ICAR-ARS 2026 Exam: Expected Dates, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Priority-Based Syllabus, Preparation Strategy, Cut-Offs & PhD Admission Guide

📌 Introduction

ICAR-ARS 2026 (Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Agricultural Research Service) is a national-level research fellowship and recruitment examination conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.

The ICAR-ARS exam is used to select candidates for:

• Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Agriculture and Allied Sciences
• Scientist/Research Officer positions in ICAR institutes and agricultural universities

This blog provides a realistic, research-oriented, and exam-accurate guide to ICAR-ARS 2026, avoiding myths and over-simplifications.

👉 Official ICAR Website (Only Authentic Source):
🔗 icar.org.in

📅 ICAR-ARS 2026 Exam Date (IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER)

⚠️ STATUS: NOT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED
ICAR-ARS exam dates are tentative, based on previous cycles.

📌 Final dates will be released only via ICAR official notification.

🎓 ICAR-ARS 2026 Eligibility Criteria

✅ Educational Qualification

• Master’s degree (M.Sc./M.Tech./M.V.Sc.) or equivalent in:
  • Agriculture
  • Horticulture
  • Veterinary Science
  • Fisheries
  • Allied Agricultural Sciences
• Minimum Marks: As per official notification (generally 55–60% for General category; OBC 50–55%; SC/ST 45–50%)

🎯 Age Limit

• Maximum 28–30 years for JRF, as per ICAR rules
• Age relaxation applies for reserved categories

📊 ICAR-ARS 2026 Exam Pattern (CLEAR & REALISTIC)

ICAR-ARS is a Computer-Based Test (CBT).

⏱ Duration

• 3 hours

🔴 Marking Scheme

• +1 mark for correct answer
• –0.25 mark for incorrect answer
• No negative marking for unattempted questions

Important Note: ICAR does not declare a permanently fixed exam pattern. The above structure is based on previous ARS examinations and may change in the official ICAR-ARS 2026 notification.

📘 ICAR-ARS 2026 Syllabus (PRIORITY-BASED)

🔬 Section B – Agriculture & Allied Sciences

🔥 HIGH-WEIGHT TOPICS

• Agronomy & Crop Production
• Soil Science & Fertility
• Plant Breeding & Genetics
• Horticulture & Plantation Crops
• Plant Pathology & Entomology
• Biotechnology & Molecular Techniques

⚠️ MEDIUM-WEIGHT TOPICS

• Agricultural Economics & Extension
• Animal Husbandry / Veterinary Science basics
• Fisheries / Aquaculture fundamentals

❌ LOW PRIORITY

• Pure taxonomy / descriptive ecology
• Rare crop varieties

🧠 Section A – Aptitude

• Logical reasoning
• Data interpretation
• Quantitative ability
• Research methodology basics

📚 Books for ICAR-ARS 2026 (REALISTIC STRATEGY)

• Standard textbooks (topic-wise)
• ICAR-ARS PYQs (last 15–20 years)
• CSIR NET / DBT crossover questions for biotechnology sections
• Short notes & diagrammatic representation

📌 ICAR-ARS tests concept + application, not rote memorization.

📈 ICAR-ARS Cut-Offs (IN MARKS)

Cut-offs are declared in raw marks, not percentages.

Important Note: Cut-offs depend on the number of JRF positions, difficulty of exam, and normalization policy.

🧠 ICAR-ARS 2026 Preparation Strategy (STRONG & PRACTICAL)

🔹 Phase 1: Concept Foundation (4–5 Months)

• Core topics from NCERT + standard textbooks
• Diagrams, crop cycles, breeding techniques

🔹 Phase 2: PYQ & Application (3 Months)

• ICAR-ARS PYQs
• CSIR / DBT related biology questions
• Focus on accuracy & conceptual clarity

🔹 Phase 3: Mock Tests & Revision (2 Months)

• Full-length CBT mocks
• Weak area correction
• Speed & accuracy improvement

📌 Coaching is optional; self-study + PYQs is sufficient for selection.

🎓 ICAR-JRF & PhD Admission – REALITY CHECK

✔ ICAR-JRF provides fellowship funding
❌ ICAR-ARS qualification does NOT guarantee PhD admission

Admission depends on:

• University/institute selection process
• Written test / interview (if applicable)
• Supervisor/project availability

Note: Final PhD admission authority rests entirely with the admitting institute, not ICAR.

❓ FAQs

Q1. Who conducts ICAR-ARS?
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.

Q2. Is ICAR-ARS conducted every year?
No, it is irregular, based on DBT/ICAR JRF vacancies.

Q3. Can ICAR-ARS JRF be used for PhD?
Yes, subject to institutional selection.

Q4. How to prepare effectively?
Prioritize high-weight topics, practice PYQs, and take full-length mocks.

Written by an Academic & Research Exam Analyst specializing in ICAR-ARS, CSIR NET, DBT-BET, and national-level life science fellowship exams. Analysis is based on official ICAR notifications, PYQs, and PhD admission trends.