ASRB-SUBJECT MATTER SPECIALIST (SMS) (T-6) and SENIOR TECHNICAL OFFICER (STO)

 SMS (T-6) Examination is a direct recruitment examination for the post of Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) (T-6) at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under the administrative control of ICAR.

 STO (T-6) Examination is a direct recruitment examination for the post of Senior Technical Officer (STO) (T-6) at ICAR Hqrs and its Research Institutes.

The candidates desirous of appearing for this examination for recruitment to the post of SMS (T-6) or STO are required to take the online (CBT) SMS (T-6) or STO Examination and the Interview. Candidates declared successful in the online examination and interview will be recommended for appointment as Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) (T-6) or STO of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in the Pay Band – 3 of ₹ 15,600 – 39,100 with GP of ₹ 5400/- (revised Pay Level 10 - ₹ 56,100 – 1,77,500 of the 7th CPC), based on the choice of ‘Location of KVK with Institute’ opted while filling the online application. Only those candidates, who qualify the online (CBT) examination as per prescribed standards, will be shortlisted for Interview in the ratio of 1:5 i.e. 5 candidates for one post, in order of merit.

Vacancies for SMS (T-6) and STO

The number of vacancies for the posts of Subject will be declared by ASRB along with the application form, the candidates can include the preference of ‘Location of KVK with Institute’ or preference of institute in the online application form. The preference, once submitted, shall not be changed under any circumstances.

General information about the exam

Mode of Exam: Online and LAN Based CBT (Computer Based Test) followed by Interview

Number of questions: 150 (only one paper)

Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours)

Type of questions: Multiple Choice Questions with 4 options

Medium of paper: English and Hindi only

Scoring: 150 marks

• 1 mark for each correct response

• 1/3 mark for each incorrect response (negative scoring)

• 0 for non-attempt

Interview: 30 marks

Age limit: : Minimum- 21 years

Maximum- 35 years (There will be no age-limit for the employees of ICAR)

The upper age limit prescribed above will also be relaxable:-

 Upto a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to SC or ST.

 Upto a maximum of 3 years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates, i.e. Non-creamy layer.

 For Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates, the upper age limit will be relaxable upto a maximum of 10 years. Candidates belonging to SC, ST and OBC who are also covered under the PwBD category will be eligible for grant of cumulative age relaxation under both of their respective categories.

 Up to a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st day of December 1989.

 To other bonafide displaced persons/repatriates of Indian origin / Defence Services Personnel/Border Security Force Personnel etc. as per the existing instructions of the Government of India on the subject.

 (vi) In terms of ICAR’s Circular No. 19(25)/2011-E.IV dated 12.12.2011 & 24.01.2012, all the RAs/ SRFs who have been engaged on contractual basis in different Institutes as on date are eligible for relaxation in the upper age limit to the extent of their spell they were actually engaged as RAs/ SRFs in different ICAR projects (subject to a maximum of 16 years 3 months). Such engagement should be continuous without a break of more than six months for getting engaged in other projects of the ICAR.

No of attempts: : No restriction on the number of attempts.

Syllabus: Syllabus for SMS (T-6) and STO is common with that of NET Disciplines- http://www.asrb.org.in/9-syllabus/27-syllabus

Discipline	Educational Qualifications
Agricultural Biotechnology	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Biotechnology/ Molecular Biology & Biotechnology/ Genetic Engineering/ Botany/ Plant Sciences/ Life Sciences/Plant Physiology with specialization in Plant Biotechnology.
Agricultural Entomology	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Entomology/ Zoology/ Sericulture/ Apiculture/ Plant Protection with specialization in Agricultural Entomology.
Agricultural Microbiology	Master’s degree in Agricultural Microbiology /Microbiology/Plant Physiology.
Economic Botany & Plant Genetic Resources	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Botany/ Horticulture/Plant Physiology with specialization in Agricultural Botany/ Economic Botany/ Plant Genetic Resources.
Genetics & Plant Breeding	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Agricultural Botany/ Plant Breeding or Genetics or Genetics and Plant Breeding/Plant Physiology/Plant Genetic Resources.
Nematology	Master’s degree in Agriculture /Nematology/ Entomology/ Plant Pathology/ Zoology/ Plant Protection with specialization in Nematology.
Plant Biochemistry	Master’s degree in Plant Biochemistry/ Agricultural Biochemistry/ Biochemistry with specialization in plants.
Plant Pathology	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Botany/ Life Sciences/ Plant Protection with specialization in Plant Pathology/ Mycology.
Plant Physiology	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Plant Physiology/ Botany with specialization in Plant Physiology.
Seed Science & Technology	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Seed Science/ Seed Technology or Seed Science and Technology/Plant Physiology.
Floriculture & Landscaping	Master’s degree in Floriculture/ Agriculture or Horticulture /Plant Genetic Resources with specialization in Floriculture and Landscaping/ Post Harvest Technology (Horticulture).
Fruit Science	Master’s degree in Pomology/ Agriculture or Horticulture/Plant Genetic Resources with specialization in Fruit Sciences/ Post Harvest Technology (Horticulture).
Spices, Plantation & Medicinal & Aromatic Plants	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Horticulture/ Botany /Plant Genetic Resources with specialization in Spices/ Plantation Crops and/ or in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants/ Post Harvest Technology (Horticulture).
Vegetable Science	Master’s degree in Olericulture/ Vegetable Sciences/ Agriculture or Horticulture/Plant Genetic Resources with specialization in Vegetable Sciences/ Post Harvest Technology (Horticulture).
Animal Biochemistry	Master’s degree in Veterinary/ Animal Sciences/ Dairy/ Fisheries Science with specialization in Biochemistry.
Animal Biotechnology	Master’s degree in Veterinary/ Animal/ Fisheries Science with specialization in Biotechnology.
Animal Genetics & Breeding	Master’s degree in Veterinary/Animal Sciences with specialization in Animal Genetics and Breeding.
Animal Nutrition	Master’s degree in Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Animal Nutrition.
Animal Physiology	Master’s degree in Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Animal Physiology.
Animal Reproduction & Gynaecology	Master’s degree in Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Animal Reproduction and Gynaecology.
Dairy Chemistry	Master’s degree in Dairy Chemistry/ Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Dairy Chemistry.
Dairy Microbiology	Master’s degree in Dairy Microbiology/ Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Dairy Microbiology.
Dairy Technology	Master’s degree in Dairy Technology or Dairy Science/ Animal Products Technology/Food Technology with specialization in Dairy Technology.
Livestock Product Technology	Master’s degree in Veterinary/Animal Sciences with specialization in Livestock Products Technology.
Livestock Production Management	Master’s degree in Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Livestock Production Management/ Animal Husbandry.
Poultry Science	Master’s degree in Poultry Sciences/ Veterinary/ Animal Sciences with specialization in Poultry Sciences.
Veterinary Medicine	Master’s degree in Veterinary Medicine/ Veterinary Preventive Medicine/ Veterinary Clinical Medicine.
Veterinary Microbiology	Master’s degree in Veterinary Sciences with specialization in Microbiology/ Bacteriology/ Virology/ Mycology/ Immunology.
Veterinary Parasitology	Master’s degree in Veterinary Parasitology.
Veterinary Pathology	Master’s degree in Veterinary Pathology.
Veterinary Pharmacology	Master’s degree in Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology/Veterinary Pharmacology.
Veterinary Public Health	Master’s degree in Veterinary Public Health/ Epidemiology.
Veterinary Surgery	Master’s degree in Veterinary Surgery/Veterinary Anatomy.
Aquaculture	Master’s degree in Aquaculture/ Fishery Sciences/ Marine Biology/ Aquatic Biology with specialization in Mariculture/ Aquatic Environmental Management/ Aquatic Ecology/ Inland Aquaculture.
Fisheries Resource Management	Master’s degree in Fishery Sciences/Fisheries Resource, Management/ Marine Biology/Aquatic Environmental Management/ Aquatic Biology/Industrial Fisheries with specialization in Fisheries Resource Management/ Fish Population Dynamics/ Fishery Hydrography/ Ecosystem Management/ Aquatic Ecology.
Fish Processing Technology	Master’s degree in Fishery Sciences/ Fish Processing Technology/Post Harvest Technology/ Industrial Fisheries with specialization in Fish Harvest and Processing.
Fish Nutrition	Master’s degree in Fishery Sciences with specialization in Fish Nutrition and Fish Physiology/ Feed Technology/ Fish Nutrition and Biochemistry.
Fish Health	Master’s degree in Fishery Science/ Marine Biology with specialization in Fish Health/ Fish Pathology and Microbiology.
Fish Genetics & Breeding	Master’s degree in Fishery Science/ Marine Biology with specialization in Fish Genetics and Breeding/ Fish Biotechnology.
Agricultural Chemicals	Master’s degree in Agriculture/ Agricultural Chemicals/ Organic Chemistry with specialization in Agricultural Chemicals.
Agricultural Meteorology	Master’s degree in Agricultural Meteorology/ Agricultural Physics with specialization in Agricultural Meteorology.
Agroforestry	Master’s degree in Forestry/ Agroforestry/ Botany/ Agronomy/Horticulture with specialization in Agroforestry.
Agronomy	Master’s degree in Agriculture with specialization in Agronomy/Soil Water Management/ Conservation Agriculture/ Farming Systems Management/ Forage Production/ Water Science and Technology.
Environmental Science	Master’s degree in Environmental Science/Agro- forestry/ Agriculture Physics/ Agriculture with specialization in Environmental Science.
Soil Sciences	Master’s degree in agriculture/ Soil Sciences/ Agricultural Chemistry/ Agricultural Physics with specialization in Soil Physics and Soil and Water Conservation/ Soil Fertility/Soil Microbiology/ Soil Chemistry/ Water Science and Technology.
Agricultural Business Management	Master’s degree in Agricultural Business Management/ Agricultural Marketing/ Business Management with specialization in Agricultural Business/ Fisheries Business Management.
Agricultural Economics	Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics/ Dairy Economics/ Veterinary Economics/ Fisheries Economics with specialization in Agriculture.
Agricultural Extension	Master’s degree in Agricultural Extension/ Veterinary Extension/ Dairy Extension/ Fisheries Extension/ Home Science Extension/ Agriculture Communication in Agricultural Sciences/ Rural Development/ Rural Management.
Agricultural Statistics & Informatics	Master’s degree in Agricultural Statistics / Computer Application in Agriculture / Bioinformatics / Statistics with specialization in Agriculture.
Home Science	Master’s degree in Home Science with specialization in Family Resource Management/ Textile and Clothing/Child Development/ Foods and Nutrition.
Farm Machinery & Power	Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering/ Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Farm Machinery and Power.
Agricultural Structures & Environmental Management	Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering with specialization in Agriculture Structures/ Aquaculture Engineering/Agricultural Process Engineering/Post Harvest Technology.
Land & Water Management Engineering	Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering/ Civil Engineering with specialization in Soil and Water Conservation/ Irrigation and Drainage/ Water Resources/ Hydrology/ Aquatic Engineering/Water Science and Technology.
Agricultural Process Engineering	Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering with specialization in Agricultural Process Engineering/ Food Process Engineering/ Dairy Engineering/ Post Harvest Technology/Agriculture Structures.
Food Technology	Master's degree in food science/ food technology/ food science and technology/ Post Harvest Technology.
Veterinary Anatomy	Master’s degree in Veterinary Anatomy

Nationality:

A candidate must be either:-

(i) a citizen of India, or

(ii) a citizen of Nepal, or

(iii) a citizen of Bhutan, or

(iv) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

(v) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Application Fee:

Category	Application fee
General (unreserved)	INR 1000
OBC	INR 500
Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST)/ PwBD /Women	NIL

Interview for SMS (T-6) or STO:

The candidates will be interviewed by a Board of competent and unbiased experts in the respective disciplines, who will have before them a record of his/her career. The object of the interview is to assess his/her suitability for the post for which he/she has competed. The interview is intended to supplement the written examination for testing the general and specialized knowledge and abilities of the candidate. The candidate will be expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in his/her own state or country, but also in modern current of thought and in new discoveries, which should rouse the curiosity of well-educated youth.

The Board will pay special attention to assess the intellectual curiosity, critical powers of assimilation, balance of judgment and alertness of mind, the ability for social cohesion, integrity of character, initiative and capacity for leadership and scientific research.

Minimum marks required for qualifying SMS (T-6) or STO Examination (Ref-2023)

Category of candidate	Minimum qualifying marks
Un-reserved(UR)	75.0 (50%)
OBC/ EWS	67.5 (45%)
SC / ST/ PwBD	60.0 (40%)

Roopa M N
MSc Scholar, Genetics

ICAR-IARI, New Delhi

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