ICMR Assistant Exam Pattern 2026: CBT, Skill Test and Merit

The ICMR Assistant exam pattern has two stages: a computer-based test (CBT) of 100 objective questions, and a qualifying Computer Proficiency Test for shortlisted candidates. This is the scheme used in the 2025 institute-level notifications of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), whose common CBT was held through C-DAC on 11 and 12 October 2025. Some ICMR Assistant vacancies are also filled through the AIIMS Common Recruitment Examination (CRE), which follows its own pattern.

This page explains both formats, the marking scheme, how the final merit is calculated, and how to use the 90 minutes well. Older pages still show the 2020 pattern of 80 questions in 80 minutes, so use the latest notification as your reference.

Table of Contents

• ICMR Assistant Exam Pattern at a Glance

• Stage 1: Computer-Based Test

• Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

• What the Pattern Means for You

• Stage 2: Computer Proficiency Test

• Final Merit Calculation

• Assistant, UDC and LDC Pattern Compared

• AIIMS CRE Pattern for ICMR Assistant Posts

• Section-wise Question Types

• Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

• Common Mistakes With This Pattern

• Pattern Changes Since 2020

ICMR Assistant Exam Pattern at a Glance

Stage 1: Computer-Based Test

The CBT is common to Assistant, UDC and LDC posts in the 2025 notifications, but the difficulty of questions is set according to each post's qualification. For Assistant, that means graduate level.

Qualifying marks in the CBT

These figures are from the 2025 ICMR-NIE and ICMR-NIN notifications. There are no section-wise qualifying marks, so a weak section does not disqualify you on its own. Each institute's notification is final for its own posts.

Normalisation

When the CBT runs in more than one shift, raw scores are converted to normalised scores. For the October 2025 cycle, ICMR applied the percentile-based normalisation method followed by the National Testing Agency, and shortlisting for the skill test used normalised scores only.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

• Correct answer: plus 1 mark.

• Wrong answer: minus 0.25 marks.

• Unattempted question: no marks and no deduction.

A simple way to see the cost of guessing: if you attempt $c$ correct and $w$ wrong answers, your raw score is $c - 0.25w$. For example, 70 correct and 12 wrong gives $70 - 3 = 67$ marks.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Every section is worth the same: 20 marks each, so a strong Computer Aptitude section is as valuable as a strong Quantitative section and much quicker to build.

• Accuracy beats volume: Four wrong answers cancel one right answer. Attempt a question when you can eliminate at least two options.

• Time is tight: 100 questions in 90 minutes gives you 54 seconds a question on average, so bank time in General Knowledge and Computer Aptitude.

• The skill test is a filter: A high CBT score is wasted if you cannot type 45 words per minute, because the CBT counts only after you qualify Stage 2.

Stage 2: Computer Proficiency Test

Up to 10 candidates per vacancy in each category are called for the Computer Proficiency Test, based on CBT performance.

Practise on a standard keyboard with no auto-correct, because test software does not correct spellings for you.

Final Merit Calculation

In the 2025 institute-level scheme, the CBT score is scaled to 95 marks and post-qualification experience in a government-recognised organisation adds up to 5 marks, for a total of 100.

The final score can be written as $\text{Final} = 0.95 \times \text{CBT score} + \text{Experience marks}$. A fresher who scores 72 in the CBT gets $0.95 \times 72 = 68.4$. A candidate with three years of experience and a CBT score of 70 gets $66.5 + 2 = 68.5$, slightly ahead.

In the official May 2026 merit lists, several waitlisted candidates moved up because of 1 to 3 experience marks, so these marks matter at the margin.

Assistant, UDC and LDC Pattern Compared

ICMR institutes usually notify Assistant posts together with UDC and LDC posts. The CBT is the same in structure, but the skill test, qualifying rules and level differ. Many graduates apply for more than one of these posts, so it helps to see them side by side.

The data comes from the 2025 ICMR-NIRT notification. If you prepare for the Assistant CBT and skill test, you are also ready for the UDC typing test, which has a lower speed requirement.

AIIMS CRE Pattern for ICMR Assistant Posts

ICMR Headquarters placed some Assistant vacancies in CRE-4, conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi. If you apply through a CRE, expect a different format:

The CRE details above are drawn from reporting on the CRE-4 and CRE-5 notices and are indicative. Read the scheme of examination in the CRE notice on the AIIMS exams portal before you prepare: https://www.aiimsexams.ac.in/

Section-wise Question Types

Knowing the usual question types helps you set realistic time targets. The list below is built from the notified topics; the exact mix changes from paper to paper.

How the two stages connect

Computer Aptitude in the CBT tests what you know about software, while the Computer Proficiency Test checks whether you can use it under time pressure. Preparing for the skill test therefore also lifts your CBT score, so treat the two as one block of preparation rather than separate tasks.

Language and mode

The CBT is an online objective test taken at an allotted centre, and the admit card carries the date, shift and reporting time. Check the notification of your cycle for the language of the question paper and choose Hindi or English typing in the skill test as the notification allows.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

• Use two rounds: Answer every quick question first, mark the slow ones, and return only if time is left.

• Do not chase one question: If a question takes more than 90 seconds, mark it and move on.

• Rehearse the order: Try this sequence in full-length mocks.

Exam-day checklist

• Admit card and photo ID: A valid photo admit card is mandatory to enter the CBT, along with an original photo identity proof as listed on the card.

• Reporting time: Reach before the entry closing time printed on the admit card; late entry is not allowed.

• Read the on-screen instructions: Check how to mark for review, how to change an answer and where the timer is before you start.

• Rough sheet use: Write calculations neatly so you can recheck a marked question quickly in the review round.

For the skill test, carry the call letter and documents listed in it, and spend the first minute adjusting the chair, screen and keyboard before typing begins.

Common Mistakes With This Pattern

• Preparing for the wrong pattern: Practising 80-question papers in 80 minutes builds the wrong pace for a 100-question, 90-minute test.

• Over-attempting: Attempting all 100 questions with low accuracy often scores less than 80 careful attempts.

• Ignoring the skill test until the CBT result: The gap between the CBT result and the skill test can be short, and typing speed does not improve in a few days.

• Treating experience marks as minor: In close merit lists, even 1 mark changes ranks, so keep your experience certificates with exact start and end dates ready.

• Assuming every route is identical: Institute-level CBTs and the AIIMS CRE use different marks, splits and qualifying rules, so read each notice separately.

Pattern Changes Since 2020

The 2020 details come from reports of that notification and are shown only for comparison. Older pages may still present them as current, so follow the latest official notification on the ICMR employment page: https://www.icmr.gov.in/employment-opportunities.