ICAR AIEEA Exam [UG, PG and PhD]

Being a prominent agrarian country, India has always focused on its agricultural sector which contributes massively to the economic growth. Moreover, many students are also getting interested in agricultural courses to explore the varied opportunities this field has on offer! Likewise, Indian Council of Agricultural Research All India Entrance Examination (ICAR AIEEA) is a national-level examination for undergraduate students aiming to apply for agricultural and allied sciences programmes in India. National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting ICAR AIEEA examination through online mode as a computer-based test, scheduled in the first week of June. This blog aims to elucidate upon the key details and features of the ICAR AIEEA exam.

Recommended Read: Upcoming Government Exams 2020

Important Dates for ICAR AIEEA 2020

It is imperative for students seeking admission under Agricultural programs to familiarize themselves with key dates pertaining to the ICAR AIEEA examination. Glance through the important notifications mentioned in a tabulated form below:

ICAR AIEEA: UG

Commencing Date of Online application	April 2021
Last Date of Submission of online application	4th Week of April 2021
Payment Fee application last date	4th Week of April 2021
Admit Card Issuance Date	4th Week of May 2021
Examination Date	1st Week of June 2021
Result Declaration	3rd Week of June 2021

ICAR AIEEA: PG

Exam Events	ICAR AIEEA-PG 2021 Dates (Tentative)
Commencement of online application	1st Week of March 2021
Last date to fill the application form	4th Week of March 2021
Correction in Particulars of Application Form	4th week of April 2021
Availability of e-Admit card	4th Week of May 2021
AIEEA-PG 2020 exam	1st Week of June 2021
Releasing date of answer key	Within a week of the exam
Declaration of Result	2nd or 3rd Week of June 2021
Commencement of online counselling process begins	After the declaration of result

ICAR AIEEA: PhD

Events	Dates
Availability of Application Form	Third week of March, 2021
Last date to submit the Application Form	Last week of April, 2021
Admit Card	June, 2021
Exam Date	Second week of July, 2021
Results	First week of August, 2021
Counselling	To be announced

Eligibility Criteria 

To appear for a competitive exam, it is important to qualify all the prerequisites specified by the conducting authority. Here is the eligibility criteria for ICAR AIEEA exam which you must know about:

UG

• Age Limit: The candidate should not be less than 16 years of age. 

• Nationality: The applicant should be of Indian origin. 

• Educational Qualification: It is mandatory that candidates have finished their 10+2 education (with Physics and Chemistry plus any of the disciplines from Mathematics, Biology/Agriculture/Home Science) from CBSE or any other recognized board.

Must Read: How to Prepare for Competitive Exams?

PG

Nationality –

• Applicants must be Indian citizens

Academic Requirements –

• Candidates must have completed a Bachelor’s Degree.
• Appearing candidates should be eligible for the exam.
• The candidates must have completed a degree from a recognised university in the applicable fields under 10+2+4, 10+2+5 (B.V. Sc.&A.H.), 10+6 years degree (B.Sc.Ag.).
• Students who have completed a Bachelor Degree with 10+2+3 degree programme can apply in only two ICAR-DUs (NDRI Karnal and IARI Pusa).
• Those who are looking forward to enrol in M.V.Sc. programme must hold B.V.Sc. &  A.H. degree with an internship.

Age Limit –

• Candidates appearing in the AIEEA-PG 2021 exam must be 19 years old as on 31st August 2021.
• They should not have been born after 01.09.2002.

Reservation of Policy –

• Remote and Underprivileged States/ Union Territories (UPS): 2%
• Physically Challenged (PC): 5%
• Scheduled Tribe (ST): 7.5%
• Scheduled Caste (SC): 15%

PhD

Nationality- 

-Must be a citizen of India

Age- 

-The candidates must be more than or equal to 20 years of age

Educational Qualification-

-Candidates must have completed a master’s degree in the particular subject or sub-subject they are applying for.
-Qualifying Courses Duration: Candidates must be qualified with 4/5(BVSc & AH)/6 (10+6, BSc. Ag.) years UG degree and 2 years’ PG degree along with thesis work completed for Ph.D. admission in AUs through AICE-JRF/SRF(PGS). 
-Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree of 3 years, if already enrolled for a Masters’s degree may seek admission in Ph.D. in respective ICAR-DU according to prescribed eligibility criteria.
-Qualifying CGPA/Percentage: Considering minimum OGPA(Overall Grade Point Average) in Master’s degree:

• 6.50/10.00 in ten-point scale(Gen,OBS,UPS) & 5.50/10.00(SC/ST/Physically Challenged)
• 3.25/5.00 in five-point scale(Gen,OBS,UPS) & 2.75/5.00(SC/ST/Physically Challenged)
• 2.60/4.00 in four-point scale(Gen, OBS, UPS) & 2.20/4.00(SC/ST/Physically Challenged)

-Considering the minimum Percentage in the Master’s degree: 60% marks (Gen, OBS, UPS) & 50% marks(SC/ST/Physically Challenged)

ICAR AIEEA Exam Pattern 

In order to clear the ICAR AIEEA examination with flying colors, you must be familiarized with its exam pattern. Take a look at the vital details pertaining to the paper pattern of this exam given below-

UG Exam

Mode of the Exam	Online Based
Duration	2 & Half Hours
Total Number of Questions	150
Questions Type	Objective-Based
Mode of Language	Hindi & English
Maximum Marks	600
Marking Scheme	1 mark deducted for a wrong answer and 4 marks for a correct one.

PG Exam

Total no. of questions	150 MCQ and 10 Cross matching questions
Type of questions	MCQ and Cross matching Type questions
Correct answer (For MCQ)	+4 marks
Wrong answer (For MCQ)	-1 Mark
Correct answer (For Cross Matching Type Questions)	+5 marks
Wrong answer (For Cross Matching Type Questions)	-0.2 marks
Total marks	650 marks

Also Read: BSc Agriculture Subjects

PhD Exam

Mode of exam	Online (CBT)
Medium	English / Hindi
Duration	2.5 hours (150 min)
Exam Timing	9.30 AM to 12 PM
Question format	MCQ’s
Total Number of Questions	150
Total Marks	600
Negative Marking	– 0.25 marks for every wrong answer

ICAR AIEEA Syllabus 

The ICAR AIEEA exam mainly comprises objective-based questions from the five core disciplines, i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Agriculture, and Biology. The following table elaborates upon the key topics you need to cover for UG and PG exam-:

UG Syllabus:

Subject	Topics
Agriculture	Agrometeorology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Livestock Production, Crop Production, Horticulture.
Mathematics	Sets and Functions, Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Calculus, Vectors and Three-Dimensional Geometry, Linear Programming, Mathematical Reasoning, Statistics & Probability, Statics, Dynamics
Biology	he Living World, Unit of Life, Diversity of Life, Organisms and Environment, Multicellularity: Structure and Function – Plant Life & Animal Life, Continuity of Life, Origin and Evolution of Life, Application of Biology
Chemistry	Solid State, Solutions, Structure of Atom, Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties, Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure, States of Matter: Gases and Liquids, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Redox Reaction, Hydrogen, s-Block, Elements (Alkali and Alkaline earth metals), Preparation and properties of some important compound, Some p-Block Elements, Group 14 elements, Organic Chemistry, Hydrocarbons, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Coordination, Compounds, Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers, Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Organic compounds containing Nitrogen, Biomolecules, Polymer, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry in Everyday life
Physics	The motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body, Gravitation, Properties of Bulk Matter, Thermodynamics, Behaviour of Perfect Gas and Kinetic Theory, Oscillations and Waves, Physical World and Measurement, Kinematics·, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy and Power, Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism, Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents, Electromagnetic waves, Optics, Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation, Atoms & Nuclei, Electronic Devices, Communication Systems

PG Syllabus:

Programs	Topics/Units
Plant Biotechnology	-Importance of agriculture in national economy, Basic principles of crop production, Cultivation of rice, wheat, chickpea, pigeon-pea, sugarcane, groundnut, tomato and mango, Major soils of India, etc -Role of NPK and their deficiency symptoms, Importance of BIochemistry in agriculture, Acid base concepts and buffers, Plant Physiology, Crop Physiology.
Entomology and Nematology	-Horticultural Entomology, Apiculture, Nematology, Sericulture, Plant protection
Physical Science	-Agricultural chemicals, Environmental Science, Agricultural Physics, Soil conservation and water management, SWC, Irrigation and water management, Soil science and agricultural chemistry.
Social Sciences	-Agricultural economics, Dairy extension education, Dairy economics, Agriculture extension, Extension education, Communication
Agronomy	-Agronomy, Tea Husbandry and technology
Horticulture	-Horticulture, Vegetable Crops or Science, Post harvest technology of Horticultural crops, Olericulture, Fruit Science and Horticulture technology, Floriculture and landscaping, Plantation spices, Medicinal and aromatic cropsPormology.
Statistical Sciences	-Computer applications, Bioinformatics, Agricultural Statistics.
Plant Sciences	-Plant breeding and genetics, Plant pathology, Plant genetics resources, Seed Science and Technology, MIcrobiology, Agricultural Microbiology.
Dairy Technology	-Dairy Technology, Dairy engineering

PhD Syllabus

Genetics and Plant Breeding	-Unit 1: General Genetics and Plant Breeding -Unit 2: Economics Botany and Plant Breeding Methods -Unit 3: Genome Organization and Cytogenetics of Crop Plants -Unit 4: Quantitative and Biometrical Genetics -Unit 5: Genetic Engineering and Biotechnological Tools in Plant Breeding -Unit 6: Plant Breeding for Stress Resistance and Nutritional Quality -Unit 7: Plant Genetic Resources and their Regulatory System; Varietal Release and Seed Production -Unit 8: Statistical Methods and Field Plot Techniques
Economic Botany & Plant Genetic Resources	-Unit 1: Biodiversity and Plant Genetic Resources -Unit 2: Exploration and Germplasm Collecting -Unit 3: Germplasm Exchange and Plant Quarantine -Unit 4: Principles and Methods of Germplasm Conservation -Unit 5: Principles and Practices of Germplasm Regeneration and Evaluation -Unit 6: Biotechnology in Plant Genetic Resource Management -Unit 7: Economic Botany -Unit 8: Information Management in Plant Genetic Resources -Unit 9: Plant Taxonomy -Unit 10: Plant Biosecurity -Unit 11: Fundamentals of Molecular Biology for PGR Management
Seed Science & Technology	-Unit 1: Seed Biology -Unit 2: Seed Production -Unit 3: Seed Processing -Unit 4: Seed Quality Control -Unit 5: Seed Storage -Unit 6: Seed Health -Unit 7: Seed Industry Development and Marketing -Unit 8: Protection of Plant Varieties
Plant Pathology	-Unit 1: History and Principles of Plant Pathology -Unit 2: Laboratory and Analytical Technique -Unit 3: Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology -Unit 4: Mycology -Unit 5: Plant Bacteriology -Unit 6: Plant Virology -Unit 7: Plant Disease Epidemiology -Unit 8: Phanerogamic Parasites and Non-parasitic Diseases -Unit 9: Fungal Diseases of Crop Plants -Unit 10: Bacterial and Viral Diseases of Crop Plant -Unit 11: Management of Plant diseases
Agricultural Entomology	-Unit 1: Systematics -Unit 2: Morphology -Unit 3: Embryology, Internal Anatomy, and Physiology -Unit 4: Ecology -Unit 5: Biological Control -Unit 6: Chemical Control and Toxicology -Unit 7: Host Plant Resistance -Unit 8: Novel Approaches in Pest Control -Unit 9: Integrated Pest Management -Unit 10: Pesticide Application Equipment -Unit 11: Pests of Field Crops and their Management -Unit 12: Pests of Horticultural Crops and their Management-Unit 13: Pests of Stored Products and their Management -Unit 14: Insect and mite vectors of Plant Diseases -Unit 15: Honey Bees and Bee-keeping -Unit 16: Silkworms and Sericulture -Unit 17: Lac Insect -Unit 18: Helpful and Useful Insects -Unit 19: Statistics and Computer Application
Agricultural Biotechnology	-Unit 1: Cell Structure and Function -Unit 2: Biomolecules and Metabolism -Unit 3: Enzymology -Unit 4: Molecular Genetics -Unit 5: Gene Expression -Unit 6: Molecular Biology Techniques -Unit 7: Gene Cloning -Unit 8: Molecular Biology -Unit 9: Plant Molecular Biology -Unit 10: Tissue Culture -Unit 11: Plant Genetic Engineering -Unit 12: Molecular Markers and Genomics

Popular Courses 

Candidates clearing ICAR AIEEA examination with satisfactory marks can choose from more than 11 undergraduate courses such as B.Sc, Btech, etc. These courses are divided into two main streams, Mathematics and Agriculture/Biology. Take a look at the following table listing down the specializations for the undergraduate courses in Agricultural Science and its related specializations:

Mathematics	Agriculture/Biology
Agricultural Engineering	Agriculture
Dairy Technology	Horticulture
Agricultural Marketing & Co-operation	Fisheries/Fish Farming
Forestry	Forestry
Food Science	Home Science
Biotechnology	Sericulture Food Science Biotechnology

Institutions Accepting ICAR AIEEA Scores

It is important to mention that India is home to about 71 agricultural universities & 102 ICAR institutes. A majority of these institutions accept ICAR AIEEA scores for their prospective programmes. The complete list of these educational institutions are: 

• State Agricultural Universities
• ICAR-DUs Indian Agricultural Research Institute
• Indian Veterinary Research Institute 
• National Dairy Research Institute
• Central Institute of Fisheries Education 
• Central Agricultural University Imphal
• Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University Pusa
• Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University Jhansi
• Agriculture Banaras Hindu University
• Aligarh Muslim University 
• Visva Bharati and Nagaland University

Certainly, the field of Agricultural Science is emerging as a prominent discipline with an array of interesting courses and lucrative opportunities. We hope that this blog has helped you understand the essentials of ICAR AIEEA exam. If you are planning to study a course in Agriculture Science but feel unsure about which one to pick, book an e-meeting with our experts at Leverage Edu and we will guide you in finding the right course and university that fits your interests and aspirations!