ICAR Begins 2025-26 Counselling for UG Agriculture Courses Using CUET-UG Scores

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has officially launched its online counselling process for undergraduate agriculture courses for the academic year 2025–26. The counselling, which commenced on September 2, will run until September 8, offering eligible candidates the opportunity to register, provide consent, and secure merit-based admission into a wide range of agriculture and allied science programs across India.

Counselling Based on CUET-UG 2025 Scores

This year, ICAR is using CUET-UG 2025 scores as the basis for admissions into 13 undergraduate degree programs in agriculture and allied fields. These include:

• B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture
• B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture
• B.F.Sc. Fisheries Science
• B.Sc. (Hons.) Agribusiness Management
• B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering
• B.Tech. in Dairy Technology
• B.Tech. in Food Technology
• B.Tech. in Biotechnology
• And other related science programs (excluding veterinary sciences)

Eligible candidates are those who appeared in CUET-UG 2025 with subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and Agriculture (or Inter-Agriculture).

7,325 Seats Under All India Quota (AIQ)

According to the ICAR bulletin, a total of 7,325 AIQ seats will be filled through this counselling process. These seats span across various agricultural disciplines, with some programs seeing significantly higher demand and seat availability. For example:

• B.F.Sc. (Fisheries Science) has the highest number of seats at 2,159.
• B.Sc. (Hons.) Sericulture has the lowest, with only 17 seats.

This is a notable increase from last year’s 5,842 seats, reflecting the growing interest in agricultural education and the expansion of available programs and institutions.

Institutions Participating in ICAR Counselling

Through this centralised counselling system, ICAR will fill:

• 20% of All India Quota (AIQ) seats in 63 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)
• 100% of seats in key Central Agricultural Universities and Deemed Universities under ICAR
• AIQ seats in four Central Universities with agriculture faculties

Key Institutions under 100% ICAR Seat Allocation:

1. Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University (RLBCAU) – Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
2. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) – Samastipur, Bihar
3. ICAR – National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) – Karnal, Haryana
4. ICAR – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) – Jharkhand and Assam campuses

Central Universities Participating in ICAR Counselling (AIQ Seats):

• Banaras Hindu University (BHU) – Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 15% AIQ seats
• Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) – Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh – 5% AIQ seats
• Visva-Bharati University – Santiniketan, West Bengal – 15% AIQ seats
• Nagaland University – Medziphema, Nagaland – 20% AIQ seats

Counselling Process and Registration Details

ICAR has clarified that only candidates with ICAR rankings will be eligible to submit their program and university preferences and proceed with payment of counselling fees. The counselling process will include:

• Online registration and submission of preferences between September 2–8
• Consent-based merit ranking using CUET-UG 2025 scores
• Further rounds of seat allotment and admission depending on availability and preferences

A notice issued by ICAR on Monday reiterated that only ranked candidates will be able to complete these steps and proceed with admissions in agriculture and allied subjects.

Impact of Delay in Counselling

The 2025 ICAR counselling began almost two months after the CUET-UG 2025 results were declared on July 4. This delay had sparked considerable anxiety among students and parents, especially as state-level counselling processes had already concluded, and peers had begun academic sessions.

As reported by Hindustan Times on August 27, the lag in initiating ICAR counselling left thousands of aspirants uncertain about their academic futures. The prolonged admission timeline also raised concerns among faculty members at agricultural universities, who warned that a delayed start could compress the academic calendar, leaving less time for classroom instruction and practical training—both critical components in agriculture education.

In contrast, last year’s ICAR counselling process began on August 7, just 10 days after CUET-UG 2024 results were announced on July 28, showcasing a more efficient turnaround.

Looking Ahead

With the counselling now underway, students aspiring to build careers in agriculture and allied sciences finally have a clear path forward. The use of CUET-UG for centralised admissions streamlines the process and brings transparency to seat allocation in some of the most reputed agricultural institutions in the country.

However, the concerns raised by the delay cannot be overlooked. ICAR and related agencies may need to evaluate and streamline future counselling timelines to prevent academic disruptions and ensure students have adequate time for coursework and field training.

For now, aspirants are advised to promptly register on the ICAR counselling portal, submit their choices carefully, and monitor all official updates to stay on track with the admission process.

Conclusion:

The launch of ICAR’s UG counselling for 2025–26 marks a significant milestone for agriculture education in India. With more than 7,000 seats available across top universities and a wide array of programs on offer, students have a robust platform to pursue their ambitions in agriculture, food technology, and related sciences. Despite the initial delay, the centralized admission process promises to deliver a fair and merit-based outcome for all candidates.