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NICL AO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 Download PDF

Last Updated on Jun 21, 2025

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NICL AO Syllabus highlights all the essential topics, a candidate can expect in both the phase 1 and phase 2 of online examination of NICL AO Recruitment 2025. The National Insurance Company Limited has outlined the NICL AO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 in the detailed notification PDF. The NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025 defines the sectional weightage, marking scheme, and type of questions. Thus, candidates preparing for the NICL Administrative Officer recruitment must go through the syllabus and exam pattern for all stages of selection, Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Some important details of the same are:

  • As per the NICL AO Exam Pattern, the Prelims is an objective-type test, while the Mains exam has objective and descriptive-type questions.
  • Candidates can expect 100 objective-type questions in the prelims examination. 
  • The Mains exam has 250 questions in objective test.The descriptive Test of 30 Minutes duration with 30 marks will be a Test of English Language (Essay10 Marks, Précis 10 & Comprehension 10 marks). The descriptive test will be in English and will be conducted through on-line mode. The descriptive Test of 30 Minutes duration with 30 marks will be a Test of English Language (Essay10 Marks, Précis 10 & Comprehension 10 marks). The descriptive test will be in English and will be conducted through on-line mode. The descriptive Test of 30 Minutes duration with 30 marks will be a Test of English Language (Essay10 Marks, Précis 10 & Comprehension 10 marks). The descriptive test will be in English and will be conducted through on-line mode. Also check NICL AO Result Here.

NICL AO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025

All the eligible candidates applying for NICL AO Recruitment 2025, it is important to understand the NICL AO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025. The selection process includes two main written stages, Preliminary and Main Examinations, followed by an Interview. While the Prelims focus on basic aptitude, reasoning, and language skills, the Mains go deeper, especially for Specialist roles with subject-specific sections. A thorough understanding of the exam pattern and detailed syllabus will help candidates plan their preparation better and boost their chances of success.

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NICL Administrative Officer Syllabus PDF

Candidates preparing for the NICL Administrative Officer exam can download the detailed syllabus in PDF format for easy reference. The syllabus PDF includes section-wise topics for both Prelims and Mains, along with subject-specific areas for Specialist posts. Having the syllabus in hand ensures focused preparation and helps in covering all important areas systematically.

NICL Administrative Officer Syllabus PDF

NICL AO Exam Pattern 2025

The NICL AO Exam Pattern varies for the Preliminary and Main stages. While the Prelims have a common structure for all candidates, the Mains pattern differs based on whether the post is for Generalist or Specialist Officers. Detailed structure for each is provided below.

NICL AO Preliminary Exam Pattern

The NICL AO 2025 Preliminary Exam will be conducted in an objective, multiple-choice format and is applicable to all posts except Hindi Officers. This online test will carry a total of 100 marks and will assess candidates across three key sections. The total exam duration is 60 minutes, with each section timed separately. It serves as the first stage of screening in the recruitment process.

Name of Test

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Duration

English Language

30

30

20 mins

Reasoning Ability

35

35

20 mins

Quantitative Aptitude

35

35

20 mins

Total

100

100

60 mins

NICL AO Exam Pattern for Mains

The NICL AO Phase II Exam 2025 consists of two components: an Objective Test and a Descriptive Test. Both sections will be held online. The Objective Test carries a weightage of 250 marks, while the Descriptive Test is worth 30 marks. Candidates will move on to the Descriptive section immediately after completing the Objective paper, without any break in between. 

There is also a penalty for incorrect answers in both Prelims and Mains (Objective Tests). For every wrong answer, one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted. No penalty will be applied for unattempted questions. Except for the English Language section, all other questions will be bilingual (English and Hindi).

NICL AO Exam Pattern For Generalists

S.No

Name of Test/Section (sequence)

Type of test

No.of Questions

Maximum

Marks

Medium of Exam

Duration for each test/section

(Separately timed)

1

Test of Reasoning

Objective

50

50

Eng / Hindi

40 min

2

Test of English Language

Objective

50

50

Eng

40 min

3

Test of General Awareness

Objective

50

50

Eng / Hindi

30 min

4

Test of Computer Knowledge

Objective

50

50

Eng / Hindi

30 min

5

Test of Quantitative Aptitude

Objective

50

50

Eng / Hindi

40 min

6 Total   250 250    

NICL AO Exam Pattern For Specialists

S.No

Name of Test/Section

Type

No. of Questions

Maximum Marks

Medium

Duration for each test/section (Separately

timed)

1

Test of Reasoning

Objective

40

40

Eng / Hindi

35 min

2

Test of English Language

Objective

40

40

Eng

30 min

3

Test of General Awareness

Objective

40

40

Eng / Hindi

20 min

4

Test of Computer Knowledge

Objective

40

40

Eng / Hindi

25 min

5

Test of Quantitative aptitude

Objective

40

40

Eng / Hindi

35 min

6

In Specialist stream, an additional test to assess technical& professional knowledge in the relevant discipline

Objective

50

50

Eng / Hindi

35 min

7 Total   250 250    

Know the NICL AO Salary and Job Profile

NICL AO Descriptive Test

The Descriptive Test in NICL AO Phase II will be conducted online and will assess a candidate's proficiency in English Language. It will carry a total of 30 marks and last for 30 minutes, comprising three sections: Essay (10 marks), Précis (10 marks), and Comprehension (10 marks). This test will only be evaluated for those candidates who secure the minimum qualifying marks in the Objective Test. Additionally, separate cut-offs will be set for the descriptive paper based on the number of vacancies.

It's important to note that the Descriptive Test will be qualifying in nature, its marks will not be counted in the final selection or interview shortlisting. However, candidates must pass both the Objective and Descriptive sections to move forward in the recruitment process.

Download NICL AO Previous Years’ Papers in PDF form

NICL AO Syllabus 2025

The NICL AO (Administrative Officer) Syllabus for 2025 covers various subjects including Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, English Language, General Awareness, and Professional Knowledge related to the insurance sector. Quantitative Aptitude focuses on numerical and mathematical abilities, Reasoning Ability tests logical and analytical reasoning skills, English Language assesses language proficiency, General Awareness covers current affairs and general knowledge, and Professional Knowledge evaluates knowledge of insurance-related concepts, policies, and practices. Candidates should thoroughly study and understand these topics to excel in the NICL AO exam.

NICL AO English Syllabus

The NICL AO Prelims Syllabus for English Language tests candidates' proficiency in reading, grammar, and vocabulary. It includes key areas such as reading comprehension, sentence improvement, error detection, and paragraph completion to assess both accuracy and fluency.

Subject

Topics Covered

English Language

Reading Comprehension

Cloze Test

Spelling Checks

Improving Sentences

Jumbling of Paragraphs

Completing Sentences and Paragraphs

Parts of Speech

Articles

Prepositions Fillers

Detection of Errors

NICL AO Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 

The NICL AO Prelims Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude evaluates a candidate's problem-solving abilities through topics such as data interpretation, time and work, and arithmetic concepts like profit and loss. It focuses on both speed and accuracy in mathematical reasoning and computations.

Subject

Topics Covered

Quantitative Aptitude

Data Sufficiency and Interpretation

Time, Work, and Time Distance

Mixture and Allegations

Quadratic Equations

Topics from Arithmetic

Profit and Loss

Discounts

Ratio and Proportion

Boats and Streams

Pipes and Cisterns

Averages

Rate of Interest

NICL AO Reasoning Syllabus 

Reasoning constitutes a significant part of the NICL AO Prelims Syllabus and is judged using puzzles, coding-decoding, seating arrangements, and syllogisms as tools to determine the candidate's sound logical thinking and analytical acumen. Tests are held verbal as well as non-verbal to judge critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

NICL AO Mains Computer Aptitude Syllabus 

The NICL AO Mains Computer Aptitude Syllabus covers essential computer concepts such as the history and fundamentals of computers, memory, and hardware. It also includes practical knowledge of topics like Microsoft Office, computer shortcuts, and internet basics to assess candidates' technical proficiency.

Subject

Topics Covered

Computer Aptitude

History of Computer

Fundamentals of Computer

Computer Shortcuts

Important Abbreviations

Memory

Hardware

Internet

Microsoft Office

NICL AO Mains Syllabus - General Awareness

The NICL AO Mains General Awareness Syllabus focuses on recent events and developments in areas like current affairs, national and international news, and banking awareness. It also covers static GK topics such as important dates, government schemes, and significant global events from the last six months.

Subject

Topics Covered

General Awareness

Current Affairs and Static GK

National and International Affairs

Banking Awareness, Economy, Finance

Countries, Capitals, and Currencies

Books, Authors, and Awards

Important Dates and Places

Government Schemes and Policies

Headquarters

Recent Events in the Last 6 Months

Check NICL AO salary and job profile here! 

In addition to the above subjects, the NICL AO Mains Syllabus for Specialists posts will also have questions from post-specific subjects.

This was the overview about the NICL AO exam pattern and syllabus. Hope this article successfully answers all your queries related to the NICL AO exam pattern and syllabus. Download our Testbook app from Google playstore to get access to quizzes, mock tests, live classes and more. 

Latest NICL AO Updates

Last updated on Jun 21, 2025

-> The NICL AO Notification has been released for 266 vacancies on the official website of National Insurance Company Limited on 10th June 2025.

-> The online registration for NICL AO Recruitment 2025 has officially started today. Interested candidates can submit their applications between 12th June 2025 and 3rd July 2025 through the official website of NICL for NICL AO Apply online

-> NICL Recruitment application fees also needs to be paid between 12th June, 2025 to 3 rd July, 2025 (both days inclusive). 

-> The selection process includes a Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Therefore, you can boost your preparation for both phases of online examination using NICL AO Previous Year Papers.

NICL AO Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 FAQs

There are three stages of the NICL AO exam, that are the prelims and the mains followed by the interview round.

The prelims and main examination are conducted in online mode in different shifts across various cities in India.

NICL AO Prelims Syllabus has three sections viz. English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.

The mains exam pattern has two subdivisions, it has the objective part followed by the descriptive part.

NICL will soon release the Official dates for NICL Administrative Officer Post.

The final selection is done based on the performance of the candidates in the mains and interview phase of the recruitment.

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