ICMR Exams 2023

The Indian Council of Medical Research is the apex body that conducts ICMR Recruitment. It has played a great role in the formulation, coordination, and promotion of Biomedical Research and is a frontrunner in the field. It is one of the oldest as well as largest medical research institutions in the world and is fully funded by the Government of India. The Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health, and Family Welfare all collectively overlook the functioning and operation of ICMR.

ICMR has 26 national institutes in total based on different areas of medical research. These institutes collectively research tuberculosis, leprosy, cholera, diarrhoeal diseases, and viral diseases. Further, they research AIDS, malaria, kala-azar, vector control, nutrition, food & drug toxicology, reproduction, immuno-haematology, oncology, medical statistics, etc. It has 6 regional health centres which focus on research and development around regional health issues. Through these medical centres, ICMR aims to strengthen and generate research capabilities in different areas of the country.

The ICMR Recruitment process is simple. The board tests the candidates on a variety of subjects and after passing this screening test, they are scored and selected through an interview. Candidates are required to pass the screening test first and then the interview. The Council then uploads the final list of candidates on its official website. Candidates can apply for the test through the official website of ICMR and fill in the application form on or before the stipulated dates. ICMR Recruitments is one of the sought-after examinations in the country looked forward to by hundreds of candidates.

Latest News and Updates

• Released – Applications for the post of Scientist C (Medical) and Scientist C (Non-Medical).
• Released – Applications for an ICMR Project Research Scientist – IV.
• Released – Applications for the post of Field Worker.
• Released – Applications for the post of Data Manager for ICMR’s TB Vaccine Trial monitoring project.

The council released notifications for various posts and vacancies all year round which can be accessed through the council’s official website. It provides the starting and ending dates of the application procedure along with a link to the application form.

The council releases the eligibility criteria based on the post for which vacancies are released. Prospective candidates for this exam must keep in mind the basic criteria to qualify for the positions.

The eligibility criteria are as follows:

Educational Qualification

1. Candidates appearing for any and all of the respective posts must have completed their post-graduation degree i.e., they should have an MA or MSc.
2. Candidates who appear for their final semester examination can also apply for the job posts and set their qualifications as results awaited. One of the major reasons why the qualification bar is set to post-graduation is to ensure that the candidates appearing for these posts are highly educated in the field and possess a piece of knowledge about the job.
3. Candidates from the General and OBC Category need a minimum of 55% in their qualifying examination, while candidates from the SC/ST and PwBD categories need a minimum score of 50%.

Age Requirement

1. Candidates from the general category have an upper age limit of 28 years i.e., the candidate should not be older than 28 years as of 30th September 2022. Failing so, they would not be allowed to appear for the exam.
2. Candidates belonging to the OBC category have an age relaxation of 3 years and can appear for the exam till they attain 31 years of age.
3. Candidates belonging to the SC/ST/PwD category have an upper age limit of 33 years, i.e., they get an age relaxation of 5 years.
4. Female candidates appearing for the exam also have an upper age limit of 33 years.

Other Important Criteria

1. ICMR Consultant candidates should have an MBBS with 3 years of experience. They must have a BAMS or BDS with 3 years of experience. Candidates fulfilling either of the two requirements are eligible.
2. ICMR Project Assistant candidates need to be Bio-informatics graduates with 3 years of experience. Moreover, they may have a post-graduation degree in Bioinformatics.
3. Scientist II (non-medical) candidates need to have PhDs in certain fields which are, Sciences/Biomedical Sciences/Molecular, Biology/Bioinformatics, etc. However, they may also need to have 2 years of experience after a PhD.
4. Project Field Worker needs to have a graduation degree in certain fields which are, Nutrition, Sociology, etc. Moreover, they should also have knowledge of local languages.

Candidates should be aware of the ICMR Exam Pattern. Each section will comprise questions from different tops with each section carrying a separate set of marks.

Things to keep in mind about the Exam Pattern are as follows:

1. There will only be a single paper of 150 marks.
2. The questions will be objective type questions in the form of multiple-choice questions.
3. The paper will consist of 80 marks with each question carrying around 0.80 marks.
4. The Council will provide candidates with 120 minutes or 2 hours to complete the entire examination.
5. There is a negative marking in ICMR JRF exams. It will deduct a 0.25 mark for a wrong answer. So, mark your answers wisely.
6. The candidate can attempt the exam only in the English language.
7. The Paper will have 3 Sections, A, B, and C respectively. Section A has 50 marks, and it is a non-optional paper whereas Section B and C both are 100 marks each.
8. Section B is for Life Sciences candidates whereas, Section C is for Social Sciences candidates.

The ICMR syllabus is one of the most important components of the ICMR Recruitment examinations since the syllabus will guide the ICMR candidates regarding what subjects and concepts to study.The general syllabus for the ICMR examination on which the test will be conducted comprises a variety of subjects and topics.

In its entirety, the syllabus deals with Life Sciences and Social Sciences. Subjects under Life Sciences include various topics such as Microbiology, Physiology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Human Biology. Candidates also must prepare for Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Immunology, Biophysics, and Pharmacology. Other important topics include Nursing, Zoology, Environmental Sciences, Botany, and Veterinary Sciences. Thus, this will help test the knowledge of the candidates in these matters. Life Sciences has several sub-topics which include Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work, Home Sciences, and Statistics. Candidates will also be tested on Public Health and Health Economics.

The Council has updated the pay scale through its recent notification released in June 2021. The salary is different for each post. The pay scale for the post of the Junior Research Fellowship starts from Rs. 31,000/-.while the pay scale for the other posts of the ICMR Recruitment 9 Field Workers and B, C, E, F, and G scale scientists) lies between the values of Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 67,000. The ICMR also provides a lot of perks and benefits along with the salary such as allowances like Dearness, House Rent, and Travelling allowances.

The Council usually releases the ICMR JRF Exam result within a span of one to two months from the date of the examination. There is no fixed date regarding the release of the results. However, after analyzing the pattern of the last two years candidates can expect that the result will come out within a span of 1-2 months. The Board will release the results on the official website of the Indian Council of Medical Research. Then, Candidates will need to check the results. Additionally, the Board will release the answer keys in the form of a PDF. Thus, candidates can gauge their possible final results.

Q.1 What is the exam pattern to appear for the ICMR Recruitment Examination?

ANS: The exam pattern of the ICMR Recruitment Service 2022 consists of a computer-based test. The paper consists of 150 marks with 150 questions. The candidates need to answer the questions over a period of 120 minutes or two hours.

Q.2 How can I apply for the ICMR recruitment exam?

ANS: You can apply for the ICMR recruitment examination by visiting the official website of the ICMR. Then, you can fill up the application form and pay the application fee.

Q.3 What are the eligibility criteria for appearing at the ICMR Recruitment examination?

ANS: Candidates appearing for any and all of the respective posts must have completed their post-graduation degree i.e., they should have an MA or MSc.

Candidates who appear for their final semester examination can also apply for the job posts and set their qualifications as results awaited. One of the major reasons why the qualification bar is set to post-graduation is to ensure that the candidates appearing for these posts are highly educated in the field and possess a piece of knowledge about the job.

Candidates from the General and OBC Category need a minimum of 55% in their qualifying examination, while candidates from the SC/ST and PwBD categories need a minimum score of 50%.

Q.4 What is the exam pattern to appear for the ICMR Recruitment Examination?

ANS: The exam pattern of the ICMR Recruitment Service 2022 consists of a computer-based test. The paper consists of 150 marks with 150 questions. The candidates need to answer the questions over a period of 120 minutes or two hours.

Q.5 Is the application fee for all candidates the same for appearing in the ICMR recruitment exam?

ANS: The application fee for the ICMR examination is different for different candidates. The fee structure is different for the reserved and unreserved candidates. Moreover, the detailed fee structure can be found on the official website of the ICMR.

• Rs 1500 – General and OBC candidates
• Rs 1200 for SC/ST candidates
• No fee for PwBD

Q.6 When will the result of the ICMR Recruitment come out?

ANS: The results of the ICMR JRF examinations have no scheduled date for their release. Candidates must check the ICMR official website to stay updated. Moreover, candidates will also receive the result of their interview on post-specific dates.

Q.7 Where can I find the Admit Card for the ICMR Junior Research Fellowship Examination?

ANS: You can find the Admit Card for the ICMR JRF examinations on the official website of ICMR. Also, you can find the Admit Card on the official website 15 days before the exam. Candidates should download it before appearing on the exam.

Q.8 What is the salary structure of the ICMR recruits?

ANS: The salary structure of the ICMR Recruitment posts differs according to different posts. The pay scale for the post of the Junior Research Fellowship starts from 31,000/-. On the other hand, the pay scale for the other post of the ICMR Recruitment lies between the salary range of Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 67,000.

Q.9 When will the ICMR hold the ICMR Junior Research Fellowship Exam?

ANS: The ICMR Junior Research Fellowship exam is going to be held soon. The dates haven’t been declared yet, however, candidates must keep checking the official website to know the exam date.

Q.10 How to crack ICMR JRF 2022?

ANS: Applicants must plan for a schedule to focus on it. They must complete every part of the topic for the examination. Take help of books and study materials from the internet or the market. The candidate can practice from the previous year's question papers to understand the exam pattern.