# NICL AO Automobile Engineer Cut Off: 2024 and 2025 > 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. Source: https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/previous-year-cutoff/ 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 - The 2025 Phase I cut off for Automobile Engineers was 20.00 out of 100 in the main categories. - The 2024 Phase I cut off for the Unreserved category was 21.00. - The 2024 Phase II cut off for the Unreserved category was 96.50 out of 250. The NICL AO Automobile Engineer cut off for Phase I was **21.00** for the Unreserved (UR) category in the 2024 recruitment. It was **20.00** in the 2025 recruitment. Both figures are out of 100. The 2024 Phase II cut off for the UR category was **96.50** out of 250. See the [NICL AO Automobile Engineer 2026 guide](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/) for the full plan. ## NICL AO Automobile Engineer cut off: Phase I (Prelims) The company sets these marks after the exam. A candidate must reach the cut off to move to Phase II. | Recruitment | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | | ----------------- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | 2024 (out of 100) | 21.00 | 19.25 | 21.00 | 19.50 | 21.00 | | 2025 (out of 100) | 20.00 | 20.00 | 20.00 | 20.00 | 20.00 | The UR cut off fell by 1.00 mark from 2024 to 2025. The company decides the passing marks. It shortlists about 15 times the vacancies, subject to availability. ## What were the sectional cut off marks in Phase I? A candidate must also clear a minimum in each section. These marks apply to Automobile Engineers and other specialist disciplines in the same group. | Recruitment | Section | SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD | EWS and UR | | ----------- | -------------------------- | --------------------- | ---------- | | 2025 | English Language (30) | 7.00 | 10.00 | | 2025 | Reasoning Ability (35) | 1.00 | 2.25 | | 2025 | Quantitative Aptitude (35) | 1.00 | 3.75 | | 2024 | English Language (30) | 7.75 | 11.00 | | 2024 | Reasoning Ability (35) | 1.00 | 2.75 | | 2024 | Quantitative Aptitude (35) | 1.00 | 2.50 | English Language had the highest section minimum in both years. A UR candidate needed **10.00 out of 30** in English in 2025. Plan your time so that you clear each section. See the [exam pattern page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/) for the section timers. ## What was the Phase II cut off in 2024? The company applied this cut off to the objective test of 250 marks. | Recruitment | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | UR | | ----------------- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | 2024 (out of 250) | 96.50 | 75.00 | 96.50 | 94.50 | 96.50 | The 2024 Phase II cut off of 96.50 is about 39% of 250 marks. The 2024 Phase I cut off of 21.00 is 21% of 100 marks. Phase I only shortlists candidates. Phase II counts for 80% of the final score. Read the [selection process page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/selection-process/) to see how the stages connect. ## How can you use past cut off marks? - Aim well above the past UR cut off of 20.00 to 21.00 in Phase I. The 2026 Phase I has the same three sections as before. - Clear each section first. A high total does not help if one section stays below its minimum. - Spend time on English Language. It had the highest section minimum in 2024 and 2025. - Treat past marks as a guide. The company sets new passing marks for each recruitment. The company applies cut offs on each test and on the total score. It can change the passing marks when the number of posts changes. The 2026 notification lists **20 Automobile Engineer posts**. See the [notification page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/notification/) for the category split. **Next step:** read the [NICL AO Automobile Engineer salary and service conditions](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-automobile-engineer-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/salary-and-service-conditions/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What was the NICL AO Automobile Engineer Phase I cut off in 2025? The 2025 Phase I cut off was 20.00 out of 100 for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and Unreserved candidates in the Automobile Engineer discipline. The company also set a minimum score for each section. ### What was the NICL AO Automobile Engineer Phase I cut off in 2024? The 2024 cut off out of 100 was 21.00 for Unreserved, OBC, and SC candidates. It was 19.50 for EWS candidates and 19.25 for ST candidates in the Automobile Engineer discipline. ### What was the NICL AO Automobile Engineer Phase II cut off in 2024? The 2024 Phase II cut off out of 250 was 96.50 for Unreserved, OBC, and SC candidates. It was 94.50 for EWS candidates and 75.00 for ST candidates in the Automobile Engineer discipline. ### What were the NICL AO sectional cut off marks for Phase I in 2025? In 2025 Unreserved and EWS candidates needed 10.00 in English, 2.25 in Reasoning, and 3.75 in Quantitative Aptitude. SC, ST, OBC, and PwBD candidates needed 7.00, 1.00, and 1.00 in the same sections. ### Does NICL set a cut off for each section? Yes. NICL applies cut offs in two stages. It sets a minimum for each test and then a minimum for the total score. A candidate must clear both to move to the next stage of the recruitment. ### How does NICL decide the cut off? The company sets the passing marks and shortlists about 15 times the vacancies for Phase II, subject to availability. The cut off can change in each recruitment, so treat past marks as a guide only. ## 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. - [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. - [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.