NICL AO MAINS EXAM 2025: LATEST UPDATE

National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) has released the notification for Administrative Officer (Scale-I) for the purpose of filling 266 vacancies. As per the notification released by NICL, the application started from 12 Jun 2025, the last date for online application was 3 July 2025. NICL AO Prelims exam was held on 20 July 2025 and NICL AO Mains exam was held on 31 August 2025.

OVERVIEW

National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) is an Indian company. It is under the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India. Its headquarters is located in Kolkata. It was founded in 1906 by Gordhandas Dutia and Jeevandas Dutia. NICL conducts recruitment for various posts like Administrative Officer, Assistant Actuary, Account Apprentice based on vacancies.

SALIENT FEATURES

The National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) has officially released the NICL AO Recruitment 2025 Notification for 266 Administrative Officer Scale-I vacancies in both Generalist and Specialist categories. The selection for Generalists and Specialists (except Hindi Officers) posts will be conducted in two phases- Prelims and Main,s whereas there would be a single phase examination for NICL AO Hindi Officer Specialist posts.

NOTIFICATION DETAILS

The official notification for the recruitment of Administrative Officer Scale-I (Generalists and Specialists) for NICL AO 2025 has been published on the official website. This notification includes detailed information about the number of vacancies, eligibility requirements, selection procedure, exam pattern, and other relevant details. NICL is one of five wholly owned insurance companies by the Government of India, with offices and branches located across the country. As per the notification released by NICL, the application started from 12 Jun 2025, the last date for online application was 3 July 2025. NICL AO Prelims exam was held on 20 July 2025 and NICL AO Mains exam will be held on 31 August 2025.

VACANCY DETAILS

The National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) has officially released the NICL AO Recruitment 2025 Notification for 266 Administrative Officer Scale-I vacancies in both Generalist and Specialist categories. Out of the total 266 NICL AO vacancies, 96 vacancies are announced for Specialist posts and 170 vacancies are for Generalist posts.

SALARY STRUCTURE

The starting Basic pay would be Rs. 50,925 /- in the scale of Rs.50925-2500(14)-85925-2710(4)-96765 and such other allowances as may be admissible under the rules in force from time to time in the company. Total emoluments will be approximately Rs. 85,000/- per month in Metropolitan Centres. Other benefits such as Pension under New Pension scheme governed by PFRDA, Gratuity, LTS, Medical Benefits, Group Personal Accident Insurance etc. shall be as per rules in force in the Company at the time of appointment. The Officers are also entitled for Company’s / leased accommodation as per norms.

In addition to the above, Doctors (MBBS) appointed as Specialist Officers are eligible for Non Practicing Allowance (NPA) to the tune of 25% of the Basic Pay subject to conditions that may be applicable from time to time.

EXAM PATTERN

Candidates intending to apply online for the NICL AO Recruitment 2025 should familiarize themselves with the detailed exam pattern for the NICL AO Examination. Understanding the types of questions that will be asked and other key details is crucial for effective preparation. The exam pattern for mains examination is outlined here.

PART –  A 

The written exam will be conducted in two phases

Phase – I: Preliminary Examination online

Phase – II: Main Examination online

Phase – II: Main Examination online (applicable for all disciplines except for Hindi Officers)

Main Examination will consist of Objective Tests (Multiple Choice type Questions) for 250 marks and Descriptive Test for 30 Marks. Both the Objective and Descriptive Tests will be online. Candidates will have to answer Descriptive Test by typing on the computer. Immediately after completion of Objective Test, Descriptive Test will be administered.

(i) Objective Test: The Objective Test of 3 Hours duration consists of five & six sections for Generalists & Specialists respectively for total 250 Marks:

For Generalists

For Specialists

Descriptive Test: The descriptive Test of 30 Minutes duration with 30 marks will be a Test of English Language (Essay – 10 Marks, Précis – 10 & Comprehension – 10 marks). The descriptive test will be in English and will be conducted through on-line mode.

Candidates will be required to obtain a minimum score for each section separately of objective test for short listing for the Descriptive Test evaluation i.e., the descriptive answer script would be evaluated only in respect of those candidates who qualify the objective test. Depending on the number of vacancies, cut offs will be decided for Descriptive Papers evaluation i.e., there will also be a separate cut-off marks for the Descriptive Test. The Descriptive test will be qualifying in nature and the marks scored in the Descriptive test will not be counted towards short listing for interview or final selection.

Each candidate will be required to obtain a minimum total score (to be decided by the Company according to number of vacancies) in the objective test (Main Examination) and qualify in the descriptive test for short listing for the Interview.

Medium Of Examination

1. The objective tests except test on “English Language” will be bilingual (in English and Hindi).
2. The Descriptive Test shall be held in English Only.

Marking Scheme Highlights

There will be a penalty for wrong answers marked by the candidates

1. One mark will be awarded for each correct answer
2. For each wrong answer marked, one fourth of the marks assigned to the question will be deducted from those obtained.
3. No marks will be deducted for unattempted questions
4. There will be no negative marking in Descriptive Type Test.

PART B 

Interview: Generalist & Specialist Candidates who have been shortlisted based on online Phase – II (Mains Examination) will subsequently be called for an Interview to be conducted by the Company. Interview will be conducted at selected centres. The centre, address of the venue, time & date of Interview will be informed to the shortlisted candidates in the call letter. Candidates are required to download their interview call letters from company’s website. Please note that any request regarding change in date, centre etc. of interview will not be entertained. However, the company reserves the right to change the date/ venue/ time/ centre etc. of interview or hold supplementary process for particular date / session / venue / centre / set of candidates at its discretion, under unforeseen circumstances, if any.

Please note that candidates will not be permitted to appear for the online examination without the following documents (All Documents are compulsory):

1. Valid Call Letter for the respective date and session of Examination
2. Photo-identity proof (as specified below**) in original bearing exactly the same name and other information as it appears on the call letter/application form
3. Photocopy of the above photo-identity proof
4. E-Aadhaar Card

SYLLABUS

The NICL AO Prelims Exam for a total of 266 Administrative Officer (Scale-I) vacancies is scheduled for 20th July 2025. Candidates planning to appear for the exam, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of the NICL AO Syllabus  2025 to ease out of the exam.

The written exam will be conducted in two phases

Phase – I: Preliminary Examination online

Phase – II: Main Examination online

Detailed Syllabus for Mains Examination

Reasoning Ability

High-weightage, especially puzzles & logic

Seating Arrangements (Linear, Circular, Square, Complex multi-variable)

Puzzles (Floor-based, Box-based, Scheduling, Month/Day/Year-based, Mixed)

Inequalities (Direct & Coded)

Syllogisms (New pattern, Possibility type, Reverse)

Coding-Decoding (Letter, Symbol, Conditional)

Blood Relations

Direction Sense

Input–Output (Machine-based, logical)

Alphanumeric/Number Series

Order & Ranking

Data Sufficiency (Reasoning-based)

Logical Reasoning (Statement–Assumption, Conclusion, Inference, Cause-Effect, Course of Action, Strengthen/Weaken arguments, Critical Reasoning Qs)

English Language

Tests comprehension, grammar, vocab, analytical ability

Reading Comprehension (Economy, Banking, Insurance, Social Issues)

Cloze Test (advanced, new pattern)

Error Spotting / Sentence Improvement

Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement

Word Swap / Phrase Replacement

Fill in the Blanks (Double fillers, phrase-based)

Vocabulary (Synonyms/Antonyms, Word Usage, Idioms/Phrases)

General Awareness (with focus on Financial Sector)

One of the most scoring sections

Current Affairs (last 6–8 months)

National & International events

Banking & Financial awareness

Government Schemes & Policies

Economic & Budget highlights

Banking Awareness

RBI functions, Monetary Policy, Inflation, NPA, Basel Norms

Digital Banking (UPI, AEPS, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS, E-RUPI, CBDC)

Insurance sector (IRDAI roles, recent schemes, FDI, LIC/NICL facts)

Static GK

Countries & Capitals, Important Days, Sports, Awards, Books-Authors.

Quantitative Aptitude (Data Analysis & Interpretation)

Advance level compared to Prelims

Data Interpretation (Tables, Pie chart, Bar/Line graphs, Caselets, Radar charts, Funnel DI, Mixed Graphs)

Data Sufficiency

Quadratic Equations (Moderate to High level)

Probability

Permutation & Combination

Sequence & Series (Hard level missing/wrong number series)

Simplification/Approximation (limited, but can appear)

Arithmetic Word Problems (Time & Work, Speed–Distance, SI-CI, Profit-Loss, Partnership, Mixtures, Ages, Mensuration, Boats & Streams, Pipes & Cisterns, etc.)

(For Specialists Only) – Technical & Professional Knowledge

Based on the stream applied

Finance/Accounts: Accounting standards, Final Accounts, Taxation, Auditing, Financial Management, Costing, Indian Financial System.

Legal: Constitution of India, Contracts Act, Companies Act, Consumer Protection Act, Civil/Criminal law basics, Insurance law.

IT: Networking, DBMS, Operating Systems, Programming (C, C++, Java basics), Cybersecurity, Cloud, Data Structures, Emerging Tech (AI, Blockchain).

Doctors/Medical: General medicine, Medical terminologies, Clinical practices.

Automobile Engineers: Mechanics, IC Engines, Automobile systems, Vehicle Insurance basics.

Actuarial: Statistics, Probability, Risk models, Insurance principles.

(Each specialist syllabus aligns with their degree subject + insurance basics.)

DESCRIPTIVE TEST (English Language)

Duration: 30 minutes

Marks: 30

Topics: Essay Writing (20 marks), Current affairs, Banking/Insurance/Economy, Social issues.

Precis Writing / Comprehension (10 marks), Summarization or passage-based writing.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates willing to apply for NICL AO Examination are required to fulfil certain conditions to be eligible for it. The candidate who does not satisfy the Eligibility criteria like Age, Minimum educational qualification etc, their candidature shall be rejected by the authorities. The criteria for eligibility NICL AO are decided by the conduction body itself.

The candidate’s eligibility for NICL AO Examination is based on the fulfilment of the following conditions:

1. Nationality
2. Age Limit & Relaxations
3. Educational Qualifications

Nationality

1. a) a citizen of India, or
2. b) a subject of Nepal, or
3. c) a subject of Bhutan, or
4. d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India,

or

1. e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Note – Please note that the eligibility criteria specified herein are the basic criteria for applying for the post. At the time of interview, the Candidates must necessarily produce the relevant documents in original and a self-attested photocopy in support of their identity and eligibility pertaining to category, nationality, age, educational qualifications etc. as indicated in the online application form. Please note that no change of application data will be permitted at any stage after completion of registration process of the online application. Merely applying for the post and being shortlisted in the online examination and/ or in the subsequent interview and/ or subsequent processes does not imply that a candidate will necessarily be offered employment in the Company. No request for considering the candidature under any category / post other than the one in which applied will be entertained.

Age Limit (as on 01.05.2025)

Minimum Age: 21 years

Maximum Age: 30 years, as on 01.05.2025 i.e.,

a candidate must have been born not earlier than 02.05.1995 and not later than 01.05.2004 (both dates inclusive).

Age Relaxation

Service Conditions

The service conditions will be applicable as per the prevalent rules of the Company from time to time. Selected candidates on appointment may be posted or transferred to any place in India as may be decided by the Company as per requirement. The minimum stay at the initial place of posting will be 5 years. Candidates selected as Specialist Officers may be required to continue in the same specialization for a minimum period of 10 years as per discretion of the Company. They will, however, continue to be eligible for promotions as per Company norms.

Probation

A candidate appointed in the Officers’ cadre on regular pay rolls of the Company shall be on probation for a period of one year from the date of joining the duty. The probation period may be extended twice by a further period of six months at a time stretching up to one year.

During the probation period the Officers would be required to pass the non-life “Licentiate Examination” conducted by Insurance Institute of India. Only after passing the said examination the Officer will be eligible for confirmation of his/her services in the Company. Failure to pass the said Examination within the extended probation period will render the officer liable to be terminated from service on expiry of the period so specified.

The Company reserves the right to terminate the services of the candidate if found unsuitable at any time during the probation period or the extended probation period without any notice or assigning any reason thereof.

Educational Qualifications

Note:

1. a) Qualification mentioned above should be from any of the recognized Indian Universities duly approved by the UGC or any of the recognized Indian Institutes duly approved by AICTE.
2. b) The candidate must possess valid Mark-sheet / Degree Certificate of the necessary qualification as on 01.05.2025.
3. c) The percentage marks shall be arrived at by dividing the total marks obtained by the candidate in all the subjects in all semester(s)/year(s) by aggregate maximum marks in all the subjects irrespective of honours/optional/additional optional subject, if any. This will be applicable for those Universities also where Class/Grade is decided on basis of honours marks only. The fraction of percentage so arrived will be ignored i.e., 59.99% will be treated as less than 60%.
4. d) Where CGPA/OGPA are awarded, the candidate will have to produce a certificate issued by the appropriate authority inter alia stating the norms of the University regarding conversion of grade into percentage and the percentage of marks scored by the candidate in terms of norms.

SELECTION PROCESS

Candidates will first need to appear for the prelims examination. Those who score above the cut-off marks will be shortlisted for the mains examination. Afterward, candidates will be eligible for the interview round. Therefore, the complete selection process for the NICL AO position includes the following stages:

Prelims Examination

For one hour, there will be one hundred questions. There are three areas on the preliminary exam: English, Reasoning, and Quant. There will be sectional and overall cut-offs, and candidates must be eligible for each section. Negative marking is also used in the NICL AO preliminary test; one-fourth of a mark is subtracted for each incorrect response.

Mains Examination

It is composed of a descriptive and objective work. For two hours, an objective test of 200 marks is administered. There are three questions on the 30-minute descriptive paper. If you give the incorrect response, you will be penalised. A quarter of a mark is subtracted for each incorrect response.

Interview

Interview invitations are sent to the shortlisted applicants. The chosen locations will host the NICL AO interviews. The shortlisted candidates will be informed of the interview date and location.

Final Selection

The combined final score of candidates shall be arrived at on the basis of scores obtained by the candidates in the online Main Examination (Objective test) and Interview. The weightage (ratio) of online Main Examination and Interview will be 80:20 respectively. Candidates will have to secure minimum qualifying marks in the interview which will be decided by the Company in due course. Scores of the candidates failing to secure minimum qualifying scores or otherwise barred from the interview or further process may not be disclosed. The final merit list shall be prepared in descending order of the consolidated marks secured by the candidates. A candidate should be sufficiently high in the merit to be shortlisted for subsequent recruitment process, details of which will be made available subsequently on Company’s website.

In the event of two or more candidates having obtained the same consolidated score, final merit is decided in the following order:

1. a) Marks secured in interview (candidate securing higher marks in interview shall be placed before/ above the candidate securing lesser marks). If interview marks are same, then
2. b) date of birth (candidate senior in age is placed before/ above the candidate junior in age).

Appointment of selected candidates is subject to their being found medically fit as per the requirements of the Company. Such appointment will also be subject to the service and conduct rules of the Company. The candidates are advised to satisfy themselves before they apply, that they fulfill requirement as to age and qualification (final result for the qualification must have been published on or before 01.05.2025 and if found ineligible, their candidature will be cancelled at any stage of recruitment process. Appearing in the ONLINE MAIN/ EXAMINATION & INTERVIEW will not automatically confer any right of being selected for the said post.

HOW TO APPLY

Candidates wishing to apply for the NICL AO Recruitment 2025 should thoroughly check the eligibility criteria, including educational qualifications and age limit. To prevent any last-minute technical issues, it is recommended that candidates submit their NICL AO Application Form 2025 well in advance. It is important to ensure that all information provided in the application form is accurate, as any discrepancies may result in the rejection of the application.

The application process is online. Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can only fill out the application form. The application process involves several steps, such as registration, completing the application form, uploading the required documents, and paying the fee.

Step to Fill Exam Online Application Form

The online application process for the Administrative Officer exam in NICL is easy and can only be completed online. It must be noted that there is no offline mode to apply for the NICL AO exam.

Given below are the steps that a candidate can follow for the NICL AO online application:

Step 1: Visit the official website of NICL

Step 2: Select the “Recruitment” option given at the top of the homepage

Step 3: Click on the “NICL AO Apply Online” option

Step 4: You are redirected to the application form page. Click on the “New Registration” option

Step 5: Fill in all the required fields like your name, Parent’s Name, contact details, email ID, etc. Once you fill this page and click on the “Submit” option, your registration number and password are shared with you on the contact details mentioned in the form

Step 6: Next upload your passport size photo and scanned image of your signature.

Recent Photograph

Size: 200 X 230 Pixels

File size: 20–50?KB

Signature

In black ink on white paper

Size: 10–20 KB, not in capital letters

Left Thumb Impression (240 X 240 pixels, 20–50 KB)

On white paper in black or blue ink

If unavailable, use the right thumb or forefinger as alternate

Hand-written declaration

Hand written declaration content is to be as expected.

Hand written declaration should not be written in CAPITAL LETTERS.

The applicant has to write the declaration in English clearly on a white paper with black or blue ink.

The hand written declaration should be of the applicant and not by any other person.

File type: jpg / jpeg

Dimensions: 800 x 400 pixels in 200 DPI (Preferred for required quality) i.e. 10 cm * 5 cm (Width * Height)

File Size: 50 KB – 100 KB

Step 7: Next, fill in your educational qualifications. Make sure that the information you entered is correct as these certificates and degrees are checked at the time of Interview

Step 8: In the next part of the application form, you need to state information regarding your date of birth, category, disabilities, exam centre, etc.

Step 9: Once you have reviewed the form, the final step is paying the application fee. Given below is the application fee details for the NICL AO exam:

Step 10. After paying the application fee submit the form and take out the printout for future purposes.

EXAM CENTERS

The NICL AO 2025 Mains exam is scheduled for the 31st of August. The exam will be held at a limited number of selected centers. Below is the list of available examination centers:

Note: The above-mentioned examination centers are provisional, Company reserves the right to add or delete any centers as per requirement.

Examination centres for Phase-II and for will be limited

Centre and dates of Examinations are liable to be changed at the Company’s discretion. In the event of cancellation of Examinations at any centre, the Company may at its discretion allot an alternative centre to the candidates concerned. Separate call letters will be issued for Phase-I & Phase-II examinations and should be downloaded by the candidates from the link provided in the Company’s website i.e., at appropriate time. Candidates will not be admitted to the examinations without the Call Letters.

Note: If sufficient numbers of candidates do not opt for a particular centre for “Online” Examination, Company reserves the right to allot any other adjunct centre to those candidates or if the number of candidates is more than the capacity available for online exam for a centre, Company reserves the right to allot any other centre to the candidate.

ADMIT CARD

The NICL AO Pre Admit Card 2025 provides important details about the exam, including the date, time, venue, and reporting time. Candidates are advised to download their admit card well in advance to prevent any last-minute technical issues.

Below are the steps on how to download the NICL AO Admit card:

Step 1: Check the official webpage of NICL.

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the ‘recruitment of Accounts apprentice’ link.

Step 3: Under the section, click on the ‘download interview call letters’ link.

Step 4: Enter the required details to download the NICL hall ticket.

Step 5: Select the login tab, and you will find your NICL Admit card.

Step 6: Save and take a print out of the hall ticket for exam purposes.

EXAM RESULT

Once the NICL AO 2025 Prelims Result is announced, candidates who qualify will move on to the next stage of the selection process—the Mains exam, which is tentatively set for August 31, 2025. With the result now available, candidates can check their qualification status to determine if they will be appearing for the Mains exam.

Below are the steps on how to download the NICL AO result:

Step 1: Visit the official website of NICL.

Step 2: Select the link that says NICL Administrative Officer result”.

Step 3: You are redirected to a login credential information page.

Step 4: Enter details like the hall ticket number, date of birth details.

Step 5: The results will be displayed on your screen.

Step 6: Select the result status and download it.

IMPORTANT LINK

For Official Website: Click here

For Official Notification: Click here