ICAR AICE JRF/SRF PhD Fellowship 2026 — Apply Online Before 7th June | ₹31,000/Month Fellowship

Masters done. Placement not sorted. PhD feels like the right move but funding is the question mark — that’s where this comes in.

ICAR’s AICE JRF/SRF exam for 2026 is out. Clear it and you get PhD admission at an Agricultural University plus a stipend that actually covers your expenses — ₹31,000 a month for the first two years, then ₹35,000 in year three. On top of that, ₹10,000 a year separately for books, lab chemicals and research-related travel. That last part people often miss.

Registration opened 8th May. Window closes 7th June. Exam date is 4th July. Three weeks to apply — start today.

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ICAR AICE JRF/SRF PhD 2026 — Quick Overview

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What Is ICAR AICE JRF/SRF PhD Exam

ICAR basically runs agriculture research and education in India at the national level. This particular exam — AICE — is how PhD seats get filled at Agricultural Universities, State AUs and the four big ICAR Deemed Universities: IARI, IVRI, NDRI and CIFE.

Here is how the outcome works. Score high enough and you get both — PhD seat and the JRF fellowship money every month. Score below the fellowship cutoff but still qualify? You still get PhD admission, just no monthly stipend attached to it. Either way, clearing the exam opens doors.

Last data point worth knowing — around 9,700 candidates registered in 2023. Real competition, but 72 subjects are covered and seats are spread across universities in most states.

Fellowship Amount — What You Actually Get

This is the part most people search for first, so here it is upfront.

The contingent grant of ₹10,000 annually is for research essentials — books, chemicals, lab materials and travel related to your research work. All fellowship awardees get this, including in-service candidates.

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Important Dates 2026

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Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Master’s degree in your subject from an ICAR-accredited university. That’s the base requirement. The programme has to be a proper postgraduate degree — if you finished an integrated 5-year M.Sc., that does not qualify you here.

Three-year Bachelor’s degree holders are mostly out under the ICAR-AU system too. IARI and NDRI have limited exceptions for specific courses — check their individual eligibility if that’s your situation.

One rule that changed a few years back and still confuses people — you can now do UG, PG and PhD all from the same university. Earlier that was restricted. From 2023 that restriction is gone.

Minimum Marks

Age Limit

Minimum age is 20 years as of 31st August 2026. There is no upper age limit for this exam.

Nationality

Indian nationals only.

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Exam Pattern

Single paper. Two hours. 120 MCQ questions. That’s the structure.

Marking Scheme: +4 marks for every correct answer. -1 for every wrong answer. No marks for unattempted questions.

Exam is conducted online in LAN-based CBT mode. 122 cities covered across India — you can pick your preferred city while filling the form.

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Subjects and Disciplines Covered

The exam covers doctoral programmes in Agriculture and Allied Sciences including:

• Agriculture and Crop Sciences
• Horticulture
• Forestry
• Veterinary Sciences
• Animal Sciences
• Agricultural Engineering
• Community Science (formerly Home Science)
• Fisheries
• Dairy Science
• Genetics and Plant Breeding
• Seed Science and Technology
• Soil Science
• Agricultural Extension and other allied subjects

72 subjects total. Download the official information bulletin from exams.nta.nic.in/icar for the complete subject list with core groups.

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How to Apply — Step by Step

Step 1 Go to the official NTA ICAR portal — exams.nta.nic.in/icar

Step 2 Click on Registration for ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (PhD) 2026. Register using your email ID and mobile number. Note down the system-generated application number.

Step 3 Fill the application form completely. Enter your personal details, educational qualifications, and preferred exam city.

Step 4 Upload scanned copies of your photograph (10 KB–200 KB), signature (4 KB–30 KB), and thumb impression (3 KB–30 KB) — all in JPG/JPEG format.

Step 5 Pay the application fee online through Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI. Bank charges, GST and gateway fees apply additionally.

Step 6 Submit the form and download the confirmation page. Keep it safe — it is needed at counselling and admission time.

Last date for fee payment is also 7th June 2026. Do not wait for the final day.

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Seat Allocation — How It Works

Once results are out, admission and fellowship allocation go through a counselling process. There are multiple counselling rounds. Seats are allocated based on your rank, category, seat availability, and the preferences you fill.

For ICAR Deemed Universities — IARI, IVRI, NDRI and CIFE — 100% of PhD seats come through this exam. For other Agricultural Universities under the ICAR-AU system, 30% of PhD seats are filled through ICAR AICE.

One restriction to know — not more than 40% of candidates from any single state can be admitted to any agricultural university or subject under a particular category.

In-service candidates should directly check with the respective ICAR-DU for counselling schedule and seat availability, as their counselling is handled at the DU level separately.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fellowship amount for ICAR JRF/SRF PhD 2026? ₹31,000 per month for the first and second year (JRF stage). ₹35,000 per month in the third year (SRF stage). Plus ₹10,000 per year as contingent grant for research expenses.

Is there an upper age limit for ICAR AICE JRF/SRF PhD 2026? No upper age limit. Minimum age is 20 years as of 31st August 2026.

What is the last date to apply for ICAR AICE JRF PhD 2026? 7th June 2026 by 5:00 PM. Fee payment deadline is also the same date.

When is the ICAR JRF SRF PhD exam 2026? 4th July 2026, Saturday. Computer Based Test mode across 122 cities.

I have 58% in my Master’s degree. Am I eligible? No, if you belong to General, OBC or EWS category. Minimum is 60%. SC/ST/PwD candidates need 50% minimum.

I have a 5-year integrated M.Sc. degree. Can I apply? No. Candidates who passed with a 5-year integrated M.Sc. are not eligible to seek PhD admission through this exam.

How many questions are in the ICAR AICE PhD exam? 120 MCQ questions in 120 minutes. Part A has 20 general questions, Part B has 50 core subject questions, and Part C has 50 specialized subject questions.

What is the marking scheme? +4 for correct. -1 for wrong. No deduction for unattempted questions.

Can I get PhD admission even if I don’t get the fellowship? Yes. Candidates who qualify the exam but don’t rank high enough for fellowship seats can still get PhD admission at participating universities without the monthly stipend.

Where are results published? On the official NTA ICAR portal at exams.nta.nic.in/icar

How many cities is the exam conducted in? 122 cities across India. You can select your preferred exam city during the application process.

What documents do I need to upload while applying? Scanned photograph, signature, and thumb impression in JPG/JPEG format. Keep file sizes within the limits mentioned in Step 4 above.

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Final Summary