NIACL AO Mains Study Plan 2025, Get the Best Plan to Prepare Well

The NIACL AO Mains exam is scheduled to be conducted on 29th October 2025. So, hardly a month is left for the preparation. The level of mains exam is quite tough as compared to prelims, and it requires a lot more focused and strategic preparation. Another important factor of having a study plan is that many other banking and insurance exams are also going to be conducted during this time frame. So it’s better to strategise as their preparation is prelims-oriented, and NIACL preparation is of the mains level. Very little time is left, so speed up your preparation. To help you, we have come up with a month-long NIACL AO mains study plan 2025. But before heading towards the strategy part, let’s get a quick glance at the NIACL AO exam pattern to understand which section needs to be done on a priority basis. 

NIACL AO Mains Exam Pattern 2025

The main examination will consist of objective tests for 200 marks and descriptive tests for 30 marks. Both the objective and descriptive tests will be online. Candidates will have to answer the descriptive test by typing on the computer. Immediately after completion of the Objective Test, a Descriptive Test will be administered.

For Generalists

Candidates should check the NIACL AO Mains Exam Pattern for Generalist Posts. There is a set of 200 objective-based questions from sections Reasoning, English Language, General Awareness, and Quantitative Aptitude sections. The time provided for the main paper is 150 minutes. A separate duration is for each section in the mains.

NIACL AO Mains Exam Pattern 2025 For Generalist
Name of Test	Type of test	Maximum Marks	Duration for each test
Test of Reasoning	Objective	50	40 min
Test of English Language	Objective	50	40 min
Test of General Awareness	Objective	50	30 min
Test of Quantitative Aptitude	Objective	50	40 min
Total (Aggregate)		200	150 mins

For Specialists Post

Candidates get objective-based questions for the NIACL AO Specialist Posts in the mains paper. A common set of questions is asked from Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, and General Awareness sections of 200 marks value.

NIACL AO 2025 Exam Pattern for Specialists Post
Name of the Test	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration
Test of Reasoning	40	40	30 minutes
Test of English Language	40	40	30 minutes
Test of General Awareness	40	40	25 minutes
Test of Quantitative Aptitude	40	40	30 minutes
In the Specialist stream, an additional test to assess technical& professional knowledge in the relevant discipline	40	40	35 minutes
Total	200	200	150 minutes

Descriptive Test

The Descriptive Test of 30 minutes duration with 30 marks will be a Test of the English Language (Letter Writing-10 marks & Essay-20 marks). The descriptive test will be in English and will be conducted online. 

NIACL AO 2025 Descriptive Test
Name of Exam	Marks	Duration
Letter Writing	10 marks	30 minutes
Essay Writing	20 marks

NOTE: Each candidate will be required to obtain a minimum score for each section of the objective test separately to get shortlisted for the Descriptive test evaluation/Interview. The descriptive answer script would be evaluated only with respect to those candidates who qualify for the objective test.

Important topics for NIACL AO Mains

In this section, we are providing the list of important topics for NIACL AO 2025 Exam, the topics are suggested from previous years’ paper analysis done by experts. 

Reasoning Ability	Quantitative Aptitude	General Awareness	English Language	Descriptive Writing
Puzzles (Floor, Box, Scheduling)	Data Interpretation	Current Affairs (3–4 months)	Reading Comprehension	Essay: Role of Insurance
Seating Arrangement	Simplification & Approximation	Banking Awareness	Cloze Test	Essay: Financial Inclusion
Syllogism	Number Series	Insurance Awareness	Error Spotting	Essay: Digital Banking
Inequality	Quadratic Equations	Static GK	Sentence Improvement	Essay: Climate & Economy
Coding-Decoding	Profit & Loss	Financial Terms	Para Jumbles	Essay: Cybersecurity
Blood Relations	Time & Work		Fill in the Blanks	Letter: Complaint
Direction Sense	Time, Speed & Distance		Phrase Replacement	Letter: Inquiry
Input-Output	Simple & Compound Interest		Vocabulary (Synonyms, Idioms)	Letter: Appreciation/Loan
Data Sufficiency	Ratio & Proportion
Logical Reasoning	Mixture & Allegation
	Averages
	Partnership
	Probability & Permutation

NIACL AO Mains 2025 Study Plan

NIACL AO Mains 2025 study plan is divided into four weeks, as only one month is left. We have made the strategy in such a way that it is quite feasible for you to follow, as other exams are also approaching. One more thing, the topics that we are suggesting in the first two weeks are similar for mains as well as prelims level. So it will help you in LIC AAO and IBPS Clerk prelims as well. 

Week 1: This week is all about revising the basics that you’ve learnt during the prelims phase. Along with this, you need to practice advanced mains-level questions. We are listing the topics that you should complete during this week. Try to practice advanced-level questions. Also, we suggest you write 2 essays and two letters in a week under the descriptive writing session.

Day	Reasoning Ability	Quantitative Aptitude	English Language	General Awareness	Descriptive Writing
1	Linear & Circular Seating (2 sets)	Simplification (20 Qs), Tabular DI (1 set)	RC (1 passage), Cloze Test (1 set)	CA: July Week 1–2	Essay
2	Floor Puzzle (1 set), Inequality (20 Qs)	Approximation (20 Qs), Bar Graph DI (1 set)	RC (1 passage), Para Jumbles (1 set)	CA: July Week 3–4	—
3	Tabular Puzzle (1 set), Syllogism (20 Qs)	Number Series (20 Qs), Line Graph DI (1 set)	Cloze Test (1 set), Error Detection (20 Qs)	CA: August Week 1	Letter
4	Circular Puzzle (1 set), Blood Relation (15 Qs)	Simplification (20 Qs), Arithmetic: Ratio & profit & loss	RC (1 passage), Fillers (20 Qs)	Banking Awareness: Basics	—
5	Direction Sense (15 Qs), Linear Puzzle (1 set)	Approximation (20 Qs), Arithmetic: Percentages	Para Jumbles (1 set), Error Detection (20 Qs)	CA: August Week 2	Essay
6	Mixed Puzzle (1 set), Syllogism (20 Qs)	Number Series (20 Qs), Arithmetic: Profit & Loss	RC (1 passage), Cloze Test (1 set)	Insurance Awareness: Intro	—
7	Revision of all topics	Mixed DI (2 sets), Simplification (20 Qs)	RC (2 passages), Match-the-Following (1 set)	CA: August Week 3–4	Letter

Week 2: This week, in terms of reasoning, we are focusing on topics such as machine input and data sufficiency. In quants, focus on topics such as Advanced DI (Caselet, Pie Chart, Mixed Graph), Quadratic Equations, Arithmetic (Time & Work, SI & CI, Averages, Mixture & Alligation). In the table below, we have divided the topics day-wise. The time that you will give to each section is purely based on your personal choice. How much time you think you should devote to preparing a particular section might differ from another person, and hence it is completely your own choice.

Day	Reasoning Ability	Quantitative Aptitude	English Language	General Awareness	Descriptive Writing
8	Advanced Puzzle (2 sets), Input-Output (10 Qs)	Caselet DI (1 set), Quadratic Eq. (20 Qs)	RC (1 passage), Sentence Improvement (20 Qs)	CA: September Week 1	Essay
9	Input-Output (10 Qs), Coding-Decoding (15 Qs)	Pie Chart DI (1 set), Arithmetic: Time & Work	RC (1 passage), Match-the-Following (20 Qs)	CA: September Week 2	—
10	Data Sufficiency (10 Qs), Advanced Puzzle (1 set)	Mixed Graph DI (1 set), SI & CI	Para Jumbles (1 set), Cloze Test (1 set)	Static Banking Topics 1–2	Letter
11	Coding-Decoding (15 Qs), Floor Puzzle (1 set)	Caselet DI (1 set), Averages	RC (2 passages), Error Detection (20 Qs)	CA: September Week 3	—
12	Advanced Puzzle (2 sets), Machine Input (10 Qs)	Bar Graph DI (1 set), Mixture & Alligation	Cloze Test (1 set), Sentence Improvement (20 Qs)	CA: September Week 4	Essay
13	Tabular Puzzle (1 set), Input-Output (10 Qs)	Tabular DI (1 set), Quadratic Eq. (20 Qs)	RC (2 passages), Fillers (20 Qs)	Static Insurance Topics 1–2	—
14	Revision of all topics	Mixed DI (2 sets), Arithmetic Revision	RC (2 passages), Para Jumbles (1 set)	Banking Awareness Revision	Letter

Week 3: From this week onwards, you just need to focus on taking sectional mock tests and full-length mock tests along with the topic test as well. But remember, along with taking mock tests, you need to do a detailed analysis of the given mock test so that you’ll not repeat the same mistakes again while attempting the next mock test. In the table below, we have mentioned when you should take full-length mocks and when you should take sectional tests. The topics that are mentioned take the topic test of the same. 

Day	Mock Tests / Practice	Reasoning & Quant	English Language	General Awareness	Descriptive Writing
15	Sectional Test: Reasoning	High-Level Puzzle (2 sets), Advanced DI (2 sets)	RC (2 passages), Cloze Test (1 set)	CA: June Week 1–2	Essay
16	Sectional Test: Quantitative Aptitude	Arithmetic (SI & CI, Time & Work)	Para Jumbles (1 set), Error Detection	CA: June Week 3–4	—
17	Sectional Test: English	Puzzle (2 sets), Mixed DI (2 sets)	RC (2 passages), Sentence Improvement	Banking Awareness (latest)	Letter
18	Sectional Test: Reasoning + Quant	High-Level Puzzle (2 sets), Caselet DI (2 sets)	Cloze Test (1 set), Match-the-Following	CA: July Week 1–2	—
19	Mock Test 1 (Full-Length Mains)	Analyze Weak Areas	Analyse Weak Areas	CA: July Week 3–4	Essay
20	Sectional Test: English + GA	Mixed DI (2 sets), Arithmetic Revision	RC (2 passages), Error Detection (20 Qs)	CA: August Week 1–2	—
21	Mock Test 2 (Full-Length Mains)	Revision of all Shortcuts	RC (1 passage), Cloze Test (1 set)	CA: August Week 3–4	Letter

Week 4: This is the final week before the actual exam. It is a very important time to analyse the mocks, see how much time you take in solving a particular type of question. Also, check which questions you’ve skipped and why? Is it because of a lack of time, or you don’t know the concept behind it? Note down how many questions you’ve solved in the given sectional timing. This way, you get an idea regarding your strengths and weaknesses. 

Day	Mock Tests / Revision	Reasoning & Quant	English Language	General Awareness	Descriptive Writing
22	Mock Test 3 (Full-Length Mains)	Analyze Weak Sections	RC (2 passages), Cloze Test (1 set)	Revise June–July CA	Essay
23	Weak Area Practice	High-Level Puzzle (2 sets), Advanced DI (2 sets)	Para Jumbles (1 set), Fillers (20 Qs)	Revise August CA	—
24	Mock Test 4 (Full-Length Mains)	Analyze Mistakes	RC (2 passages), Sentence Improvement	Revise September CA	Letter
25	Formula & Shortcut Revision	Arithmetic Formula revision, Syllogism & Inequality	Cloze Test (1 set), Error Detection	Banking & Insurance Glossary	—
26	Practice Weak Topics + CA	Mixed DI (2 sets), Caselet DI (1 set)	RC (1 passage), Match-the-Following	Revise Static GK & Insurance Topics	Essay
27	Mock Test 5 (Full-Length Mains)	Final High-Level Puzzle Practice	RC (1 passage), Cloze Test (1 set)	Revise Highlighted CA Notes	—
28	Light Revision + Rest Day	Quick Practice of Short Tricks	Vocabulary & RC Review	Final CA & Banking Awareness Brush-Up	Letter

Tips to follow during the One Month Preparation

With just one month left for the NIACL AO exam, every minute matters. This is the time to shift your focus completely towards the examination and eliminate any distractions, and to move into execution mode. Below are some practical tips to help you stay focused and make the most of your final month:

Stick to one study plan

If you’ve already chosen a study plan, then it is not the time to switch between strategies, as very few days are left. As adapting to a new strategy takes time, this is the period where you’ve to consistently do the preparation along with attempting the mock tests. Whether it’s a day-wise plan or a subject-wise approach, just do it religiously.

Prioritise Solving PYQs and Mock Analysis

Start your day by solving Previous Year Questions (PYQs), especially in the third and fourth weeks. This helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses. After attempting mocks, spend an equal amount of time analysing them. Understand which sections take more time, where you made calculation mistakes, and which areas need conceptual improvement. This is the only way to improve your accuracy and speed simultaneously. If you take the PracticeMock mock test, then you can also get to compare your performance with the toppers and the AIR to get an idea of where you stand in the competition. 

Devote 8-10 hours to study for the Exam

Divide your day into focused slots of 1.5 hours to 2 hours, allot one slot for each subject, one for mock tests, and one for revision. In this way, you’ve to devote 8-10 hours to your studies. Don’t stretch any subject beyond its allotted time. Use timers while solving questions to simulate exam pressure and build stamina to handle real exam situations with ease.

Avoid Distractions and stay committed to your study plan

This is not the time to binge-watch random YouTube videos, marathons conducted by coaching centres or scroll endlessly through social media. Instead, use your own content or current affairs PDFs. These are some key habits that can help you save your time and keep you exam-ready.

Revise as many times as you can

Revision is the key to strong preparation of the concepts. If you learn something today and do not revise it later in the day, you’ll forget 30% of what you learned. As it is the revision that improves your recall ability.

Read Daily Editorials for English, Current affairs and Descriptive test

Make The Hindu editorial reading a non-negotiable habit. It improves vocabulary, comprehension, and grammar. Try reading between the lines and summarising paragraphs up to 100 words to improve your RC skills. It will also help in current affairs and descriptive tests, as the vocabulary you will read in the articles will help you in writing essays and letters that are asked in the examination. 

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the detailed study plan for the NIACL AO Mains exam. The list of important topics and tips to follow during preparation. To practice questions, you can take our NIACL AO mock test. To learn any concept, you can take a subscription to our banking courses. 

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