The Agriculture Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) issued the notification for the Combined ARS Preliminary Examination and National Eligibility Test.

ASRB NET (II) test will be conducted to decide the eligibility for Lecturers/Assistant professors by the State Agriculture Universities (SAUs)/ Agricultural Universities (AUs)

Syllabus of ARS NET exam for prelim
I. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
Part A : (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE)
History of agricultural development in India. Current production utilization and growth trends of
agricultural commodities in India and abroad. Current issues, constraints, mitigation strategies,
developmental programmes, legislations, frontier research areas, infrastructural development,
plant genetics and breeding science developments, genetic engineering, biotechnology and GM
crops. Agricultural microbiology, plant physiology, pest and disease science research and
development. Status of Indian horticulture, fruits, vegetables, floriculture, post –harvest quality
issues, value chain, quality seed production. Seed certification laws, hybrid technology,
quarantine and SPS issues, plant genetic resources, plant variety protection (IPRs). biodiversity
and Nano-biotechnology. Bioinformatics.
Part B :
1. CROP IMPROVEMENT
General Genetics. Mendelian inheritance, Genome organization, cytogenetics, reproductive
systems, plant breeding traditional and contemporary methods. Plant classification, description
and economic use of field crops. Evolution, biometrical and population genetics.
Biotechnological tools for crop improvement, plant genetic resources, regulatory system,
conservation, utilization, crop husbandry, seed biology, seed processing, seed quality control,
seed production methods, seed storage, health, growth of seed industry, seed certification and
seed laws
2. CROP PROTECTION
Pests, diseases and abiotic agents causing losses. Systematics, morphology, embryology,
ecology, toxicology, modern approaches of management of pest and diseases; IPM of important
pests, diseases, nematodes and others organisms attacking crop plants and vectors of plant
diseases. Useful organisms- Honey bees and bee keeping, lack insect and silk worm. mycology
and plant pathology, plant bacteriology, virology, abiotic diseases: diagnostics, epidemiology,
forecasting, principles of plant pathology and diseases management. Plant Nematology: ecology,
techniques, plant–nematode relationships, nematode, physiology, cytology and management,
Pesticides: groups, mode of action, application methods and pesticide interactions. Host plant
resistance and biological control.

3. BASIC PLANT SCIENCES.
Cell organelles, water relations, metabolic processes and growth regulation, crop productivity
and modeling, mineral nutrition, climate and climate change, physiology of flowering,
reproduction, seed, post - harvest physiology, morphogenesis, tissue culture, genetic
transformation, enzymes, vitamins, hormones, cell structure and function, biomolecules,
metabolism, molecular genetics, gene expression, techniques, gene cloning, plant genetic
engineering, molecular markers, genomics, metabolism engineering, gene regulation and related
topics of plant biotechnology, history of microbiology, microbial ecology and physiology, soil
environment microbiology, taxonomy, techniques in microbiology, biofertilizers and microbial
biotechnology, Production of bio-agents and bio-fertilizers.
4. HORTICULTURE.
Fundamentals of horticulture, orchards management, nursery management and seed production.
Breeding of horticultural crops, improvement of fruits and plantation crops. Importance of fruits
and vegetable in human nutrition. Contribution of horticulture in national economy and exports.
Programmes of development, growth and development, physiology of flowering, fruit set and
development, parthenocarpy and seedlessness, maturity and ripening, plant growth regulators
and their role. Importance of vegetables and spices, hybrid seed production, breeding strategies
for vegetables, tuber crops, potato and spices, biotic and abiotic stress breeding, biotechnological
tools for breeding. Micropropagation, meristem culture, ovule culture, in vitro pollination.
Green house management, stionic relations and rootstocks. Protected cultivation for improved
productivity – vegetables and flowers. Floriculture and landscaping, production technology for
indoor plants, flower arrangements, value addition, commercial floriculture, gardening and turf
management, dry flowers and potted plants. Medicinal and aromatic plants of importance and
their management. Importance of post harvest handling in horticultural crops, physiology of
fruits, vegetables and flowers after harvest. Different methods of storage, cool chain
management, processing, packaging, quality assurance, storage management.

II. VETERINARY SCIENCES
Part A: (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE)
Historical developments in veterinary and animal sciences, Role of livestock sector in Indian
agriculture, Current scenario of livestock and poultry production, health and epidemiology of
diseases including emerging and exotic diseases, Knowledge on current issues and development
programmes, Constraints in animal production systems, International organizations, policies and
regulations on animal health, production and trade, Climate change and its effects on animals and
relationship, contemporary advances in research and development : Animal anatomy,
physiology, gynqeacology & obstetrics, veterinary clinical and preventive medicine, surgery &
radiology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, veterinary public health, pathology,
immunology, pharmacology & toxicology, animal ethics & veterinary jurisprudence, animal
production, animal genetics & breeding, livestock products technology including dairy sciences,
poultry sciences and cutting –egde sciences such as biochemistry, biotechnology and its use for
growth of animal sciences.
Part B:
5. BASIC VETERINARY SCIENCES
Animal Cell – organelles and functions, Digestive physiology of ruminants & non-ruminants,
Animal systems and their physiology, Descriptive anatomy and histology, skeletal system,
Animal and fish Biotechnology, Biochemical processes, enzymes, vitamins, hormones, minerals,
Current developments in animal biochemistry, biotechnology and molecular biology, Techniques
in biochemistry including physiological & clinical biochemistry, nutritional biochemistry and
immunological biochemistry, Genetic engineering, cloning, process engineering, Embryo
transfer, hybridoma.
6. PARACLINICAL VETERINARY SCIENCES.
Importance of paraclinical sciences, Animal Health, General Bacteriology and Mycology,
Virology, Pathology, Parasitology, Animal and Avian diseases, Immunology, Molecular cell
biology and diagnostic technology, Veterinary Public Health issues, Epidemiology,
pharmacology, chemotherapy, Toxicology, Autocids, Endotoxicology and all paraclinical
Veterinary Sciences topics.

7. CLINICAL VETERINARY SCIENCES.
Veterinary gynaecology and obstetrics, reproductive cycles in farm animals, Reproductive
endocrinology, Gestation and reproductive disorders and infertility in animals: Andrology, Male
fertility, Frozen semen technology, Artificial insemination, Assisted reproductive technologies,
micromanipulation of embryo, Animal surgery and radiology, anaesthesia, orthopastic surgery
and lameness, Thoracic surgery and surgery of other systems / organs, General agents of
veterinary medicine and preventative medicine, Gastroenterology, Diseases of cardio-vascular
and pulmonary systems, urinary and nervous systems. Legislations and veterinary jurisprudence,
common toxicities and deficiency problems and metabolic diseases, Food and environmental
hygiene.
8. ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Livestock production systems, changing trends, Mendelian genetics, cytogenetics, molecular /
biochemical / population / quantitative genetics, mating systems, Breeding methods in animals,
poultry, conservation of genetic resources, lab animal breeding, Animal nutrition, lactation, Feed
evaluation and feed processing, Breeding / feeding / reproduction management, shelter / health
management, Methiogenesis and interventions poultry science, animal / poultry product
technology and management. Livestock population dynamics in India, Animal production
systems, Adaptation, Breeding policies, different breeds, Nutritional requirement, Marketing of
livestock and their products.

III. FISHERIES SCIENCES
Part A : (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE)
Fisheries resources of world and India; Importance of commercial fishery in India and its impact
on rural economy; Fisheries and aquaculture related developmental programmes in India;
Domestic and export marketing of fish and fishery products, trends, channels, mechanisms, trade
and non-trade barriers; Contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to the food, income, GDP and
livelihood securities; Common property resource management in fisheries and aquaculture;
Protection of national biodiversity; Principles of fish genetics – Mendelian genetics, laws of
inheritance, linkage and mutation; Fish biotechnology – structure of DNA and its replication,
DNA repair, genetic code and protein synthesis, transgenics and their implications; Common fish
diseases; Feeding behavior of fish, fish food organisms - phytoplankton and zooplankton, feed
management in aquaculture; Institutional finance in fisheries; Fisheries extension methods and
approaches.
Part B:
09. FISHERIES SCIENCE
Global commercial fisheries resources, production trends; Taxonomy and biology of
commercially important fish, food and feeding habits, age and growth, mortality, maximum
sustainable yield; Monitoring, control and vessel surveillance systems; Aquaculture production
at global and national level, major cultivable organisms and their taxonomy, biology and
behavior; Hatchery technology and growout systems; Aquaculture engineering and farm design;
Water and soil quality management; Non-food aquaculture - culture and breeding of ornamental
fishes of commercial importance, seaweed and pearl culture; Aquatic environment management
– role of probiotics, bioremediation, pollution and its control; Aquatic microbiology – diseases
caused by bacteria, virus and fungi, isolation and identification of causative agents, treatment and
control; Fish immunology; Fisheries management; Fishing practices; Fishery economics and
marketing; Technology transfer; Climate change and its impact on fisheries and livelihood; Fish
Genetics - physical basis of heredity; Mendelian principles – scope and limitations, genetic
variation - causes and measurement, gametogenesis and mechanisms of sex determination;
biotechnology - DNA structure and organization of chromosomes in eukaryotes, prokaryotes and
viruses, cell organelles, DNA replication; Fish nutrition and biochemistry - nutrients, digestive
enzymes, digestibility, types of feed, feeding rate, energetics, feed and feeding equipment,
growth and reproductive hormones, glycolytic and Kreb’s cycle.

10. FISH HARVEST AND POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY
Craft and gear technology in fisheries; Fish catching methods; Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries; Fish processing technology – fish handling, grading, chilling, freezing, canning and
packaging; Machinery for handling and processing; Principles and methods of fish preservation,
sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for maintenance of quality; Quality management of fish
and fishery products; Transportation and marketing; Microbial contamination of fish and
methods of prevention; Fish biochemistry – major and minor constituents of fish – proteins,
carbohydrates, lipids and fatty acid profiles, vitamins and minerals, post -mortem changes in
fish; National and international organizations for food standards; Processing engineering,
refrigeration cycle, cold store, processing unit construction and management; Water budgeting;
Waste management.

IV. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Part A : (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE)
Historical developments in Indian Agriculture, current production trends; Natural resources -
land, water, forest, environment, biodiversity and their relevance to agriculture, climate and
weather; Drought management; Management of natural resources including recent advances,
field crops, distribution, cultivation; Cropping and farming systems; Input management;
Environmental sciences; Forestry and agro-forestry; Biodiversity; Air pollution; Ecology; Soils
of India; Soil survey and classification; Soil health, organic/conventional farming; Soil fertility,
salinity, alkalinity, acidity, reclamation; Water use efficiency, drainage, irrigation system.
PART B:
11. FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Role of forests in national economy; Forest types of India and their salient features;
Introduction to succession, climax and retrogression; Renewal sources of energy and their
potentials in India; Liquid fuels from petrocrops, energy plantations; Integrated rural energy
programmes; Definition and scope of environmental science and its inter-relationship with
agriculture; Components of environment; Environmental legislations in India; Types of
environmental pollution; Acid rain; Effect of pollutants on crops, vegetation, animals and
human health; National and international laws on pollution and policies and maximum
permissible limits of air, soil and water pollutants; Physical, chemical and biological properties
of wastes; Effluent treatment processes for major industries and other agro-industrial wastes;
Biodegradation and bioconversion of organic wastes, recycling of wastes; Basic ecological
concepts; Extent and causes of land degradation; Afforestration; Conservation of natural
resources; Climate change and variability, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases emission and
mitigation; Disaster management; Evidence and causes of climatic change; Impact of climate
change and adaptation framework; Global warming and global dimming; Carbon sequestration,
International summit and convention, clean development mechanism; Biodiversity and life
security, biodiversity conservation.

12. AGRONOMY AND AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY
Concepts of Agronomy, constraints in crop production, distribution of crops, their relation with
environment; Sustainable agriculture; Farming systems, cropping systems, cultural practices,
crop relation, Hitech precision farming, greenhouse production technology; Crop management
and principles of growing crops, weed management, herbicides, GM crops, soil management,
dryland farming; Evapotranspiration and water management; Agricultural meteorology,
elements of weather and climate effect on growth and yield of crops, cardinal temperature,
photo- and thermo- periodism, contingency planning, agro-ecological zoning, micrometeorology;
Crop protection from biotic and abiotic stresses, input use-efficiency, newer concepts in NRM,
field designs to plan experiments.
13. SOIL SCIENCE
Concept and definition of soils, rocks and minerals; Pedology, pedogenic factors and processes;
Soil survey, soil classification; Soil properties – physical, chemical and biological; Soil -water
concepts, soil-water-plant atmospheric relationships, water stress, nutrient stress, water use,
irrigation water management, soil reclamation; Hydrologic cycle, modeling of water nutrient
balance; Soil chemistry, soil fertility, soil biology, soil / land degradation and management; Soil
quality and carbon sequestration; Analytical methods and instrumentation use in Soil Science;
Agricultural statistics required for Soil Science experimentation; Water science and technology;
Watershed developments of water management systems.

V. SOCIAL SCIENCES
Part A : (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE)
Role of agriculture in economic development of the country, growth analysis, planning models.
Changes in cropping pattern, capital formation, infrastructure, transfer of technology, Agroeconomic
theories, liberalization, agri-business systems, agro-processing, farm machinery,
public distribution system, issues and challenges in marketing system. Agricultural trade
structure in India, family resource management, decision making, entrepreneurship management,
consumer education and managements, panchayat raj, agricultural communication and extension,
development of agriculture extension in India, scope and role of agricultural extension/
veterinary extension/ home science extension/ dairy extension/ fisheries extension etc., Farming
systems research and networking, ICT, agriculture extension management, research
methodologies in extension education, agriculture human resource development. Statistical
methods including descriptive statistics, correlation and regression and tests of hypothesis.
Computer applications in social sciences/agriculture.
Part –B
14. HOME SCIENCE AND FARMING RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
Systems approach to family resource management, concept, planning, resources, needs and
communication. art principles and interior enrichment, housing and space design, household
energy and equipment, family finance and consumer education, entrepreneurship management,
ergonomics, markets and marketing, theories of human development, child care and education,
population education and family welfare, parent and community education. textile science and
care, traditional costumes, designing, fashion, trade and merchandising.
15. ECONOMICS AND AGRICULTURE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
Economic theories, managerial economics, international trade concepts, agriculture and
environment, role of agriculture in Indian economy, productivity and performance of Indian
agriculture, commercialization, liberalization, globalization, economic reforms, World Trade
Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture (AOA), technical barriers to trade (TBT),
agriculture policies, food security, agricultural diversification, agricultural credit and insurance,
agricultural marketing and price analysis, demand and supply models, institutions invoved in
agri-business, quantitative tools for decision making, organizational behaviour and HRM, farm
business management and production economics, agriculture finance, marketing management,
entrepreneurship skills and new venture planning.

16. AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
Fundamentals of agriculture extension and communications, enerzing perspective of agriculture
extension in India and other countries, veterinary extension / dairy extension / home science
extension / fisheries extension, information and communication technologies, technology parks,
management of agriculture knowledge, agriculture extension management, extension education,
research methodologies, HRD, development strategis and issues in agriculture extension.
17. STATISTICS AND COMPUTER APPLICATION.
Elements of set theory, de Morgan’s laws, functions, real and complex numbers, arithmetic,
geometric and harmonic progressions, polynomial and roots, groups, rings and fields. Galois
field− Fermat’s little theorem and primitive elements. Basic terminology of matrix algebra −
vector space, linear independence, orthogonality, row and column spaces, matrix operations,
determinants, rank and inverse of matrices, system of linear equations. Special matrices −
idempotent, symmetric, orthogonal. Special products of matrices− Kronecker and Hadamard
product. Eigenvalues of a symmetric matrix. Generalized inverses and their applications. Limits
and continuity, differentiation of functions, Taylor’s and Maclaurin’s theorem, mean-value
theorem, partial differentiation, maxima and minima, L’Hospital rule. Integration of rational,
irrational and trigonometric functions. Applications of integration Linear Programming −
formulation and graphical solution, simplex method, duality, transportation and assignment
problem.
Classification, tabulation and presentation of data. Measures of central tendency and dispersion,
moments, skewness and kurtosis. Elements of probability theory, laws of probability.
Mathematical expectation. Probability distributions − binomial, Poisson, normal distributions
and their applications. Sampling distributions − t, chi-square and F. Tests of significance based
on Z, t, Chi-square and F distributions. Point and confidence interval estimation. Testing of
hypothesis − two types of errors, level of significance and power of a test. Correlation,
Regression analysis, partial and multiple correlation. Coefficient of determination. Multivariate
normal distribution, Hotelling T2, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, principal component
analysis. Non-parametric tests − sign test, run test, Wilcoxon test, Mann-Whitney U-test.
Concept of sampling, sampling versus complete enumeration, simple random sampling,
stratified random sampling, cluster sampling and systematic sampling, ratio and regression
estimators. Basic principles of design of experiments, uniformity trials, analysis of variance,
completely randomized design, randomized complete block design, Latin square design.
Factorial experiments (symmetrical as well as asymmetrical). Variance stabilizing
transformations. Analysis of covariance. Mendel’s laws, linkage, heritability, selection indices,
Hardy-Weinberg law. Index numbers-their characteristics and construction. Elements of time
series analysis.

Definition of computer, its characteristics and uses. Speed and processing power of a computer.
Number systems − decimal, octal, binary and hexadecimal. Central Processing Unit (CPU) − the
control unit, arithmetic logic unit and register. Input and output units. Organizing and accessing
stored data− field, record and file. File organization −sequential, direct and indexed file.
Multimedia-requirements and applications. Operating system (OS)-functions, Windows. Word
Processing, spreadsheets. Networking − need, basic components. Connecting computers − local
area networks, wide area networks. TCP/IP, HTTP protocols. Value added network services-
Email, on-line services, Internet, etc.

Index:

Agricultural Sciences
Veterinary Sciences
Fisheries Sciences
Natural Resource Management
Social Sciences
Agricultural Engineering And Technology
Dairy Sciences And Technology

Contact to:

Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board
Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan, Pusa,
New Delhi – 110 012

Here I’m attaching PDF of syllabus of ARS NET exam for prelim:

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