NICL AO Exam Day Checklist 2026: Documents and Rules

Use this NICL AO exam day checklist 2026 before you leave for the Phase I exam on 17 November 2026. You must carry a valid call letter, an original photo ID, and a photocopy of that ID. NICL does not let a candidate in without all three.

This page is part of the NICL AO IT Specialist 2026 guide.

NICL AO exam day checklist 2026: documents

Carry these three documents to the venue:

• A valid call letter for your exam date and session. See the admit card page for the download steps.
• An original photo ID. The name on it must match the name on the call letter exactly.
• A photocopy of the same photo ID.

Which photo IDs does NICL accept?

• PAN card.
• Passport.
• Permanent driving licence.
• Voter card.
• Bank passbook with a photograph.
• Aadhaar card or e-Aadhaar with a photograph.
• Employee ID.
• Bar Council identity card with a photograph.
• A valid recent ID card from a recognized college or university.
• A photo identity proof on an official letterhead with a photograph, from a Gazetted Officer or a People’s Representative.

NICL does not accept a ration card or a learner’s driving licence.

What is banned at the exam venue?

NICL cannot promise safe keeping of banned items. Leave them at home.

• Stationery: printed or written text, pieces of paper, a geometry box, a pencil box, and a plastic pouch.
• Tools: a calculator, a scale, a writing pad, a pen drive, a log table, and an electronic pen or scanner.
• Communication devices: mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, earphones, microphones, pagers, smart watches, and health bands.
• Other items: goggles, handbags, hair-pins, hair-bands, belts, and caps.
• Ornaments: NICL checks rings, earrings, nose-pins, chains, necklaces, pendants, badges, and brooches closely.
• Other bans: any watch, any camera, any metal item, and any opened or packed food item.

A breach of these rules can lead to cancellation of the candidature, a ban from future exams, and a police complaint.

Reporting time and rules inside the exam hall

• Report before the time on the call letter. The reporting time is earlier than the start of the test.
• Phase I lasts 60 minutes. Document checks and instructions take extra time.
• Sign the same way each time. Your signature on the call letter and the attendance sheet must match the signature you uploaded.
• Do not use unfair means. NICL can disqualify you, ban you, and take legal action.
• Answer each question with a mouse click. A wrong answer costs one-fourth of the marks. A blank answer has no penalty.

A technical problem can delay a test. NICL may move candidates to another seat or delay the test. NICL decides if a re-exam is needed. A candidate who does not agree to move or to wait loses the candidature.

What must you know about Phase II?

NICL captures your thumb impression, iris scan, and photograph on the day of Phase II. Follow these steps before the exam:

1. Wash off ink, mehndi, or any colour from your fingers.
2. Wash and dry dusty or dirty fingers.
3. Dry moist fingers.
4. Tell the test centre staff at once if your thumb has an injury.
5. Do not wear contact lenses or make-up around the eyes.

What rules apply to a scribe and extra time?

A candidate who uses a scribe, or a PwBD candidate who needs extra time, gets 20 minutes for each hour of the exam. The candidate must register for this time during online registration. NICL does not give it to a candidate who did not register.

The candidate must arrange the scribe and pay the cost. The scribe must not be a candidate in the same exam. The scribe must not be an NICL employee. For a Specialist discipline, the scribe must come from a different academic stream.

See the exam pattern page for the marks of each section. See the exam date page for the exam length and the centres.

Next step: revise the section marks and timers on the exam pattern page.