ICAR NET Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme, Time and Strategy

The ICAR NET exam pattern is simple on paper: one online test of 150 objective questions in 2 hours, set from the discipline you choose. The difficulty comes from negative marking, the Master's level of the questions and the short time per question. If you know the numbers well, you can plan how many questions to attempt and where to be careful.

The National Eligibility Test is conducted by the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB). This page explains the pattern, the marking scheme with worked examples, what the numbers mean for your strategy and how NET differs from the other examinations announced in the same notification. Pattern details here follow the ASRB combined notification of 2021 and have stayed stable across cycles, but always confirm them in the latest notification.

Table of Contents

ICAR NET exam pattern at a glance

Stage and structure

One paper in one discipline

NET has a single stage. You attempt one paper, set from the discipline you selected in the application form. There is no separate general section, so the entire paper tests your subject.

Mode and language

The paper is delivered on a computer at an exam centre. Questions are available in English and Hindi, so you can read the language you are more comfortable with. Technical terms may still appear in English, so be familiar with both forms of key terms from your subject.

No later stage

Once you qualify, there is no interview or further screening for NET itself. Your result is a pass or fail against the qualifying marks. Any later selection for a teaching post is done separately by the university that recruits you.

Marking scheme and negative marking

Each correct answer earns one mark. Each wrong answer costs one-third of a mark. Questions you leave unanswered carry no penalty. The notification also states that fractions are not rounded, so a score such as 84.33 stays as it is.

Worked examples

The table below shows how attempts and accuracy turn into a final score. The qualifying standard for unreserved candidates in earlier notifications has been 75 marks, so the examples compare against that figure.

The examples show a useful pattern: attempting more questions does not help if accuracy drops. A candidate who attempts 100 questions with 85 correct scores higher than one who attempts 120 with 70 percent accuracy.

What the pattern means for you

• Time per question: 120 minutes for 150 questions gives about 48 seconds each. Recall questions should take 15 to 20 seconds, which leaves time for numerical and application questions.

• Cost of a wrong guess: One wrong answer cancels one-third of a correct answer. Guessing is only worthwhile when you can remove at least one option with confidence.

• Accuracy target: Aim for at least 80 percent accuracy on the questions you attempt in mock tests, and treat that as your working benchmark.

• Single-subject depth: Because the whole paper is your discipline, broad coverage of the syllabus matters more than mastering a few units.

• Category margin: Qualifying marks differ by category, so work out your own target and add a margin instead of aiming for the bare minimum.

Qualifying standard

NET is a qualifying test, not a ranked one. Earlier notifications set the minimum marks out of 150 as follows, and the board reserved the right to revise them in any discipline.

Some third-party pages place EWS with OBC. The 2021 notification treated EWS candidates at the unreserved standard, so verify your category in the current notification. For more on benchmarks, see the ICAR NET cut-off page.

NET compared with ARS, SMS and STO

ASRB announces NET along with recruitment examinations for Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) and Senior Technical Officer (STO) posts. The structures are different, and mixing them up is common.

The later stages of the recruitment examinations, such as the descriptive mains for ARS and the interview, are set out in each year's notification. Read that notification if you plan to apply for both. Older pages may still show an outdated pattern, so follow the official notification.

Time management in the exam

A three-round approach

1. Round one, first 60 minutes: Answer every question you can solve quickly and confidently. Mark the ones you skip.

2. Round two, next 40 minutes: Return to marked questions, starting with those where you can remove two options.

3. Round three, last 20 minutes: Review numerical answers, then decide on any remaining guesses.

Common slips

• Spending too long on one numerical: Move on after about 90 seconds and return later.

• Changing answers without a reason: Change an answer only when you spot a clear mistake.

• Ignoring the question language: If a Hindi or English version seems ambiguous, read the other version before answering.

Practising in the real format

The best way to learn this pattern is to sit it repeatedly under the same conditions. For timed practice in a 150-question, 2-hour format, you can attempt online tests on Testkart as they become available for this exam, and use the section-wise and accuracy analysis to decide what to revise. Keep an error log, and compare each full-length attempt with the last one on accuracy, attempts and time per question.

For the official notification and latest changes, visit the ASRB website.