ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru Recruitment 2026: Senior Research Fellow, Young Professional and Field Assistant Notification
If you hold a science or agriculture degree and want a central government research project job in Bengaluru, read this carefully. The ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) has released Advt. No. 05/2026/Estt. I with 17 items: Senior Research Fellow, Young Professional II, Young Professional I and Field Assistant. These are central government jobs in a research setting, with monthly pay from Rs 20,000 to Rs 42,000.
You apply by post, not online. Your application must reach the Establishment Section by 25 November 2026, 5:30 PM. Every item is a separate post with its own project and qualification, so pick the item number that matches your degree. This guide gives each item, the pay, the age limit and the exact steps, so you do not miss a rule.
Key Highlights of ICAR-IIHR Recruitment 2026
ICAR-IIHR is a research institute of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research at Hesaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru. These posts are purely temporary, tied to specific projects, and end with the project.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru |
| Advertisement | Advt. No. 05/2026/Estt. I, dated 12 November 2026 |
| Posts | Senior Research Fellow, Young Professional II, Young Professional I, Field Assistant |
| Items | 17 |
| Mode | Offline, application must reach the office |
| Last Date | 25 November 2026, 5:30 PM |
| Selection | Personal interview of shortlisted candidates |
ICAR-IIHR Vacancy Details 2026
The notification prints no grand total. Items 3 to 17 each state 01 post, so 15 posts are specified there. Items 1 and 2 (Senior Research Fellow) print no number of posts. The notice also says vacancies may increase or decrease as per requirement.
| Post | Items | Posts Stated |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Research Fellow | 1, 2, 9, 12, 14 | 01 each for items 9, 12, 14; not stated for 1 and 2 |
| Young Professional II | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 17 | 01 each (10) |
| Young Professional I | 16 | 01 |
| Field Assistant | 15 | 01 |
ICAR-IIHR Eligibility Criteria 2026
The degree must be from an accredited UGC-recognised university. Items marked “desirable” are preferences, not bars. The post graduate items are the majority.
| Item and Post | Project | Essential Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 SRF | NICRA | M.Sc. Agricultural Entomology |
| 2 SRF | NICRA | M.Sc. (Agri.) Crop Physiology or Plant Physiology, or M.Sc. Plant Physiology / Botany with NET |
| 3 YP-II | NICRA | M.Sc. Agriculture in Soil Science / Horticulture |
| 4 YP-II | NICRA | M.Sc. (Agri) Agricultural Microbiology / M.Sc. Microbiology |
| 5 YP-II | NICRA | M.Sc. Genetics & Plant Breeding / Vegetable Sciences / Biotechnology / Crop Physiology |
| 6 YP-II | NICRA | M.Sc. Botany, Plant Physiology / Life Sciences |
| 7 YP-II | NICRA | M.Sc. Horticulture / Agriculture in Vegetable Science, Spice Crops or Genetics & Plant Breeding |
| 8 YP-II | NICRA | M.Sc. Agricultural Economics / Agricultural Extension / Environmental Economics |
| 9 SRF | DST Vigyandhara project (farm women, Karnataka) | M.Sc. (Agricultural Sciences) with NET |
| 10 YP-II | ICAR-CRP on Genomics (okra, custard apple, drumstick) | M.Tech/M.Sc. Bioinformatics or M.Sc. (Agri) Plant Biotechnology |
| 11 YP-II | DUS Testing of China Aster and Chrysanthemum | M.Sc. Floriculture |
| 12 SRF | National Mission on High Yielding Seeds, Bottle Gourd | M.Sc. (Agri./Horti.) Plant Pathology |
| 13 YP-II | DUS guidelines, Teasel Gourd and Spine Gourd | M.Sc. Horticulture / Vegetable Science / Genetics and Plant Breeding |
| 14 SRF | DUS Testing on Tomato, Brinjal, Okra and other vegetables | M.Sc. Horticulture (Vegetable Science) / Genetics and Plant Breeding with NET |
| 15 Field Assistant | DST SCSP project (SC farmers, Karnataka); work place ICAR-NIANP and SRS, ICAR-NDRI | Bachelor’s degree in Science, preferably Agricultural Science |
| 16 YP-I | AINP on Emerging Pests, Plant Virus sub-component | B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Agri./Horticulture) in any branch of Life/Plant Sciences, Biotechnology, Genetics, Biochemistry or Botany |
| 17 YP-II | Main Institute Single Budget | M.Sc. from an ICAR-recognised university in Vegetable Science / Genetics and Plant Breeding / Plant Pathology / Biotechnology |
Item 1 also prints Master’s degree in relevant subject with 4/5 years of Bachelor’s degree. A candidate with a postgraduate degree in Basic Science, a 3-year Bachelor’s and a 2-year Master’s needs NET and 2 years of research experience. Item 12 prints the same NET-plus-two-years rule for a 3-year Bachelor’s with a 2-year Master’s. The degree must come from an accredited, UGC-recognised university.
Several items also ask for experience. Item 6 asks for 3 years of lab work on metabolites and enzymes, item 8 asks for 2 years, item 11 asks for one year of DUS testing experience, and item 15 asks for two years of field work with farmers. Read your own item in the PDF for the full desirable list.
Each item also prints a Desirable Qualification line, such as a Ph.D., a NET or GATE pass, or experience in a named crop or technique. These are preferences, not extra bars, so do not rule yourself out because you lack them. Item 15 says working proficiency in Kannada is desirable, and item 13 says preference will be given to candidates with cucurbit breeding or DUS experience. Where a line is written as “preferably”, treat it that way. The other side matters too: a desirable line is not the requirement, so judge your eligibility by the essential qualification in the table.
Age Limit
| Post | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Senior Research Fellow | 35 years for men, 40 years for women |
| Young Professional I, Young Professional II, Field Assistant | 21 to 45 years |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and check whether you are within the age limit. →
The notification grants no age relaxation to any category and prints no as-on date for age. The application form asks your age on the closing date of the advertisement, so work it out for 25 November 2026.
ICAR-IIHR Salary 2026
| Post | Monthly Pay |
|---|---|
| SRF (items 1, 2, 12) | Rs 37,000 + HRA |
| SRF (item 9) | Rs 42,000 + 27% HRA |
| SRF (item 14) | Rs 37,000 + HRA for the first two years, Rs 42,000 + HRA from the 3rd year |
| Young Professional II | Rs 42,000 (consolidated) |
| Young Professional I | Rs 30,000 (consolidated) |
| Field Assistant | Rs 20,000 + 30% HRA |
These are project posts, so the project end date matters. Items 1 to 8 run up to 31 March 2031, item 16 up to 31 December 2029, items 13 and 15 up to 31 March 2028, item 12 up to 31 August 2027, and the rest up to 31 March 2027. Item 10 is likely to be extended. The scheme period is tentative and may change, there is no liability for absorption, and no TA/DA is paid to SRF and YP candidates for the interview. On joining you must deposit one month’s salary as a refundable Caution Money Deposit.
ICAR-IIHR Selection Process 2026
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screening | Applications are screened and only shortlisted candidates are called |
| Personal interview | Panel / personal interview at the ICAR-IIHR campus, Bengaluru |
| Items 1 to 9 | 15 December 2026 (tentative), from 10:00 AM, report by 8:30 AM |
| Items 10 to 17 | 16 December 2026 (tentative), from 10:00 AM, report by 8:30 AM |
The list of eligible candidates is displayed on the ICAR-IIHR website, and there are no separate call letters. No web address for the list is printed in the notification, so check the official website (link in Essential Links). Wait-listed candidates in the Reserve Panel may be engaged for other projects with approval of the Competent Authority.
How to Apply for ICAR-IIHR Recruitment 2026
Online and email applications are not accepted and are liable to be rejected. Keep your photo, signature and attested copies ready first.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Take the prescribed application format from pages 10 to 12 of the notification PDF |
| 2 | Fill one form for each post. Do not tie two applications together |
| 3 | Write the Item No. and Name of the Post on the form and on the envelope, add the project name, affix a photo and sign |
| 4 | Attach attested copies of qualification, experience and age proof, plus the checklist documents |
| 5 | Send it so that it reaches the Establishment Section, ICAR-IIHR, Hesaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru – 560 089 by 25 November 2026, 5:30 PM |
| 6 | Staff already working at ICAR-IIHR must get a No Objection Certificate from their PI |
The checklist is the application form, SSLC marks card or date of birth proof, SC/ST/OBC certificate if any, degree certificates and marks cards, and the first page of any publications. Post it early, because postal delay is not an excuse the Institute accepts.
These are the lines candidates skip, and each one can end your chance.
| Condition | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Prescribed proforma | An application not in the prescribed proforma, incomplete, unsigned, without the project name, without a photo or without the Item No. is liable to be rejected |
| Item No. on the envelope | The Item No. and name of the post must be on the application and on the envelope, failing which the application is likely to be rejected |
| Online or email | Online applications are liable to be rejected and email applications will not be accepted |
| Late receipt | Applications received after the due date for any reason, including postal delay, will not be entertained |
| Reporting time | Report at the campus by 8:30 AM on your interview date; candidates who are not present on time will not be allowed to attend |
| Original certificates | Candidates without educational qualification certificates in original or provisional will not be allowed to attend the interview |
| Declaration | You declare you were never punished or debarred from Central or State Government, autonomous organisation or ICAR service, and never convicted by a court. False information or ineligibility found at any time invites action against you |
| Joining | Only candidates who can join within one month of the appointment order need apply |
Carry two recent passport size photographs along with your originals.
ICAR-IIHR Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 12 November 2026 |
| Last date, application must reach the office | 25 November 2026, 5:30 PM |
| Interview, items 1 to 9 | 15 December 2026 (tentative) |
| Interview, items 10 to 17 | 16 December 2026 (tentative) |
ICAR-IIHR Application Fee
The notification mentions no application fee, so none is stated here. Do not send any payment with your form unless the official PDF asks for it.
ICAR-IIHR Essential Links
- Download Official ICAR-IIHR Notification PDF (Advt. 05/2026)
- Visit ICAR IIHR Bengaluru Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Karnataka Government Jobs Telegram Channel
If one of the 17 items matches your degree, collect your attested copies this week and send the form so it reaches Bengaluru by 25 November. Do not wait for the last day. For more openings, see Karnataka government jobs and keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in.