ICMR JRF Syllabus 2025. The ICMR JRF Exam is the first step in admission to the PhD/Research Program of the Indian Council of Medical Research. ICMR JRF exam is conducted once a year in Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Srinagar and Varanasi.
There are 150 questions in the question paper, and candidates are required to answer 125 of them. Life sciences or social sciences are optional subjects for ICMR JRF General Aptitude. Successful candidates receive Junior Research Fellowships and are placed in medical colleges, hospitals, universities, national laboratories, and other research institutions.
ICMR JRF Exam Pattern 2025: Details
ICMR JRF syllabus consists of three subjects. Candidates are required to attempt only two subjects. Candidates must attempt all 50 questions in the ICMR JRF General Aptitude section. Here you can find ICMR previous papers.
ICMR JRF Life Science and Social Sciences sections will have 100 questions each. The application form requires candidates to indicate their preference between Life Science and Social Sciences. From one of these sections, they must answer 75 questions out of 100. Therefore, there are 125 questions in the ICMR JRF. There are 125 questions in the ICMR JRF 2025 exam, each worth 1 mark.
ICMR JRF 2025 exam pattern highlights are given below
| Details | Features |
|---|---|
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Exam Date | Once a year, typically in the first/second week of July, on a Sunday |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Language Options | English only |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Type |
| Number of Sections in the Question Paper | 3 (Compulsory: General Aptitude; Optional: Life Sciences or Social Sciences) |
| Total Number of Questions in the Question Paper | 150 |
| Total Number of Questions to be Attempted | 125 |
| Maximum Marks for Each Section | General Aptitude: 50; Life Sciences or Social Sciences: 75 |
| Marking Pattern | – 1 Mark for each correct answer – Deduction of 0.25 Marks for each wrong answer |
ICMR JRF Syllabus 2025
ICMR JRF syllabus is prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Topics of undergraduate and postgraduate programs are covered in the syllabus for the ICMR JRF 2025. The subjects are divided into three categories: general aptitude, life sciences, and social sciences.
Aptitude for general tasks
ICMR JRF Part A Syllabus for General Aptitude and GK
Part A of the ICMR JRF consists of 50 questions from General Science, Statistics, and Measurement. The ICMR JRF Part A Syllabus 2025 is as follows:
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Common Statistics | – Experiments and Sampling |
| – Probability | |
| – Description and Displaying Data | |
| – Linear Regression and Correlation | |
| – Hypothesis Test and Confidence Intervals | |
| General Knowledge | – Synthetic Material |
| – Nuclear Science | |
| – Measurements | |
| Scientific Phenomenon | – Hurricane |
| – Tsunami | |
| – Greenhouse Effect | |
| – Wind | |
| – Tornado | |
| – Volcano | |
| – Rain | |
| – Snow | |
| – Earthquake | |
| – Erosion |
ICMR JRF Part B Syllabus 2025: Life Sciences
- Microbiology
- Human Biology
- Bioinformatics
- Biophysics
- Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Zoology
- Immunology
- Nursing
- Biotechnology
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Veterinary Science (excluding Agriculture Extension/ Soil Science)
- Botany
- Environmental Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Bio-Informatics
ICMR JRF Part B Syllabus 2025: Social Sciences
- Social work
- Anthropology
- Home sciences
- Health economics
- Sociology
- Psychology
ICMR JRF Qualifying Marks 2025
ICMR JRF 2025 qualifying marks differ for students in different categories.
For the General category and other categories, the final result will be based on the aggregate of 55 percent marks obtained in all sections, and for the SC/ST and physically handicapped, on the aggregate of 50 percent marks.
Updated information can be found on the official website. Candidates can prepare better by reading books like Principles of Biochemistry by Lehninger, Biochemistry by Voet and Voet, Molecular Cell Biology by Lodish, Cell and Molecular Biology by Gerald Karp, etc. To prepare for the ICMR JRF 2025, read this article.
Candidates should thoroughly review the syllabus. ICMR JRF 2022 candidates should keep practicing. A candidate’s performance in the ICMR JRF examination determines their selection.
FAQS: ICMR JRF Syllabus 2025
Q1: If I am a life science student then, which section I have to attempt in ICMR JRF 2025 exam?
Ans: Students studying life science must complete the aptitude and life science sections of the application form and fill in their details accordingly.
Q2: How fellowship can be distributed to the qualified students in ICMR JRF 2023 exam?
Ans: A total of 150 Fellowships will be given among which 120 will be awarded for work in the field of biomedical sciences which emphasize life sciences such as microbiology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, human biology, bioinformatics, bio-informatics, etc. Thirty fellowships will be awarded to individuals working in psychology, sociology, home science, statistics, anthropology, social work, and health economics.
Q3: What are the main topic in the Aptitude Section of the ICMR JRF 2025 exam?
Ans. Science Phenomena in Everyday Life, General Knowledge in Sciences, and Common Statistics are included in the Aptitude Section of ICMR JRF 2023.