ICMR Scientist B Exam Date 2026 (Out) - Check New Exam Date and Admit Card

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conducts the Scientist B recruitment examination to select qualified candidates for research positions across various ICMR institutes and centres throughout India. Scientist B is an entry-level scientific position in the medical research domain, primarily responsible for conducting research, laboratory work, and contributing to public health programs. The examination is conducted for multiple disciplines including Life Sciences, Biostatistics, Social Sciences, and other allied health sciences. Selected candidates are posted at ICMR headquarters in New Delhi or various regional centres and institutes across India. This is a prestigious central government position under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The post offers excellent research opportunities, competitive salary as per 7th Pay Commission, and a clear career progression path in medical research.

Typical / Indicative Dates

Typical / Indicative Vacancy Distribution

Educational Qualification

• Essential: Master's degree in relevant discipline (Life Sciences, Bio-statistics, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, etc.) from a recognized university with minimum 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates)
• Desirable: Ph.D. in relevant subject or published research work in peer-reviewed journals
• Specific Requirements: For certain disciplines, NET/GATE qualification may be required or preferred
• Candidates must have valid UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/ICMR-JRF/DBT-JRF or equivalent fellowship for certain positions

Age Limit

Typical / Indicative Age Criteria

Age Relaxation

Note: Age is calculated as on the closing date of application.

Nationality

• Indian Citizens
• Citizen of Nepal
• Citizen of Bhutan
• Tibetan Refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962
• Person of Indian Origin (PIO) from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, who migrated to India with intention of permanent settlement

1. Visit the official ICMR recruitment portal at www.icmr.nic.in or the designated online application portal
2. Click on "Scientist B Recruitment 2026" notification link
3. Read the detailed notification and eligibility criteria carefully
4. Click on "Apply Online" or "New Registration" button
5. Register yourself by providing basic details like name, email ID, mobile number, and date of birth
6. An application number and password will be generated and sent to your registered email/mobile
7. Login using the credentials and fill the application form with personal details, educational qualifications, experience, and preferences
8. Upload scanned copies of photograph (JPG format, 10-50 KB), signature (JPG format, 5-20 KB), and relevant documents
9. Review all entered information carefully before proceeding to payment
10. Pay the application fee through online mode (Net Banking/Credit Card/Debit Card/UPI)
11. After successful payment, submit the application form
12. Download and save the confirmation page and payment receipt for future reference
13. Take multiple printouts of the submitted application form

Application Fees

Payment Mode: Online only through Net Banking, Credit/Debit Card, or UPI

1. Computer Based Test (CBT): The first stage consists of an online objective type examination covering General Knowledge, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and Subject-specific questions. Candidates securing marks above the cutoff will be shortlisted for the interview stage.

1. Personal Interview/Skill Test: Shortlisted candidates from CBT will be called for personal interview conducted by a subject expert panel. The interview assesses subject knowledge, research aptitude, communication skills, and suitability for the scientific position. Marks weightage is typically 85% for CBT and 15% for interview.

1. Document Verification: Candidates provisionally selected after interview must appear for document verification where original certificates of educational qualifications, age proof, caste certificate, experience certificates, and other relevant documents are verified.

1. Medical Examination: Selected candidates undergo medical examination to ensure they are medically fit for the position as per ICMR standards and government norms.

1. Final Merit List: Based on the combined marks of CBT and interview, a final merit list is prepared category-wise and candidates are offered appointment based on vacancy availability and preferences.

Computer Based Test (CBT) Pattern

Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each incorrect answer

Note: All questions are multiple choice questions (MCQs) with four options. The examination is conducted in English medium only.

Interview Pattern

Final Selection: Based on combined performance in CBT (85% weightage) and Interview (15% weightage)

General Knowledge & Current Affairs

• Indian History, Culture and National Movement
• Indian Polity and Constitution
• Geography of India and World
• Economic and Social Development
• Environmental Ecology and Biodiversity
• General Science and Scientific Research
• Current National and International Affairs
• Important National and International Organizations
• Awards and Honours
• Books and Authors

Reasoning & Logical Ability

• Analogies and Similarities
• Differences and Classification
• Series Completion
• Coding-Decoding
• Blood Relations
• Direction Sense
• Logical Venn Diagrams
• Alphabet and Number Series
• Data Sufficiency
• Analytical Reasoning

Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation

• Number System and Simplification
• Ratio and Proportion
• Percentage and Averages
• Profit and Loss
• Time and Work
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Simple and Compound Interest
• Data Interpretation (Tables, Graphs, Charts)
• Mensuration
• Basic Statistics and Probability

Life Sciences (Subject-Specific)

• Cell Biology and Molecular Biology
• Genetics and Evolution
• Biochemistry and Metabolism
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Plant Physiology and Biotechnology
• Animal Physiology and Developmental Biology
• Ecology and Environmental Biology
• Research Methodology and Biostatistics
• Laboratory Techniques and Instrumentation
• Recent Developments in Biological Sciences

Biostatistics (Subject-Specific)

• Probability Theory and Distributions
• Statistical Inference and Hypothesis Testing
• Correlation and Regression Analysis
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
• Non-parametric Tests
• Sample Survey Methods
• Experimental Designs
• Demographic Methods and Vital Statistics
• Epidemiological Study Designs
• Statistical Software and Data Analysis

Social Sciences (Subject-Specific)

• Research Methodology in Social Sciences
• Social Psychology and Behaviour
• Health Psychology and Counselling
• Community Health and Public Health
• Health Education and Communication
• Health Program Planning and Evaluation
• Demography and Population Studies
• Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods
• Statistical Analysis in Social Research
• Contemporary Social Issues and Health

Note: Candidates should prepare according to their specific discipline as mentioned in the notification

Typical / Indicative Salary Structure (7th Pay Commission)

Additional Benefits:

• Medical facilities for self and dependents
• Leave Travel Concession (LTC)
• Provident Fund and Pension benefits
• Annual Increment as per rules
• Government accommodation or HRA
• Research allowances and conference participation support

ICMR Scientist B position offers excellent career progression opportunities within the medical research hierarchy. Scientists can be promoted to Scientist C, D, E, F, and G levels based on performance, research output, and years of service, with each level offering higher pay scales and administrative responsibilities. With consistent research publications, project leadership, and administrative contributions, scientists can reach directorial positions in ICMR institutes, with potential to shape national health research policy and programs.

Admit cards for ICMR Scientist B examination are typically released 10-15 days before the examination date on the official ICMR recruitment portal. Candidates must login using their application number and password/date of birth to download the admit card. The admit card contains important details like examination date, time, venue, reporting time, and instructions. Candidates must carry a printout of the admit card along with valid photo ID proof (Aadhar Card/PAN Card/Driving License/Voter ID) to the examination centre for entry.

The result of the Computer Based Test (CBT) is typically declared 4-6 weeks after the examination on the official ICMR website. Candidates can check their results by logging into the portal using their application credentials. The result displays marks secured, category-wise cutoff marks, and qualification status. Shortlisted candidates for interview are notified separately through email and website notification with details of interview date, time, and venue. Final results after interview are declared on the website with merit list and selected candidates' names.

ICMR Scientist B cutoff marks vary depending on the number of vacancies, difficulty level of the examination, and number of candidates appearing. Typically, General category cutoff ranges between 60-70% of total marks, while SC/ST cutoff is around 50-60%. OBC cutoff usually falls between General and SC/ST categories. Category-wise and discipline-wise separate cutoffs are declared, with Life Sciences generally having higher cutoffs due to more competition compared to specialized subjects like Biostatistics or Social Sciences.

North: Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Dehradun, Shimla, Jammu

South: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Mysore, Puducherry, Visakhapatnam

East: Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Ranchi, Dibrugarh, Cuttack

West: Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur, Goa

Northeast: Guwahati, Shillong, Imphal, Aizawl, Agartala, Dimapur

Central: New Delhi (ICMR Headquarters), other ICMR regional centres

Note: Candidates can choose up to 3 examination centre preferences during application. Final allotment is subject to availability.