ICAR NET (National Eligibility Test) is conducted by ICAR for determining eligibility for appointment as Lecturers/Assistant Professors in agricultural universities and for awarding Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) for postgraduate research in agricultural sciences. Qualifying ICAR NET (Lectureship) certifies you as eligible to apply for assistant professor positions at State Agricultural Universities, Central Agricultural Universities, and ICAR institutes. Candidates who qualify in the top merit category receive ICAR JRF which provides a monthly stipend of Rs. 37,000 (plus HRA) for the first two years of M.Sc. programme, extendable to SRF at Rs. 42,000 for two more years.

ICAR NET consists of 200 objective-type questions to be answered in 120 minutes. The paper has two parts: Part A has 60 questions on Research Methodology, Statistics, and Computer Application, and Part B has 140 questions on the specific agricultural science subject chosen by the candidate. There are 68 subject options ranging from Agronomy, Soil Science, Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology to Entomology, Agricultural Economics, Fisheries Science, Animal Science, and Agricultural Extension. Each correct answer gets +1 mark and each incorrect answer carries -0.5 marks (negative marking). Both parts must be attempted.

ICAR NET offers 68 distinct subject options covering all branches of agricultural sciences. The major subjects with maximum candidates include Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Horticulture, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Animal Nutrition, Animal Genetics and Breeding, Veterinary Medicine, Fisheries Science, Agricultural Engineering (multiple sub-disciplines), and Food Science & Technology. Candidates choose the subject matching their M.Sc. specialisation and are tested on advanced topics in that discipline.

Part A covers Research Methodology, Statistics, and Computer Application. Research Methodology topics include scientific method, hypothesis formulation and testing, experimental designs (CRD, RBD, LSD, Factorial experiments, Split plot, Strip plot, Augmented design), research proposal writing, literature review methods, and ethical considerations in research. Statistics topics include descriptive statistics, probability distributions, parametric and non-parametric tests (t-test, ANOVA, chi-square, correlation, regression), multivariate analysis, and biometrical genetics. Computer topics include database management, statistical software (SPSS, SAS, R), and bioinformatics basics.

ICAR awards approximately 600–700 JRF fellowships annually through ICAR NET, allocated across different agricultural science subjects based on merit and subject demand. The ICAR JRF stipend is Rs. 37,000 per month for two years, extendable to SRF at Rs. 42,000 per month based on performance evaluation. The fellowship also covers a contingency grant of Rs. 15,000 per year for research expenses. Fellows can avail these stipends at any ICAR institute or State Agricultural University. Additionally, ICAR NET Lectureship qualification remains valid for 5 years for job applications but there is no fellowship for lectureship qualification.