Based on the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 answer key released on July 11, 2026, the expected qualifying cutoff for General category students is 240 marks out of 480 (50%), while merit-based admission cutoffs for high-demand disciplines such as Genetics and Plant Breeding are expected to range between 370 and 415 marks.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the provisional answer key for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 on July 11, 2026. Students can now calculate their expected scores and estimate admission chances across Master’s programmes in ICAR-accredited agricultural universities. The minimum qualifying mark for General category is 50 percent of the total 480 marks, but actual merit cutoffs vary significantly by discipline and participating university.
- Total Marks: 480 (120 MCQs; +4 per correct answer; -1 per wrong answer)
- General Category Qualifying Marks: 240 out of 480 (50%)
- SC/ST/PwD Qualifying Marks: 192 out of 480 (40%)
- Genetics and Plant Breeding merit cutoff expected between 370 and 415 marks for General category
- Answer key challenge window is open; final cutoffs will be recalculated after objection processing
- Result expected in the third or fourth week of August 2026
| Direct Link to ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Answer Key (OUT) |
ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 General Category Qualifying Marks
NTA prescribes a minimum qualifying threshold that all students must clear to appear on the merit list. For ICAR AIEEA PG 2026, General category students must score at least 50 percent of the total 480 marks, which works out to 240 marks. Meeting this threshold places you in the eligible pool; your discipline-specific merit rank then determines the actual admission offer.
| Category | Qualifying Threshold | Minimum Marks Required (out of 480) |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | 50% | 240 |
| SC / ST / PwD | 40% | 192 |
ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Stream-Wise Expected Cutoff for General Category
Merit cutoffs vary widely across disciplines. Programmes with limited seats and a large applicant pool have cutoffs well above the qualifying threshold, while less-subscribed disciplines settle near the minimum. The table below shows expected stream-wise cutoff ranges for General category based on 2025 trends and answer key analysis. Figures are indicative and will be confirmed at the time of counselling.
| Discipline/Stream | Expected Cutoff Range — General (out of 480) | Competition Level |
|---|---|---|
| Genetics and Plant Breeding | 370 to 415 | Very High |
| Agronomy | 355 to 400 | Very High |
| Plant Pathology | 330 to 370 | High |
| Biotechnology and Molecular Biology | 305 to 355 | High |
| Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry | 315 to 355 | High |
| Horticulture (Fruit and Vegetable Science) | 300 to 345 | High |
| Agricultural Entomology | 295 to 335 | Moderate to High |
| Agricultural Economics | 280 to 320 | Moderate |
| Agricultural Extension | 270 to 310 | Moderate |
| Agricultural Microbiology | 260 to 300 | Moderate |
| Agricultural Statistics and Bioinformatics | 255 to 295 | Moderate |
| Agricultural Engineering | 250 to 290 | Moderate |
| Fisheries Science | 245 to 285 | Low to Moderate |
| Home Science and Human Ecology | 240 to 275 | Low |
All figures are expected cutoffs based on 2025 trends and current answer key analysis. Actual admission cutoffs are released by each participating university during counselling.
How to Calculate Your Score Using the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Answer Key
With the provisional answer key now available at exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR, you can estimate your raw score before the official result. The marking scheme is straightforward: 4 marks for each correct answer and -1 mark for each wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry zero marks.
Score = (Correct Answers x 4) minus (Wrong Answers x 1)
Steps to calculate your expected score:
- Download the answer key and your response sheet from exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR
- Match every marked response against the answer key one by one
- Count total correct, incorrect and unattempted responses separately
- Apply the formula: (Correct x 4) minus (Wrong x 1)
- Compare your score against the stream-wise expected cutoff table above
If you believe any provisional answer is incorrect, you can raise an objection on the NTA portal by paying Rs. 500 per challenge (refunded if the objection is accepted). The final answer key will be published after NTA processes all valid challenges and the final cutoffs will be based on the revised key.
Factors Affecting ICAR AIEEA PG Cutoff 2026
The actual admission cutoff for each stream is shaped by several variables beyond the raw qualifying threshold. Understanding these helps you interpret where your score stands:
| Factor | How It Affects the Cutoff |
|---|---|
| Number of applicants per discipline | Higher applicant volume pushes merit cutoffs upward |
| Total seats available at participating universities | Fewer seats raise the cutoff for that stream |
| Difficulty level of the 2026 paper | A tougher paper lowers overall scores and brings cutoffs down |
| Changes to the final answer key after objections | Revised keys can shift individual scores and reorder the merit list |
| Candidate performance distribution | A stronger cohort raises the effective qualifying percentile threshold |
Previous Year ICAR AIEEA PG Cutoff Trends (General Category)
Historical cutoff data provides a reliable baseline for estimating 2026 outcomes. The qualifying threshold for General category has been consistent at 50 percent across recent cycles, while merit cutoffs for competitive disciplines have trended upward year on year.
| Year | Total Marks | General Qualifying Marks (50%) | Top-Discipline Merit Cutoff (General) | Low-Demand Discipline Cutoff (General) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 480 | 240 | 370 to 420 (Genetics and Agronomy) | 200 to 240 (Home Science and Fisheries) |
| 2024 | 480 | 240 | 360 to 410 (Genetics and Agronomy) | 195 to 235 (Home Science and Fisheries) |
The trend confirms that the qualifying threshold has remained stable at 240 marks for General category students. High-competition disciplines consistently demand scores of 75 percent or above, while less-subscribed streams settle near the qualifying minimum.
ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Expected Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the minimum qualifying marks for General category in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?
Ans. General category students must score at least 240 marks out of 480 (50 percent) to meet the qualifying threshold for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026.
Ques. How is the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 score calculated from the answer key?
Ans. Each correct answer carries 4 marks and each incorrect answer results in a deduction of 1 mark. Unattempted questions carry zero marks. The formula is: Score = (Correct Answers x 4) minus (Wrong Answers x 1) out of a total of 480 marks.
Ques. Which stream has the highest expected cutoff in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?
Ans. Based on previous year trends, Genetics and Plant Breeding consistently carries the highest merit cutoff, expected between 370 and 415 marks for General category students in 2026.
Ques. When will the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 result be declared?
Ans. The final result for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is expected in the third or fourth week of August 2026, after the final answer key is published and all scores are processed by NTA.
Ques. Can I challenge the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 provisional answer key?
Ans. Yes. Students can raise objections through the NTA portal by paying Rs. 500 per challenge. The fee is refunded if the objection is accepted. The challenge window deadline is notified along with the answer key at exams.nta.ac.in/ICAR.
Ques. Is the ICAR AIEEA PG merit cutoff the same across all universities?
Ans. No. NTA publishes a national merit rank list. Each participating ICAR-accredited university then releases its own discipline-wise admission cutoff during counselling based on seat availability and the applicant pool for that institution.
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