Overview
The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the ICAR AIEEA PG and AICE-JRF/SRF (PhD) Answer Key 2026 for candidates seeking admission to postgraduate and doctoral agricultural programmes. This is an admission entrance examination, so no posts or vacancies are involved; candidates will be able to download the provisional key, view recorded responses and submit objections within the prescribed period.
Key Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Organization | National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research |
| Post Name | PG and PhD Programme Admissions through ICAR Entrance Examination |
| Total Vacancies | Not applicable; programme-wise seats will be notified separately |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Website | https://exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR/ |
Important Dates
The complete 2026 schedule has not yet been specified. Candidates should monitor the official examination portal because the provisional answer key and objection window are generally available only for a limited period.
| Event | Date |
|---|
| Application Start | TBA, 2026 |
| Last Date | TBA, 2026 |
| Exam Date | TBA, 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key | TBA, 2026 |
| Result Date | TBA, 2026 |
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
- For AIEEA PG, applicants should hold or be appearing in the final year of a relevant bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or institution.
- For AICE-JRF/SRF (PhD), candidates should possess a relevant master’s degree in the discipline prescribed for the doctoral programme.
- Applicants must satisfy the subject combination, degree duration, minimum marks or OGPA, and university-specific requirements stated in the 2026 information bulletin.
- Final-year candidates may be considered provisionally, subject to producing their qualifying degree and marks documents by the admission deadline.
Age Limit
- PG applicants are generally required to be at least 19 years old as of the cut-off date specified in the bulletin.
- PhD entrance applicants are generally required to be at least 20 years old as of the notified cut-off date.
- The precise age conditions and any applicable relaxation will be governed by the official 2026 information bulletin.
Fees
- The category-wise application fee for the 2026 examination will be announced with the online application notice.
- A separate non-refundable processing fee per challenged question may apply when objections are submitted against the provisional answer key.
- Payment must be completed online using one of the methods supported by the examination portal.
Selection Process
- Computer-Based Entrance Examination: Registered candidates must appear for the relevant PG or PhD entrance paper at the allotted examination centre.
- Answer Key Review: NTA will display the provisional answer key and recorded responses. Subject experts will review objections submitted with supporting evidence and the prescribed fee.
- Result and Admission: Scores will be prepared using the final answer key. Qualified candidates will subsequently participate in counselling or admission procedures conducted under the applicable ICAR framework.
How to Apply
- Visit the official ICAR examination portal at exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR/ and open the link for the 2026 PG and PhD entrance examination.
- During the registration period, create an account using a valid email address and mobile number, complete the application form, upload the required documents and pay the applicable fee.
- After the examination, select the Answer Key Challenge or recorded-response link displayed on the portal.
- Sign in using the application number and the requested password or date-of-birth credentials. Candidates should not share these login details with others.
- Download the question paper, response sheet and provisional answer key. Compare the question IDs and option IDs carefully instead of relying only on the displayed sequence of options.
- To challenge an answer, select the relevant question, choose the alternative option and upload a clear academic reference or other supporting document where permitted.
- Pay the objection-processing fee online and download the confirmation page. An objection is not considered complete unless the payment status is successful.
- Save copies of the response sheet, submitted challenges and payment receipt. The provisional key may no longer remain accessible after the objection window closes.
- Check the portal regularly for the final answer key, scorecard, result notice and counselling instructions. Challenges are normally not accepted through email, post or offline representations.
Important Links
FAQs
1. Where can I download the NTA ICAR Answer Key 2026?
The provisional answer key and response sheet will be available through the candidate login on the official ICAR examination portal once released.
2. Can candidates object to the provisional answer key?
Yes. Candidates may challenge specified answers within the notified window by selecting the relevant question, submitting supporting material and paying the applicable processing fee.
3. Is the final answer key released before the result?
NTA reviews all valid objections before preparing results. The result is based on the revised final key, whi
