ICAR Technical Assistant recruitment 2026: 1,393 posts, apply from November 18
By Rhea MalhotraDigital Life Writer, Peepals Yuva
Representative image: felixioncool / Pixabay
ASRB has notified 1,393 ICAR T-3 and T-4 technical posts; online applications on asrb.gov.in run from 18 November to 17 December 2026.
What Happened
The Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) has notified 1,393 vacancies for Technical Assistant (T-3) and Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) posts in Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, through its Centralized Combined Examination 2026. The notification was released on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, according to recruitment listings, and online applications will open on Wednesday, 18 November 2026 and close at 11:59 pm on Thursday, 17 December 2026, on asrb.gov.in, according to the official notice.
Key Facts
- Total vacancies: 1,393, which the notice describes as tentative.
- Technical Assistant (T-3): 1,254 posts in ICAR institutes, at Pay Level 5 (Rs 29,200 to Rs 92,300).
- Senior Technical Assistant (T-4): 139 posts in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), at Pay Level 6 (Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400).
- Applications: online only on asrb.gov.in, from 18 November 2026 to 17 December 2026 (11:59 pm).
- Selection: a computer-based preliminary exam of 100 objective questions in one hour, which is qualifying only, followed by a computer-based main exam; there is no interview.
- Candidates may apply for T-3, T-4 or both, but only for one functional group or subgroup.
- Eligibility details are in Annexure VIII of the notification; the fee table should be checked in the official PDF.
Why It Matters
ICAR runs a nationwide network of agricultural research institutes, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras are its farm science centres in districts across India, where scientists and technical staff test and demonstrate new crop varieties and methods for farmers. Technical assistants keep this system running: they handle field trials, laboratories, farms, equipment and data. A recruitment drive of nearly 1,400 posts in one go is a sizeable opening for graduates and diploma holders in agriculture and allied subjects, as well as other technical fields covered by the functional groups.
For young job seekers, these are central government posts on the 7th Pay Commission pay matrix, with a clear salary band and a selection process that is entirely written. The absence of an interview means the merit list will rest on exam performance. The one-group limit matters: candidates must choose the functional group that best matches their qualification, since they cannot spread their applications across several.
What the reader should do next: read the full notification on asrb.gov.in, check eligibility for the functional group in Annexure VIII and the fee rules, and keep documents ready before the window opens on 18 November.
Peepals calculation: Technical Assistant posts make up about 90% of the vacancies (1,254 ÷ 1,393 ≈ 0.90), and Senior Technical Assistant posts about 10%. The starting pay for a T-4 post is Rs 6,200 a month higher than for a T-3 post (35,400 − 29,200), about 21% more (6,200 ÷ 29,200 ≈ 0.21). The application window runs for 30 days, from 18 November to 17 December. Our calculation from the reported figures.
| Post | Vacancies | Pay level | Pay range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Assistant (T-3) | 1,254 | Level 5 | Rs 29,200 to Rs 92,300 |
| Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) | 139 | Level 6 | Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400 |
| Total | 1,393 | | |
Impact
Short-term: Applicants have from 18 November to 17 December 2026 to apply, and coaching and preparation for the preliminary exam will pick up over the coming weeks.
Long-term: Filling technical posts across ICAR institutes and KVKs strengthens the research and extension system that brings new varieties and practices to farmers, and gives successful candidates stable public-sector careers in agricultural science.
Who is affected: Graduates and diploma holders in agriculture and related technical fields, ICAR institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras with vacant technical posts, and farmers who depend on KVK services.
What to watch next: The online application window opens on 18 November 2026 and closes at 11:59 pm on 17 December 2026; ASRB will announce the exam dates separately.
Key Takeaway
ASRB's Centralized Combined Examination 2026 offers 1,393 ICAR technical posts, 1,254 at T-3 and 139 at T-4, with online applications open on asrb.gov.in from 18 November to 17 December 2026.
Questions and Answers
How many vacancies are there in the ICAR Technical Assistant recruitment 2026?
The ASRB notification lists 1,393 tentative vacancies: 1,254 Technical Assistant (T-3) posts and 139 Senior Technical Assistant (T-4) posts.
What are the dates to apply for the ASRB T-3 and T-4 posts?
Online applications open on 18 November 2026 and close at 11:59 pm on 17 December 2026 on asrb.gov.in.
What is the salary for ICAR Technical Assistant posts?
T-3 posts are at Pay Level 5 (Rs 29,200 to Rs 92,300) and T-4 posts at Pay Level 6 (Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400).
Is there an interview for the ICAR technical posts?
No. Selection is through a qualifying computer-based preliminary exam and a computer-based main exam, with no interview.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Rhea Malhotra, Digital Life WriterCovers Digital Life and more for Peepals Yuva. All stories by Rhea Malhotra
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Rhea Malhotra is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
