India to Fill 20% Agriculture University Seats Through ICAR Exam: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
03 October 2025, New Delhi: The Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has announced changes in the admission process for agriculture universities in India. From the academic year 2025–26, 20% of undergraduate seats in these universities will be filled through the All India Competitive Examination conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Eligibility norms and subject groups for the exam have been standardized. Students who have studied Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, or Agriculture at the higher secondary level will be eligible to apply under the CUET-ICAR system.
According to the Minister, variations in subject combinations and state-specific rules had created difficulties for students seeking admission to B.Sc. Agriculture programs. The issue was raised by students on social media and by state representatives. The Minister directed ICAR’s Director General, Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, to hold discussions with universities and vice-chancellors.
ICAR has informed that out of 50 agricultural universities with ICAR quota seats, 42 universities have accepted the Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry (ABC) subject group as eligible, while 3 universities have also accepted the Physics, Chemistry, Agriculture (PCA) combination. This will make about 2,700 seats out of 3,121 ICAR quota seats (85%) available to students who studied agriculture in higher secondary education.
The remaining five universities have stated that they require Board of Management approval. They have assured that Agriculture will be added as an eligibility subject from the 2026–27 academic year, with discussions underway to introduce it earlier.
The Minister stated that this system will benefit around 3,000 students starting from the 2025–26 academic session.
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