ICAR Assistant Grade Examination

(I) Scheme of Examination:-

(A) ICAR Assistant Grade (Preliminary) Examination: -

PART Subject No. of Max. Marks Duration

Questions
A General Intelligence and 25 50 1.00 Hours
Reasoning
B General Awareness 25 50 (1 hours and 20 minutes
C Quantative Aptitude 25 50 for the candidates eligible
D English Comprehension 25 50 for scribe.)

(B) ICAR Assistant Grade (Main) Examination:-

Paper Subject No. of Questions Max. Duration
No. Marks
I Quantitative Abilities 50 100 2 Hours
(Objective Type)
English Language & 100 100 (2 hours and 40 minutes for
Comprehension (Objective Type) the candidates eligible for
scribe.)
II Descriptive Paper in English or Hindi 100 1 Hours
(Writing of Essay/ Precis/ Letter/ Application etc.)
(1 hours and 20 minutes for
the candidates eligible for
scribe.)

i. Preliminary and Mains Examinations (Paper – I) will consist of Objective Type, Multiple choice questions. The
questions will be set both in English & Hindi except for English Comprehension in Preliminary and Main
Examinations (Paper – I).

ii. The Preliminary Exam and Paper – I of the Main Examination will be conducted in online mode and Paper – II of
the Main examination will be conducted in offline mode.
iii. In Preliminary Examination, there will be negative marking of 1/3rdfor each wrong answer.

iv. There will be negative marking of 1/3rd for each wrong answer in Paper – I of the Main Examination.

v. The Paper-II of the Mains Examination will have the option of answering the full paper either in Hindi or in English.
No marks will be awarded for answering Part paper in Hindi and part paper in English.

vi. In Paper-II of the Mains Examination, candidates must write their correct Roll Number at the prescribed places on
the cover page of the Answer Book. Candidates must also affix signature and Left-hand Thumb Impression in the
relevant columns in the Answer Book. Answer Books not bearing Roll Number, Signature and Left-hand Thumb
Impression shall be awarded zero marks.

vii. Candidates must not write any personal identity e.g. name, roll number, mobile number, address, etc. inside the
Answer Book (Paper – II of the Mains Examination). Failure to adhere to these instructions will be treated as unfair
means (UFM) and such candidates will be awarded zero marks and their candidature will be rejected.

(II) Skill Test:

i. The Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) will be held, comprising of three modules: (i) Word Processing, (ii) Spread
Sheet and (iii) Generation of Slides.

ii. Duration of each module will be 15 minutes. These modules will be conducted one after the other.

iii. The CPT will be conducted in the manner decided by the ICAR for the purpose. CPT is qualifying in nature and
qualifying in all the three Modules will be mandatory.

iv. No exemption from CPT is allowed for any category of PwD candidates. PwD candidates who are eligible for
scribes as per the instructions of the Examination will be allowed additional compensatory time of 5 (five) minutes
in CPT. Only those VH candidates who opt for scribes in the written examination will be provided passage reader
at the time of CPT.
 v. Detailed instructions regarding CPT will be provided by IARI to the eligible candidates.

The questions in Parts A, B, & D will be of a level commensurate with the essential qualification viz. Graduation and
questions in Part-C will be of 10thstandard level.

Indicative Syllabus for Assistant Grade (Preliminary) Examination:

(A) General Intelligence & Reasoning: It would include questions of both verbal and non-verbal type. This component
may include questions on analogies, similarities and differences, space visualization, spatial orientation, problem
solving, analysis, judgment, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts,
arithmetical reasoning and figural classification, arithmetic number series, non-verbal series, coding and decoding,
statement conclusion, syllogistic reasoning etc. The topics are, Semantic Analogy, Symbolic/ Number Analogy,
Figural Analogy, Semantic Classification, Symbolic/ Number Classification, Figural Classification, Semantic
Series, Number Series, Figural Series, Problem Solving, Word Building, Coding & de-coding, Numerical
Operations, symbolic Operations, Trends, Space Orientation, Space Visualization, Venn Diagrams, Drawing
inferences, Punched hole/ pattern- folding & un-folding, Figural Pattern-folding and completion, Indexing, Address
matching, Date & city matching, Classification of centre codes/ roll numbers, Small & Capital letters/ numbers
coding, decoding and classification, Embedded Figures, Critical thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Social
Intelligence.

(B) General Awareness: Questions in this component will be aimed at testing the candidates’ general awareness of the
environment around him and its application to society. Questions will also be designed to test knowledge of current
events and of such matters of every day observations and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected
of any educated person. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries
especially pertaining History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Policy & Scientific Research.

(C) Quantitative Aptitude: The questions will be designed to test the ability of appropriate use of numbers and number
sense of the candidate. The scope of the test will be computation of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and
relationships between numbers, Percentage. Ratio & Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest, Profit and Loss,
Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time & Work, Basic algebraic
identities of School Algebra & Elementary surds, Graphs of Linear Equations, Triangle and its various kinds of
centres, Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a
circle, common tangents to two or more circles, Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism,
Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right
Pyramid with triangular or square base, Trigonometric ratio, Degree and Radian Measures, Standard Identities,
Complementary angles, Heights and Distances, Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar diagram & Pie chart.

(D) English Comprehension: Candidates’ ability to understand correct English, his/ her basic comprehension and
writing ability, etc. would be tested.

Indicative Syllabus for Assistant Grade (Mains) Examination:

Paper-I
(i) Quantitative Abilities: The questions will be designed to test the ability of appropriate use of numbers and number
sense of the candidate. The scope of the test will be the computation of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and
relationships between numbers, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest, Profit and Loss,
Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time & Work, Basic algebraic identities
of School Algebra & Elementary surds, Graphs of Linear Equations, Triangle and its various kinds of centres,
Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle,
common tangents to two or more circles, Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right
Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid
with triangular or square base, Trigonometric ratio, Degree and Radian Measures, Standard Identities,
Complementary angles, Heights and Distances, Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar diagram & Pie chart.

(ii) English Language and Comprehension: Questions in this component will be designed to test the candidate’s
understanding and knowledge of English Language and will be based on spot the error, fill in 21 the blanks,
synonyms, antonyms, spelling/ detecting misspelled words, idioms & phrases, one word substitution, improvement
of sentences, active/ passive voice of verbs, conversion into direct/ indirect narration, shuffling of sentence parts,
shuffling of sentences in a passage, cloze passage & comprehension passage.

Paper-II

Questions in the Paper-II (Writing of Essay/ Precis/ Letter/ Application etc.) will be of Graduation Level.