ICAR AIEEA PG 2026: Apply Online for Masters Admission

📅 Posted: 08/05/2026 📝 Updated: 19/05/2026

Total VacancyN/A

SalaryICAR-PG Scholarship: ₹12,640/Month + Contingent Grant ₹6,000/Year (Merit-based, not guaranteed for all admitted candidates)

LocationAll India

Last Date07/06/2026

Short Information: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Testing Agency (NTA) have announced the All India Entrance Examination for Admission (AIEEA) PG 2026 for admissions to Master's Degree programmes in Agriculture and Allied Sciences for the academic session 2026-27. This examination opens the gateway to Agricultural Universities (AUs), ICAR Deemed Universities (IARI, IVRI, NDRI, CIFE) across India for subjects spanning Agronomy, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Animal Sciences, Fisheries, Veterinary Sciences, and more. Along with admission, ICAR-PG Scholarships worth ₹12,640 per month plus a contingent grant of ₹6,000 per year are awarded to meritorious candidates — making this one of the most financially rewarding postgraduate options in Agricultural Sciences in India. To be eligible, candidates must hold a 4-year B.Sc. (Hons.) / B.Tech. in Agriculture or Allied disciplines (or a 5/5.5-year B.V.Sc. & AH degree) from a recognized university. Candidates with a 3-year bachelor's degree are generally NOT eligible, except for specific courses at IARI, IVRI, and NDRI. The online application window is open from 08 May 2026 to 07 June 2026 and the exam is scheduled for 04 July 2026.

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📅 Dates & Fees 📦 Vacancy 💰 Salary 🎯 Selection 📝 Pattern 📏 Standards 📖 Syllabus ❓ FAQs 🔗 Important Links

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026 2026Important Dates

Notification Released	08/05/2026
Application Begin	08/05/2026 (Up to 05:00 PM)
Last Date to Apply	07/06/2026 (Up to 05:00 PM)
Pay Exam Fee Last Date	07/06/2026 (Up to 11:50 PM)
Correction Window	09/06/2026 to 10/06/2026
Admit Card Download	To be announced on NTA website
Date of Examination	04/07/2026 (Saturday)
Display of Provisional Answer Key	To be announced on NTA website
Declaration of Result	To be announced on NTA website
Online Counselling Schedule	To be announced by ICAR on icar.org.in

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026 2026Application Fee

General / Unreserved	₹1,300
OBC (NCL) / UPS / EWS	₹1,255
SC / ST / PwBD / Third Gender	₹675

Payment: Online (Credit Card / Debit Card / Net Banking / UPI) — Processing charges + GST extra as applicable

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026: Apply Online for Masters AdmissionVacancy Details & Age Limit

Age Limit: Minimum 19 Years (as on 31/08/2026). No upper age limit specified.

(No relaxation in minimum age limit — 19 years is mandatory for all categories., SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD: Standard reservation in seats and PG scholarships as per Govt. of India norms., PwBD: 5% horizontal reservation across all categories in different subjects.)

Programme	Duration	Conducting Body	Eligibility
Master's Degree (M.Sc./M.Tech.)	2 Years	NTA on behalf of ICAR	4-year B.Sc. (Hons.) / B.Tech. in Agriculture or Allied Sciences or 5/5.5-year B.V.Sc. & AH
Note: Tentative seats for 2026-27 will be displayed on icar.org.in at the time of online counseling. During 2025-26, total ICAR AIQ seats in PG programmes were approximately 2278+.

Recruitment Table: Major Subject Groups for AIEEA PG 2026

Subject Group	Example Subjects
Crop Sciences	Agronomy, Genetics & Plant Breeding, Soil Science, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Seed Technology
Horticulture	Vegetable Science, Fruit Science, Floriculture, Post Harvest Technology
Forestry	Silviculture, Agroforestry, Forest Products
Animal Sciences	Animal Genetics, Animal Nutrition, Livestock Production, Poultry Science
Veterinary Sciences	Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Surgery, Veterinary Pathology, Pharmacology
Fisheries Sciences	Aquaculture, Fisheries Resource Management, Fish Processing
Agricultural Engineering	Farm Machinery, Soil & Water Conservation, Food Process Engineering
Community Science	Human Development, Food & Nutrition, Textile Science
Dairy Science	Dairy Technology, Dairy Chemistry, Dairy Microbiology
Note:Final subject-wise and university-wise seats are available in ICAR Admissions Guidelines and will be displayed on icar.org.in at the time of counseling.

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026Eligibility Criteria

Candidate must be an Indian national.
Minimum age: 19 years as on 31 August 2026. No relaxation in minimum age.
Must have passed a 4-year (12+4 / 10+6 B.Sc. Ag.) or 5-year / 5.5-year (B.V.Sc. & AH) Bachelor's degree programme in Agriculture or Allied Sciences from a recognized university.
Candidates with a 3-year Bachelor's degree are NOT eligible for admission in AUs under ICAR-AU system, except for specific courses at IARI, IVRI, and NDRI where the concerned ICAR-DU eligibility prevails.
Equivalence of degree will be decided by the admitting university only as per UGC guidelines.
Candidates must select a subject/discipline that matches their bachelor's degree stream — subject-specific eligibility is detailed in Section 3.3 of the Information Bulletin.
Applying, appearing and qualifying the exam does NOT guarantee admission or eligibility acceptance — verification is done at the time of admission by the admitting university.
In-service candidates must submit a Sponsorship Certificate from their employer (Annexure-XVII) at the time of online counseling.

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026Pay Scale / Salary Structure

Post Name	Salary Level
ICAR-PG Scholarship (Merit-based, not for all admitted students)	₹12,640/- per month + Contingent Grant ₹6,000/- per year for chemicals, books, equipment and travel

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026Selection Process Steps

Online CBT Examination (120 MCQs, 2 hours, 480 marks) conducted by NTA
Merit List declaration on NTA website
Online Counseling conducted by ICAR on icar.org.in (seat allotment based on merit + choice)
Document Verification at the admitting university at the time of admission

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026Detailed Exam Pattern

Recruitment Details: Exam Overview

Mode: CBT (Computer Based Test) — Online.
Duration: 120 Minutes (2 Hours).
Total Questions: 120 (Multiple Choice with 4 options).
Maximum Marks: 480.
Negative Marking: -1 mark for each incorrect response. 0 for non-attempt.
Scoring: +4 for correct answer, -1 for wrong answer.
Medium: English only.
Single paper covering the chosen subject/discipline.

Recruitment Table: AIEEA PG 2026 Exam Paper Structure

Section	Questions	Marks	Content
Single Paper (Subject-specific)	120	480	Questions based on the subject/discipline selected by the candidate at the graduation level
Total	120	480

Recruitment Table: ICAR-PG Scholarship Details

Component	Amount
Monthly Scholarship	₹12,640/- per month
Annual Contingent Grant	₹6,000/- per year (for chemicals, equipment, books, travel)
Duration	Duration of Master's Programme
Bond	Surety Bond required at the time of university registration as per university rules
Note:PG Scholarship is merit-based and limited in number. Not all admitted candidates receive it. Number of scholarships per subject is announced only at counseling.

Recruitment Table: Reservation Policy for ICAR AIQ Seats

Category	Seat Reservation
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15% (interchangeable with ST if seats not filled)
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5% (interchangeable with SC if seats not filled)
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	As per latest Government of India directives at time of counseling
EWS (Economically Weaker Section)	10% as per Gazette Notification dated 12/01/2019
PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disability)	5% horizontal reservation across all categories (min. 40% disability with medical certificate)

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026Subject-wise Syllabus Topics

The question paper for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is based on the syllabus prescribed by ICAR for the respective subject/discipline selected by the candidate. The full syllabus is available at https://icar.org.in/node/21053. Questions are of graduation level in the chosen subject.

📚 Crop Sciences (Example Subjects)

Agronomy: Crop production, cropping systems, tillage, irrigation, weed management
Genetics & Plant Breeding: Mendelian genetics, quantitative genetics, hybridization, mutation
Soil Science: Soil physics, chemistry, biology, soil fertility, soil classification
Plant Pathology: Fungi, bacteria, viruses, disease management, plant immunity
Entomology: Insect morphology, taxonomy, pest management, economic entomology

📚 Animal & Veterinary Sciences (Example Subjects)

Animal Nutrition: Feed ingredients, nutritional requirements, metabolic disorders
Animal Genetics & Breeding: Population genetics, selection methods, crossbreeding
Veterinary Medicine: Clinical medicine, diagnosis, treatment of diseases
Veterinary Pathology: Gross pathology, histopathology, forensic veterinary pathology

📚 Agricultural Engineering (Example Subjects)

Farm Machinery & Power: Tillage machinery, sowing, harvesting, threshing equipment
Soil & Water Conservation Engineering: Watershed management, drainage, irrigation design
Food Process Engineering: Heat transfer, drying, preservation, food packaging

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026How to Apply

Step 1: Visit the official NTA-ICAR portal at https://exams.nta.nic.in/icar/ and register with a valid email ID and mobile number.
Step 2: Log in with the system-generated Application Number and fill in personal details, subject/programme choice, and examination city preferences.
Step 3: Upload scanned photograph (JPG, 10-200 KB, face 80% of image, white background), signature (JPG, 10-30 KB), and PwBD/UDID certificate if applicable (PDF, 50-300 KB).
Step 4: Pay the examination fee using Credit Card / Debit Card / Net Banking / UPI. Save the payment confirmation for future reference.
Step 5: Download and print the Confirmation Page after successful fee payment.
Step 6: If corrections are needed, use the Correction Window: 09 June to 10 June 2026 (only on NTA website).
Step 7: Download Admit Card when announced on NTA website. Appear for the exam on 04 July 2026.
Note: Name, Date of Birth, Gender, and photograph in Aadhaar must match the details entered in the application form.

Recruitment Note: About ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. Established in 1929, ICAR is the world's largest national agricultural research system, coordinating, guiding, and managing research, education and extension in agriculture and allied sciences in India. It oversees a network of 113 institutes, 71 All India Coordinated Research Projects, and 74 Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the country. ICAR's National Agricultural Research, Education and Extension System (NAREES) admits over 28,000 students at UG level and more than 17,500 students at Master's and Doctoral level annually. The ICAR has entrusted NTA with conducting All India Competitive Examinations for admissions to UG, PG, and Ph.D. courses in Agricultural Universities since 2019.

Recruitment Note: About ICAR-PG Scholarship

The ICAR-PG Scholarship is one of the most prestigious and financially rewarding scholarships available to postgraduate students in Agricultural and Allied Sciences in India. Selected meritorious candidates receive ₹12,640 per month along with a contingent grant of ₹6,000 per year for procurement of essential chemicals, equipment, books, and travel related to research work. A surety bond must be executed at the university at the time of registration, requiring refund of the scholarship amount if the candidate leaves before programme completion. The scholarship will not be transferred if a candidate leaves after being awarded. No other scholarship or fellowship is permissible simultaneously during the tenure of the ICAR-PG Scholarship. National Talent Scholarship (NTS-PG) is also additionally provided to eligible candidates as per NTS guidelines, details of which are shared at the time of counseling.

Recruitment Note: Benefits & Perks Beyond Scholarship

Beyond the monthly scholarship, ICAR-PG Scholarship awardees receive a contingent grant for research-related expenses. Admission to ICAR-AU system universities provides access to state-of-the-art agricultural research facilities, experimental farms, laboratories, and knowledge resources at leading institutions like IARI New Delhi, IVRI Bareilly, NDRI Karnal, and CIFE Mumbai. Admission without scholarship is also possible for candidates who qualify the exam but do not receive the fellowship based on merit rank and seat availability. Students admitted to ICAR-DUs (IARI, IVRI, NDRI, CIFE) enjoy the additional advantage of working directly with ICAR scientists as research supervisors, enhancing research output and career prospects significantly.

Recruitment Note: Important Instructions for Candidates

Candidates must note: Only one application per candidate is permitted — multiple applications will lead to disqualification. Name, date of birth, gender, and photograph in Aadhaar must match the application form exactly. Do NOT upload morphed, AI-generated, filtered, or heavily edited photographs. Applications with such photos may be rejected during verification. The 2-day correction window (09-10 June 2026) is the only opportunity to correct errors in the application — there is no further correction facility. For candidates from grade-based boards (AP Board, Kerala Board, etc.), NTA will use midpoint of grade ranges for percentage calculation — candidates should calculate their approximate percentage before applying. After admission, change of subject or university will not be entertained under any circumstances.

ICAR AIEEA PG Admission 2026Important Official Links

Apply Online Application Window: 08/05/2026 to 07/06/2026 (5:00 PM)	Click Here ↗
Download Notification Advt No. ICAR AIEEA (PG)-2026 Information Bulletin	Click Here ↗
ICAR Syllabus	Click Here ↗
Official Website	Click Here ↗

Disclaimer Information provided here is for quick reference. Verify all details on the official website before taking action.

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Quick Overview

🚀 Recruitment Overview

Quick Summary of the Notification

Organization	ICAR
Post Name	PG Masters Admission
Total Vacancy	N/A
Salary	ICAR-PG Scholarship: ₹12,640/Month + Contingent Grant ₹6,000/Year (Merit-based, not guaranteed for all admitted candidates)
Job Location	All India
Apply Mode	Online
Last Date	07/06/2026
Official Website	Visit Website ↗

💡 Expert Tip

ICAR AIEEA PG has two parallel pathways — admission and scholarship. You can qualify for admission without winning the PG Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded only to top-merit candidates, and the number of scholarships per subject varies year-to-year based on how many students appeared in that subject in the last 3 years — this figure is only revealed at counseling time. One key trap: candidates from boards that use grades (like AP Board or Kerala Board) should note that NTA uses the midpoint of grade ranges for PG 2026, so calculate your effective percentage before applying. Also, the correction window is only 09-10 June — a 2-day window — so fill the form carefully the first time.

Common Questions (FAQs)

Q.1 What is the ICAR-PG Scholarship amount for AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: The ICAR-PG Scholarship for Master's programmes is ₹12,640 per month along with a contingent grant of ₹6,000 per year for research-related expenses. However, this scholarship is merit-based and is NOT awarded to all admitted candidates — only top-ranking students per subject receive it. The exact number of scholarships per subject is announced only at the time of online counseling.

Q.2 What is the last date to apply for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: The last date to submit the online application form is 07 June 2026 (up to 5:00 PM). The fee payment window closes at 11:50 PM on 07 June 2026. A correction window is available from 09 June to 10 June 2026. Apply only on the official NTA website: exams.nta.nic.in/icar/.

Q.3 Is there negative marking in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: Yes. There is negative marking of -1 mark for each incorrect response. Each correct answer carries +4 marks. Non-attempts carry 0 marks. The total paper is of 120 questions worth 480 marks to be completed in 120 minutes. Candidates should attempt questions carefully given the negative marking.

Q.4 What is the age limit for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: The minimum age is 19 years as on 31 August 2026. There is no upper age limit for this examination. No relaxation in the minimum age limit is permissible for any category. Candidates born on or before 31 August 2007 are NOT eligible.

Q.5 How to download the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 notification PDF? ▼

Ans: The official Information Bulletin for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is available for download on the NTA-ICAR portal at exams.nta.nic.in/icar/ and on the NTA main website at www.nta.ac.in. You can also access the direct PDF link provided on this page.

Q.6 What is the educational qualification required for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: Candidates must hold a 4-year B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture, Horticulture, or Allied Sciences (12+4 or 10+6 format), or a 5/5.5-year B.V.Sc. & A.H. degree from a recognized university. Candidates with a 3-year Bachelor's degree are NOT eligible for most universities except for specific courses at IARI, IVRI, and NDRI. The subject must align with the Master's programme being applied for.

Q.7 What is the selection process for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: Selection involves: (1) CBT Examination of 120 MCQs in 120 minutes — 4 marks per correct answer, -1 for wrong. (2) Merit list declaration by NTA. (3) Online Counseling by ICAR where candidates fill subject and university preferences as per rank. (4) Seat allotment based on merit rank, category, and preferences. (5) Document verification at the admitting university.

Q.8 Can final year B.Sc. students apply for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026? ▼

Ans: The notification states that eligibility is verified at the time of admission by the admitting university. Candidates in their final year of bachelor's programme may appear in the examination provisionally, but final admission is subject to the candidate completing all eligibility requirements (including degree completion) before the date of admission as per the concerned university's norms.