ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Safe Score for OBC, SC and ST: Expected Qualifying Marks

The ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 safe score for OBC students is expected to be 310–370 out of 600, while SC students may need 260–320 and ST students 240–290 to secure admission comfortably.

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is conducted by NTA for admission to M.Sc. and other postgraduate programs at ICAR-affiliated universities. The exam carries a total of 600 marks across 150 questions, with +4 for each correct answer and ?1 for each wrong answer. The result is expected on July 2, 2026. Knowing the category-wise safe score now helps you judge your chances and plan your counselling strategy before seat allotment begins.

• Total Marks: 600 (150 questions × 4 marks each)
• General / EWS minimum qualifying marks: 300 out of 600 (50%)
• OBC-NCL minimum qualifying marks: 270 out of 600 (45%)
• SC / ST / PwD minimum qualifying marks: 240 out of 600 (40%)
• Safe scores are higher than minimum qualifying marks and reflect actual admission closing scores from 2023–2025 trends.
• All safe score figures below are expected projections based on previous year data and will be confirmed after the official 2026 result.

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What Is a Safe Score in ICAR AIEEA PG?

A safe score is the marks threshold above which a student has a high probability of being called for counselling and securing a seat at one of the ICAR-affiliated universities. It is different from the minimum qualifying mark, which is the bare-minimum score ICAR sets for eligibility. Scoring only at the qualifying mark does not guarantee admission — you need to clear the actual closing score of your category, which is what the safe score represents.

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 is a 600-mark exam. Students who score at or above the expected safe score band for their reservation category are strongly placed to receive a counselling call. Students just above the qualifying mark may still get admission in less competitive disciplines or colleges, depending on seat availability.

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Category-wise Expected Safe Score for ICAR AIEEA PG 2026

The table below shows the expected safe score range for each category, based on 2023–2025 closing score trends. These are projections and will be officially confirmed once the 2026 result and cutoffs are released.

Students aiming for top-ranked programs at IARI New Delhi or NDRI Karnal should target the upper end of the safe score band for their category. The figures above are based on 2024–2025 trends and may shift depending on exam difficulty and total applicant volume in 2026.

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Previous Year ICAR AIEEA PG Qualifying Marks Trends

The table below tracks how category-wise closing scores have moved over the last three exam cycles. This is the strongest available indicator of what the 2026 safe score will look like.

Closing scores have risen steadily each year, reflecting increasing competition for postgraduate agricultural seats. OBC students should target at least 320 marks in 2026 to hold a buffer above the expected qualifying threshold and maximise their counselling options.

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How ICAR AIEEA PG Marks Are Calculated

You can estimate your likely score as soon as the answer key is published, using the marking scheme below.

Score formula: (Correct answers × 4) ? (Wrong answers × 1)

Example: If you attempted 110 questions, got 90 correct and 20 wrong — your score = (90 × 4) ? (20 × 1) = 360 ? 20 = 340 marks. For an OBC student, this falls within the expected safe score range of 310–370 and would make you competitive for most programs.

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Factors That Affect the ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Safe Score

The safe score is not a fixed number and can shift each year based on several variables:

• Exam difficulty: A tougher paper lowers average marks across the board, which can bring the safe score threshold down for all categories.
• Total applicants: Higher participation raises competition and tends to push closing scores upward.
• Seat intake: Any expansion in seats at ICAR universities or the addition of new programs can lower the minimum score needed for admission.
• Reservation norms: ICAR follows central government quotas — 27% for OBC, 15% for SC and 7.5% for ST — which determines the size of each category pool and directly influences how far closing scores can fall.
• Discipline-specific demand: Highly sought-after specialisations such as Plant Biotechnology or Animal Genetics and Breeding may carry higher effective safe scores than less competitive streams.
• NTA normalization: If the exam is held across multiple shifts, NTA applies score normalization to equate difficulty levels. This can raise or lower your effective marks relative to the raw score.