- There is no separate ICAR AIEEA UG examination any more
- Since 2023 undergraduate admission to agriculture and allied science degrees is made through CUET (ICAR-UG), conducted by the National Testing Agency
- NTA still conducts AIEEA (PG) for master's programmes and AICE-JRF/SRF for doctoral admission
- AIEEA (PG) 2026 was held on 4 July 2026 as a 120 minute computer based test of 120 questions and 480 marks.
What Is the ICAR Exam in 2026?
The ICAR exam is the national entrance test run by the National Testing Agency for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Two papers remain in 2026: AIEEA (PG) for master's programmes and AICE-JRF/SRF for doctoral admission. Both are computer based tests serving the ICAR-AU system of 74 agricultural universities.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research works under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and coordinates agricultural education across the country. The National Testing Agency has conducted its entrance examinations since 2019 for the ICAR-AU system of 74 agricultural universities, which includes state agricultural universities, ICAR deemed universities, central agricultural universities and central universities with an agriculture faculty.
- AIEEA (PG): admission to master's degree programmes and award of ICAR-PG scholarships.
- AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.): junior and senior research fellowships for doctoral admission.
- CUET (ICAR-UG): the undergraduate route, applied for through the CUET (UG) portal.
- All papers are conducted in computer based test mode with objective multiple choice questions.
Why Is There No Separate ICAR AIEEA UG Exam?
ICAR discontinued the standalone AIEEA UG paper from 2023. Undergraduate admission to agriculture and allied science degrees now runs through CUET (ICAR-UG), conducted by NTA. Candidates apply on the CUET (UG) portal and select the Indian Council of Agricultural Research as a participating university to be considered for ICAR seats.
Candidates who want a bachelor's degree in agriculture or an allied science no longer sit a dedicated ICAR paper. They register for CUET (UG), pick the relevant subject domains and choose the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in the university selection tab. ICAR then uses those scores for its all India quota seats.
| CUET (ICAR-UG) 2026 Seat Type | Share of University Seats |
|---|---|
| Agricultural universities under the ICAR-AU system | 20 percent all India quota |
| RLBCAU Jhansi | 100 percent |
| Dr. RPCAU Pusa, Bihar | 100 percent |
| ICAR-NDRI Karnal | 100 percent |
| ICAR-IARI | 100 percent |
Reservation follows the standard central pattern, with 15 percent of seats for Scheduled Caste candidates and 7.5 percent for Scheduled Tribe candidates across the different disciplines.
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NTA opened ICAR AIEEA (PG) 2026 applications on 8 May 2026 and closed them on 7 June 2026, with fee payment allowed until 11:50 PM that day. The correction window ran from 9 to 10 June 2026, and the examination itself was held on Saturday, 4 July 2026.
| ICAR AIEEA (PG) 2026 Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online submission of application form | 8 May 2026 to 7 June 2026 (up to 5:00 PM) |
| Last date for successful fee transaction | 7 June 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Application form correction window | 9 June 2026 to 10 June 2026 |
| Date of examination | 4 July 2026 (Saturday) |
| Duration of examination | 120 minutes |
Admit cards are released on the NTA website ahead of the test, and the centre, date and shift are printed on the admit card itself. Candidates should track the NTA and ICAR websites rather than third party sites, because schedules are occasionally extended.
What Is the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Exam Pattern?
AIEEA (PG) 2026 is a single computer based paper lasting 120 minutes. Candidates answer 120 multiple choice questions carrying four marks each, giving 480 total marks. One mark is deducted for every incorrect response, so careful accuracy is worth far more than guessing across the whole paper.
| AIEEA (PG) 2026 Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mode of examination | Computer based test |
| Duration | 120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Number of questions | 120 |
| Type of questions | Multiple choice questions |
| Marks per correct answer | +4 |
| Negative marking | -1 per incorrect answer |
| Total marks | 480 |
During the academic year 2025-26 the total number of ICAR all India quota seats available across postgraduate programmes in the ICAR-AU system was 4,883. The final seat matrix is published on the ICAR website at the time of online counselling.
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For AIEEA (PG) 2026 the National Testing Agency charges 1,300 rupees from General or unreserved candidates, 1,255 rupees from OBC-NCL, UPS and EWS candidates, and 675 rupees from SC, ST, PwBD and third gender candidates. Bank service charges and GST apply on top of these amounts.
| Category | AIEEA (PG) 2026 Fee (INR) |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | 1,300 |
| OBC-NCL / UPS / EWS | 1,255 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Third Gender | 675 |
The fee is paid online at the application stage using a debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI. Service charges levied by the bank or payment gateway, along with applicable GST, are payable by the candidate in addition to the amounts above.
Who Is Eligible for the ICAR Exam?
For CUET (ICAR-UG) candidates must be Indian nationals aged at least 16 on 31 August 2026, holding 50 percent aggregate marks for General, OBC-NCL, UPS and EWS categories and 40 percent for SC, ST, third gender and PwBD. AIEEA (PG) requires 60 and 50 percent respectively.
- CUET (ICAR-UG): Indian nationals of at least 16 years of age as on 31 August 2026, with no relaxation in the age limit.
- CUET (ICAR-UG): at least 50 percent aggregate marks for General, OBC-NCL, UPS and EWS candidates and 40 percent for SC, ST, third gender and PwBD candidates.
- AIEEA (PG): at least 60 percent marks for General, OBC, UPS and EWS candidates and 50 percent for SC, ST, third gender and PwBD candidates.
- Marks are not rounded off, so 49.99 percent does not qualify as 50 percent.
- Equivalence between OGPA and percentage marks is not accepted; the bulletin lists the exact grade point cut-offs for each scale.
What Is the ICAR Exam Syllabus?
NTA sets the ICAR syllabus. The undergraduate route draws on class 11 and 12 physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and agriculture, so NCERT textbooks remain the core resource. The postgraduate paper is discipline specific, testing the subject group a candidate selects from the AIEEA (PG) information bulletin published by ICAR.
For the undergraduate route the subject domains chosen in CUET (UG) decide what is tested, and these map to the class 11 and 12 curriculum in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and agriculture. For AIEEA (PG) the candidate picks a subject group matching the master's programme applied for, and the paper is set entirely within that discipline.
How Do You Apply for the ICAR Exam?
Applications are accepted only online through the NTA ICAR portal. Candidates register with a valid email and mobile number, complete the form, upload a scanned photograph, signature and thumb impression, then pay the fee by debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI and print the confirmation page.
- Open the official NTA ICAR portal and complete the registration step with a valid email address and mobile number.
- Fill in the online application form with personal, academic and category details exactly as they appear on your documents.
- Upload the scanned photograph, signature and thumb impression in JPG format within the file sizes stated in the information bulletin.
- Pay the examination fee by debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI.
- Download and print the confirmation page for your records.
The confirmation page and sponsorship certificate should not be posted to NTA or ICAR. Documents are verified directly at the admitting university at the time of admission, and a candidate found ineligible at any stage has their candidature rejected.
Which Books Should You Use for ICAR Preparation?
No single prescribed book exists for the ICAR exam. NCERT class 11 and 12 science textbooks cover the undergraduate syllabus, while the official information bulletins list the subject groups postgraduate candidates should target. Standard agriculture guides and previous year papers help, but the bulletin remains the authoritative reference document.
- NCERT physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics textbooks for classes 11 and 12.
- NCERT and state board agriculture textbooks for the agriculture subject domain.
- The official CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA (PG) information bulletins published on the ICAR website.
- Previous year question papers released by the National Testing Agency.
- A standard subject reference for the specific postgraduate discipline chosen.