The ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 notification is out. The Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) has notified the Centralized Combined Examination 2026 for direct recruitment to 1393 posts: 1254 Technical Assistant (T-3) posts in ICAR institutes and 139 Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) posts in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). Graduates and engineering diploma holders across 10 functional groups (Agriculture, Animal Science, Fisheries, Home Science, Civil, Agricultural, Electrical and E&I Engineering, Library Science and IT) can apply online from 18 November to 17 December 2026.
This master guide covers everything common to all candidates, and links to a separate detailed post for each functional group with its vacancies, eligibility and complete Mains syllabus.
ASRB ICAR T-3/T-4 2026 at a glance
- Posts: 1393 (1254 T-3 + 139 T-4) across 10 functional groups
- Apply online: 18.11.2026 to 17.12.2026 (11:59 PM) at asrb.gov.in
- Prelims: February 2027 (CBT, qualifying, 100 marks)
- Mains: date to be announced (CBT, 300 marks, decides merit)
- Eligibility: relevant graduation (diploma allowed for engineering groups); age 21 to 30
- Pay: T-3 Level 5 (₹29,200 to ₹92,300); T-4 Level 6 (₹35,400 to ₹1,12,400)
- Interview: none
Overview
| Recruiting Body | Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), Department of Agricultural Research & Education |
| Posts | Technical Assistant (T-3) in ICAR Institutes; Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) in KVKs of ICAR |
| Total Vacancies | 1393 (tentative) |
| Cadre | ICAR Technical Service, Category-II |
| Notification No. | F. No. 2(2)/2025-Exam, dated 11.11.2026 |
| Selection | Prelims CBT (qualifying) and Mains CBT (merit); no interview |
| Official Website | asrb.gov.in |
| Contact | 011-25846166 / 25848172 (Ext. 314); t3t42026@asrb.gov.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 11 November 2026 |
| Online application starts | 18 November 2026 |
| Last date to apply online | 17 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Last date for fee payment (Bharatkosh) | 17 December 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Application correction window | 18 to 20 December 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam (CBT) | February 2027 (exact date to be announced) |
| Mains Exam (CBT) | To be announced |
All dates are as per the ASRB notification and are subject to change. Admission certificates are released about one week before the exam on asrb.gov.in only.
ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 Vacancies: Functional Group-wise (T-3 and T-4)
Click a functional group for its detailed vacancy break-up, eligibility and full Mains syllabus.
| Functional Group | T-3 (ICAR Institutes) | T-4 (KVKs) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Farm Technician & Laboratory Technician (Agriculture) | 699 | 73 | 772 |
| Field Farm Technician & Laboratory Technician (Animal Science) | 115 | 9 | 124 |
| Field Farm Technician & Laboratory Technician (Fisheries Science) | 90 | 7 | 97 |
| Field Farm Technician & Laboratory Technician (Social Science: Home Science / Community Science) | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Workshop Staff (Civil Engineering) | 51 | 0 | 51 |
| Workshop Staff (Agricultural Engineering) | 42 | 0 | 42 |
| Workshop Staff (Electrical Engineering) | 35 | 0 | 35 |
| Workshop Staff (Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering) | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| Library / Information Science / Documentation Staff | 59 | 0 | 59 |
| Information Technology | 133 | 48 | 181 |
| Total | 1254 | 139 | 1393 |
Category-wise Total Vacancies
| Post | UR | OBC | SC | ST | EWS | Total | PwBD | ESM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Assistant (T-3) | 558 | 281 | 164 | 91 | 160 | 1254 | 30 | 74 |
| Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) | 84 | 25 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 139 | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 642 | 306 | 178 | 97 | 170 | 1393 | 30 | 74 |
ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 Eligibility: Qualification by Functional Group
| Functional Group | Required Qualification |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture / Horticulture / Agriculture Engineering / Agro-forestry / Food Science / Biotechnology / Environmental Science / Home Science / Community Science / Natural Farming. |
| Animal Science | B.V.Sc. & A.H. (Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry). |
| Fisheries | B.F.Sc. (Bachelor of Fisheries Science). |
| Home Science | Bachelor’s Degree in Home Science / Community Science. |
| Civil Engineering | B.Tech / B.E. / Three-year Diploma in Civil Engineering from a recognised University/Institute. |
| Agricultural Engineering | B.Tech / B.E. / Three-year Diploma in Agricultural Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Textile Technology / Fibre Processing Engineering from a recognised University/Institute. |
| Electrical Engineering | B.Tech / B.E. / Three-year Diploma in Electrical Engineering from a recognised University/Institute. |
| Electronics and Instrumentation | B.Tech / B.E. / Three-year Diploma in Electronics Engineering / Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering from a recognised University. |
| Library Science | Bachelor’s degree in Library Science / Library & Information Science. |
| IT | Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Application (BCA) / Computer Science / IT, or B.Tech / B.E. in IT / CS / ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering). |
Pay Scale
| Post | Place of Posting | Pay Level (7th CPC) | Pay Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Assistant (T-3) | ICAR Institutes | Level 5 | ₹29,200 to ₹92,300 |
| Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) | Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) | Level 6 | ₹35,400 to ₹1,12,400 |
Age Limit and Relaxation
Minimum 21 years and maximum 30 years as on the closing date, 17.12.2026 (indicatively, date of birth between 18.12.1995 and 17.12.2005).
| Category | Upper Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| PwBD | 10 years (cumulative with SC/ST/OBC relaxation) |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years after deducting military service from actual age |
| ICAR in-service technical employees (UR) | Upper limit 40 years, plus category relaxation |
| RAs / SRFs in ICAR projects | Period actually engaged, up to 16 years 3 months |
| Disabled Defence Services Personnel | As per Government of India instructions |
Application Fee
| Category | T-3 only | T-4 only | T-3 + T-4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | ₹300 | ₹300 | ₹600 |
| EWS / OBC | ₹150 | ₹150 | ₹300 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Women / Transgender / Ex-Servicemen | Nil | Nil | Nil |
The fee is paid only through Bharatkosh (bharatkosh.gov.in): Quick Payment, Ministry: Agriculture, Purpose: Examination/Certificate fee for ARS/NET/SMS/STO/FAO/AO, PAO 000001, DDO 216968 (Add. ASRB, Chayan Bhavan). Upload the payment receipt in the application form. Paying on Bharatkosh without submitting the form does not count, and the fee is non-refundable.
ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 Exam Pattern
Selection is through two Computer Based Tests. There is no interview: final merit is based on Mains marks only.
Stage 1: Preliminary Exam (Qualifying)
| Section | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Knowledge | 25 | 25 |
| 2 | General English | 25 | 25 |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 |
| 4 | General Agriculture | 25 | 25 |
| Total (1 hour) | 100 | 100 |
- Negative marking: 0.25 mark per wrong answer.
- Minimum qualifying marks: UR 30%, EWS/OBC 25%, SC/ST/PwBD 20%.
- Candidates are shortlisted for Mains in the ratio 1:15 of the vacancies, functional group-wise (category-wise).
- Questions are bilingual (Hindi and English), except the General English section.
Stage 2: Mains Exam (Merit)
| Questions | 100 objective MCQs on the functional group’s domain subjects |
| Marks | 300 (3 marks per question) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Negative marking | 1 mark per wrong answer (one-third) |
| Minimum qualifying marks | UR 30%, EWS/OBC 25%, SC/ST/PwBD 20% |
| Normalisation | Applied wherever the CBT runs in multiple sessions |
Tie-breaking order: (a) higher Prelims marks, then (b) higher marks in Section 3, Quantitative Aptitude of Prelims, then (c) older candidate ranked higher.
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ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 Prelims Syllabus (Common for All Groups)
1. General Knowledge (25 marks)
General awareness of the environment and its application to society, current events, everyday science, and questions on India and its neighbouring countries, especially History, Culture, Geography, Economic Science, General Policy and Scientific Research.
2. General English (25 marks)
Ability to understand correct English, basic comprehension and writing ability (grammar, vocabulary, error spotting, sentence improvement, reading comprehension).
3. Quantitative Aptitude (25 marks)
Computation of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and relationships between numbers; Percentage; Ratio and Proportion; Square roots; Averages; Interest; Profit and Loss; Discount; Partnership Business; Mixture and Alligation; Time and Distance; Time and Work; basic algebraic identities of school algebra and elementary surds; graphs of linear equations; triangle and its centres; congruence and similarity of triangles; circle, chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords, common tangents; quadrilaterals, regular polygons; right prism, right circular cone and cylinder, sphere, hemisphere, rectangular parallelepiped, regular right pyramid; trigonometric ratios, degree and radian measure, standard identities, complementary angles, heights and distances; histogram, frequency polygon, bar diagram and pie chart.
4. General Agriculture (25 marks)
- Agro-ecosystems and crops: Agronomic principles and practices, agro-meteorology, dryland farming and agroforestry, soil testing and fertility management, integrated farming systems, climate change and its impact on Indian agriculture. Diversity of cereal crops, pulses, oilseeds, forage crops and horticultural crops. Principles of plant breeding, seed production, tissue culture and plant propagation techniques. Major diseases and their management in rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, potato, citrus and papaya. Weeds and their management.
- Animal and fisheries basics: Concept of animal breeding, animal cloning, basics of animal health. Animal production: livestock, poultry, duckery, small ruminants, bee keeping. Fisheries: freshwater and marine fish resources.
- Farm machinery, post-harvest and agri-economics: Farm machinery, agri-energy, ergonomics and women-friendly equipment, post-harvest technology, ICT in agriculture, agri-business, socio-economic aspects of agriculture and allied sectors, types and systems of farming and factors affecting them, agricultural price policy, crop insurance.
- Institutions and extension: Role of ICAR, NAARM and Agricultural Universities in Indian agriculture; indigenous knowledge systems; role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in dissemination of agricultural technologies; NGO and self-help group approach for rural development; HRD in agricultural research; role of co-operatives in the agricultural economy; New Education Policy 2020.
- Regulations in agriculture: Seeds Act 1966, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act 2001, Biological Diversity Act 2002 and its 2023 amendment, Insecticides Act 1968, Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order 2003, National Biodiversity Authority, PPV&FR Authority, DPPQ&S.
- International organisations: CIMMYT, IRRI, ICRISAT, IITA, CIAT, IWMI, ICARDA.
ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 Mains Syllabus: Read Your Functional Group Guide
The Mains syllabus is different for each functional group. Each guide below lists every unit exactly as notified by ICAR, with a preparation strategy and the matching test series.
- ICAR Technical Assistant Agriculture 2026: 18 units, 772 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Animal Science 2026: 11 units, 124 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Fisheries 2026: 15 units, 97 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Home Science 2026: 6 units, 7 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Civil Engineering 2026: 16 units, 51 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Agricultural Engineering 2026: 7 units, 42 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Electrical Engineering 2026: 13 units, 35 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Electronics and Instrumentation 2026: 13 units, 25 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant Library Science 2026: 8 units, 59 posts
- ICAR Technical Assistant IT 2026: 10 units, 181 posts
ICAR Technical Assistant 2026 Exam Centres
Prelims (62 cities): Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram), Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Gangtok, Kolkata, Siliguri, Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Ernakulam/Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Bilaspur, Durg/Bhilai, Raipur, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Imphal, Shillong, Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Dehradun, Roorkee, Chandigarh/Mohali, Kangra, Shimla, Jammu, Srinagar, Bhatinda, Ludhiana, Kurnool, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Puducherry, Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Hyderabad/Secunderabad, Warangal, Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune.
Mains (31 cities): Port Blair, Vijayawada, Guwahati, Patna, Chandigarh/Mohali, Raipur, Delhi NCR, Anand/Vadodara, Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, Shimla, Jammu, Bengaluru, Ernakulam/Kochi, Bhopal, Indore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Barapani/Shillong, Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Ludhiana, Bhatinda, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Dehradun, Barrackpore/Kolkata.
Centres are tentative; choose both Prelims and Mains centres carefully in the form, since no change is allowed later. In Maharashtra, Prelims centres are Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune, and Mains centres are Mumbai and Nagpur.
How to Apply for ICAR Technical Assistant 2026
- Go to asrb.gov.in and complete One Time Registration (OTR) with name, parents’ names, email and date of birth.
- Fill all parts of the form: one functional group, T-3/T-4 option and preference order, Prelims and Mains centres.
- Keep ready: matriculation certificate, degree/diploma certificate and marksheets, category certificates in the prescribed formats, photo ID (Aadhaar/Voter ID/PAN/Passport/DL).
- Upload photo (.jpg, max 200 KB, white background, face covering two-thirds, no spectacles), signature (.jpg, max 100 KB, black/blue ink) and certificates (.jpg, max 100 KB each).
- Pay the fee on Bharatkosh (steps above), upload the receipt and submit. A success message confirms submission.
- Print or save the completed form.
Documents and Certificates
- SC/ST, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer, Central List, issued for Government of India posts), EWS income and asset certificate, PwBD certificate (Form V/VI/VII) and Ex-Servicemen undertaking must be in the prescribed formats (Appendices I to VI of the notification).
- OBC candidates not in the Central List or in the creamy layer must apply as General.
- In-service employees of ICAR, Central/State Government, scientific institutions or universities must submit an NOC/undertaking (Appendix V).
- Certificates in languages other than Hindi or English must be accompanied by a notarised translation.
- Eligibility is verified by ICAR after the final result; wrong information leads to cancellation at any stage.
Scribe and Compensatory Time for PwBD
Candidates with blindness, locomotor disability (both arms) or cerebral palsy get a scribe on request at least 10 days before the exam (email t3t42026@asrb.gov.in) and compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour. Other benchmark disabilities can get a scribe with a certificate from a government medical authority. Each functional group guide lists the disability categories identified as suitable for those posts.
Test Series & Notes by Piyush Wairale
IT, Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Mechanical/Agri Engineering aspirants can directly use our IT Officer and SSC JE branch-wise test series, which cover the same core subjects as the ICAR Mains paper. Every aspirant benefits from Quantitative Aptitude practice for Prelims.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacancies are there in ASRB ICAR Technical Assistant 2026?
1393 tentative vacancies: 1254 Technical Assistant (T-3) posts in ICAR institutes and 139 Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) posts in KVKs, across 10 functional groups. Agriculture has the most (772), followed by IT (181) and Animal Science (124).
What is the last date to apply for ICAR T-3 and T-4 2026?
17 December 2026 (11:59 PM). The online application opens on 18 November 2026, and the correction window is 18 to 20 December 2026.
When is the ICAR Technical Assistant Prelims exam?
The Prelims CBT is scheduled for February 2027. The exact date and the Mains date will be announced on asrb.gov.in.
Is there an interview for ICAR Technical Assistant?
No. Selection is based only on performance in the Mains exam. Prelims is qualifying and used for shortlisting in the ratio 1:15 of vacancies.
Can diploma holders apply for ICAR Technical Assistant 2026?
Yes, for the four engineering Workshop Staff groups (Civil, Agricultural, Electrical, and Electronics & Instrumentation), a three-year diploma is accepted. Other groups require a bachelor’s degree.
What is the negative marking in ASRB T-3/T-4 exam?
0.25 mark per wrong answer in Prelims (1 mark questions) and 1 mark per wrong answer in Mains (3 mark questions).
What is the age limit for ICAR Technical Assistant 2026?
21 to 30 years as on 17.12.2026, with relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC-NCL, 10 years for PwBD and an upper limit of 40 years for ICAR in-service technical employees (UR).
What is the salary of ICAR T-3 and T-4?
Technical Assistant (T-3) is in Pay Level 5 (₹29,200 to ₹92,300) and Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) is in Pay Level 6 (₹35,400 to ₹1,12,400).
Source: ASRB Notification F. No. 2(2)/2025-Exam dated 11.11.2026 and ICAR OM No. TS-19(6)/2024-Estt.IV (E-332924) dated 28.09.2026 (Scheme and Syllabus). Vacancies are tentative. Always read the official notification on asrb.gov.in before applying; in case of any discrepancy the English version on the ASRB website prevails.
Recent Post
With 772 posts (699 Technical Assistant T-3 in ICAR institutes and 73 Senior Technical Assistant T-4 in KVKs), the Agriculture functional group is the biggest slice of the ASRB Centralized Combined Examination 2026, accounting for more than half of all 1393 vacancies.
The Animal Science functional group offers 124 posts for veterinary graduates: 115 Technical Assistant (T-3) posts in ICAR institutes and 9 Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) posts in KVKs. Only B.V.Sc. & A.H. holders are eligible.
The Fisheries Science functional group has 97 posts: 90 Technical Assistant (T-3) posts in ICAR fisheries institutes and 7 Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) Laboratory Technician posts in KVKs. Only B.F.Sc. graduates are eligible.
The Home Science / Community Science functional group is the smallest in ASRB T-3/T-4 2026 with just 7 posts (5 T-3 + 2 T-4). Home Science graduates are also eligible for the Agriculture group (772 posts), so compare both before applying.
ICAR has 59 Technical Assistant (T-3) Library / Information Science / Documentation Staff posts in its institutes, one of the largest central government library recruitments of the year. A bachelor's degree in Library Science (B.Lib.I.Sc.) is the qualification, and there is no interview.
There are 42 Technical Assistant (T-3) Workshop Staff (Agricultural Engineering) posts in ICAR institutes. Mechanical Engineering, Textile Technology and Fibre Processing Engineering degree or diploma holders can also apply, alongside Agricultural Engineering graduates.
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[…] Agro-ecosystems and crops; Animal and fisheries basics; Farm machinery, post-harvest and agri-economics; Institutions and extension; Regulations in agriculture; International organisations. The topic-wise General Agriculture list is in our master guide. […]
[…] Agro-ecosystems and crops; Animal and fisheries basics; Farm machinery, post-harvest and agri-economics; Institutions and extension; Regulations in agriculture; International organisations. The topic-wise General Agriculture list is in our master guide. […]
[…] Agro-ecosystems and crops; Animal and fisheries basics; Farm machinery, post-harvest and agri-economics; Institutions and extension; Regulations in agriculture; International organisations. The topic-wise General Agriculture list is in our master guide. […]
[…] Agro-ecosystems and crops; Animal and fisheries basics; Farm machinery, post-harvest and agri-economics; Institutions and extension; Regulations in agriculture; International organisations. The topic-wise General Agriculture list is in our master guide. […]
[…] Agro-ecosystems and crops; Animal and fisheries basics; Farm machinery, post-harvest and agri-economics; Institutions and extension; Regulations in agriculture; International organisations. The topic-wise General Agriculture list is in our master guide. […]