NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025: Check Prelims and Mains Exam Total Marks, Negative Marking Pattern

NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025: The National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) is going to conduct the Administrative Officer (AO) exam for recruitment to 266 posts.. The exam will be held in three phases – Prelims, Mains (Objective + Descriptive), and Interview. Candidates must thoroughly understand the exam pattern, marks distribution, and negative marking scheme to strategize their preparation effectively. Read this article to get complete insights into NIACL AO Exam Pattern 2025.

Upasna Choudhary
Jun 11, 2025, 16:53 IST
NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025
NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025

NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025: Candidates applying for the NICL AO recruitment 2025 must appear for all phases of the selection process – Preliminary Examination, Main Examination (Objective + Descriptive), and Interview. Both Prelims and Mains exams are conducted online and consist of multiple choice objective-type questions. The Descriptive Test is conducted immediately after the Mains Objective Test. Check the complete exam pattern below.

Overview of NICL AO Exam 2025

Particulars

Details

Exam Name

NICL Administrative Officer (AO) Exam 2025

Conducting Body

National Insurance Company Limited (NICL)

Exam Mode

Online (Computer-Based Test)

Phases

Prelims, Mains (Objective + Descriptive), Interview

Type of Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (Objective) + Descriptive Test

Negative Marking

¼ mark deducted for each incorrect answer

NICL AO Prelims Exam Pattern 2025

The NICL AO 2025 Preliminary Examination will be conducted online and is common across all  disciplines. It consists of 100 objective-type questions divided into three sections. The exam is of 60 minutes duration, with separate timing for each section. Candidates must qualify each section individually. Those candidates who will qualify the prelims exam will be eligible for the Mains examination. Check the table below:

Section

Type of Test

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Duration

Medium

English Language

Objective

30

30

20 minutes

English

Reasoning Ability

Objective

35

35

20 minutes

English/Hindi

Quantitative Aptitude

Objective

35

35

20 minutes

English/Hindi

Total

 

100

100

60 minutes

 

NICL AO Main Exam Pattern 2025

The Main Examination consists of two parts – Objective Test (250 marks) and Descriptive Test (30 marks). Both tests are conducted online. The descriptive test is administered immediately after the objective test.

NICL AO Main Objective Test Pattern – For Generalists

Section

Type of Test

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Duration

Medium

Reasoning Ability

Objective

50

50

40 minutes

English/Hindi

English Language

Objective

50

50

40 minutes

English

General Awareness

Objective

50

50

30 minutes

English/Hindi

Computer Knowledge

Objective

50

50

30 minutes

English/Hindi

Quantitative Aptitude

Objective

50

50

40 minutes

English/Hindi

Total

 

250

250

180 minutes

 

NICL AO Main Objective Test Pattern – For Specialists

The exam pattern for Specialist posts consists of six sections- Reasoning Ability,English Language, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, and Technical & Professional Knowledge. There are a total of 250 questions which carries 1 mark each. There is also a provision of negative marking. 0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer. The total time duration for the exam is 180 minutes.

Section

Type of Test

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Duration

Medium

Reasoning Ability

Objective

40

40

35 minutes

English/Hindi

English Language

Objective

40

40

30 minutes

English

General Awareness

Objective

40

40

20 minutes

English/Hindi

Computer Knowledge

Objective

40

40

25 minutes

English/Hindi

Quantitative Aptitude

Objective

40

40

35 minutes

English/Hindi

Technical & Professional Knowledge

Objective

50

50

35 minutes

English/Hindi

Total

 

250

250

180 minutes

 

NICL AO Descriptive Test 2025

The NICL AO descriptive test is only evaluated for candidates who qualify the objective test. Marks scored in the descriptive test will not be counted towards shortlisting for the interview or final merit.

Component

Details

Mode

Online (Typing on computer)

 

Duration

30 minutes

Language

English only

Total Marks

30 marks (Qualifying only)

Question Types

Essay Writing – 10 marks

Precis Writing – 10 marks

Comprehension – 10 marks

NICL AO Marking Scheme 2025: Negative Marks 

In both the Prelims and Mains (Objective) exams, candidates will be awarded 1 mark for each correct answer. However, ¼ mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer as part of the negative marking scheme. No penalty is applied for unattempted questions.

 

Negative Marking in NICL AO Exam 2025

The NIACL AO Exam follows a negative marking provision in objective tests. For each incorrect answer, 0.25 marks (i.e., one-fourth of the assigned mark) will be deducted. This is applicable to both Preliminary and Main Objective Exams. No marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.

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Upasna Choudhary
Upasna Choudhary

Content Writer

Upasna Choudhry holds a Master’s degree in Forensic Chemical Sciences and has an extensive background in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. She currently contributes to the Exam Prep Section of Jagran Josh, where her passion for reading and writing shines through her work. Upasna specializes in creating well-researched and aspirant-centric content, simplifying complex topics, and providing strategic preparation insights. Her academic expertise and firsthand experience with competitive exams enable her to deliver valuable resources tailored to the needs of exam aspirants.

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