ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Expected Cutoff for IARI, NDRI and Top NARS Institutes

The ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 expected cutoff for IARI New Delhi is projected between 250–315 marks out of 400 for General category students in top subjects, based on 2025 trends; NDRI Karnal is expected to see closing marks in the 228–280 range, and other premier NARS institutes between 210–265 marks.

NTA conducts ICAR AIEEA PG on behalf of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for admission to M.Sc., M.V.Sc., and M.Tech. programs at ICAR institutes and State Agricultural Universities under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). The cutoff works at two levels: a minimum qualifying score that makes students eligible for counselling, and an institute-wise closing cutoff that varies by subject, category, and seat availability. With the result expected around June 29, 2026, this guide helps you estimate your chances at IARI, NDRI, and other top NARS institutes.

• The minimum qualifying cutoff for General/EWS students is expected at 200 marks (50%) out of 400; OBC-NCL requires 180 marks (45%); SC/ST/PwD requires 160 marks (40%).
• IARI New Delhi is the most competitive NARS institute — Plant Breeding and Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology seats historically fill at the highest closing marks.
• NDRI Karnal closing marks are expected to be 25–40 marks lower than IARI for equivalent subjects and categories.
• Cutoffs vary significantly by subject group — each subject paper has its own separate merit list.
• All institute-wise figures below are expected, based on ICAR AIEEA PG 2025 trends; official cutoffs will be released with the 2026 counselling schedule on the NTA portal.

---

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Minimum Qualifying Cutoff

The minimum qualifying cutoff is the baseline score students must secure to be eligible for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 counselling. The exam has 100 MCQs carrying 4 marks each (+4 correct, −1 wrong) for a total of 400 marks. Based on the criteria applied in previous cycles, the expected qualifying marks are:

Securing the minimum qualifying marks makes a student eligible for counselling — it does not guarantee a seat. The institute-level closing cutoff at IARI, NDRI, and other competitive NARS institutes is significantly higher, especially for General category students in high-demand subject groups.

---

Expected Cutoff for IARI New Delhi 2026

IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute), New Delhi consistently records the highest closing cutoffs among all NARS institutes in ICAR AIEEA PG. The subject-wise expected cutoffs below are based on 2025 ICAR AIEEA PG closing data and the IARI seat matrix for M.Sc. programs:

Students targeting IARI under General category should aim for 270+ marks out of 400 to have a strong chance across most subject groups. SC category students above 210 marks and ST category students above 190 marks stand a realistic chance at IARI in their respective subjects, based on 2025 trends.

---

Expected Cutoff for NDRI Karnal 2026

NDRI (National Dairy Research Institute), Karnal is the premier NARS destination for dairy and animal science programs, offering M.Sc. in streams such as Dairy Technology, Animal Genetics and Breeding, Animal Nutrition, and related disciplines. The expected 2026 closing cutoff at NDRI, based on 2025 trends:

Students aiming for NDRI under General category with 240+ marks stand a good chance across most programs. The NDRI cutoff has shown a gradual upward trend over the past two cycles as competition for its limited PG seats grows.

---

Expected Cutoff for Other Top NARS Institutes 2026

Beyond IARI and NDRI, several ICAR institutes under NARS attract strong competition. The table below shows the expected General category closing cutoff range for other key NARS institutes in 2026, based on previous year trends:

SC and ST category closing cutoffs at these institutes are typically 40–60 marks lower than the General category; OBC-NCL cutoffs run 20–30 marks lower. All values are expected figures based on 2025 ICAR AIEEA PG trends.

---

Previous Year ICAR AIEEA PG Cutoff Trends

The minimum qualifying cutoff for ICAR AIEEA PG has remained stable across recent cycles, while institute-level closing marks have shown a gradual upward trend as the applicant pool grows:

At the institute level, IARI General category closing marks for high-demand subjects like Plant Breeding have risen by approximately 5–10 marks per cycle between 2023 and 2025. Students who score above 270/400 in General and above 210/400 in SC category have a realistic chance at premier NARS institutes in their respective subjects.

---

Factors Affecting ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Cutoff

The closing cutoff at each NARS institute is shaped by several variables. Understanding these helps students interpret their score more accurately:

• Number of applicants per subject: More students appearing for a specific paper pushes the closing cutoff higher at institutes like IARI. Subjects with large applicant pools consistently see steeper competition.
• Seat availability: IARI and NDRI together offer a limited number of PG seats each cycle. Fewer seats in a subject directly raise the closing cutoff for that program.
• Exam difficulty in 2026: A tougher paper compared to 2025 typically lowers absolute closing marks by 5–15 marks across institutes; an easier paper raises them.
• Category reservation: ICAR mandates 27% OBC-NCL, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, and 5% EWS reservation. Separate merit lists for each category produce different closing cutoffs per category at every institute.
• Multi-shift normalization: If NTA conducts ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 in multiple shifts, normalized scores rather than raw marks determine the merit list, which can shift effective cutoffs relative to past cycles.
• Counselling rounds: Seats vacated after Round 1 roll over to Round 2 and further rounds. Students who narrowly miss the Round 1 closing cutoff at their preferred institute may still secure a seat in later rounds.