NICL AO Exam Pattern 2026: Phase I and Phase II
NICL AO exam pattern 2026: Phase I has 100 questions in 60 minutes. Phase II has 250 objective marks and a 30-mark descriptive test.
In short
- Phase I has 100 questions for 100 marks, with 20 minutes for each section.
- The Agriculture Phase II objective test has six sections and 250 marks in 180 minutes.
- Each wrong answer costs one-fourth of the marks for that question.
On this page 6 sections
The NICL AO exam pattern 2026 has two online phases. Phase I has 100 questions and a 60-minute limit. Phase II has a 250-mark objective test and a 30-mark descriptive test. Go back to the NICL AO Agriculture 2026 guide for all pages.
What is the NICL AO exam pattern 2026 for Phase I?
Phase I is the same for all disciplines. It is an objective test with multiple choice questions. Each section has its own timer, so you must finish each section inside its 20 minutes.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes | English |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
A candidate must qualify in each section by securing the passing marks that NICL decides. NICL does not add Phase I marks to the final merit score. Read the NICL AO selection process 2026 for the full merit rules.
What is the NICL AO Phase II pattern for the Agriculture post?
The Phase II objective test for Specialist posts has six sections and 250 marks. The sixth section tests technical and professional knowledge in the discipline. For this post, that discipline is Agriculture.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes | English and Hindi |
| General Awareness | 40 | 40 | 20 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes | English and Hindi |
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 30 minutes | English |
| Computer Knowledge | 40 | 40 | 25 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Professional knowledge (Agriculture) | 50 | 50 | 35 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Total | 250 | 250 | 180 minutes |
The sections do not follow a fixed order. NICL times each section separately.
What is the NICL AO Phase II pattern for the Generalist post?
The Generalist objective test has five sections of 50 questions each. It also carries 250 marks and runs for 180 minutes.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English and Hindi |
| General Awareness | 50 | 50 | 30 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English and Hindi |
| English Language | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes | English |
| Computer Knowledge | 50 | 50 | 30 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Total | 250 | 250 | 180 minutes |
Compare this table with the Agriculture table before you pick a post. The NICL AO vacancy 2026 table shows the number of posts for each choice.
What is the descriptive test pattern?
NICL gives the descriptive test right after the objective test. It carries 30 marks and runs for 30 minutes. It tests English, and candidates type the answers on the computer.
| Part | Marks |
|---|---|
| Essay | 10 |
| Precis | 10 |
| Comprehension | 10 |
| Total | 30 |
The total time for Phase II is 210 minutes, which is 180 minutes plus 30 minutes. Check all keys on the keyboard before you start to type.
How does negative marking work in NICL AO?
NICL deducts one-fourth of the marks for each wrong answer in the objective tests. A blank answer carries no penalty. You select an answer with a mouse click.
Here is an example. A 35-question section gives one mark per question. If you answer four questions wrongly, NICL deducts 1 mark in total. Answer only the questions where you can narrow the choices.
What is the next step after the exam pattern?
Next step: see how the Phase I marks looked in earlier years on the NICL AO previous year cut off page. The NICL AO exam day checklist lists the rules for the test center.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NICL AO Phase I exam pattern?
How many questions are in NICL AO Phase I?
What is the negative marking in NICL AO?
How many marks is NICL AO Phase II for the Agriculture post?
How long is the NICL AO descriptive test?
Does NICL AO have a sectional time limit?
In which language is the NICL AO paper?
Take a free NICL AO Agriculture 2026 mock test
Check how ready you are for NICL AO Agriculture 2026. You get your score, a short explanation for every answer and your weak topics.
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NICL AO Risk Engineer Specialist Phase I (Prelims) 2026 Question Bank (PDF)
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More in this guide
- NotificationNICL AO notification 2026 invites applications for 321 Scale I posts. Phase I is on 17 November 2026 …
- EligibilityNICL AO Agriculture eligibility 2026 needs a four-year Agriculture degree with 60% marks and an age …
- How to ApplyHow to apply for NICL AO 2026: registration closed on 28 October 2026. The fee was ₹1,000 or ₹250. …
- VacancyNICL AO vacancy 2026 lists 321 posts, including 20 in Agriculture. See the discipline-wise table for …
Show 5 more
- SalaryNICL AO salary 2026 starts at a basic pay of ₹82,485. Total emoluments are about ₹1,14,000 per month …
- Exam CentersNICL AO exam centers 2026 list the provisional Phase I cities in every zone and the Phase II cities. …
- Admit CardNICL AO admit card 2026 is the Phase I call letter on the NICL website. Learn the login details, …
- Exam Day ChecklistNICL AO exam day checklist 2026: carry the call letter and an original photo ID. Phones, watches and …
- NICL AO Agriculture 2026NICL AO Agriculture 2026 has 20 posts. Phase I is on 17 November 2026. See eligibility, fee, exam …
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