The ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 provisional answer key, released by NTA on July 13, 2026, reflects a moderately difficult overall paper, with expected general category cutoffs between 340 and 375 marks out of 600.
Students who appeared in the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 exam can now compare their marked responses with the official answer key at exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR. The analysis below breaks down difficulty by subject and projects expected cutoff ranges for each category based on 2025 official cutoff data and the observed 2026 paper difficulty.
- ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is a 600-mark exam — 150 MCQs at 4 marks each, with a 1-mark penalty per wrong answer.
- Overall difficulty: moderate, with Agricultural Biotechnology and Plant Protection rated the hardest subjects.
- General category expected cutoff for core agriculture: 340–375 marks (based on 2025 trends).
- Subjects rated easier in 2026 (Agricultural Economics, Soil Science) may see cutoffs rise by 5–10 marks from 2025.
- Students scoring above the upper cutoff range for their subject are likely eligible for ICAR 2026 counselling.
| Direct Link to ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Answer Key (OUT) |
ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Answer Key — Quick Overview
NTA released the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 provisional answer key on July 13, 2026 at the official portal. Students can download the answer key, compare it with their responses, and raise objections if they disagree with any answer. The final answer key — released after reviewing all challenges — will be used to compute scores and determine merit rankings for admission to PG programmes at SAUs and ICAR-deemed universities.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 |
| Conducted By | NTA on behalf of ICAR |
| Provisional Answer Key Date | July 13, 2026 |
| Total Questions | 150 MCQs |
| Total Marks | 600 (4 marks per correct answer) |
| Negative Marking | −1 mark per wrong answer |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Official Portal | exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR |
Subject-Wise Difficulty Analysis 2026
Student feedback after the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 exam points to a mixed difficulty pattern across subjects. Subjects rated difficult generally see lower final cutoffs, while easier papers push cutoffs higher. The table below summarises difficulty and its expected impact on 2026 cutoffs:
| Subject | Difficulty Level (2026) | Good Attempts (out of 150) | Cutoff Impact vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture (General) | Moderate | 105–115 | Stable |
| Horticulture | Moderate | 100–112 | Stable |
| Agricultural Biotechnology | Difficult | 88–100 | May drop 5–10 marks |
| Plant Protection | Difficult | 88–100 | May drop 5–8 marks |
| Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry | Easy to Moderate | 110–122 | May rise 5–10 marks |
| Agricultural Engineering | Moderate to Difficult | 92–105 | Marginal drop expected |
| Animal Science | Moderate | 100–110 | Stable |
| Agricultural Economics | Easy | 115–125 | May rise 5–10 marks |
| Agricultural Extension | Easy to Moderate | 108–118 | Stable to slight rise |
| Fisheries Science | Moderate | 100–110 | Stable |
Difficulty ratings and good-attempt figures are based on student feedback and are expected estimates, not confirmed data.
Category-Wise Expected Cutoffs for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026
Expected cutoffs below are projected from 2025 official cutoffs, adjusted for the 2026 paper’s observed difficulty. All figures are out of 600. Final cutoffs are declared only after the ICAR result is published.
| Subject | General (Expected) | OBC (Expected) | SC (Expected) | ST (Expected) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture (General) | 340–375 | 305–335 | 270–295 | 245–270 |
| Horticulture | 330–365 | 295–325 | 260–290 | 235–260 |
| Agricultural Biotechnology | 320–350 | 285–315 | 250–280 | 225–250 |
| Plant Protection | 315–345 | 280–310 | 245–275 | 220–245 |
| Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry | 345–380 | 310–340 | 275–305 | 250–275 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 310–340 | 275–305 | 240–270 | 215–240 |
| Animal Science | 335–365 | 298–328 | 263–293 | 238–263 |
| Agricultural Economics | 350–385 | 315–345 | 280–310 | 255–280 |
| Agricultural Extension | 335–365 | 298–328 | 263–293 | 238–263 |
| Fisheries Science | 325–355 | 290–320 | 255–285 | 230–255 |
Factors Affecting ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Cutoff
Understanding what drives the cutoff helps you contextualise your score against the expected ranges above:
- Paper difficulty: Harder papers lower the cutoff. Subjects like Agricultural Biotechnology and Plant Protection, rated difficult in 2026, are expected to see lower cutoffs than 2025.
- Total applicants per subject: More students competing for a fixed number of ICAR seats pushes the cutoff upward.
- Seat availability: Subjects with fewer PG seats at SAUs and ICAR-deemed universities typically have higher closing cutoffs due to tighter competition.
- Score normalization: If ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 was conducted across multiple shifts, NTA applies normalization, which may adjust your raw score upward or downward before the merit list is drawn.
- Category reservation: ICAR follows the Government of India reservation policy — OBC (27%), SC (15%), ST (7.5%) — and each category has its own cutoff threshold accordingly.
2025 vs 2026 Cutoff Shift — Key Subjects
The table below highlights where 2026 cutoffs are expected to shift most noticeably from 2025 for general category students, based on paper difficulty comparison:
| Subject | 2025 General Cutoff (Approx.) | 2026 Expected General Cutoff | Expected Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture (General) | 350–370 | 340–375 | Stable |
| Agricultural Biotechnology | 330–355 | 320–350 | Drop of ~5–10 marks |
| Plant Protection | 325–350 | 315–345 | Drop of ~5–8 marks |
| Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry | 335–365 | 345–380 | Rise of ~5–10 marks |
| Agricultural Economics | 338–362 | 350–385 | Rise of ~8–12 marks |
| Agricultural Engineering | 318–345 | 310–340 | Marginal drop |
Students scoring at or above the upper end of the expected cutoff range for their subject and category are likely to qualify for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 counselling. All figures above are expected based on 2025 trends and should not be treated as confirmed data.
ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Answer Key and Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the total marks for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?
Ans. The ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 exam carries a total of 600 marks — 150 MCQs at 4 marks each. A penalty of 1 mark applies for each wrong answer.
Ques. What is the expected general category cutoff for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?
Ans. Based on 2025 official cutoffs and the 2026 paper’s moderate overall difficulty, the expected general category cutoff for core agriculture is 340–375 out of 600. Cutoffs vary by subject — Agricultural Economics is expected higher at 350–385, while Agricultural Engineering may be lower at 310–340.
Ques. Which subjects were the toughest in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?
Ans. Agricultural Biotechnology and Plant Protection were rated the most difficult subjects in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026, based on student feedback. These subjects are expected to see a cutoff drop of 5–10 marks compared to 2025.
Ques. When will the final ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 answer key be released?
Ans. NTA releases the final answer key after reviewing all valid objections submitted against the provisional key. The exact date is announced on exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR — students should check the portal regularly for updates.
Ques. How do I raise an objection against the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 answer key?
Ans. Log in to exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR using your application credentials, navigate to the answer key challenge window, select the question you wish to challenge, upload supporting evidence, and pay the required fee. Accepted objections are reflected in the final score calculation.
Ques. Are ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 cutoffs separate for each category?
Ans. Yes. ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 has separate cutoffs for General, OBC, SC, and ST categories. OBC cutoffs are typically 30–40 marks lower than general; SC cutoffs are about 70–80 marks lower; ST cutoffs are about 90–105 marks lower than the general category cutoff.
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