# NICL AO Prelims Exam Date 2026: 17 November > 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. Source: https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-date/ 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 - Phase I (Prelims) is on Tuesday 17 November 2026. - Phase II (Mains) is on Tuesday 22 December 2026. - The company posts any change of date on its website. The NICL AO Prelims Exam Date 2026 is **17 November 2026**, a Tuesday. This is the Phase I online exam for all disciplines, including Automobile Engineers. Phase II follows on **22 December 2026**, also a Tuesday. See the [NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026 guide](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/) for all stages. {{< callout type="official" >}} The company posts any change of date in the Recruitment section of its website. Check the [official notification on the NICL website](https://nationalinsurance.nic.co.in/recruitment) before you travel. {{< /callout >}} ## NICL AO Prelims Exam Date 2026 and the full schedule | Event | Date | | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | | Online registration starts | 8 October 2026 (Thursday) | | Last date for online registration | 28 October 2026 (Wednesday) | | Fee payment window | 8 October 2026 to 28 October 2026 | | Phase I (Prelims) | 17 November 2026 (Tuesday) | | Phase II (Mains) | 22 December 2026 (Tuesday) | | Call letter download | Not announced by the company yet | | Interview | Not announced by the company yet | The company holds both exams online. Only candidates who qualify in Phase I can take Phase II. ## How long is each exam? | Exam | Time | | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | | Phase I (Prelims) | 60 minutes, in three timed sections of 20 minutes | | Phase II objective test (Specialist) | 180 minutes | | Phase II descriptive test | 30 minutes, right after the objective test | | Phase II in all | 210 minutes | You may need to stay at the venue longer than the test time. The venue staff check documents, collect data, log you in, and give instructions. Read the [exam pattern page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/) for the sections and marks. ## How much time is there between Phase I and Phase II? There are **35 days** between 17 November 2026 and 22 December 2026. The company shortlists about 15 times the vacancies after Phase I. It then holds Phase II for these candidates. See the [selection process page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/selection-process/) for the shortlist rules. ## Can NICL change the exam date? Yes. The company says that it will notify any change of exam date on its website. The company can also change the centre of an exam. It can cancel a centre and allot another centre to a candidate. A candidate cannot ask for a change of date, time, venue, or session. The company does not entertain such requests. If the exam runs in more than one session, the company equates the scores. This corrects small differences in difficulty between sessions. More than one session may be needed if a centre has less capacity or if a technical problem occurs. If a test problem occurs, the company tries to fix it. The company decides if it holds a re-exam. A candidate has no claim to a re-test. ## What should you do before the exam date? - Find your city in the [exam centres list](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-centres/). - Learn the download steps on the [admit card page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/admit-card/). - Prepare your photo ID. The name on it must match the name on your call letter. - Read the [exam day checklist](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/before-exam-checklist/) for banned items and reporting rules. **Next step:** read the [NICL AO exam centres 2026](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-centres/) list. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the NICL AO Prelims exam date 2026? The NICL AO Phase I (Prelims) exam is on 17 November 2026, a Tuesday. It is an online test of 100 marks. All disciplines, including Automobile Engineers, take the same Phase I exam. ### When is the NICL AO Mains exam date 2026? The Phase II (Mains) exam is on 22 December 2026, a Tuesday. Only candidates who qualify in Phase I can take it. The Phase II test has an objective part and a descriptive part. ### How long is the NICL AO Phase I exam? Phase I lasts 60 minutes. It has three sections of 20 minutes each: English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude. Each section has its own timer. ### Can NICL change the exam date? Yes. The company says it will post any change of exam date on its website. Candidates cannot ask for a change of date, time, venue, or session. The company can also change or cancel exam centres. ### How many days are there between Phase I and Phase II? There are 35 days between the Phase I exam on 17 November 2026 and the Phase II exam on 22 December 2026. Only candidates who qualify in Phase I can take Phase II. ### On which day of the week are the NICL AO exams? Both exams fall on a Tuesday. The Phase I exam is on Tuesday 17 November 2026. The Phase II exam is on Tuesday 22 December 2026. The company holds both exams online at the venue in the call letter. ## 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 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. - [Exam day checklist](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/before-exam-checklist/): NICL AO exam day checklist for Phase I on 17 November 2026: documents, banned items, reporting rules, and the Phase II biometric check.