FCI AG III Syllabus 2026: Agriculture Technical (Phase 1 & 2)

FCI AG III 2026 — Quick Facts

Detail	Info
Post	Assistant Grade III (AG-III) — Technical
Organisation	Food Corporation of India (FCI)
Vacancies	~5,000+ (Technical posts; total AG-III vacancies ~27,000 across all categories)
Qualification	B.Sc. Agriculture / Botany / Zoology / Chemistry / Physics (as per group)
Selection Process	Phase 1 (Qualifying) → Phase 2 Paper 1 + Paper 2 (Merit) → Document Verification
Phase 1 Mode	Online CBT — Objective MCQ
Phase 2 Mode	Online CBT — Paper 1 (General) + Paper 2 (Technical)
Negative Marking	0.25 marks per wrong answer
Official Site	fci.gov.in

Selection Process Summary

Phase 1 (Qualifying)
  ↓ (only qualifying — does NOT add to merit)
Phase 2 Paper 1 (General Aptitude — counts for merit)
  +
Phase 2 Paper 2 (Technical Domain — counts for merit)
  ↓
Final Merit = Paper 1 + Paper 2 scores
  ↓
Document Verification → Medical → Joining

Key point: Phase 1 is only qualifying. Your final rank depends entirely on Phase 2 performance. Focus maximum time on Paper 2 (Technical) and Paper 1 General Studies.

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FCI AG-III Syllabus Overview

The FCI AG-III (Technical) exam tests you across three levels:

1. Phase 1 — General aptitude (qualifying)
2. Phase 2 Paper 1 — General aptitude (for merit, expanded)
3. Phase 2 Paper 2 — Domain-specific Technical paper (for merit)

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Phase 1 & Paper 1 — General Subjects

English Language (25 Qs in Phase 1, 25 Qs in Paper 1)

• Reading Comprehension — 1-2 passages, inference & vocabulary questions
• Cloze Test — Fill in the blanks in a passage
• Error Spotting — Identify grammatical errors in sentences
• Sentence Improvement — Replace underlined parts
• Fill in the Blanks — Single/double blanks, vocabulary-based
• Para Jumbles — Rearrange sentences logically
• Synonyms & Antonyms — Direct vocabulary
• Idioms & Phrases — Common English idioms
• One Word Substitution — Replace phrases with single words

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Reasoning Ability (25 Qs in Phase 1, 25 Qs in Paper 1)

• Analogies — Word/number analogies
• Coding-Decoding — Letter/number/word coding patterns
• Blood Relations — Family tree problems
• Direction & Distance — Compass-based displacement
• Series — Number series, letter series, mixed series
• Syllogisms — Statement and conclusion (Venn diagram method)
• Seating Arrangement — Linear, circular (moderate difficulty)
• Puzzles — Box-based, scheduling, comparison
• Statement & Conclusion — Logical reasoning
• Classification — Odd one out
• Order & Ranking — Position problems

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Numerical Aptitude (25 Qs in Phase 1, 25 Qs in Paper 1)

• Number System — HCF, LCM, divisibility, remainders
• Simplification & Approximation — BODMAS, quick calculation
• Percentage — Basic percentage, successive change
• Ratio & Proportion — Direct/inverse ratio
• Profit, Loss & Discount — Successive discounts, cost-based
• Simple & Compound Interest — SI/CI formulas, difference method
• Time & Work — LCM method, efficiency, pipes & cisterns
• Time, Speed & Distance — Relative speed, trains, boats
• Averages — Weighted average, change in average
• Data Interpretation — Bar graph, pie chart, line graph, table
• Mensuration — Area, perimeter, volume (basic)
• Algebra Basics — Linear equations, inequalities

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General Studies (25 Qs in Phase 1, 45 Qs in Paper 1)

General Studies has the highest weightage in Paper 1 (45 marks). This section covers:

Indian History:

• Ancient India (Indus Valley, Vedic period, Maurya, Gupta)
• Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire)
• Modern India (British rule, freedom movement, important leaders)

Indian Geography:

• Physical geography (rivers, mountains, climate)
• Economic geography (agriculture zones, minerals, industries)
• Important dams, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries

Indian Polity & Constitution:

• Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Fundamental Duties
• Parliament, President, PM, Judiciary
• Constitutional amendments, important articles
• Panchayati Raj, Union & State governance

Indian Economy:

• Five Year Plans, NITI Aayog
• GDP, GNP, NNP, inflation indices
• Banking system, RBI, fiscal & monetary policy
• Government schemes (PM schemes, rural development)
• Budget basics, taxation (GST, income tax)

General Science:

• Physics: Motion, force, energy, light, electricity (basic concepts)
• Chemistry: Elements, compounds, acids/bases, metals, chemical reactions
• Biology: Human body systems, diseases, nutrition, genetics basics
• Environmental science: Pollution, conservation, climate

Current Affairs:

• National & international events (last 6 months)
• Important appointments, awards, summits
• Sports achievements, books & authors
• Important dates, days, and events

Static GK:

• Countries, capitals, currencies
• International organizations (UN, WHO, IMF, World Bank)
• First in India, first in world
• Important inventions and discoveries

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Phase 2 Paper 2 — Technical Syllabus

Agriculture (Common to Group A & Group B)

This is the most important section for agriculture graduates — it appears in both groups.

Crop Production Technology:

• Major cereal crops: Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sorghum, Pearl Millet
• Pulses: Chickpea, Pigeonpea, Lentil, Green gram, Black gram
• Oilseeds: Groundnut, Mustard, Soybean, Sunflower, Sesame
• Commercial crops: Sugarcane, Cotton, Jute, Tobacco
• Cropping systems, crop rotation, mixed cropping, intercropping
• Seed technology — seed production, certification, testing, storage

Soil Science:

• Soil types of India (alluvial, black, red, laterite)
• Soil fertility and nutrient management
• Major & minor plant nutrients (NPK + micronutrients)
• Fertilizers — nitrogenous, phosphatic, potassic, complex
• Problematic soils — saline, alkaline, acidic — reclamation

Entomology & Plant Protection:

• Major crop pests — identification, life cycle, damage symptoms
• Storage pests (extremely relevant for FCI) — rice weevil, lesser grain borer, red flour beetle, Khapra beetle, pulse beetle
• Insecticides — classification, mode of action, safety
• IPM principles and biological control
• Fumigation techniques (Aluminium Phosphide — used in FCI godowns)

Plant Pathology:

• Major crop diseases — causal organisms, symptoms, management
• Fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes as plant pathogens
• Disease management strategies — chemical, biological, cultural
• Post-harvest diseases and grain spoilage

Agricultural Economics:

• Statistics of Indian agriculture — area, production, yield of major crops
• MSP (Minimum Support Price) — CACP recommendations
• Procurement policy and PDS system (directly relevant to FCI operations)
• Agricultural marketing, APMC, e-NAM

Food Science & Technology:

• Food processing and preservation methods
• Grain storage technology — types of storage structures
• Quality standards — FAQ (Fair Average Quality) norms
• Food spoilage — causes, prevention
• Moisture content measurement and management

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Botany (Group A Only)

Cell Biology:

• Cell structure — prokaryotic vs eukaryotic
• Cell organelles — mitochondria, chloroplast, ER, Golgi
• Cell division — mitosis and meiosis, significance

Genetics:

• Mendel's Laws of Inheritance
• DNA and RNA structure, replication, transcription, translation
• Chromosomes, gene mapping, genetic disorders
• Mutations — types, causes, significance

Plant Classification & Diversity:

• Taxonomy — classification systems (Bentham & Hooker, APG)
• Plant families — Leguminosae, Gramineae, Solanaceae, Cruciferae
• Algae, fungi, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, angiosperms

Ecology:

• Ecosystems — terrestrial, aquatic, components
• Food chains, food webs, ecological pyramids
• Biodiversity — types, threats, conservation
• Environmental pollution and climate change

Plant Physiology:

• Photosynthesis — C3, C4, CAM pathways
• Respiration — aerobic, anaerobic, Krebs cycle
• Transpiration — types, factors, significance
• Plant growth regulators — auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins

Biochemistry:

• Carbohydrates — monosaccharides, polysaccharides, starch
• Proteins — amino acids, protein structure, enzymes
• Lipids — fatty acids, oils, fats
• Vitamins — types, deficiency diseases

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Zoology (Group A Only)

Animal Classification:

• Phylum Chordata — classes of vertebrates
• Non-chordates — Porifera to Echinodermata (key features)
• Economically important animals

Organ Systems:

• Digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system
• Excretory system, nervous system, endocrine system
• Reproductive system

Heredity & Variation:

• Genetics in animals, sex determination
• Genetic disorders — haemophilia, colour blindness, Down syndrome
• Evolution basics — Darwin, Lamarck

Micro-organisms:

• Bacteria — types, diseases, beneficial bacteria
• Viruses — structure, diseases
• Protozoa — Amoeba, Plasmodium, Trypanosoma

Insects & Rodents (FCI-Relevant):

• Storage insects — weevils, borers, beetles, moths
• Rodents — rats, mice — damage to stored grains
• Control measures — chemical, biological, physical
• This topic has direct application in FCI depot work

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Chemistry (Group B Only)

Chemical Bonding: Ionic, covalent, metallic bonds, hydrogen bonding

Organic Chemistry: Hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes), functional groups (alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids), polymers

Inorganic Chemistry: Periodic table trends, s-block and p-block elements, coordination compounds

Physical Chemistry: Solutions, chemical equilibrium, thermodynamics basics, electrochemistry

Chemistry in Daily Life: Soaps and detergents, food preservatives, medicines, dyes, polymers

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Physics (Group B Only)

Measurements: Units (SI system), dimensions, errors, significant figures

Mechanics: Motion (linear, projectile), Newton's laws, work-energy theorem, gravitation

Heat & Thermodynamics: Temperature scales, specific heat, heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), thermal expansion

Optics: Reflection, refraction, lenses, mirrors, prism, optical instruments

Electricity: Current electricity, Ohm's law, series/parallel circuits, electromagnetic induction, transformers

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Preparation Priority Based on Marks

Priority	Subject	Paper	Marks	Strategy
1	Agriculture	Paper 2	~60-80	Highest ROI — master this first
2	General Studies	Paper 1	45	Second highest marks — cover systematically
3	Botany/Zoology OR Chemistry/Physics	Paper 2	~40-60	Based on your group choice
4	Reasoning	Paper 1	25	Practice-based — daily practice
5	Numerical Aptitude	Paper 1	25	Formula + practice
6	English	Paper 1	25	Vocabulary + grammar