Krishak Bharati Co-operative Limited (KRIBHCO) sits at the intersection of India’s fertiliser industry and grassroots agricultural extension, and its Field Representative Trainee (FRT) programme is widely regarded as the organisation’s leadership pipeline. The 2025 recruitment cycle again begins with a nationwide computer-based examination designed to filter for both agronomic expertise and a broad understanding of contemporary events that shape farming livelihoods. Because the test precedes every subsequent assessment—interviews, medical checks, postings—candidates cannot afford vague or second-hand information. This page consolidates the official exam pattern and syllabus in a single, coherent narrative so you know exactly what to expect, how much to study and where to channel your effort during the two-hour question marathon. By the time you reach the end of this guide, you should be able to visualise the exam interface, allocate revision hours with surgical precision and walk into the CBT hall with calm confidence rather than last-minute panic.
KRIBHCO Exam Pattern
The FRT selection test uses the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, delivered only in English. Candidates log in to a secure portal, where a dashboard shows a timer, question numbers and marked-for-review flags. You face 100 objective multiple-choice questions that carry one mark each. The entire paper must be completed within 120 minutes—a time limit that rewards nimble problem-solving and punishes prolonged rumination. One of the most candidate-friendly features is the absence of negative marking: incorrect answers do not subtract from your tally, so it is statistically advantageous to attempt every question after ruling out obviously wrong options.
The paper is unequivocally bifurcated: 80 questions on Agriculture Subjects and 20 questions on General Knowledge & Current Affairs. There are no sectional cut-offs, meaning your aggregate score across both domains determines whether you progress to the interview stage. That said, the disproportionate weighting means Agriculture cannot be half-prepared; every forgotten crop disease or fertiliser ratio translates into a lost mark that could drop you below the merit line. Fast navigation matters too: the on-screen palette lets you jump between items, but toggling excessively can drain seconds. Successful candidates often allocate roughly 70–75 minutes to the agriculture block and 40–45 minutes to GK & Current Affairs, leaving a final five-minute buffer for reviewing flagged questions.
| Section | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture Subject | 80 | 80 |
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | 20 | 20 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
| Duration | 120 minutes | |
Syllabus
Agriculture Subject (80 questions):
KRIBHCO’s agriculture syllabus mirrors the final-year curriculum of a B.Sc.(Agri) degree yet focuses on applied knowledge rather than purely academic definitions. Expect soil-science scenarios involving pH correction, cation-exchange capacities and integrated nutrient-management plans. Agronomy questions may ask you to sequence crop-rotation cycles for different agro-climatic zones or choose irrigation methods that optimise water-use efficiency for chickpea versus sugarcane. Crop physiology links will probe photosynthetic efficiency under abiotic stress. Pathology and entomology items frequently use real-field symptoms—“necrotic lesions with concentric rings on tomato leaves”—and ask you to diagnose causative pathogens or select an appropriate biological control agent. Seed-technology components revolve around physiological seed-quality tests, storage humidity thresholds and certification tags. Fertiliser-management content leans heavily on macro- and micro-nutrient deficiency diagnostics, reading soil-test values and recommending balanced-dose schedules aligned with KRIBHCO’s own product portfolio. Horticulture, plantation crops and post-harvest technology round out the spectrum, and occasional questions on extension methodologies test your ability to translate scientific advisories into farmer-friendly language.
General Knowledge & Current Affairs (20 questions):
Although only a fifth of the total, this section often becomes the tiebreaker among equally competent agri-graduates. Questions range from marquee national programmes—Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, the revamped PM-KUSUM solar pump scheme—to international trade pacts that influence fertiliser imports. Expect queries on India’s G20 presidency outcomes, recent COP climate-summit pledges, landmark Supreme Court judgments, Nobel Prize winners in sciences, and demographic data released by the latest National Family Health Survey. General-science snippets might reference gene-editing breakthroughs such as CRISPR-based disease-resistant rice varieties. Sports and cultural achievements appear sparingly but cannot be ignored. Reading a reliable daily paper, following PIB releases, and maintaining a monthly current-affairs digest should cover this scope.
Importance of Knowing the Exam Pattern and Syllabus
Preparation for a competitive exam resembles running a marathon through unfamiliar terrain; a detailed map transforms the ordeal into a calculated race. Understanding the KRIBHCO exam pattern first calibrates your internal clock: you know you have 72 seconds per question on average, but you also realise agriculture items may take longer because they involve scientific reasoning while GK questions often demand instant recall. With no negative marking, the pattern nudges you toward attempting flier guesses after eliminating improbable options—an insight that could single-handedly elevate your final score by several marks.
A crystal-clear syllabus prevents intellectual drift. Instead of spreading yourself thin over peripheral horticultural trivia or obsolete policy schemes, you concentrate on nutrient cycles, crop-protection protocols, agri-marketing legislation, and the flagship programmes shaping rural India today. This targeted approach conserves mental bandwidth, enabling deeper mastery of high-probability topics. Moreover, a documented syllabus doubles as a diagnostic tool during mock-test analysis: if your attempts cluster weakly around plant pathology or current-affairs economy, you see the gap instantly and redeploy study hours accordingly.
Finally, familiarity breeds psychological composure. Candidates who walk into the CBT hall aware of the exact section sequence, timer layout and marking rules experience lower cortisol spikes, translating into sharper recall and steadier mouse clicks. In competitive recruitment—where cut-off margins can hover within two or three marks—such composure is not merely comforting; it can be career-defining.
In short, the union of pattern knowledge and syllabus mastery converts preparation from scattergun revision into a disciplined, metrics-driven campaign—one that maximises every precious hour between today and exam day, ensures efficient on-screen execution within the two-hour window and positions you confidently for the all-important KRIBHCO interview round.
