The NICL AO Prelims exam is now only 5 days away (20th July 2025), and if you are appearing for the exam, you must have downloaded the admit card by now. It is important to know the shift timing and the reporting timing of the exam, and be ready with your credentials for the exam. It is also essential to read the general instructions provided by the exam authority and stay calm during the last days. This article informs you about the shift timing of the NICL AO exam and explains the general instructions to be followed for the exam.
NICL AO Exam Overview 2025
You must have a clear idea of the basic details related to the NICL AO exam 2025 as provided below.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) |
| Post Name | Administrative Officer (AO) – Generalist & Specialist |
| Job Profile | Claims, Underwriting, Customer Service, Administration, Departmental roles |
| Selection Process | 1. Preliminary Exam (Qualifying) 2. Mains Exam (Objective + Descriptive) 3. Interview |
| Exam Mode | Online (Computer-Based Test) |
| Negative Marking | 1/4th of the marks allotted to the question is deducted for each wrong answer |
| Eligibility | Generalist: Any Graduate Specialist: Relevant degree (IT, Finance, Law, etc.) |
| Age Limit | 21 to 30 years (Relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD as per rules) |
| Salary (Gross) | Rs. 85,000 – Rs. 95,000 per month approx. (with perks & allowances) |
| Job Location | Anywhere in India |
NICL AO Prelims Shift Timing 2025
The NICL AO is a single-shift exam where you are given shift timing and reporting timing in your admit card. The previous year’s shift timing is provided here. This year, this may have changed; you need to strictly follow the timing mentioned in your admit card and the general instructions as mentioned in your admit card. The duration of the exam will be 60 minutes total, and a total of 100 questions will be asked, including each section; each question will be of 1 mark. The total exam duration is 1 hour (please refer to the exam start time and end time mentioned in your admit card).
It is advised to reach the exam centre 15 minutes earlier than the reporting time mentioned in your admit card. The exam will be bilingual except for the English Language section. The reporting time, exam start time, and exam end time (last year) are provided below.
| Shift | Reporting Time | Exam Start Time | Exam End Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
Note: This time is as per the last year schedule. Please check your admit card for your individual shift time.
Which Items to Carry for the NICL AO Prelims Exam?
Carry your admit card printout with you, along with your photo identity proof, passport-size photograph, pen, and transparent water bottle to the exam centre.
- Admit Card (Call Letter)
- Print it in clear A4 size, preferably in color.
- Must be brought in hard copy.
- Photo ID Proof (any one in original):
- Aadhaar Card
- PAN Card
- Voter ID
- Driving License
- Passport
- Passport-size Photograph
- Same as the one uploaded in the application form.
- Carry 1–2 copies.
- Pen (Black/Blue Ballpoint)
- For rough work or signing attendance.
- Sometimes provided at the center, but better to carry your own.
- A Transparent Water Bottle
General Instructions for NICL AO 2025 Prelims Exam
Read carefully the general instructions mentioned on the back page of your admit card and follow the guidelines of the invigilator during the examination.
- You must report to the exam centre as per the reporting time (15 minutes earlier) mentioned on your admit card.
- Late entry is not allowed. Candidates reaching after the gate closing time will not be permitted.
- Carry the following documents:
- Admit Card (printed)
- Original photo ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, etc.)
- Passport-size photo (same as on the application form)
- Black/Blue ballpoint pen
- Use only transparent items (bag, water bottle, sanitizer).
- Electronic devices are strictly prohibited, including:
- Mobile phones
- Smartwatches
- Calculators
- Bluetooth devices
- Stationery such as rough sheets will be provided (if required).
- You must sit at your assigned computer only. Changing seats is not allowed.
- You are not allowed to leave the exam hall until the exam concludes.
- Do not engage in any unfair practices like copying, impersonation, or discussing answers.
- You must enter your login credentials correctly. Follow on-screen instructions carefully.
- Submit the rough sheets (if used) to the invigilator before leaving.
- Leave the exam hall in an orderly manner, maintaining silence and discipline.
- Any violation of rules will lead to disqualification.
NICL AO Exam Centres 2025: List for Prelims
Check your exam centre and pre-visit the exam centre to avoid any last-minute inconvenience. Track your exam centre distance from your residence and choose the best and safest route to reach the exam centre.
| State/UT | Cities (Tentative) |
| Andhra Pradesh | Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam, Ongole |
| Assam | Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Jorhat |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Bihar | Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh/Mohali |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur, Bilaspur |
| Delhi-NCR | Delhi-NCR |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot |
| Haryana | Hissar, Faridabad, Gurgaon |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla, Dharamsala, Mandi, Palampur |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Srinagar, Jammu, Leh |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi, Jamshedpur |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru, Hubli, Mangalore, Mysore, Gulbarga |
| Kerala | Ernakulum/Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai/Navi Mumbai/Thane/Greater Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad, Nasik |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Nagaland | Kohima, Dimapur |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur |
| Puducherry | Puducherry |
| Punjab | Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhatinda |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner |
| Sikkim | Gangtok |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai |
| Telangana | Hyderabad/Rangareddy, Warangal |
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow, Allahabad, Kanpur, Noida/Greater Noida |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun, Haridwar, Haldwani |
| West Bengal | Kolkata/Greater Kolkata, Siliguri, Asansol |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
NICL AO Prelims 2025 Exam Pattern
It is recommended to refer to the exam pattern again and practice mocks based on the latest pattern (1 full mock each day) at the real exam time. When you practice mock tests at the time when your exam is there, as mentioned in your admit card, you will be able to develop a habit of sitting and attempting questions in that particular hour. This technique is also called muscle memory, which most candidates use to excel in the exam.
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks | Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Note: The prelims exam is qualifying, and you need to score above the cut-off marks in this exam. There is a negative marking of 0.25 for each wrong answer.
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Also Read:
NICL AO Shift Timing 2025: FAQs
Yes, there is sectional timing in the NICL AO (National Insurance Company Limited Administrative Officer) preliminary exam. A 20-minute sectional timing is applied for each section.
Yes, there are sectional cut-offs in the NICL AO (National Insurance Company Limited Administrative Officer) exam. Both the preliminary and mains exams have separate cutoffs for each section.
The shift timing, along with the reporting time, is mentioned in your admit card. Carefully look at your admit card for the exam center and read the general instructions written on the back page of your admit card.
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