For ICAR AIEEA PG 2026, a safe score for general category students is estimated at 400 or above out of 600 for IARI New Delhi, 360 or above for IVRI Bareilly and 340 or above for NDRI Karnal, based on 2024–25 admission trends.

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is scheduled for July 2, 2026, and is conducted by NTA on behalf of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for admission to M.Sc., M.V.Sc. and M.F.Sc. programs at agricultural universities across India. The exam carries a total of 600 marks across 150 questions with a negative marking of 1 mark per wrong answer. Since seats at IARI, IVRI and NDRI are limited and competition among general category students is intense, knowing your safe score helps you set a realistic preparation target and make informed subject choices before the exam.

  • Total marks in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026: 600 (150 questions × 4 marks each; –1 for every wrong answer)
  • Safe score at IARI New Delhi for general category: 400+ out of 600, based on 2024–25 trends
  • Safe score at IVRI Bareilly for general category: 360+ out of 600, based on 2024–25 trends
  • Safe score at NDRI Karnal for general category: 340+ out of 600, based on 2024–25 trends
  • Cutoffs vary by discipline — high-demand subjects like Genetics and Plant Pathology at IARI require scores of 420 or above
  • Admission is discipline-specific; the same raw score yields different ranks across subject groups
  • General category students must clear both the overall and discipline-specific cutoffs for counselling eligibility
Direct Link — ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Official Portal: exams.nta.nic.in/icar

What is a Safe Score in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?

A safe score is the marks threshold above which your probability of securing a counselling seat at your target institute is considered high. For ICAR AIEEA PG, admission is rank-based and discipline-specific. Your rank is calculated separately for each subject group, so a score of 400 in Agronomy produces a different rank than a score of 400 in Dairy Technology.

With 600 total marks in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026, accuracy matters more than volume of attempts. A single additional 4-mark correct response improves your rank meaningfully. Students should aim for at least 10–15 marks above the expected safe score to build a buffer against year-on-year cutoff movement. All figures in this article are expected estimates based on previous year trends.


Safe Score for General Category — At a Glance

The table below shows the expected safe score for general category students at IARI, IVRI and NDRI in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026, based on 2024 and 2025 admission data. Actual cutoffs will be available only after the counselling process concludes.

Institute Expected Safe Score (General) Score Range — 2024–25 Trend Competition Level
IARI, New Delhi 400+ / 600 370–462 High
IVRI, Bareilly 360+ / 600 322–408 Moderate to High
NDRI, Karnal 340+ / 600 298–388 Moderate

Safe Score at IARI 2026 for General Category

IARI New Delhi is the most competitive destination under ICAR AIEEA PG and draws applications from across the country. Seats in popular disciplines fill quickly and cutoffs are consistently the highest among the three institutes. Based on 2024–25 trends, a safe score at IARI for general category students is 400 or above out of 600. For the most in-demand disciplines, targeting 420 or above significantly improves your chances.

Discipline at IARI Expected Safe Score — General Category
Genetics and Plant Breeding 420–450 / 600
Plant Pathology 410–442 / 600
Biochemistry 402–440 / 600
Agronomy 400–435 / 600
Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry 390–425 / 600
Agricultural Economics 375–410 / 600

All figures are expected estimates for 2026 based on previous year IARI admission data. Higher scores give you a stronger probability of securing your preferred subject at IARI.


Safe Score at IVRI 2026 for General Category

IVRI Bareilly offers M.V.Sc. and M.Sc. programs in veterinary and animal sciences. Competition is strongest in biotechnology, pharmacology and clinical disciplines. A safe score at IVRI for general category students is 360 or above out of 600, based on 2024–25 IVRI admission trends.

Discipline at IVRI Expected Safe Score — General Category
Animal Biotechnology 380–415 / 600
Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology 370–405 / 600
Veterinary Pathology 360–395 / 600
Veterinary Microbiology 355–390 / 600
Animal Nutrition 340–375 / 600

These are expected estimates for 2026 based on 2024 and 2025 IVRI admission data. Actual cutoffs are published only after the counselling round concludes.


Safe Score at NDRI 2026 for General Category

NDRI Karnal is India’s premier dairy science institution and offers M.Sc. programs in Dairy Technology, Dairy Microbiology, Dairy Chemistry and related fields. Cutoffs here are lower than IARI but have been rising steadily. A safe score at NDRI for general category students is 340 or above out of 600, based on 2024–25 admission trends.

Discipline at NDRI Expected Safe Score — General Category
Dairy Technology 350–385 / 600
Dairy Microbiology 342–378 / 600
Animal Biotechnology (NDRI) 345–382 / 600
Dairy Chemistry 330–368 / 600
Livestock Production Management 320–358 / 600

NDRI cutoffs have been comparatively stable over the past two years. These are expected estimates for 2026 based on historical NDRI admission data.


Reviewing past cutoff score ranges gives you a reliable benchmark for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 preparation. The table below reflects approximate general category score ranges across IARI, IVRI and NDRI from 2023 to 2025, covering all disciplines from least to most competitive within each institute.

Year IARI — General Category (Score Range) IVRI — General Category (Score Range) NDRI — General Category (Score Range)
2025 378–462 330–408 308–388
2024 368–455 322–398 298–378
2023 362–448 316–390 292–368

Cutoffs have trended upward across all three institutes over this period. The 2026 cutoffs are expected to follow a similar pattern. All figures are based on historical admission data and discipline-wise variations account for the range in each column.


Factors That Affect Your Safe Score in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026

A safe score is not fixed — it shifts each cycle depending on multiple variables. Understanding them helps you interpret the estimates above and plan your target marks more precisely.

  • Total applicant volume: A larger applicant pool pushes cutoffs up across all three institutes. ICAR AIEEA PG has seen growing participation each year.
  • Paper difficulty: A tougher 2026 paper generally lowers raw score cutoffs; an easier paper raises them as more students score high.
  • Seat intake per discipline: IARI offers fewer seats in high-demand subjects, which is the primary reason its safe score benchmark is the highest of the three institutes.
  • Discipline popularity: Subjects like Genetics, Biochemistry and Animal Biotechnology consistently attract more applicants than Agricultural Extension or Livestock Production Management.
  • Negative marking impact: With –1 per wrong attempt, students who target 80–85% accuracy on 130+ questions outperform those who attempt all 150 questions carelessly.
  • Category reservation: OBC, SC and ST students have reserved seats with lower cutoff thresholds. All safe scores in this article apply only to the general (unreserved) category.

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Safe Score FAQs

Ques. What is the total marks in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?

Ans. ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 carries a total of 600 marks. The paper consists of 150 questions, each carrying 4 marks. There is a negative marking of 1 mark for every incorrect answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.

Ques. What is the safe score for IARI New Delhi in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?

Ans. Based on 2024–25 admission trends, a safe score for general category students at IARI New Delhi is 400 or above out of 600. For highly competitive disciplines like Genetics and Plant Pathology, targeting 420 or above gives a stronger probability of securing admission.

Ques. What is the safe score for IVRI Bareilly in ICAR AIEEA PG 2026?

Ans. A safe score of 360 or above out of 600 is expected for general category students at IVRI Bareilly, based on 2024–25 IVRI admission data. For Animal Biotechnology and Veterinary Pharmacology, aiming for 380 or above improves your chances significantly.

Ques. Is 340 out of 600 enough to get into NDRI Karnal?

Ans. Yes, 340 or above out of 600 is generally considered a safe score for general category students at NDRI Karnal, especially for Dairy Chemistry and Livestock Production Management. For Dairy Technology and Dairy Microbiology, targeting 350 or above offers a stronger safety margin.

Ques. Do OBC and SC/ST students need a different safe score at IARI, IVRI and NDRI?

Ans. Yes. OBC, SC and ST students are admitted through reserved category seats with lower cutoff thresholds under ICAR AIEEA PG. The safe score figures in this article apply only to general category students. Reserved category students typically need 20–60 fewer marks depending on the institute and discipline.

Ques. When is ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 exam date?

Ans. ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is scheduled for July 2, 2026. You can visit the official NTA portal at exams.nta.nic.in/icar for the latest updates on admit card release, exam schedule and result declaration.