Nearly every new crop grown in India traces back to one body. ICAR turned farm research into a national system. It began under colonial rule, and never stopped.
- ICAR
- The top body for farm research and teaching in India. It covers crops, soil, fish, and animals.
- DARE
- The government department ICAR works under: the Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
- Autonomous body
- A group that runs its own work. It still answers to a government department.
Contents
How a Colonial Report Became a National Network
ICAR was never rebuilt from scratch. A colonial-era body kept its structure, and simply changed its name after independence.
How Did ICAR Begin?
- 1928: The Royal Commission on Agriculture asks for one central body, to run farm research across India.
- 16 July 1929: The council is registered as a society. Its first name is the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
- Post-1947: After independence, it is renamed. It becomes the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, or ICAR.
- 1972-1980: M.S. Swaminathan, a key Green Revolution figure, serves as ICAR’s Director-General.
- July 2026: ICAR marks its 98th Foundation Day. Its network has grown to 113 institutes and 74 farm schools.
True or False: ICAR was registered as a society on 16 July 1929, before independence.
What ICAR Is and Where It Sits
ICAR’s own reach goes well past crops alone, and it answers to a clear chain of command.
What Is ICAR Responsible For?
ICAR is the top body for farm science in India. It guides both research and teaching. Its work covers crops, horticulture, fisheries, and animal science, not just crop research.
Where Does ICAR Sit in Government?
ICAR is an autonomous body, registered as a society. It works under DARE, the Department of Agricultural Research and Education. DARE itself sits inside the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. ICAR’s own office is at Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.
True or False: ICAR’s work covers only crop research.
Its University Network and the Green Revolution
ICAR did not just study farming from the outside. It helped build the very network of universities that scaled the change.
What Does ICAR’s University Network Look Like?
The network has four parts. It includes state farm schools, central farm schools, ICAR deemed schools, and other schools with farm units. ICAR’s own institutes study crops, soil, livestock, and fish. They also do policy and extension work.
How Was ICAR the Backbone of the Green Revolution?
ICAR-bred crop types and farm methods were central to the Green Revolution. Food output rose sharply, from the 1960s onward. M.S. Swaminathan was the Green Revolution’s key figure. He served as ICAR’s Director-General, from 1972 to 1980.
True or False: M.S. Swaminathan served as ICAR’s Director-General from 1972 to 1980.
ICAR vs. Its Own Network
Exam papers often test whether a named body belongs to ICAR, or to a separate body that just works alongside it.
Not Every Farm Body Reports to ICAR
The National Rainfed Area Authority, or NRAA, is one example. Its work overlaps with ICAR’s, but it sits under a different department.
True or False: The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) is an ICAR institute.
What Did ICAR Announce at Its 98th Foundation Day?
On 16 July 2026, ICAR marked its 98th Foundation Day. Over the past year, it released 386 improved crop types, across 44 crops. 94% of these handle climate stress well, and 29 pack extra nutrients. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan set seven goals for ICAR. These include 100 Climate Smart Villages, and reaching 100 million farmers with ICAR tools. ICAR also aims to raise ₹10,000 crore in its own funds, by 2029.
Figure 1 — Where ICAR’s research value comes from
Farm research alone makes up less than a third of ICAR’s total value added.
ICAR’s research added an estimated ₹1.70 lakh crore in value this year. Farm research alone added about ₹55,000 crore of that. It reached nearly 1 crore farmers directly. On 15 July 2026, Chouhan spoke at ICAR’s CSR Conclave 2026. He urged firms to send CSR funds toward farm research, soil health, and women farmers’ businesses. The event drew about 150 people from 75 industries, plus 570 online. Partners like SBI Foundation, ICICI Foundation, and Yes Bank agreed to CSR deals with ICAR.
True or False: ICAR’s research network today has grown to 386 institutes and 44 farm schools.
Exam Edge
A few traps come up often around this topic. These are worth knowing before an exam.
- Must Know ICAR was renamed after independence, not rebuilt. Its 1929 structure, as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, carried through to today.
- Good to Know ICAR’s network today is 113 institutes and 74 farm schools. The figures 386 and 44 belong to this year’s new crop releases — a different count entirely.
- Great to Know Not every farm body reports to ICAR. NRAA works on related issues, but sits under a different department. Check a body’s real home before assuming it is ICAR’s.
Q: What was ICAR’s original name, in 1929?
A: The Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
Q: Which department does ICAR work under?
A: DARE, the Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
Q: Who led ICAR as Director-General from 1972 to 1980?
A: M.S. Swaminathan, a key Green Revolution figure.
Q: How large is ICAR’s institute network today?
A: 113 institutes and 74 farm schools.
Q: Does NRAA report to ICAR?
A: No — its work overlaps with ICAR’s, but it sits under a different department.
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