ICAR Technical Assistant (T‑3 & T‑4) — everything you need in one place
ICAR's new recruitment exam for Technical Assistant (T-3) at ICAR Institutes and Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) at KVKs — the scheme, both papers, negative marking and the Mains syllabus for the Agriculture, Animal Science, Fisheries and Home Science groups.
Go straight to your group's Mains syllabus:
Where things stand
- Scheme notified28 Sep 2026
- Notificationawaited
- Applydates to come
- Prelimsqualifying
- Mainsdecides rank
Notification
What ICAR has announced, and what is still to come
On 28 September 2026, ICAR issued an Office Memorandum notifying the scheme and syllabus for two posts in its Technical Service Cadre: Technical Assistant (T-3) at ICAR Institutes and Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) at ICAR's Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Both are filled by direct recruitment through one Centralized Recruitment Examination, and the scheme takes effect immediately.
Many candidates search for this as the IARI Technical Assistant exam. IARI is one of the ICAR Institutes; this examination covers T-3 posts across ICAR Institutes and T-4 posts at KVKs.
| Issued by | ICAR, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi |
|---|---|
| Office Memorandum | F.No. TS-19(6)/2024-Estt.IV, dated 28.09.2026 |
| Posts | T-3 at ICAR Institutes · T-4 at KVKs |
| Method | Direct recruitment, Technical Service Cadre |
| Exam | Prelims (Paper I) + Mains (Paper II) |
| Groups | Agriculture · Animal Science · Fisheries · Home Science — choose one |
| Selection | Mains marks only · no interview |
| Language | English & Hindi (General English in English only) |
| Vacancies & dates | Awaited — ICAR/ASRB notification |
What the OM settles, and what it leaves open
The OM is a scheme-and-syllabus document, not a recruitment notification. That split decides what you can act on today.
| Settled now | Comes with the notification |
|---|---|
| Two-stage pattern, marks and duration | Vacancies, group by group |
| Negative marking in both papers | Educational qualification for each group |
| Prelims syllabus (all groups) | Age limit and relaxations |
| Mains syllabus for each functional group | Application fee and dates |
| One group per candidate; no interview | Prelims-to-Mains shortlisting ratio (set by ASRB) |
Why the timing matters
Everything you are tested on is already published. Everything you are waiting for — vacancies, dates, fees — changes how you apply, not what you study. The weeks between the OM and the notification are the only preparation time with no application deadline attached. If the notification is not out yet, you are starting at the right moment.
Posts & Groups
Two posts, four groups, one choice
You can apply for T-3, T-4 or both, depending on your eligibility. But you sit the Mains in only one functional group, even if your degree makes you eligible for more than one. The four Field/Farm & Laboratory Technician groups:
Where each post sits
Technical Assistant (T-3)
Posted at ICAR Institutes, in the functional group you are selected in.
Senior Technical Assistant (T-4)
Posted at ICAR's Krishi Vigyan Kendras — the district-level units that take research to farmers.
Check this yourself
The OM does not state the educational qualification, age limit or fee for any group — those arrive with the ICAR/ASRB notification. Do not lock your group until you have read the eligibility for it. Until then, prepare for the group your degree points to, and confirm every condition against the official notification before you apply.
Exam Pattern
Two papers, and only one of them decides your rank
Both papers are objective, multiple-choice and set in English and Hindi. Prelims is common to every group. Mains is set on your functional group's syllabus.
Paper I — Preliminary (qualifying)
100 questions · 100 marks · 1 hour · four sections of 25 questions each. General English is set in English only; the other three sections in English and Hindi.
| Section | Qs / Marks | Role |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 25 / 25 | Qualifying |
| General English | 25 / 25 | Qualifying |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 / 25 | Qualifying |
| General Agriculture | 25 / 25 | Qualifying |
| Total | 100 / 100 | Gate to Mains |
ASRB decides how many candidates go through to Mains; the OM sets no fixed pass mark.
Paper II — Mains (merit)
100 questions · 300 marks · 2 hours · 3 marks per question.
| Paper | Qs / Marks | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Functional group subject paper (your one group) | 100 / 300 | Merit |
Negative marking
| Paper | Right answer | Wrong answer |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims | +1 | −0.25 |
| Mains | +3 | −1 |
Unattempted questions carry no penalty. The OM prints the Prelims deduction as "0.25% per wrong answer".
The consequence
Prelims is a gate, not a score. Clear it and its marks are spent. Your rank is your Mains score, and your Mains is one subject — your group's. So the bulk of your hours belong to the Paper II syllabus. But don't treat Prelims as a formality: the OM sets no pass mark and ASRB fixes the shortlisting ratio, so a weak Prelims can end your attempt before your strongest paper is ever marked.
Syllabus
One common Prelims, a separate Mains for each group
The syllabus below is based on Annexure II of the OM. Paper I is the same for every candidate. Paper II is set separately for each of Groups A to D. Tap any section for its topics.
Paper I — Preliminary · common to all groups
General Knowledge
- General awareness of the environment and its application to society
- Current events, and everyday observation in its scientific aspect, at graduate level
- India and its neighbouring countries — history, culture, geography, economic science, general policy and scientific research
General English
- Understanding of correct English
- Basic comprehension and writing ability
- This is the one section set in English only
Quantitative Aptitude
- Arithmetic: whole numbers, decimals, fractions, percentage, ratio & proportion, square roots, averages, interest, profit and loss, discount, partnership, mixture and alligation, time and distance, time and work
- Algebra: basic identities of school algebra, elementary surds, graphs of linear equations
- Geometry and mensuration: triangles and their centres, congruence and similarity, circles, chords and tangents, polygons; prism, cone, cylinder, sphere, hemisphere, parallelepiped, pyramid
- Trigonometry: ratios, degree and radian measure, standard identities, complementary angles, heights and distances
- Data: histogram, frequency polygon, bar diagram and pie chart
General Agriculture
- Agro-ecosystems: agronomy and agro-meteorology, dryland farming, agroforestry, soil testing and fertility, integrated farming, climate change; cereals, pulses, oilseeds, forage and horticultural crops; plant breeding, seed production, tissue culture and propagation; diseases of rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, potato, citrus and papaya; weeds
- Animal science: animal breeding and cloning, animal health; livestock, poultry, duckery, small ruminants; bee keeping; freshwater and marine fisheries
- Engineering and economics: farm machinery, agri-energy, ergonomics and women-friendly equipment, post-harvest technology, ICT in agriculture, agri-business, socio-economic aspects of agriculture and allied sectors, types and systems of farming, agricultural price policy, crop insurance
- Institutions: ICAR, NAARM and agricultural universities; KVKs; indigenous knowledge; NGOs and self-help groups; co-operatives; HRD in agricultural research; New Education Policy 2020
- Regulation: Seed Act 1966, PPV&FR Act 2001, Biodiversity Act 2002 and its 2023 amendment, Insecticides Act 1968, Plant Quarantine Order 2003, National Biodiversity Authority, PPV&FR Authority, DPPQ&S
- International organisations: CIMMYT, IRRI, ICRISAT, IITA, CIAT, IWMI, ICARDA
Paper II — Mains · your functional group
Group A — Agriculture
- Ecology, natural resources and their conservation; pollution; climate change conventions; greenhouse effect; remote sensing, GIS and drones
- Cropping patterns across agro-climatic zones; cropping and farming systems; organic and precision farming; package of practices for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fibres, sugar, commercial and fodder crops
- Agroforestry and forestry — silviculture, forest ecology, social forestry, propagation, forest products, conservation
- Weeds — characteristics, dissemination, crop association; cultural, biological and chemical control
- Soils — properties, formation, soils of India, nutrients, fertility and soil testing, INM, biofertilisers, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium use, problem soils, erosion, watersheds, dryland and rainfed agriculture
- Water management — water-use efficiency, irrigation scheduling, rainwater harvesting, drip and sprinkler, drainage, water quality, irrigation projects
- Farm management, budgeting, marketing, price fluctuations, co-operatives, agricultural price policy, crop insurance
- Agricultural extension, programme evaluation, socio-economic surveys, training; KVKs; NGOs and self-help groups
- Agricultural engineering — farm power and machinery, soil and water conservation, structures, food processing, renewable energy, automation
- Cell biology and genetics — cell cycle, genetic material, heredity, chromosomes, linkage, polyploidy, mutation, heritability, cytoplasmic and sex-linked inheritance
- Plant breeding — origin of crops, genetic resources, selection methods, heterosis, resistance breeding, rDNA, molecular markers, GM crops, CRISPR-Cas9, doubled haploids, genomic and speed breeding, bioinformatics
- Seed production, processing, certification, testing and storage; DNA fingerprinting; IPR and WTO issues
- Plant nutrition physiology; soil–water–plant relationship
- Plant physiology and biochemistry — enzymes, pigments, photosynthesis, respiration, C3/C4/CAM, metabolism, growth, photoperiodism, growth substances, seed physiology, stress physiology
- Horticulture — fruits, plantation crops, vegetables, spices, flowers; protected cultivation; post-harvest and value addition; landscaping; medicinal and aromatic plants
- Plant protection — diagnosis of pests and diseases, IPM, storage pests, biological control, forecasting, plant quarantine, pesticides and formulations
- Food science and technology — processing, preservation, packaging, quality control, functional foods, AI in food systems
- Food security — production and consumption trends, food policies, PDS and TPDS, poverty, dietary guidelines, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency
- Biotechnology — cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, genetic engineering
- Food microbiology, food chemistry, processing techniques, food safety, food technology, epidemiology, engineering in the food business
Group B — Animal Science
- Animal Nutrition — energy and protein nutrition, minerals and vitamins, feed additives, feed technology and analysis, ruminant, swine and poultry nutrition
- Animal Physiology — blood, circulation, respiration, excretion, endocrine glands, growth, lactation, reproduction, digestion, environmental physiology and stress
- Animal Reproduction — semen quality and preservation, artificial insemination, deep freezing, oestrus detection, anoestrus and repeat breeding
- Livestock Production & Management — commercial dairy farming, meat, egg and wool production, feeding in drought, flood and calamities
- Genetics & Animal Breeding — basic genetics, population genetics, breeding systems, selection methods and indices, crossbreeding
- Extension — principles, methods for farmers, technology transfer, animal husbandry programmes
- Anatomy, Pharmacology & Hygiene — histology, embryology, bovine and fowl anatomy, pharmacology and chemotherapy, veterinary hygiene and housing
- Animal Diseases — infectious, production and deficiency diseases; immunisation; anaesthesia and surgery; disease investigation
- Veterinary Public Health — zoonoses, epidemiology, OIE and WTO SPS measures, veterinary jurisprudence
- Milk & Milk Products Technology — market milk, processing and grading, dairy products, by-products, BIS and Agmark standards
- Meat Hygiene & Technology — slaughter and inspection, meat preservation and products, by-products, poultry products, rabbit and fur farming
Group C — Fisheries Science
- Aquaculture — systems, species, freshwater, brackishwater and marine culture, cage culture, RAS, aquaponics, farm design
- Fish Breeding & Seed Production — broodstock, induced breeding, hatchery design, nursery rearing, live food
- Ornamental Fish Farming & Aquarium Management
- Fish Genetics & Biotechnology — chromosome manipulation, monosex, cryopreservation, selective breeding, genome editing
- Fish Nutrition & Feed Technology — requirements, ingredients, formulation, additives, feed evaluation
- Fish Disease Management — pathogens, immunology, OIE-listed diseases, biosecurity, GAP and HACCP, diagnostics, vaccines
- Inland Fisheries — rivers, estuaries, reservoirs, wetlands, coldwater fisheries, crafts and gears
- Marine Fisheries — EEZ and resources, production trends, conservation, climate change, GIS
- Aquatic Ecology — lentic and lotic systems, plankton, benthos, productivity, nutrient cycles, pollution
- Soil & Water Chemistry — water quality parameters, soil properties, management for aquaculture
- Taxonomy of Finfishes & Shellfishes — identification, major taxa, DNA barcoding
- Fishery Biology — anatomy, feeding, reproduction, age and growth, migration, tagging
- Fishing Crafts & Gears — vessels, gear materials, commercial gears, fish-finding devices
- Fish Processing, Products & Byproducts — curing, freezing, canning, value-added products, chitin, collagen, quality and HACCP
- Fisheries Economics, Extension, Policy, Marketing & Trade
Group D — Home / Community Science
- Agriculture and science foundation — crop production, soils, cell biology and genetics, plant physiology, biomolecules, pests and diseases, organic farming, rDNA, natural resources, ecosystems, rural development, elements of statistics
- Human nutrition — food groups, nutritive value, processing, meal planning, diet therapy, institutional food management, community nutrition, food laws and programmes
- Child and human development — prenatal to adolescence, early childhood education, family dynamics, family welfare programmes
- Resource management — management process, work simplification, housing, interior design, family finance, consumer education
- Clothing and textiles — clothing construction, fibres, weaving, traditional textiles, finishes, dyeing and printing
- Extension education — communication methods, programme planning, entrepreneurship, audio-visual aids, rural development, women's empowerment
Preparation
What to do before the notification arrives
This scheme is new, so there are no previous papers or cut-offs under it yet. What you do have is a fixed pattern and a fixed syllabus. The order below follows from those two.
Choose your likely functional group
You get one group. Pick the one your degree matches, and keep it under review until the notification confirms the eligibility.
Map your Mains syllabus unit by unit
Mains is 300 of the marks that decide selection. List your group's units, mark the ones you studied in your degree, and give the weak ones the first slots.
Keep Prelims warm, all four sections
Quantitative Aptitude and General English don't come from your degree. A short daily slot for each keeps them ready without taking hours from Mains.
Practise with the real marking
Score Mains mocks at +3 / −1 and Prelims at +1 / −0.25, so your practice scores match the real paper.
Check eligibility, vacancies and dates
Read your group's qualification and age conditions and its vacancy count, then apply for T-3, T-4 or both.
Start with the paper that counts
With no interview and no Prelims marks in the final score, every mark of difference between you and the next candidate comes from Mains. Put Mains first in your week, and give Prelims enough steady time that it never becomes the gate you fail at.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs — ICAR Technical Assistant T-3 & T-4
Quick answers to the questions candidates ask most about the new scheme.
What is the ICAR Technical Assistant (T-3) and Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) exam?
It is a Centralized Recruitment Examination for direct recruitment to two posts in ICAR's Technical Service Cadre: Technical Assistant (T-3) at ICAR Institutes and Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) at ICAR's Krishi Vigyan Kendras. ICAR notified its scheme and syllabus in an Office Memorandum dated 28 September 2026.
Is this the IARI Technical Assistant exam?
IARI is one of the ICAR Institutes, so T-3 posts there fall under this scheme. The examination covers T-3 posts across ICAR Institutes and T-4 posts at KVKs, with one common pattern and syllabus.
Do Prelims marks count in the final merit?
No. Paper I (Prelims) is a qualifying paper. It decides who is shortlisted for Mains, in a ratio set by ASRB. Selection is based on Mains performance alone.
Is there an interview?
No. The OM states that no interview will be held for either the T-3 or the T-4 post.
What is the negative marking?
In Prelims, a quarter of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer (printed in the OM as "0.25%"). In Mains, where each question carries 3 marks, 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.
Can I apply for both T-3 and T-4?
Yes. You may apply for either post or both, based on your eligibility.
Can I choose more than one functional group?
No. You can apply for only one functional group or sub-group, even if you are eligible for more than one. Your Mains paper is set on that group's syllabus.
In which language is the exam?
Both papers are set in English and Hindi. The only exception is the General English section of Prelims, which is in English.
What is the eligibility and how many vacancies are there?
The OM does not say. Educational qualification, age limit, fee, dates and functional group-wise vacancies will be given in the notification issued by ICAR/ASRB.
Coaching & Updates
Prepare with people who teach these exams
Start on Mains before the notification starts the clock
Agriguru prepares agriculture and allied graduates for ICAR, banking and state recruitment exams. Tell us your degree, and we'll tell you about the batch for your group. Join the WhatsApp community for the notification alert and group-wise vacancy updates as soon as ICAR/ASRB publishes them.
The scheme and syllabus on this page are from ICAR's Office Memorandum F.No. TS-19(6)/2024-Estt.IV (E-332924) dated 28 September 2026, Annexures I and II. Vacancies, eligibility and dates are not part of that document and will come with the ICAR/ASRB notification — always confirm against the official notification on icar.org.in and asrb.org.in before applying. Last updated October 2026.