-based exam, afternoon shift, 3 PM to 5 PM
- 16 – 18 Aug 2026Provisional answer keys shown and open for challenges
- 29 Aug 2026Results declared; counselling is run by ICAR after that
In 2026, 11,491 candidates registered for AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) and 10,417 sat the exam (NTA press release, 29 Aug 2026). Sources: ICAR public notice of 11 May 2026, 2026 Information Bulletin, NTA admit card notice and NTA result notice.
Eligibility · 2026 cycle
Who could apply in 2026
The 2027 rules will be in the 2027 bulletin. These are the rules from the 2026 bulletin (Chapter 3), which is what most Kerala M.Sc. (Ag.) and allied postgraduates will want to check themselves against now.
- You must be an Indian national with a Master's degree in one of the subjects listed in Table 3 of the bulletin, and you sit the exam in the subject that matches your Master's.
- Your bachelor's must be a 10+2+4 degree (such as B.Sc. Ag. (Hons.), B.Tech or BFSc), 10+2+5/5½ (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) or 10+6, and your Master's must be a 2-year degree with thesis from a publicly funded or government institution.
- A 3-year bachelor's degree does not qualify, except for a few courses at IARI and NDRI. A 5-year integrated M.Sc. does not qualify.
- Final-year Master's students could apply in 2026, but had to complete the degree in all respects (thesis and viva included) by 31 July 2026.
- Minimum age: 20 years as on 31 August 2026, with no relaxation.
- Marks are not rounded off: 49.99% does not count as 50%. Where an OGPA is awarded, a percentage equivalent is not accepted.
Universities can set extra conditions for some subjects, and the admitting university verifies documents at admission. Source: 2026 Information Bulletin, sections 3.1 to 3.3.
Exam pattern · 2026 cycle
One paper, three parts
You choose one subject of specialisation, matched to your Master's. That choice decides both Part B (its core group) and Part C (the subject itself).
Part A · General
20 questions · 80 marks
Common to all subjects. General knowledge in agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries and allied sciences, plus current events and reasoning ability.
Part B · Core group
50 questions · 200 marks
From the core group (Table 1 of the bulletin) that contains the subject you choose for your Ph.D.
Part C · Your subject
50 questions · 200 marks
From the one subject of specialisation you choose for your Ph.D. (Table 3 of the bulletin).
| Mode | Computer-based test (CBT) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 hours, one paper |
| Questions | 120 multiple-choice questions, 4 options each |
| Maximum marks | 480 (80 + 200 + 200) |
| Marking | +4 for a correct answer, -1 for a wrong answer, 0 if not attempted |
| Medium | English only |
Source: 2026 Information Bulletin, section 2.3. The syllabus for every subject is on ICAR's syllabus page for AIEEA (PG) and AICE (JRF/SRF).
Subjects & mock tests
Practise the full paper in your subject
Agriguru has ICAR JRF 2027 mock-test series for ten subjects. Each series has 10 full-length tests of 120 questions and 2 hours, the length of the 2026 paper. Where a series lines up with a subject in the 2026 bulletin, the card says which.
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsAgronomy2026 bulletin: 16.1 Agronomy (Core Group 16)See the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsSoil Science2026 bulletin: 16.2 Soil Sciences (Core Group 16)See the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsHorticulture2026 bulletin: Core Group 04 HorticultureSee the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsEntomology & Nematology2026 bulletin: 2.3 Entomology and 2.2 Nematology (Core Group 02)See the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsPlant Biotechnology2026 bulletin: 3.3 Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Core Group 03)See the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsPlant Sciences10 tests · 120 questions · 2 hours eachSee the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsAgricultural Engineering & Technology2026 bulletin: Core Group 10 Agricultural Engineering and TechnologySee the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsAgroforestry & Silviculture2026 bulletin: 15.1 Forestry, which includes Silviculture and Agroforestry (Core Group 15)See the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsSocial Science10 tests · 120 questions · 2 hours eachSee the tests
- ICAR JRF 2027 · Mock testsStatistics2026 bulletin: 19.1 Agricultural Statistics (Core Group 19)See the tests
The 19 core groups for Part B (2026 bulletin, Table 1)
- 01 Crop Sciences-I
- 02 Crop Sciences-II
- 03 Crop Sciences-III
- 04 Horticulture
- 05 Veterinary and Animal Sciences-I
- 06 Veterinary and Animal Sciences-II
- 07 Veterinary and Animal Sciences-III
- 08 Veterinary and Animal Sciences-IV
- 09 Dairy Science, Dairy Technology and Food Technology
- 10 Agricultural Engineering and Technology
- 11 Community Science (formerly Home Science)
- 12 Fishery Science-I
- 13 Fishery Science-II
- 14 Fishery Sciences-III
- 15 Natural Resource Management-I
- 16 Natural Resource Management-II
- 17 Agricultural Economics & Agri-Business Management
- 18 Agricultural Extension
- 19 Agricultural Statistics
The 2026 exam was held in 72 subjects. Table 3 of the bulletin lists which Master's degrees fit each subject; check yours there before you apply.
Fee, fellowship & seats · 2026 cycle
What it cost, and what it pays
Application fee (2026)
| General / Unreserved | ₹2,000 |
|---|---|
| OBC (NCL) / UPS / EWS | ₹1,955 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Third Gender | ₹1,075 |
Processing charges and GST were extra, paid by the candidate.
ICAR JRF/SRF (2026 bulletin)
| 1st and 2nd year (JRF) | ₹37,000 a month |
|---|---|
| 3rd year (SRF) | ₹42,000 a month |
| Contingent grant | ₹10,000 a year |
| Normal duration | 3 years |
How seats and fellowships work
- The exam fills 30% of Ph.D. seats in agricultural universities under the ICAR-AU system, and 100% of seats at Dr. RPCAU Pusa, RLBCAU Jhansi and the ICAR deemed universities (IVRI, IARI, CIFE and NDRI).
- In 2025-26 there were 2,278 ICAR all-India-quota Ph.D. seats. The tentative 2026-27 seats are listed subject- and university-wise in Annexure XXII; final numbers are shown on icar.org.in at counselling.
- The JRF/SRF goes to a limited number of candidates on merit. Others who qualify for counselling can still be admitted to a Ph.D. without the fellowship, if a seat is available.
- The fellowship is paid only in the agricultural universities named in the bulletin (SAUs, ICAR deemed universities, CAU Imphal, Dr. RPCAU Pusa, and BHU and Nagaland University).
- JRF/SRF holders must keep an OGPA of 7.00 out of 10 (6.50 for SC/ST/PwBD) at the end of each year.
Alappuzha / Ernakulam / Kochi · Kozhikode · Malappuram · Thiruvananthapuram · Thrissur
Source: 2026 Information Bulletin, pages 7, 15, 16, 19 to 21 and Annexure I.
Preparation
A plan that follows the paper
Fix your subject first
Find your Master's degree in Table 3 of the bulletin. That one choice sets Part C (50 questions) and the core group for Part B (another 50), so it decides 400 of the 480 marks.
Study from ICAR's own syllabus
Download your subject's syllabus from icar.org.in and use it as your checklist. For Part B, go through the neighbouring subjects in your core group as well, not only your own.
Keep Part A ticking over
Part A is 20 questions on agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries, current events and reasoning. A little every week is easier than a rush at the end.
Learn to pace 120 questions in 120 minutes
That is one minute a question on average. Sitting full-length papers is the only way to find out where your time actually goes.
Know what the -1 means
With +4 and -1, a pure guess among four options is worth +0.25 marks on average, and a guess between two options you could not eliminate is worth +1.5. Decide your own rule in mock tests, not on exam day.
Watch for the 2027 bulletin
Check exams.nta.nic.in/icar regularly. If you are in your final year of M.Sc., look closely at the degree-completion date in the new bulletin (in 2026 it was 31 July).
Practise the real length. Every Agriguru ICAR JRF 2027 test is a full 120-question, 2-hour paper in your subject.
Pick your subjectFAQs
Questions aspirants ask
Has ICAR JRF 2027 been announced?
Not yet. As of 30 Oct 2026 neither NTA nor ICAR has published a notice or Information Bulletin for AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) 2027. For reference, the 2026 registration ran from 8 May to 7 June 2026 and the exam was held on 4 July 2026. Watch exams.nta.nic.in/icar and nta.ac.in for the 2027 notice.
What is the ICAR JRF exam pattern?
In the 2026 cycle it was one 2-hour computer-based paper of 120 multiple-choice questions for 480 marks: Part A, 20 general questions (80 marks); Part B, 50 questions from your core group (200 marks); and Part C, 50 questions from your own subject (200 marks). The paper was in English only.
Is there negative marking in ICAR JRF?
Yes. In 2026 a correct answer earned 4 marks, a wrong answer cost 1 mark, and an unattempted question scored 0.
Who is eligible for ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.)?
Under the 2026 bulletin: Indian nationals with a 2-year Master's degree (with thesis) in a subject listed in the bulletin, after a 10+2+4 or longer bachelor's degree, with a minimum OGPA of 6.50/10 or 60% (5.50/10 or 50% for SC, ST, PwBD and Third Gender), and aged at least 20 on 31 August 2026.
Can final-year M.Sc. students apply?
In 2026, yes, provided the Master's degree was complete in all respects, including thesis and viva, by 31 July 2026. The 2027 bulletin will give its own date.
How much is the ICAR JRF fellowship?
The 2026 bulletin sets it at ₹37,000 a month for the first and second years (JRF) and ₹42,000 a month for the third year (SRF), plus a contingent grant of ₹10,000 a year. It normally runs for three years.
Does clearing the exam guarantee the fellowship?
No. The fellowship goes to a limited number of candidates on merit and seat availability in each subject. Other candidates who qualify for counselling can be admitted to a Ph.D. without the fellowship.
Where are the exam centres in Kerala?
The 2026 list had five Kerala cities: Alappuzha/Ernakulam/Kochi, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. The 2027 list may differ.
What was the application fee?
For 2026: ₹2,000 for General, ₹1,955 for OBC (NCL), UPS and EWS, and ₹1,075 for SC, ST, PwBD and Third Gender, plus processing charges and GST.
Which Agriguru mock test should I take?
Pick the series for the subject you will write in Part C. Each series has 10 full-length tests of 120 questions and 2 hours, so you can practise the whole paper under exam timing.
Preparing for ICAR JRF 2027?
Sit the full paper ten times before the real one
Ten full-length mock tests in your subject, 120 questions and 2 hours each. Not sure which series fits your M.Sc.? Message us and we'll help you pick.
All exam facts are from the 2026 cycle (2027 not yet notified as of 30 Oct 2026): the NTA Information Bulletin for ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) 2026, NTA notices on exams.nta.nic.in/icar and icar.org.in. Always confirm with the 2027 bulletin when it is published.