ICMR JRF Syllabus 2026: Check Exam Pattern & Subject-wise Syllabus
ICMR JRF Exam 2026 is the first step for admission to the PhD./ Research Program conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research. ICMR JRF Fellowship exam is conducted through the 12 centres such as Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Srinagar and Varanasi once a year.
The total number of questions in the question paper is 150 and candidates need to attempt only 125 questions. ICMR JRF General Aptitude is a compulsory subject and Life sciences or Social sciences are optional subjects. The successful eligible candidates are offered Junior Research Fellowship and placed in medical colleges, hospitals, universities, national laboratories and other institutions of research.
ICMR JRF Exam Pattern 2026: Details
ICMR JRF syllabus is divided into three subjects. However, each candidate is required to attempt only two subjects. The ICMR JRF General Aptitude section is compulsory and candidates need to attempt all 50 questions. Candidates can check the ICMR Previous Papers here.
Candidates must choose between ICMR JRF Life Science and Social Sciences sections which will have 100 questions. Candidates are required to mention their choice of Life Science and Social Sciences in the application form. They need to attempt only 75 questions out of 100 questions from one of these sections. Therefore, the total number of questions in ICMR JRF is 125. Each question carries a weightage of 1 mark and the total marks for the ICMR JRF 2026 exam 125 marks.
The ICMR JRF 2026 exam pattern highlights are given below:
| Details | Features |
|---|---|
| Mode of exam | Online |
| Exam date | once a year in first/second week of July, on a Sunday |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Language options | English only |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Type |
| Number of sections in the question paper | 3 (Compulsory sections- General Aptitude, Optional sections- Life sciences or Social sciences) |
| Total number of questions in the question paper | 150 |
| Total number of questions that need to be attempted | 125 |
| Maximum marks for each section |
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| Marking pattern |
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ICMR JRF Syllabus 2026
University Grants Commission (UGC) prescribes the syllabus of ICMR JRF. The syllabus of ICMR JRF 2026 includes the topics of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. It is divided into three subjects, such as General Aptitude, Life Sciences and Social Sciences.
ICMR JRF Part A Syllabus for General Aptitude and GK
The ICMR JRF Part A consists of 50 questions which are asked from General Science, Statistics, and Measurement. Here is the ICMR JRF Part A Syllabus 2026:
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Common Statistics |
|
| General Knowledge |
|
| Scientific Phenomenon |
|
ICMR JRF Part B Syllabus 2026: Life Sciences
- Microbiology
- Physiology
- Bioinformatics
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Zoology
- Immunology
- Human Biology
- Biotechnology
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Nursing
- Botany
- Environmental Sciences
- Veterinary Science (excluding Agriculture Extension/ Soil Science)
- Bio-Informatics
ICMR JRF Part B Syllabus 2026: Social Sciences
- Social work
- Sociology
- Home sciences
- Health economics
- Anthropology
- Psychology
ICMR JRF Qualifying Marks 2026
Qualifying marks ICMR JRF 2026 is different for different category students.
The final result will be based on the aggregate of 55 % marks obtained in both the sections for General category and OBC and 50% for SC/ST and physically handicapped.
Students must follow the official website for updated information. For better preparation candidates can follow the books like Principles of Biochemistry by Lehninger, Biochemistry by Voet and Voet, Molecular Cell Biology-Lodish, Cell and Molecular Biology by Gerald Karp etc. This article helps you more to prepare for ICMR JRF 2026.
Candidates must go through the syllabus properly. They must keep practising for qualifying ICMR JRF 2022. The ICMR JRF selection process is conducted on basis of the marks obtained in the exam.
ICMR JRF Syllabus 2026 FAQs
Ques: If I am a life science student then, which section I have to attempt in ICMR JRF 2026 exam?
Ans: If you are a life science student then you have to attempt the aptitude section and the life sciences section and fill the details accordingly in the application form.
Ques: How fellowship can be distributed to the qualified students in ICMR JRF 2023 exam?
Ans: A total of 150 Fellowships will be given among which 120 Fellowships would be awarded for work in the field of biomedical sciences which emphasis Life Sciences such as like microbiology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, human biology, bioinformatics, bio-informatics etc. and thirty Fellowships will be given in the social sciences field such as psychology, sociology, home science, statistics, anthropology, social work and Health Economics.
Ques: What are the main topic in the Aptitude Section of the ICMR JRF 2026 exam?
Ans: In ICMR JRF 2023 Aptitude Section contains the topics like Scientific Phenomenon in everyday life, General Knowledge in sciences, and Common Statistics etc.
Ques: What is the qualifying marks for ICMR JRF 2026 exam?
Ans: The qualifying marks for ICMR JRF 2026 exam for the General/EWS/OBC candidate is 55% and for SC/ST/PwD candidate is 50%.
Ques: Are candidates who have a degree in B. Tech/M. Tech in biomedical sciences, B. Pharma/M. Pharma or D. Pharma eligible for the test?
Ans: No, candidates who have a degree in B. Tech/M. Tech in biomedical sciences, B. Pharma/M. Pharma or D. Pharma are not eligible.
Ques: Is there any aggregate marks cut-off for selection?
Ans: The final result will be based on an aggregate of 55% marks obtained in both the Sections for General category and OBC and 50% for SC/ST and PH/VH.
Ques: Can I also apply for other JRF appointments?
Ans: Another 100 candidates would be selected for consideration for positions of JRF under various research projects of ICMR only (subject to fulfilling the conditions for appointment under the projects) for the duration of that project. These JRFs would also be permitted to complete Ph.D. while working in the project, if enrolled. The validity of result will be two years for placement in ICMR funded projects for this category
Ques: What are the main topics in Life Sciences of ICMR JRF 2026 exam?
Ans: The main topics in Life Sciences of ICMR JRF 2026 exam are Microbiology Genetics, Biochemistry, Physiology, Bioinformatics, Molecular biology, Zoology, Botany etc.
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