UPCATET 2026 – Notification, Exam Date, Syllabus & Preparation Tips

UPCATET 2026 – Notification, Exam Date, Syllabus & Preparation Tips

UPCATET (Uttar Pradesh Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test) is a state-level common entrance examination conducted by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology (SVPUAT), Meerut on behalf of all agricultural universities in Uttar Pradesh. It is the gateway for admission to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Agricultural Engineering, and allied sciences across UP’s premier agriculture universities.

BSc Agriculture Salary 2026 – Govt vs Private Complete Guide

This comprehensive guide covers the UPCATET 2026 official notification, important dates, exam pattern, complete subject-wise syllabus, best preparation strategy, recommended books, previous year cutoff trends, and FAQs — everything a serious aspirant needs in one place.

What is UPCATET? – Overview

Participating Universities – UPCATET 2026

UPCATET scores are accepted by all major agricultural universities and institutes in Uttar Pradesh for admission to their various programmes:

UPCATET 2026 – Important Dates (Expected)

Note: Candidates must check the official website svbpuat.ac.in for exact and updated dates once the official notification is released.

UPCATET 2026 – Eligibility Criteria

For UG Programmes (BSc Agriculture / BHSc / BSc Forestry / B.Tech Agricultural Engineering)

• ✅ Passed or appearing in Class 12 (Intermediate) from a recognised board.
• ✅ Compulsory subjects — Physics, Chemistry, and Biology / Mathematics / Agriculture (as applicable).
• ✅ Minimum 50% marks in qualifying exam (45% for SC/ST candidates).
• ✅ For B.Tech Agricultural Engineering — Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in Class 12.
• ✅ Domicile requirement — UP state domicile is mandatory for state quota seats.
• ✅ Age — Minimum 17 years as on 1st July of the admission year. No upper age limit.

For PG Programmes (MSc Agriculture / MBA Agri Business)

• ✅ BSc Agriculture / BSc Horticulture / BSc Forestry or equivalent degree with minimum 60% marks (55% for SC/ST).
• ✅ Candidates in final year of graduation are also eligible to apply.

For PhD Programmes

• ✅ MSc Agriculture or equivalent postgraduate degree with minimum 60% marks.
• ✅ Candidates with ICAR JRF / NET qualification may get relaxation or direct admission in some cases.

UPCATET 2026 – Application Fee

Fee amount is as per previous year; exact fee will be notified in official 2026 notification.

UPCATET 2026 – Exam Pattern

Subject-wise Distribution of Questions (UG Level)

UPCATET 2026 – Complete Syllabus

📘 Agriculture Syllabus (Class 11 & 12 Level)

Unit 1: Agronomy

• Importance of agriculture in Indian economy
• Crop classification — Kharif, Rabi, Zaid; food crops, cash crops, fibre crops
• Crop production practices — sowing, irrigation, manuring, harvesting for major crops
• Cropping systems — monocropping, mixed cropping, intercropping, crop rotation
• Green Revolution — HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, irrigation expansion
• Dryland and rainfed farming — importance, moisture conservation
• Organic farming — principles, importance, vermicompost, green manure
• Weed control methods — cultural, mechanical, biological, chemical
• Irrigation methods — traditional and modern (drip, sprinkler)
• Fertilizers — organic and inorganic fertilizers; NPK, urea, DAP, MOP

Unit 2: Soil Science

• Soil — definition, components, soil profile, soil horizon
• Types of soil in India — alluvial, black, red, laterite, desert, mountain soils
• Soil texture and structure
• Soil pH — acidic, neutral, alkaline soils and crop suitability
• Soil organic matter — importance in crop production
• Soil erosion — wind and water erosion; conservation measures
• Essential plant nutrients — macro and micronutrients; deficiency symptoms
• Soil Health Card Scheme — objectives, parameters tested
• Nitrogen cycle, carbon cycle in soil
• Soil microbiology — bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, Rhizobium

Unit 3: Horticulture

• Importance of horticulture in India — fruits, vegetables, flowers
• Major fruit crops — Mango, Banana, Guava, Papaya, Citrus, Apple — cultivation practices
• Major vegetable crops — Potato, Tomato, Onion, Brinjal, Okra — cultivation
• Spice crops — Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Pepper, Cardamom
• Floriculture — Rose, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Gladiolus
• Propagation methods — seeds, cuttings, grafting, budding, layering
• Post-harvest management — storage, ripening, cold chain
• Plant growth regulators in horticulture — auxins, gibberellins, ethylene

Unit 4: Plant Protection (Plant Pathology & Entomology)

• Crop diseases — bacterial, fungal, viral, nematodal diseases of major crops
• Important diseases — Rice blast, wheat rust, late blight of potato, powdery mildew
• Insect pests — classification; major pests of rice, wheat, cotton, sugarcane
• Pest management methods — cultural, biological, chemical, IPM
• Pesticide types — insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides
• Bordeaux mixture — preparation and uses
• Biological control agents — Trichoderma, NPV, Bt
• Stored grain pests and management

Unit 5: Animal Husbandry

• Importance of livestock in Indian agriculture — milk, meat, wool, draft power
• Breeds of cattle — Gir, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Murrah buffalo
• Dairy management — feeding, housing, milking, care of calf
• Poultry farming — breeds, broiler vs layer, management
• Important animal diseases — FMD, Rinderpest, anthrax, PPR, Newcastle disease
• Fisheries — inland and marine fisheries; important freshwater fish species
• Sericulture — mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing
• Apiculture — honeybee species, hive management, honey production

Unit 6: Agricultural Economics & Extension

• Farm management — farm planning, cost of production, profit maximisation
• Land reforms in India — zamindari abolition, ceiling laws, tenancy reforms
• Agricultural marketing — problems, role of APMC, cooperative marketing
• MSP — Minimum Support Price — concept, significance, CACP
• Agricultural credit — institutional sources (commercial banks, RRBs, cooperatives, NABARD)
• Government schemes — PM-KISAN, PMFBY, SHC Scheme, NFSM, RKVY
• Extension education — concept, methods, KVK role
• Cooperatives in agriculture — Amul model, IFFCO, KRIBHCO

Unit 7: Agricultural Engineering (Basics)

• Farm machinery — plough, harrow, cultivator, seed drill, thresher
• Tractors — types, parts, maintenance basics
• Water harvesting — farm pond, check dam, percolation tank
• Irrigation structures — canal, tube well, drip, sprinkler systems
• Post-harvest technology — threshing, drying, milling, storage

📗 Physics Syllabus (Class 11 & 12 Level)

• Physical World and Measurement
• Kinematics — equations of motion, projectile motion
• Laws of Motion — Newton’s laws, friction, circular motion
• Work, Energy and Power
• System of Particles and Rotational Motion
• Gravitation — Kepler’s laws, orbital velocity, escape velocity
• Properties of Bulk Matter — elasticity, fluid mechanics, surface tension, viscosity
• Thermodynamics — laws, heat engines, specific heat
• Behaviour of Perfect Gas and Kinetic Theory
• Oscillations and Waves — SHM, wave optics
• Electrostatics — Coulomb’s law, capacitors, electric potential
• Current Electricity — Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s laws, Wheatstone bridge
• Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
• Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current
• Optics — reflection, refraction, lenses, optical instruments
• Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
• Atoms and Nuclei — Bohr model, radioactivity
• Electronic Devices — semiconductors, p-n junction, logic gates

📙 Chemistry Syllabus (Class 11 & 12 Level)

• Basic Concepts of Chemistry — mole concept, stoichiometry
• Structure of Atom — Bohr model, quantum numbers, electronic configuration
• Classification of Elements — Periodic table, trends
• Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure — ionic, covalent, hydrogen bonding
• States of Matter — gases, liquids, solids
• Thermodynamics — enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs energy
• Equilibrium — ionic equilibrium, pH, buffer solutions
• Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry
• Chemical Kinetics — rate of reaction, activation energy
• Surface Chemistry — adsorption, catalysis, colloids
• General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements
• p-Block, d-Block, f-Block Elements
• Coordination Compounds
• Organic Chemistry — IUPAC nomenclature, functional groups, isomerism
• Hydrocarbons — alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, benzene
• Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
• Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
• Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
• Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen — amines, diazonium salts
• Biomolecules — carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids
• Polymers — natural and synthetic
• Chemistry in Everyday Life — medicines, food additives

📒 Mathematics / General Knowledge Syllabus

Mathematics (For B.Tech Agricultural Engineering aspirants)

• Sets, Relations and Functions
• Algebra — complex numbers, quadratic equations, permutations, binomial theorem
• Coordinate Geometry — straight lines, conic sections, 3D geometry
• Calculus — limits, derivatives, integrals, differential equations
• Vector Algebra and 3D Geometry
• Statistics and Probability
• Trigonometry — identities, inverse functions, equations
• Matrices and Determinants
• Linear Programming

General Knowledge (For Non-Engineering programmes)

• Current affairs — national and international (last 6 months)
• Indian agriculture statistics — major producing states, national production data
• Government agriculture schemes — key features and launch years
• Agriculture organizations — ICAR, NABARD, FCI, CACP, NITI Aayog
• Important ICAR institutes and their locations
• Indian geography — rivers, mountains, climate zones, soil zones
• Indian polity — Panchayati Raj, Constitution fundamentals
• Science and technology — recent discoveries, space, environment
• Awards — Padma awards, Nobel, Krishi Karman Award

UPCATET 2026 – Previous Year Cutoff (Reference)

Cutoffs vary yearly based on difficulty level and number of applicants. The above figures are indicative based on previous year trends.

Best Books for UPCATET 2026 Preparation

Preparation Strategy for UPCATET 2026

🎯 Phase 1: Syllabus Mapping & Study Material (Month 1–2)

• Download the official UPCATET 2026 notification and syllabus PDF from svbpuat.ac.in.
• Start with NCERT books for Agriculture, Physics, and Chemistry — these form the core of the paper.
• Read Class 11 & 12 Agriculture NCERT completely — cover all chapters on crop production, soil, animal husbandry, horticulture.
• Prepare a topic-wise checklist and track completion week by week.
• Make short notes for Agriculture and Chemistry — especially crop-wise details, disease names, and chemical reactions.

🎯 Phase 2: Subject-wise Deep Study (Month 3–5)

• Agriculture (60 questions) — Highest weightage. Cover all units thoroughly. Focus on:
  • Major crop cultivation practices — sowing time, seed rate, spacing, irrigation schedule, fertilizer dose for Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sugarcane, Cotton, Soybean, Pulses.
  • Important diseases and their causal organisms — Pyricularia oryzae (Rice blast), Puccinia spp (Wheat rust), Phytophthora infestans (Late blight of potato).
  • Government schemes — PM-KISAN, PMFBY, SHC, NFSM, RKVY — launch year, key features, budget.
  • ICAR institutes — location and mandate of at least 20 major institutes.
• Chemistry (20 questions) — Focus on organic chemistry and biomolecules as these link directly to agriculture applications.
• Physics (20 questions) — Cover all NCERT chapters thoroughly. Focus on numericals from Mechanics, Electricity, and Optics.
• GK / Mathematics (20 questions) — Practice MCQs from GK books; for Maths, cover NCERT chapters and practice sample papers.

🎯 Phase 3: Practice & Mock Tests (Month 6–7)

• Solve at least 5 full-length UPCATET mock tests in the actual OMR exam format.
• Solve last 5 years’ UPCATET previous year papers — understand the difficulty level and frequently repeated topics.
• Practice 30–40 MCQs daily per subject — time yourself strictly (120 questions in 120 minutes = 1 min per question).
• Review wrong answers — maintain an error log and revise those topics again.
• Focus on negative marking — do not attempt questions you are unsure about. Accuracy > Attempts.

🎯 Phase 4: Final Revision (Last 3–4 Weeks)

• Revise only your short notes — no new books or topics.
• Revise all government scheme data, ICAR institute locations, botanical names, and crop-wise disease data.
• Solve 2 mock tests per week for final tune-up.
• Prepare physically — check exam centre location, carry required documents as per admit card instructions.

High-Frequency Topics for UPCATET 2026 – Must Study

Programmes Offered Through UPCATET – Career Scope

How to Apply for UPCATET 2026 – Step-by-Step

1. Visit the official UPCATET website: svbpuat.ac.in or upcatet.in
2. Click on “UPCATET 2026 – New Registration” link.
3. Fill in basic personal details — name, date of birth, mobile number, email ID — to generate a login ID and password.
4. Log in and fill the complete application form — academic qualifications, category, programme preference, etc.
5. Upload required documents:
   • Recent passport-size photograph (as specified)
   • Signature (as specified)
   • Class 10 marksheet (for age proof)
   • Class 12 marksheet (if available)
   • Category certificate (for SC/ST/OBC/EWS candidates)
6. Pay the application fee through online mode (Net Banking / Debit Card / Credit Card / UPI).
7. Submit and download the confirmation page — print and keep for records.
8. Download Admit Card from the portal after it is released.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – UPCATET 2026

Q1. What is UPCATET and who conducts it?
UPCATET is the Uttar Pradesh Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test. It is conducted by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology (SVPUAT), Meerut on behalf of all agriculture universities in Uttar Pradesh.

Q2. Is UPCATET only for UP domicile students?
State quota seats are reserved for UP domicile candidates. However, there are All India quota seats available for which candidates from other states can also apply.

Q3. Is there any age limit for UPCATET UG admission?
The minimum age is 17 years as on 1st July of the admission year. There is no upper age limit specified.

Q4. What is the total marks for UPCATET?
UPCATET has 120 MCQ questions of 4 marks each, making the total 480 marks. There is a negative marking of –1 for each wrong answer.

Q5. Can Class 12 appearing students apply for UPCATET 2026?
Yes. Students who are appearing in Class 12 examination in 2026 are also eligible to apply. However, they must submit their qualifying marks before the counselling process.

Q6. How many months are needed to prepare for UPCATET?
A preparation period of 4–6 months is generally sufficient if you study 3–4 hours daily. Candidates who have covered NCERT Agriculture, Physics, and Chemistry thoroughly in Class 12 are already well-prepared for a significant portion of the syllabus.

Q7. Which subject carries the highest weightage in UPCATET?
Agriculture carries the highest weightage — 60 questions out of 120 total (50% of the paper). Scoring well in Agriculture is critical to a high rank.

Q8. Is UPCATET score valid for admission to private agriculture colleges in UP?
UPCATET is primarily for government agriculture universities. Some private deemed universities conduct their own separate entrance exams or accept scores through other portals. Check individual college/university notifications.

Important Links – UPCATET 2026

Disclaimer

This content is prepared for the purpose of agriculture entrance exam preparation and career guidance for students. All information is based on previous year official notifications and standard academic references. Candidates are advised to verify the latest notification, exam dates, and syllabus from the official SVPUAT / UPCATET website before making any preparation plan or submission. AgriJob.in is India’s #1 Agriculture Job & Study Material Portal. We do not charge any fee for study content and do not guarantee admission to any institution.