ICAR Exam 2026: CUET (ICAR-UG) for Undergraduate Admission & AIEEA PG – Important Dates, Eligibility, Application Process, Counselling & Preparation Tips

Important update: Since 2023, ICAR has discontinued the legacy ICAR AIEEA UG exam. Undergraduate admissions to ICAR-recognised universities now happen through CUET (ICAR-UG) conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Postgraduate admissions continue through the ICAR AIEEA PG exam, also conducted by NTA. This guide covers both pathways for the 2026 cycle.

The CUET (ICAR-UG) 2026 was conducted in May 2026 and its scores are used to admit students into BSc (Hons) Agriculture and allied UG programmes across ICAR-deemed and partner universities, including IARI New Delhi, ICAR-NDRI Karnal and PAU Ludhiana. The ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 application form was released on 8 May 2026 by NTA, with the exam scheduled for 4 July 2026. Through these two pathways, students gain access to top ICAR-recognised universities across India, offering programmes in Agronomy, Horticulture, Forestry, Agricultural Engineering, Fisheries, Dairy Technology and more.

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ICAR Exam 2026: Highlights

Below are the consolidated highlights for the two ICAR admission pathways in 2026:

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ICAR Exam 2026 Important Dates

Candidates planning to appear for ICAR admissions in 2026 should track the schedule for both the UG (CUET ICAR-UG) and PG (AIEEA PG) cycles.

CUET (ICAR-UG) 2026

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026

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ICAR Exam 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility differs for the UG pathway (CUET ICAR-UG) and the PG pathway (AIEEA PG). Below are the details for both.

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Steps to Fill the ICAR 2026 Application

For 2026, candidates apply through different NTA portals depending on the level:

• UG (CUET ICAR-UG): Apply at cuet.nta.nic.in
• PG (ICAR AIEEA PG): Apply at exams.nta.nic.in (ICAR AIEEA PG section)

To apply, candidates need to follow these simple steps:

1. Register

Create an account on the relevant NTA portal by providing the necessary details for registration.

2. Fill Out the Application Form

Complete the application by accurately entering personal, academic and contact information.

3. Upload Documents

Upload the required scanned copies of your passport-sized photograph and signature in the specified format.

4. Pay the Application Fee

Submit the application fee online via credit/debit card, net banking, or UPI.

5. Review and Submit

Review all the details entered, make any necessary corrections, and submit your application for ICAR 2026.

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ICAR 2026 Application Fee

The application fee for both CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG must be paid online through debit card, credit card, UPI or net banking. The fee is non-refundable. Indicative fees by category (per NTA notification – final amounts confirmed in the official bulletin):

Indicative Fees for UG (CUET ICAR-UG)

Indicative Fees for ICAR AIEEA PG

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ICAR 2026 Application Form Correction

A correction window is available on each NTA portal after the registration deadline. Candidates can correct specific details within the given window. No corrections are accepted offline.

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ICAR 2026 Admit Card

For CUET (ICAR-UG), admit cards are released ahead of the May 2026 exam window on cuet.nta.nic.in. For AIEEA PG, the admit card is released ahead of the 4 July 2026 exam on icar.nta.nic.in. Candidates download their admit card by logging in with their credentials. The admit card carries the exam date, time, centre, candidate's name, application/roll number and exam-day instructions. It is a mandatory document on the exam day.

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ICAR 2026 Answer Key

For both CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG, NTA releases a provisional answer key on the respective portal after the exam. Candidates can challenge the provisional key by paying the required objection fee within the prescribed window. After the objection window closes, the final answer key is released and forms the basis for the result.

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ICAR 2026 Result

The CUET (ICAR-UG) 2026 result will be declared by NTA on cuet.nta.nic.in, and the AIEEA PG 2026 result on icar.nta.nic.in. To access results, candidates need their application number and password. Make sure to have these details handy when checking your result.

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ICAR 2026 Reservation

Reservation criteria for both pathways follow Government of India norms:

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ICAR 2026 Counselling Process

Candidates who qualify in CUET (ICAR-UG) or AIEEA PG 2026 are eligible to participate in the ICAR counselling. Counselling is conducted online by ICAR on its counselling portal; it depends on factors including rank, course preferences and seat availability. After the official counselling notification is released, candidates register online, choose their preferred university and course, and seat allotment occurs based on merit and category-based reservations. Document verification and admission fee payment finalise the admission.

Documents Required for ICAR 2026 Counselling

• Government-issued Photo ID (Aadhaar card, etc.)
• Class 10th and 12th mark sheets and certificates
• CUET (ICAR-UG) / AIEEA PG Admit Card and Rank Card
• Migration Certificate
• Domicile Certificate
• Caste / EWS Certificate (if applicable)
• Character Certificate
• Passport-sized photographs

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ICAR 2026 Cut Off

Cut-offs for both CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG 2026 are not released directly as a single number by NTA. Instead, participating institutes declare merit lists and cut-off scores based on candidates' performance after results are out.

Expected qualifying marks for AIEEA PG (indicative):

• General category: 50%
• SC/ST category: 40%

For CUET (ICAR-UG), a higher percentile (typically 95+ in the relevant subject domains) is needed for premier institutes like IARI, ICAR-NDRI and PAU.

Factors Determining ICAR 2026 Cut Off

• Difficulty level of CUET (ICAR-UG) / AIEEA PG for the year.
• Number of candidates who appeared for the exam.
• Number of candidates who scored above the cut-off.
• Number of available seats for each course in the respective institutes.
• Trends in previous years' cut-offs.

ICAR AIEEA Historical Cut-Off Reference

For reference, AIEEA cut-offs from earlier years are shown below. From 2023 onwards UG admissions transitioned to CUET, so 2024 and later UG cut-offs follow CUET percentile norms rather than raw AIEEA marks.

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ICAR Courses Offered

The ICAR admission system offers admission to undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in agriculture and allied fields, at ICAR-recognised universities across India.

UG Courses (via CUET ICAR-UG)

• BSc (Hons) Agriculture
• BSc (Hons) Horticulture
• BFSc Bachelor of Fisheries Science
• BSc Forestry (Hons)
• BSc (Hons) Community Science
• BSc (Hons) Food, Nutrition and Dietetics
• BSc Sericulture (Hons)
• B.Tech Agricultural Engineering
• B.Tech Dairy Technology
• B.Tech Food Technology
• B.Tech Biotechnology
• BSc (Hons) Natural Farming

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PG Courses (via AIEEA PG)

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ICAR 2026 Exam Pattern

Both CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG are computer-based tests, but the structure differs.

CUET (ICAR-UG)

AIEEA PG

For UG Courses (CUET ICAR-UG subject structure)

For UG admission through CUET (ICAR-UG), candidates choose Physics, Chemistry and one of Biology / Mathematics / Agriculture depending on the BSc (Hons) / B.Tech programme of interest.

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For PG Courses

The exam structure for postgraduate studies varies by discipline and includes subject-focused questions on agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, dairy science and allied sectors.

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ICAR 2026 Syllabus

For CUET (ICAR-UG) the syllabus is aligned with the CUET-UG domain syllabus (drawn from Class 11 and 12 NCERT content). For AIEEA PG, the syllabus is specialisation-specific and follows ICAR's PG syllabus framework.

CUET (ICAR-UG) Indicative Subject Map

List of Subjects for ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF 2026

Candidates planning to apply for the ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (PhD) 2026 exam must choose their specialisation from a wide range of subjects offered under various agricultural and allied sciences. Specialisations include Genetics & Plant Breeding, Seed Science & Technology, Agricultural Statistics, Agricultural Extension, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Economics, Soil Sciences, Agronomy, Environmental Sciences, Forestry / Agroforestry, Fisheries Science (Aquaculture, Fish Genetics, Fish Health, Fish Nutrition), Food Science and Nutrition, Veterinary Anatomy / Pathology / Microbiology / Pharmacology / Surgery / Medicine, Animal Biotechnology, Dairy Technology, Dairy Microbiology, Dairy Chemistry, Floriculture, Plant Pathology and more. Refer to the latest ICAR notification for the complete subject list applicable to your 2026 cycle.

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Institutes Participating in ICAR 2026

CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG scores are accepted by ICAR-deemed and partner institutions across India:

• Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
• ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal
• Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai
• Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar
• Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar
• Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair
• Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal
• Central Institute of Cotton Research, Nagpur
• Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow
• Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana

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ICAR 2026 Exam Centres

Below are common centres expected for CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG 2026 (final centre list is confirmed on the candidate's admit card):

• Anand
• Guwahati
• Bangalore
• Hisar
• Chennai
• Jaipur
• Port Blair
• Udaipur
• Cochin
• Indore
• Pantnagar
• Tirupati
• Bikaner
• Imphal
• Nagpur
• Solan
• Palampur
• Srinagar
• Bhubaneswar
• Hyderabad
• Patna
• Thiruvananthapuram

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ICAR 2026 Recommended Books

To help students prepare effectively for CUET (ICAR-UG) and AIEEA PG 2026, here are some commonly recommended titles:

• NCERT Class 11 and 12 Physics, Chemistry, Biology textbooks (essential for CUET ICAR-UG domain papers).
• BSc Agriculture Syllabus Guide – by Dr. Rajeev Bairathi and R.K. Gupta.
• Agriculture Entrance Preparation Book – by Dr. Lalita Gaur.
• Entrance Exam Guide for BSc Agriculture – by Arihant Experts.
• Subject-specialisation textbooks recommended by ICAR for AIEEA PG (e.g., Plant Breeding by B.D. Singh, Animal Nutrition by J.L. Krishnamurthy etc., per chosen specialisation).

ICAR admissions in 2026 are split across CUET (ICAR-UG) for undergraduate seats and AIEEA PG for postgraduate / PhD-tier seats. Staying informed about both schedules, eligibility norms, application portals and counselling timelines is essential. Candidates should regularly check NTA's CUET portal (cuet.nta.nic.in) and the ICAR NTA portal (icar.nta.nic.in) for updates and ensure timely completion of each step.

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