ICAR AICE JRF/SRF Ph.D Syllabus PDF Download



Download the complete, official subject-wise ICAR AICE JRF/SRF (Ph.D) examination syllabus. Preview online or download PDF for free.

70 Subjects | Free PDF Download

About the ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D Entrance Examination

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts the All India Competitive Examination (AICE) every year to award Junior Research Fellowships (JRF), Senior Research Fellowships (SRF), and to facilitate admissions into Ph.D. programs at State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), Central Universities with Agriculture Faculty, and ICAR Deemed Universities across India.

The ICAR AICE is one of the most prestigious examinations for agricultural research aspirants. Qualifying this exam opens doors to doctoral research opportunities in 70 specialized subject areas spanning Plant Sciences, Veterinary Sciences, Dairy Science, Fisheries, Agricultural Engineering, Home Science, and other allied disciplines. The syllabus for each subject is prescribed by ICAR and covers the fundamental and advanced topics relevant to that particular field of study.

On this page, you will find the official ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D syllabus PDF for every subject, organized by discipline category. You can preview each syllabus directly in your browser or download it as a PDF for offline study.

70
Total Subjects
120
MCQ Questions
480
Total Marks
2 Hrs
Exam Duration

ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

Understanding the exam pattern is essential before beginning your ICAR JRF preparation. Here is a quick overview:

  • Type of Questions: Objective-type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
  • Number of Questions: 120 questions
  • Total Marks: 480 marks
  • Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes)
  • Marking: +4 marks for each correct answer
  • Negative Marking: -1 mark for each wrong answer
  • No Penalty: Unattempted questions carry zero marks
  • Medium: English only

The question paper is divided into two parts. Part-A consists of questions related to the core subject, while Part-B may cover research methodology, general agriculture knowledge, and quantitative analysis depending on the discipline.

How to Prepare for ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D Exam

Cracking the ICAR AICE JRF/SRF (Ph.D) requires a systematic approach. Follow these expert tips to strengthen your preparation:

  • Know the Syllabus: Start by downloading the official syllabus PDF for your subject from the list below. Understand every topic and sub-topic mentioned.
  • Previous Year Papers: Solve ICAR JRF previous year question papers to understand the exam pattern, difficulty level, and frequently asked topics.
  • Standard Textbooks: Refer to standard university-level textbooks recommended for your subject. Focus on fundamentals rather than obscure details.
  • Revision Notes: Prepare concise revision notes covering important facts, formulae, and key concepts for last-minute revision.
  • Mock Tests: Regularly practice with timed mock tests to improve speed, accuracy, and time management during the actual exam.
  • Negative Marking Strategy: Since there is -1 negative marking, avoid random guessing. Attempt only those questions where you are reasonably confident.

Subject-Wise ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D Syllabus PDF Download

Click “Preview” to view the syllabus online or “Download” to save the PDF.

Plant Sciences & Crop Improvement

This group covers core plant science disciplines essential for crop improvement, plant protection, and agricultural biotechnology. Subjects include Genetics & Plant Breeding, Seed Science, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology among others. Candidates specialising in plant-related research will find their ICAR JRF syllabus PDF here.

Code Subject Name Actions
01 Genetics & Plant Breeding Preview
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02 Seed Science & Technology Preview
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03 Plant Genetic Resources Preview
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04 Plant Pathology Preview
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05 Nematology Preview
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06 Entomology Preview
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07 Sericulture Preview
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08 Biochemistry Preview
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09 Plant Physiology Preview
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10 Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Preview
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11 Microbiology Preview
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Horticulture & Post Harvest Technology

Horticultural sciences deal with the cultivation, processing, and management of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plantation crops. This category includes Vegetable Science, Fruit Science, Floriculture & Landscaping, Plantation Crops, and Post Harvest Management syllabus PDFs for ICAR JRF/SRF preparation.

Code Subject Name Actions
12 Vegetable Science Preview
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13 Fruit Science Preview
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14 Floriculture & Landscaping Preview
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15 Plantation, Spices, Medicinal & Aromatic Crops Preview
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16 Post Harvest Management Preview
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Animal Sciences & Livestock Management

Animal Sciences subjects focus on animal genetics, nutrition, livestock production systems, poultry farming, and meat technology. Download the ICAR JRF syllabus for Animal Genetics & Breeding, Animal Nutrition, Livestock Production & Management, Livestock Products Technology, and Poultry Science.

Code Subject Name Actions
17 Animal Genetics & Breeding Preview
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18 Animal Nutrition Preview
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19 Livestock Production & Management Preview
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20 Livestock Products Technology Preview
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21 Poultry Science Preview
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Veterinary Sciences

Veterinary Sciences is the largest discipline group covering 11 subjects. It spans Veterinary Parasitology, Public Health, Microbiology, Pathology, Medicine, Pharmacology, Surgery, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology. All ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D syllabus PDFs for veterinary subjects are available below.

Code Subject Name Actions
22 Veterinary Parasitology Preview
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23 Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology Preview
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24 Veterinary Microbiology Preview
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25 Veterinary Pathology Preview
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26 Veterinary Medicine Preview
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27 Veterinary Pharmacology & Toxicology Preview
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29 Veterinary Surgery & Radiology Preview
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30 Veterinary Anatomy Preview
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31 Veterinary Physiology Preview
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32 Veterinary Biochemistry Preview
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33 Veterinary Biotechnology Preview
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Dairy Science & Technology

Dairy Science covers the chemistry, microbiology, technology, and engineering aspects of milk and dairy product manufacturing. Download the ICAR JRF syllabus for Dairy Chemistry, Dairy Microbiology, Dairy Technology, and Dairy Engineering.

Code Subject Name Actions
34 Dairy Chemistry Preview
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36 Dairy Microbiology Preview
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37 Dairy Technology Preview
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38 Dairy Engineering Preview
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Agricultural Engineering

Agricultural Engineering subjects deal with farm mechanisation, soil and water conservation, food processing technology, renewable energy systems, and irrigation management. Access the ICAR JRF syllabus PDFs for all five engineering disciplines here.

Code Subject Name Actions
39 Farm Machinery & Power Engineering Preview
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40 Soil & Water Conservation Engineering Preview
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41 Processing & Food Engineering Preview
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42 Renewable Energy Engineering Preview
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43 Irrigation & Drainage Engineering Preview
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Home Science & Extension

Home Science and Extension Education subjects cover resource management, textiles, human development, food & nutrition, and agricultural communication. These subjects are crucial for rural development and community outreach research.

Code Subject Name Actions
44 Resource Management & Consumer Science Preview
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45 Apparel & Textiles Science Preview
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46 Human Development & Family Studies Preview
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47 Food & Nutrition Preview
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48 Extension Education & Communication Management Preview
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Fisheries & Aquaculture

Fisheries is a major discipline with 10 subjects covering resource management, fish processing, aquaculture, aquatic health, fish genetics, biotechnology, and fish nutrition. Download the complete ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D syllabus for all fisheries subjects.

Code Subject Name Actions
49 Fisheries Resource Management Preview
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50 Fish Processing Technology Preview
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51 Fisheries Technology & Engineering Preview
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52 Aquatic Environmental Management Preview
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53 Aquaculture Preview
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54 Aquatic Animal Health Management Preview
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55 Fish Nutrition & Feed Technology Preview
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56 Fish Genetics & Breeding Preview
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57 Fish Biotechnology Preview
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58 Fish Physiology & Biochemistry Preview
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Agriculture, Forestry & Allied Sciences

This broad category includes foundational agricultural disciplines such as Agronomy, Soil Science, Agricultural Economics, Forestry, Meteorology, Statistics, Bioinformatics, Computer Application, Environmental Sciences, and Water Science & Technology. These subjects form the backbone of agricultural research in India.

Code Subject Name Actions
59 Forestry Preview
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60 Agricultural Meteorology Preview
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61 Agricultural Physics Preview
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62 Agronomy Preview
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63 Soil Science Preview
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64 Agricultural Chemicals Preview
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65 Agricultural Economics Preview
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66 Agribusiness Management Preview
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67 Agricultural Extension Education Preview
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68 Agricultural Statistics Preview
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69 Bioinformatics Preview
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70 Computer Application Preview
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71 Environmental Sciences Preview
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72 Water Science & Technology Preview
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Frequently Asked Questions About ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D

The ICAR All India Competitive Examination (AICE) for JRF/SRF (Ph.D) is conducted annually by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. It is a national-level exam that awards Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) and Senior Research Fellowships (SRF) and provides admission to Ph.D. programs in Agricultural Universities and ICAR Deemed Universities across India. The examination is conducted in a single sitting with objective-type questions.

The ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D syllabus covers 70 distinct subjects with subject codes ranging from 01 to 72. Subject codes 28 and 35 are not assigned to any discipline. The subjects are categorized into major groups including Plant Sciences, Horticulture, Animal Sciences, Veterinary Sciences, Dairy Science, Agricultural Engineering, Home Science, Fisheries, and allied fields.

The exam consists of a single paper with 120 objective-type (MCQ) questions to be answered in 120 minutes (2 hours). Each correct answer carries 4 marks and there is a negative marking of 1 mark for each wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry zero marks. The total marks are 480.

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in the relevant discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PH candidates). Candidates in the final year of their Master’s programme can also apply. The upper age limit is generally 30 years for JRF, which is relaxable by 5 years for SC/ST and female candidates, and by 3 years for OBC candidates.

ICAR Junior Research Fellows receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 31,000 during the first two years. After two years, the fellowship is upgraded to SRF with a stipend of Rs. 35,000 per month. Additionally, a contingency grant of Rs. 20,000 per annum (JRF) and Rs. 25,000 per annum (SRF) is provided along with HRA as per government norms.

The ICAR AICE JRF/SRF (Ph.D) syllabus remains largely consistent over the years. While ICAR periodically reviews and updates the syllabus, the core topics and structure generally remain the same. Candidates should always refer to the latest official ICAR notification and syllabus circular for any revisions before their examination.

Yes, you can preview every ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D syllabus PDF directly in your browser by clicking the “Preview” button next to each subject in the table above. This uses an online PDF viewer that lets you read the full syllabus without downloading the file. You can also download the PDF for offline study.

Why Download ICAR JRF Syllabus from AgriGyan?

AgriGyan provides the most comprehensive and well-organized collection of ICAR JRF/SRF Ph.D syllabi available online. Each syllabus PDF has been extracted directly from the official ICAR circular and saved as a separate, clearly named file for your convenience. Whether you are preparing for Genetics & Plant Breeding, Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural Economics, Fish Biotechnology, or any of the other 70 subjects, you can find the exact syllabus you need on this page.

Our syllabus PDFs are regularly verified against the latest ICAR notifications to ensure accuracy. We also provide an online PDF preview feature so you can quickly check the contents before downloading. This saves your mobile data and storage space, especially if you are browsing on a smartphone.

Bookmark this page for quick access during your ICAR JRF preparation. For previous year question papers, study materials, and exam updates, explore the rest of AgriGyan.in – your trusted resource for agricultural education and competitive exam preparation.

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