ASRB Agricultural Extension Syllabus and Exam Pattern
The ten units of the Agricultural Extension syllabus, the exam pattern for NET, ARS, SMS and STO, the marking scheme and who is eligible to apply.
One exam, four things
ASRB conducts one combined examination for NET, ARS, SMS (T-6) and STO (T-6). You apply once and choose any one, or any combination, of the four. The subject paper is the same.
Source: ASRB Notification F.No. 1(1)/2025-Exam, dated 24 February 2025. Always check the current notification on the ASRB website before you apply.
NET · National Eligibility Test
A qualifying examination only. Clearing it makes you eligible to apply for Lecturer and Assistant Professor posts in State Agricultural Universities and other Agricultural Universities. There is no vacancy and no interview, and the certificate is issued through DigiLocker.
| Mode | Computer Based Test only |
| Papers | One |
| Total marks | 150 |
| Questions | 150 objective multiple-choice questions |
| Marks per question | 1 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Language | Bilingual, Hindi and English |
| Standard | Master's degree level of an Indian university |
| Negative marking | 1/3 mark deducted for every wrong answer, not rounded off |
ARS · Agricultural Research Service
Direct recruitment as an entry-level Scientist in ICAR, at Pay Level-10 (Rs 57,700 to 1,82,400) under the 7th CPC. Three stages: a qualifying Preliminary CBT, a descriptive Mains, and a personal interview.
| Stage 1 | Preliminary, Computer Based Test, qualifying only |
| Stage 2 | Mains, descriptive |
| Stage 3 | Personal interview |
| Merit | Preliminary marks are not counted in the final merit |
SMS / STO · Subject Matter Specialist and Senior Technical Officer (T-6)
Direct recruitment in ICAR at Pay Level-10 (Rs 56,100 to 1,77,500) under the 7th CPC. Same paper and same syllabus as ARS, and the same three stages.
| Stage 1 | Preliminary, Computer Based Test, qualifying only |
| Stage 2 | Mains, descriptive |
| Stage 3 | Personal interview |
| Merit | Preliminary marks are not counted in the final merit |
Eligibility
Qualification. A Master's degree or equivalent in the concerned discipline from an Indian university established by an Act of Parliament or a State Legislature, or a deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956.
Final-year students. May apply, provided the degree is held on or before the cut-off date in the notification.
Foreign degrees. Require a certificate of equivalence and recognition from the UGC or the Government of India.
The ten units of the Agricultural Extension syllabus
Each unit page lists the syllabus areas inside it, the key concepts and the previous year questions set from it.
Unit 1: Fundamentals of Extension Education & Communication
- Meaning, definitions, philosophy, objectives and principles of Extension Education
- History of extension in India: pre-independence experiments, Community Development, IRDP
- The Training and Visit system, NATP, NAIP and NMAET with its sub-missions
- Research-Extension-Farmer linkage models and technology dissemination
- Extension in livestock, dairy and fisheries
Unit 2: Extension Methods & Agricultural Journalism
- Classification of extension teaching methods: individual, group and mass contact
- Farm and home visits, result demonstrations, method demonstrations, field days
- Group discussion, meetings, campaigns, exhibitions and study tours
- Mass media: radio, television, print, farm publications
- Selection and combination of teaching methods; the audio-visual aids cone
Unit 3: Information Communication Technologies
- Concept and scope of ICT in agricultural extension
- Kisan Call Centres, Kisan Suvidha, mKisan and the agri-advisory portals
- e-NAM and digital agricultural marketing
- Expert systems, decision support systems and farmer databases
- Mobile telephony, SMS and IVR advisories
Unit 4: Training & Human Resource Development
- Concept, principles and importance of training in extension
- Training needs assessment and the training gap
- Types of training: induction, orientation, refresher, on-the-job, in-service
- Designing a training programme: objectives, curriculum, schedule, budget
- Training methods: lecture, discussion, role play, case study, simulation, field practical
Unit 5: Research Methodology in Extension Education
- Types and steps of social science research; the research problem and objectives
- Hypothesis: types, formulation and testing
- Research designs: exploratory, descriptive, diagnostic and experimental
- Sampling: probability and non-probability methods, sample size, sampling error
- Variables, operationalisation and measurement
Unit 6: Programme Planning, Evaluation & Impact Assessment
- Concept, principles and steps of extension programme planning
- Situation analysis, objective setting and plan of work
- Programme planning models and the programme planning process
- Monitoring and evaluation: concepts and distinctions
- Types of evaluation: formative, summative, process, outcome, impact
Unit 7: Extension Management & Organizational Behaviour
- Management concepts and functions: planning, organising, staffing, directing, controlling
- Organisational structure, span of control, delegation and decentralisation
- Extension administration in India: state departments, ATMA, KVKs, SAUs, ICAR
- Supervision, monitoring and performance appraisal of extension staff
- Leadership theories and leadership styles in extension
Unit 8: Entrepreneurial Development
- Concept of entrepreneurship, entrepreneur and agripreneur
- Entrepreneurial characteristics, motivation and achievement motivation training
- Entrepreneurship Development Programmes and their evaluation
- Identifying business opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors
- Project formulation, feasibility analysis and the business plan
Unit 9: Agricultural Innovation System & Extension Approaches
- Transfer of Technology, its models and its criticisms
- Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS)
- Agricultural Innovation System (AIS): concept, actors and linkages
- Innovation platforms and multi-stakeholder processes
- Participatory approaches: PRA, RRA, PLA and participatory technology development
Unit 10: Gender Sensitization & Empowerment
- Sex and gender; gender roles, gender division of labour
- Women's participation in agriculture and allied enterprises
- Gender analysis frameworks: Harvard, Moser, Gender Analysis Matrix
- Access to and control over productive resources
- Feminisation of agriculture in India
Common questions
What is the negative marking in ASRB NET?
How many questions are there in the ASRB NET paper?
Can final-year students apply?
Is the paper in Hindi as well as English?
The live syllabus list, updated whenever ASRB changes anything, is on the syllabus section of the app.
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