# NICL AO IT Exam Date 2026: Prelims on 17 November

> NICL AO IT exam date 2026: Phase I is on 17 November 2026 and Phase II is on 22 December 2026. See the exam length, centre rules and centre list.

Source: https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-date/
Category: [NICL](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/)
Guide: [NICL AO Information Technology 2026](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-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.
- Phase I lasts 60 minutes and Phase II lasts 210 minutes. NICL gives the venue on the call letter.


The NICL AO IT exam date 2026 for Phase I (Prelims) is **Tuesday, 17 November 2026**. Phase II (Mains) is on **Tuesday, 22 December 2026**. Both exams are online.

This page is part of the [NICL AO IT Specialist 2026 guide](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/).

{{< callout type="official" >}}NICL posts any change of date on the [official NICL recruitment page](https://nationalinsurance.nic.co.in/recruitment). Check this page often.{{< /callout >}}

## NICL AO IT exam date 2026: full schedule

| Event                                      | Date                                       | Day            |
| ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------ | -------------- |
| Online registration starts                 | 8 October 2026                             | Thursday       |
| Last date for registration and fee payment | 28 October 2026                            | Wednesday      |
| Phase I (Prelims)                          | 17 November 2026                           | Tuesday        |
| Phase II (Mains)                           | 22 December 2026                           | Tuesday        |
| Phase I call letter download starts        | The company has not announced the date yet | Not applicable |
| Interview                                  | The company has not announced the date yet | Not applicable |

The gap between Phase I and Phase II is 35 days. NICL shortlists candidates for Phase II after Phase I. Read the [selection process page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/selection-process/) for the shortlist rules.

## How long is each exam?

Phase I lasts **60 minutes**. It has three sections with a 20-minute timer each. Phase II lasts **210 minutes**. The objective test takes 180 minutes. The descriptive test takes 30 minutes.

The call letter states a reporting time before the start of the test. A candidate who reports late cannot take the exam. The venue needs extra time for document checks and instructions. See the [exam pattern page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/) for the marks of each section.

## Can NICL change the exam date or the centre?

NICL may change a date, a centre, or a session. The company posts the change on its website. A candidate cannot ask for a change of date, time, venue, or session.

NICL may hold an exam in more than one session. It then equates the scores to adjust for small differences in difficulty. If a technical problem affects the test, NICL decides on a re-exam. A candidate has no claim to a re-test.

## Where is the NICL AO exam held?

NICL lists provisional centres for both phases. The company may cancel a centre, add a centre, or give a candidate another centre. The choice of centre is final once the candidate makes it. The candidate takes the exam at own cost.

### Phase I centres by zone

| Zone    | States and union territories                                                                                               |
| ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| East 1  | Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha                                                                                                   |
| East 2  | Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal |
| North 1 | Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand                                                                                 |
| North 2 | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                              |
| North 3 | Rajasthan                                                                                                                  |
| North 4 | Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab                                                   |
| South 1 | Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana                                                                                       |
| South 2 | Kerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu                                                                                |
| West 1  | Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra                                                                                                  |
| West 2  | Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh                                                                                               |

### Phase II centres by state

| State or union territory     | Cities                                         |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Andhra Pradesh and Telangana | Hyderabad, Guntur or Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam |
| Assam                        | Guwahati                                       |
| Bihar                        | Patna, Muzaffarpur                             |
| Chandigarh                   | Mohali                                         |
| Chhattisgarh                 | Raipur, Bhilai                                 |
| Delhi                        | Delhi-NCR                                      |
| Gujarat                      | Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar, Rajkot                  |
| Himachal Pradesh             | Bilaspur, Solan                                |
| Jammu and Kashmir            | Jammu                                          |
| Jharkhand                    | Ranchi, Dhanbad                                |
| Karnataka                    | Bengaluru, Hubballi or Dharwad                 |
| Kerala                       | Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram                  |
| Maharashtra                  | Mumbai region, Pune, Nashik                    |
| Madhya Pradesh               | Bhopal, Indore                                 |
| Odisha                       | Bhubaneswar, Berhampur-Ganjam                  |
| Rajasthan                    | Jaipur, Udaipur                                |
| Tamil Nadu                   | Chennai, Madurai                               |
| Uttar Pradesh                | Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj                     |
| Uttarakhand                  | Dehradun, Roorkee                              |
| West Bengal                  | Kolkata, Burdwan                               |

The call letter shows the exact venue. Read the [admit card page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/admit-card/) to learn how to download it.

**Next step:** learn how to get your [admit card](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/admit-card/).


## Frequently asked questions

### What is the NICL AO Prelims exam date 2026?

The NICL AO Phase I (Prelims) exam is on Tuesday, 17 November 2026. It is an online exam. The test has 100 questions and a total time of 60 minutes. Each section has its own 20-minute timer.

### What is the NICL AO Mains exam date 2026?

The Phase II (Mains) exam is on Tuesday, 22 December 2026. It is an online exam. The objective test lasts 3 hours and the descriptive test lasts 30 minutes, so the exam takes 210 minutes.

### Can NICL change the NICL AO exam date?

Yes. NICL can change the date, the centre, or the session. The company posts any change on its website. A candidate cannot ask for a change of date, time, venue, or session.

### Can I change my NICL AO exam centre?

No. The company does not accept a request to change the centre, the venue, the date, or the session. NICL may also cancel a centre, add a centre, or give a candidate a different centre.

### Where is the NICL AO Phase II exam held?

NICL lists provisional Phase II centres in many states and union territories. They include Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The call letter shows the exact venue.

### How long is the NICL AO Phase I exam?

Phase I lasts 60 minutes. The candidate may need to stay at the venue longer. Verification of documents, login, and instructions take extra time. A candidate who reports late cannot take the exam.

## More in this guide

- [NICL AO Information Technology 2026](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/): NICL AO IT Specialist 2026 has 11 posts. Phase I is on 17 November 2026. Read eligibility, fee, exam pattern, salary and the full guide.
- [Notification](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/notification/): NICL AO IT notification 2026 lists 11 IT Specialist posts out of 321. See the vacancy table, key dates, fee and pay. Phase I is on 17 November 2026.
- [Eligibility](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/eligibility/): NICL AO IT eligibility 2026: age 21 to 30 years, B.E., B.Tech., M.E., M.Tech. in CS or IT, or MCA, with 60% marks. See relaxation and rules.
- [How to Apply](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/how-to-apply/): NICL AO IT apply online 2026 closed on 28 October 2026. See the fee of ₹1,000 or ₹250, the application steps, and the photo and signature rules.
- [Selection Process](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/selection-process/): NICL AO IT selection process 2026 has Phase I, Phase II and an interview. NICL gives 80% weight to the Mains objective test and 20% to the interview.
- [Exam Pattern](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/): NICL AO IT exam pattern 2026: Phase I has 100 marks in 60 minutes. Phase II has six objective tests for 250 marks. Wrong answers lose one-fourth.
- [Salary and Job Profile](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/salary-and-job-profile/): NICL AO IT salary 2026 starts at ₹82,485 basic pay. Total pay is about ₹1,14,000 in metro centres. See the pay scale, benefits, probation and bond.
- [Admit Card](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/admit-card/): NICL AO IT admit card 2026 is the call letter for Phase I on 17 November 2026. See the login details, download steps and what to check on it.
- [Exam Day Checklist](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/before-exam-checklist/): NICL AO exam day checklist 2026 for Phase I on 17 November 2026. See the documents to carry, the banned items, the reporting rules and the ID list.