FCI Assistant Grade 3 Recruitment 2026: Expected Notification, Eligibility & Syllabus | FCI

FCI Assistant Grade 3 2026: Food Corporation of India Recruitment Guide

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) Assistant Grade 3 (AG-3) Recruitment 2026 is one of the most sought-after central government job notifications with thousands of vacancies across India. Conducted directly by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) through nationwide online examinations, this recruitment drive selects candidates for AG-3 posts in Depot, General, Accounts, Technical, and Hindi categories. If you are searching for "FCI AG 3 notification 2026", "FCI Assistant Grade 3 exam date 2026", or "FCI recruitment 2026", this guide has everything you need.

---

About FCI and the AG-3 Post

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is a premier statutory corporation and public sector enterprise operating under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. FCI is responsible for:

• Procurement of food grains from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP)
• Storage of food grains in its depots across India
• Distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS)
• Price Stabilisation of essential commodities

FCI Assistant Grade III (AG-3) is a Group C post and the biggest entry-level recruitment in FCI. Posts are in four categories:

Post Category	Code
AG III (General / Depot)	AG-III (Depot)
AG III (Accounts)	AG-III (Accounts)
AG III (Technical)	AG-III (Technical)
AG III (Typing Test)	AG-III (Typing)
Watchman / MTS	Separate notification

---

FCI AG-3 2026 Important Dates

Event	Expected Date
FCI AG-3 2026 Notification	Mid to Late 2026
Online Application Start	After notification release
Application Last Date	30–45 days after notification
FCI AG-3 Exam Date 2026	3–4 months after application closes
FCI AG-3 Result	2–3 months after exam
Document Verification	After result declaration

FCI notifications are published on the official website fci.gov.in and often on sarkariresult.com simultaneously. Monitor both for instant alerts.

---

FCI AG-3 2026 Vacancy Details

Official vacancies for the 2026 cycle are awaited. Historical vacancy data from the previous major Category III recruitment drive provides a reference:

Recruitment Drive	Category	Total Notified Vacancies
FCI AG-3 2022 Cycle	Category III (General, Depot, Accounts, Tech, Hindi)	5,043
FCI AG-3 2026 (Projected)	Category III	4,000–5,000+ (Estimated)

Note: Vacancy figures for 2026 are market projections based on operational vacancies across FCI godowns and offices. Official zone-wise and stream-wise quotas will be finalized in the upcoming notification.

---

FCI AG-3 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit

Category	Maximum Age (General/Depot/Accounts/Tech)	Maximum Age (Hindi Stream)
General / UR	27 years	28 years
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	30 years	31 years
SC / ST	32 years	33 years
PwBD (UR)	37 years	38 years

• Minimum Age: 18 years (with graduation requirement applicable across posts).

Educational Qualification (Post-Wise)

Post	Qualification
AG-III (General / Depot)	Any Bachelor's Degree + Computer Proficiency
AG-III (Accounts)	Bachelor's Degree with Accounts as subject / B.Com / CA (Inter)
AG-III (Technical)	B.Sc. (Agriculture) / B.Tech (Food Tech, Bio-tech, Agriculture Engg)
AG-III (Typing Test)	12th Pass + Typing Speed: Hindi 30 WPM / English 40 WPM

Additional Requirements

• Computer Proficiency: 6-month computer course certificate (for AG-III General)
• Typing: Specific WPM requirements for Typist post

---

FCI AG-3 2026 Exam Pattern

FCI AG-3 Phase I is conducted in Computer Based Mode (CBT):

Phase I — Online Examination (CBT)

Section	Questions	Marks	Duration
English Language	25	25	Composite time
Reasoning Ability	25	25	of 70 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	25	25
General / Technical Awareness	25	25
Total	100	100	70 min

• Negative Marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer
• Paper Medium: English and Hindi (except English Language section)

Phase II — Category-Specific Tests

For AGM-III (Accounts):

• Advanced Accounting Paper (100 marks, 60 minutes)

For AGM-III (Technical):

• Technical Awareness in Food Grain Storage, Agriculture (100 marks, 60 minutes)

For AGM-III (Typing):

• Typing Test: Hindi 30 WPM (10 minutes) / English 40 WPM (10 minutes)

---

FCI AG-3 2026 Syllabus — Section-Wise

English Language (25 Questions)

• Reading Comprehension (2–3 passages)
• Cloze Test
• Para Jumbles
• Fill in the Blanks (Articles, Prepositions, Conjunctions)
• Error Detection / Sentence Correction
• Vocabulary: Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms & Phrases

Reasoning Ability (25 Questions)

• Analogy, Classification, Coding-Decoding
• Blood Relations, Direction & Distance
• Syllogisms, Statement & Conclusions
• Puzzles and Seating Arrangement
• Alphanumeric Series
• Input-Output, Machine Input

Quantitative Aptitude (25 Questions)

• Number System, Simplification, Approximation
• Percentage, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest
• Ratio, Proportion, Mixture & Alligation
• Time & Work, Time, Speed & Distance
• Data Interpretation: Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Tables
• Mensuration, Geometry basics

General Awareness (25 Questions)

For AG-III (Depot/General):

• Current Affairs (last 6 months)
• National & International Events
• Geography, Economy, Polity
• FCI, Food Security, PDS, Government Schemes
• Computer Awareness (MS Office, Internet basics)

For AG-III (Technical) — Technical Awareness:

• Food Grain Storage (Hermetic storage, Fumigation, Pest control)
• Moisture content, Grain quality parameters
• Warehousing and Supply Chain Management
• Agriculture: Crop production, Post-harvest technology
• Food Technology basics
• FSSAI regulations

---

How to Apply — FCI AG-3 2026

1. Visit fci.gov.in or the official recruitment portal
2. Click on "FCI AG-3 2026 Recruitment Notification"
3. Read the official notification carefully (zone preferences, eligibility)
4. Register online with Email ID and Mobile Number
5. Fill application form: Personal details, Education, Zone preference, Post category
6. Upload Photo (JPG, 20–50 KB) and Signature (JPG, 10–20 KB)
7. Pay Application Fee:
   • General / OBC / EWS: ₹500 (approximately)
   • SC / ST / PwD / Ex-Servicemen / Women: Nil
8. Submit and download confirmation page

---

Zone-Wise FCI AG-3 Recruitment

FCI operates through 5 Zones, and candidates apply zone-wise:

Zone	States Covered
North Zone	Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal, J&K, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, UP (part)
South Zone	AP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry
East Zone	West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, North-East
West Zone	Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa
North-East Zone	Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal, Mizoram, Sikkim

Candidates are recruited for posting within their preferred zone.

---

FCI AG-3 Salary & Benefits

Post	Pay Scale (IDA Pattern)	Gross Monthly (Approx.)
AG-III (All Streams)	₹28,200 – ₹79,200	₹45,000 – ₹55,000/month

Additional Benefits:

• Industrial Dearness Allowance (IDA, revised quarterly by FCI)
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) — 9%/18%/27% (or 8%/16%/24%) based on city classification
• Cafeteria perks and allowances (up to 32% of basic pay)
• Comprehensive medical facilities for employee and dependents
• Contributory Provident Fund, Gratuity, and Pension schemes
• Subsidized canteen and staff quarters at select depot locations

---

Common Mistakes to Avoid in FCI AG-3 2026

1. Zone preference errors: FCI recruits zone-wise. Many candidates fill in the wrong zone or skip zone preference entirely — resulting in disqualification or non-preferred posting.
2. Ignoring FCI-specific General Awareness: Questions on PDS (Public Distribution System), NFSA, MSP, food grain storage, and Food Security Act appear heavily. Generic GK is not enough.
3. Skipping Reasoning — especially Puzzles: FCI AG-3 heavily tests Puzzles and Seating Arrangement in Reasoning. Candidates who don't practice these lose 6–8 marks easily.
4. Underestimating negative marking (0.25): Unlike BRO, FCI has negative marking. Don't attempt questions you are unsure about.
5. Not registering on the correct official portal: FCI AG-3 notifications sometimes go through third-party managed portals. Always follow the link from fci.gov.in to avoid phishing fake sites.
6. Technical candidates ignoring Technical Awareness: AG-III (Technical) candidates often over-focus on general subjects and underperform in the domain-specific Phase II paper (food storage, agriculture).
7. Starting Phase II preparation too late: Phase II papers (Accounts, Technical, Typing) need separate focused preparation — treat them as separate exams from the beginning.

---

FCI AG-3 — Previous Year Paper Analysis

FCI AG-3 Exam History

Year	Notification	Vacancies	Exam Mode	Phase I Date
FCI AG-3 2022	Dec 2022	5,043	CBT Phase I + Phase II	Feb–Mar 2023
FCI AG-3 2023	Late 2023	3,990	CBT Phase I + Phase II	2024
FCI AG-3 2019	Jan 2019	4,103	CBT + CBST	Mar 2019

Phase I Section-Wise Weightage (Previous Years)

Subject	Questions	Difficulty	High-Yield Topics
English Language	25	Easy–Moderate	RC passage, cloze test, vocabulary
Reasoning Ability	25	Moderate–High	Puzzles, seating arrangement, input-output
Quantitative Aptitude	25	Moderate	DI, simplification, profit/loss, time-work
General Awareness	25	Moderate	Current affairs, food security, FCI schemes

Previous Year Cut-Offs (Phase I) — Approximate

Year	General	OBC	SC	ST
FCI AG-3 2022	62–70 / 100	58–65 / 100	50–58 / 100	45–52 / 100
FCI AG-3 2019	60–68 / 100	55–62 / 100	48–55 / 100	42–50 / 100

Key Observations:

• Reasoning (Puzzles + Seating Arrangement) consistently the most time-consuming section
• FCI-specific GA on food security and PDS makes this section different from other SSC exams
• English difficulty is moderate — vocabulary and cloze test are most frequent question types
• Cut-offs can vary significantly zone-wise (North Zone often has higher competition)
• Typing Test (AG-III Typing) eliminates candidates who haven't consistently practiced: 30 WPM Hindi / 40 WPM English is non-negotiable

---

FCI AG-3 2026 Preparation Strategy

For Phase I (CBT)

English (Focus: Vocabulary & RC)

• Spend 30 minutes daily on reading comprehension passages
• Build vocabulary: 15 new words per day via apps or word lists
• Practice cloze tests and para-jumbles from banking exam materials

Reasoning (Focus: Puzzles & Seating)

• Spend 45 minutes daily — puzzles and seating arrangement are high-scorers
• Practice input-output (machine input) and blood relation questions
• Speed matters: target 25 questions in 18–20 minutes

Quantitative Aptitude (Focus: DI & Arithmetic)

• Practice Data Interpretation sets daily — pie charts, bar graphs
• Brush up on percentage, ratio, profit/loss, and time-work
• Speed calculation techniques: Vedic math or approximation methods

General Awareness (Focus: Current Affairs + FCI-Specific)

• Study FCI's role in food security: PDS, NFSA, MSP
• Follow government schemes related to food and agriculture
• Last 6 months current affairs from reliable monthly magazines

Recommended Study Material

Subject	Resource
English	Arihant Objective English
Reasoning	R.S. Aggarwal Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
Quantitative	R.S. Aggarwal Quantitative Aptitude
GK	Lucent GK + Monthly GK Capsule
FCI Previous Papers	Arihant FCI AG-3 Solved Papers
Technical (AG-III Tech)	ICAR Agricultural Textbooks

3-Month Preparation Plan for FCI AG-3 2026

Month 1 — Concept Building:

• English: Cover grammar basics, vocabulary building (15 words/day), RC passages
• Reasoning: Complete analogy, coding, blood relations, syllogisms
• Quant: Arithmetic topics — percentage, ratio, profit/loss, time-work (20 questions/day)
• GA: FCI, PDS, NFSA, MSP basics + last 3 months current affairs

Month 2 — Intensive Focus:

• Reasoning: Daily 2 complex puzzles + seating arrangement sets
• Quant: DI (data interpretation) — 1 full set (5 Qs) per day
• English: Para jumbles (10/day) + cloze tests (1 per day) + RC passages
• GA: Current affairs (last 6 months) + FCI zone-wise structure study

Month 3 — Mock Tests + Phase II Prep:

• 3 full-length Phase I mock tests per week
• Begin Phase II prep: Typing: 15–30 min daily typing; Accounts/Technical: subject-specific study
• Current affairs revision: last 6 months GK capsule
• Solve previous year FCI papers (AG-3 2019 and 2022)

Daily Study Routine for FCI AG-3 2026

Time Slot	Activity
6:30 – 7:30 AM	English — RC passage + vocabulary (15 words)
8:00 – 9:15 AM	Reasoning — 2 puzzles + 20 miscellaneous questions
9:15 – 10:15 AM	Quantitative Aptitude — 1 DI set + 15 arithmetic questions
5:00 – 6:00 PM	General Awareness — current affairs + FCI-specific reading
7:00 – 8:00 PM	Mock test section or previous year paper practice
8:00 – 8:30 PM	Phase II preparation (Typing / Accounts / Technical)

---

Frequently Asked Questions — FCI AG-3 2026

Q1. When will FCI Assistant Grade 3 2026 notification be released? The FCI AG-3 2026 notification is expected in mid-to-late 2026. Monitor fci.gov.in and our FCI AG-3 2026 page.

Q2. What is the FCI AG-3 exam date 2026? The exam date will be specified in the notification, typically 3–4 months after the application window closes.

Q3. How many vacancies will FCI AG-3 2026 have? Expected 4,000–6,000+ vacancies across all zones and post categories.

Q4. What is the age limit for FCI AG-3 2026? 27 years for General/UR (28 years for Hindi stream), 30 years for OBC, and 32 years for SC/ST, calculated as per the cutoff date specified in the official advertisement.

Q5. What qualification is needed for FCI AG-3 Technical post? B.Sc. Agriculture or B.Tech in Food Technology / Biotechnology / Agriculture Engineering.

Q6. Is FCI AG-3 exam conducted online? Phase I (Screening) is CBT (Computer Based Test). Phase II (for specific categories) includes typing test or advanced paper.

Q7. What is the salary of FCI AG-3? FCI Assistant Grade 3 is placed in the IDA scale of ₹28,200–₹79,200, with an approximate starting gross monthly salary of ₹45,000–₹55,000 plus applicable perks.

Q8. Can I apply for multiple zones in FCI AG-3? Generally, FCI recruitment allows preference for one zone. Check the official notification for multi-zone application rules.

---

Official Links — FCI AG-3 2026

• FCI Official Website: https://fci.gov.in
• ExamDetail FCI AG-3 Page: /exams/fci-assistant-grade-3-2026

Track the FCI AG-3 notification live on our FCI 2026 page.

---

Last Updated: September 2026 | Source: Food Corporation of India (FCI)