# NICL AO Exam Day Checklist 2026: Documents and Rules > NICL AO exam day checklist for Phase I on 17 November 2026: documents, banned items, reporting rules, and the Phase II biometric check. Source: https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/before-exam-checklist/ Category: [NICL](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/) Guide: [NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/) ## In short - Arrive before the reporting time. Late candidates cannot take the exam. - Banned items include phones, watches, calculators, and metal items. - Phase II includes a thumb impression, iris scan, and photograph check. Use this NICL AO exam day checklist for the Phase I exam on **17 November 2026**. Carry the call letter, the original photo ID, and a photocopy of the ID. Reach the venue before the reporting time, because the company does not allow late candidates. See the [NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026 guide](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/) for all stages. ## NICL AO exam day checklist: what to carry - The printed call letter with a recent, recognizable photograph on it. - Your original photo ID. The name must match the call letter exactly. - A photocopy of the same photo ID. The [admit card page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/admit-card/) lists the accepted IDs and the name match rules. Do not change your appearance until the recruitment ends. The company can disqualify a candidate if the photograph at a later stage does not match. ## Which items are not allowed at the exam centre? The company bans these items. It cannot guarantee safekeeping of them. - Printed or written text material and bits of paper. - A geometry box, pencil box, plastic pouch, scale, or writing pad. - A calculator, pen drive, log table, or electronic pen or scanner. - Mobile phones, pagers, smart watches, and health bands. - Bluetooth devices, earphones, and microphones. - Goggles, handbags, hair-pins, hair-bands, belts, and caps. - Rings, earrings, nose-pins, chains, necklaces, pendants, badges, and brooches. - A wrist watch or a camera. - Any metal item. - Any food item, opened or packed. A breach leads to cancellation of the candidature and disciplinary action. The company can also ban the candidate from future exams and file a police complaint. ## What should you know about the reporting time? Each call letter shows a reporting time. It is earlier than the test start time. A candidate who reports after this time cannot take the exam. Phase I lasts 60 minutes and Phase II lasts 210 minutes. You may need to stay at the venue longer. The staff check documents, collect data, log you in, and give instructions. ## What is the biometric check in Phase II? On the day of the Phase II exam, the company captures a thumb impression, an iris scan, and a photograph. This applies to candidates who qualify in Phase I. The company verifies the data later. Any mismatch can lead to rejection of the candidature. Follow these steps before the check: 1. Remove ink, mehndi, and other colour from your fingers. 2. Wash dirty or dusty fingers and dry them. 3. Wipe moist fingers until they are dry. 4. Tell the centre staff at once if your thumb is injured. 5. Do not wear contact lenses or makeup around the eye. If your thumb is injured, the staff can capture other fingers or toes. ## Which rules apply to PwBD candidates? An eligible candidate may use a scribe or get compensatory time of 20 minutes for every hour of the exam. The candidate must ask for this at the time of online registration. The company may not accept a later request. The candidate arranges the scribe at his or her own cost. The scribe must not be a candidate for the same exam. A scribe for a Specialist candidate must come from a different academic stream. A visually impaired candidate may view the test in a magnified font. ## Which conduct rules apply during the exam? The company compares answers of candidates to find similar patterns of right and wrong answers. It can cancel the candidature if it finds that candidates shared answers. The company can disqualify and ban a candidate who uses unfair means, impersonates another person, or discloses test content. The same applies to a candidate who carries a mobile phone into the hall. In the Phase II descriptive test, you type your answers. Check all keys of the keyboard before you start. A candidate who does not want to move or to join a delayed test faces rejection. See the [exam pattern page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/) for the marks and the penalty for wrong answers. **Next step:** return to the [NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026 guide](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/) and check the [exam date page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-date/) for any change. ## Frequently asked questions ### What must I carry to the NICL AO exam centre? Carry the valid call letter, your original photo ID, and a photocopy of the same ID. The name on the ID must match the name on the call letter. The company does not allow entry without these documents. ### Which items are banned at the NICL AO exam centre? NICL bans calculators, mobile phones, smart watches, wrist watches, earphones, Bluetooth devices, metal items, ornaments, belts, caps, handbags, and opened or packed food. It cannot guarantee safekeeping of banned items. ### Can I enter the NICL AO exam hall late? No. NICL does not allow candidates who report after the reporting time on the call letter. The reporting time is before the test start time. Plan to arrive early because venue checks take time. ### What biometric data does NICL take? NICL takes a thumb impression, an iris scan, and a photograph on the day of the Phase II exam. This applies to candidates who qualify in Phase I. The company verifies the data at a later stage. ### How should I prepare my fingers for the biometric check? Remove ink, mehndi, and other colour from your fingers. Wash dirty or dusty fingers and dry them. Tell the test centre staff at once if your thumb is injured. Do not wear contact lenses or eye makeup. ### What happens if a candidate uses unfair means? NICL can disqualify the candidate and ban the candidate from its exams for a set period or for life. It can also end the service of a candidate who has already joined. Criminal prosecution can also follow. ## More in this guide - [NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026 has 20 posts. Phase I is on 17 November 2026. See eligibility, pattern, salary, cut off, and dates. - [Notification](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/notification/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer notification 2026 lists 20 posts, category-wise vacancies, and key dates. Phase I is on 17 November 2026. - [Eligibility](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/eligibility/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer eligibility 2026: automobile degree, 60% marks, and age 21 to 30 years on 1 October 2026, with relaxation rules. - [How to apply](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/how-to-apply/): NICL AO 2026 how to apply: registration steps, fee of ₹1,000 or ₹250, photo and signature sizes, and rules that can cancel your form. - [Selection process](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/selection-process/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer selection process: Phase I, Phase II, descriptive test, and interview. The final merit list uses an 80:20 weight. - [Exam pattern](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer exam pattern 2026: Phase I has 100 marks in 60 minutes. Phase II has 250 objective marks and a 30-mark descriptive test. - [Previous year cut off](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/previous-year-cutoff/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer cut off: Phase I was 20.00 out of 100 in 2025 and 21.00 for UR in 2024. See sectional and Phase II marks. - [Salary and service](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/salary-and-service-conditions/): NICL AO Automobile Engineer salary 2026: basic pay ₹82,485, about ₹1,14,000 total in metro centres, plus benefits, probation, and bond rules. - [Exam date](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-date/): NICL AO Prelims exam date 2026 is 17 November 2026. Phase II follows on 22 December 2026. See the schedule, duration, and rules for date changes. - [Exam centres](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-centres/): NICL AO exam centres 2026: see the provisional Phase I and Phase II cities by zone and state, and the rules for centre changes. - [Admit card](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/admit-card/): NICL AO admit card 2026 for Phase I on 17 November 2026: download steps, login details, accepted photo IDs, and name match rules.