ICAR JRF / IBPS AFO — Exam Preparation
IBPS AFO Exam Pattern
IBPS AFO (Agricultural Field Officer) is a Specialist Officer exam for banking:
•Prelims: Reasoning (50), English (50), Quantitative (50) — Total 150 marks
•Mains: Agriculture General Knowledge (60 Q/60 marks) + Reasoning & Computer (30) + English (40) + Banking Awareness (40) = 170 marks
•Cut-off (Agriculture GK section): Typically 70%+
Agriculture GK for Banking Exams
Government Schemes — High Frequency Topics
| Scheme | Launch | Purpose |
|---|
|--------|--------|---------|
| PM-KISAN | Feb 2019 | ₹6,000/year to farmer families in 3 instalments |
|---|---|---|
| PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) | 2016 | Crop insurance — 1.5% premium for Rabi, 2% Kharif by farmer |
| Kisan Credit Card (KCC) | 1998 | Short-term credit for crop production @7% (4% with subvention) |
| PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana | 2015 | "Har Khet Ko Pani, More Crop Per Drop" — irrigation expansion |
| eNAM (National Agri Market) | 2016 | Online trading platform for agricultural commodities |
| Soil Health Card | 2015 | Free nutrient testing + recommendations for all farmers |
| Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana | 2015 | Promote organic farming, ₹50,000/ha over 3 years |
| Operation Flood (White Revolution) | 1970 | Milk production; Verghese Kurien; NDDB |
| Blue Revolution | 1985–90 | Fisheries development |
| Yellow Revolution | 1986–90 | Oilseeds production (9th Plan) |
| Green Revolution | 1960s | HYV seeds + irrigation + fertilisers for wheat/rice |
MSP (Minimum Support Price)
•Announced by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) based on CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) recommendations
•Fixed for 23 crops: 14 Kharif + 6 Rabi + 2 commercial
•MSP formula: Cost A2+FL (actual costs + family labour) basis — recently C2+50% is recommended but not officially adopted
•High-value MSP crops to remember: Paddy (₹2183/qtl), Wheat (₹2275/qtl), Arhar/Tur, Sunflower, Sesame (highest MSP among oilseeds)
Agricultural Credit
| Institution | Role |
|---|
|------------|------|
| NABARD | Apex institution for agriculture and rural credit; refinances RRBs and cooperative banks; Grade A/B exam is NABARD direct recruitment |
|---|---|
| RRBs (Regional Rural Banks) | District-level banks; sponsored by commercial banks + State + Centre (50:35:15); NABARD supervises |
| Land Development Banks | Long-term loans for land improvement (formerly called Land Mortgage Banks) |
| PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) | Village-level cooperative; provides short-term credit to farmers |
| KCC (Kisan Credit Card) | Revolving credit facility; issued by commercial banks, RRBs, cooperatives |
ICAR JRF — Subject Areas
Agronomy (High Weightage)
•Farming systems: Monocropping, mixed cropping, inter-cropping, crop rotation, relay cropping
•Critical periods of crop weed competition (CPWC): differs per crop
•Weed classification: grasses (narrow leaf), sedges, broadleaved
•Herbicides: pre-emergence (before germination) vs post-emergence
•Water use efficiency: ET ratio, irrigation scheduling, drip/sprinkler advantage
Plant Breeding Concepts
•Heterosis (hybrid vigour): F1 hybrid > parent average. Exploited in maize, bajra, sunflower, cotton
•Inbreeding depression: loss of vigour with selfing in cross-pollinated crops
•Backcross breeding: transfer single gene from donor to adapted variety
•Pure line breeding: for self-pollinated crops (wheat, rice, gram)
•Polyploidy: bread wheat (hexaploid, 2n=42), sugarcane (polyploid)
Plant Pathology — Major Disease Cycles
•Blast of rice (Pyricularia oryzae): Airborne conidia; attacks leaves, nodes, neck. Management: Tricyclazole, resistant varieties
•Late blight of potato (Phytophthora infestans): Oomycete; favours cool humid weather; caused Great Irish Famine (1845)
•Wilt of pigeon pea (Fusarium udum): Soil-borne; blocks vascular tissue; resistant varieties best option
•Wheat rusts: Yellow rust (cool climate, stripe pattern), Brown rust (moderate, circular pustules), Black rust (humid, large pustules)
Soil Science
•Soil pH: Acidic (<6): add lime; Alkaline (>8.5): add gypsum + organic matter
•Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): Measure of soil's ability to retain cations; higher = better fertility
•Soil texture: Sandy (fast drainage, low fertility), Clay (slow drainage, high fertility), Loam (ideal)
•Organic matter benefits: Improves structure, water holding, CEC, microbial activity