# NICL AO IT Exam Pattern 2026: Phase I and II Marks

> 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.

Source: https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-pattern/
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 has 100 questions for 100 marks. Each section has its own 20-minute timer.
- Phase II for IT Specialists has six objective tests for 250 marks in 3 hours.
- A wrong answer costs one-fourth of the marks for that question.


The NICL AO IT exam pattern 2026 has two online phases. Phase I has **100 questions** for **100 marks** in 60 minutes. Phase II for IT Specialists has six objective tests for **250 marks**, plus a 30-mark descriptive test.

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

## NICL AO IT exam pattern 2026: Phase I (Prelims)

Phase I is common to all disciplines. It has no IT questions. Each section has a separate timer of 20 minutes.

| Section               | Questions | Marks | Time       | Medium            |
| --------------------- | --------- | ----- | ---------- | ----------------- |
| English Language      | 30        | 30    | 20 minutes | English           |
| Reasoning Ability     | 35        | 35    | 20 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35        | 35    | 20 minutes | English and Hindi |
| Total                 | 100       | 100   | 60 minutes |                   |

The sections do not follow a fixed order. A candidate must get the passing marks in each section. NICL decides these marks. NICL then shortlists about 15 times the number of vacancies for Phase II.

## Phase II (Mains): objective test for IT Specialists

The objective test lasts 3 hours and has **six** tests. The IT Specialist stream has one extra test on technical and professional knowledge. Each test has its own timer.

| Test                                      | Questions | Marks | Time        | Medium            |
| ----------------------------------------- | --------- | ----- | ----------- | ----------------- |
| Reasoning                                 | 40        | 40    | 35 minutes  | English and Hindi |
| General Awareness                         | 40        | 40    | 20 minutes  | English and Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude                     | 40        | 40    | 35 minutes  | English and Hindi |
| English Language                          | 40        | 40    | 30 minutes  | English           |
| Computer Knowledge                        | 40        | 40    | 25 minutes  | English and Hindi |
| Technical and professional knowledge (IT) | 50        | 50    | 35 minutes  | English and Hindi |
| Total                                     | 250       | 250   | 180 minutes |                   |

The Computer Knowledge test and the IT test carry **90 of 250 marks**. That is 36% of the objective test. A candidate must get a minimum score in each test. A candidate also needs a minimum total score to reach the interview.

## What is in the descriptive test?

The descriptive test follows the objective test at once. It is a test of English language for 30 marks in 30 minutes. The candidate types the answers on the computer.

| Part          | Marks |
| ------------- | ----- |
| Essay         | 10    |
| Précis        | 10    |
| Comprehension | 10    |

NICL checks the descriptive answers of candidates who qualify in the objective test only. The descriptive test has its own cut-off. It is qualifying in nature. NICL does not count its marks for the interview shortlist or the final selection.

## What is the negative marking in the NICL AO exam?

NICL deducts **one-fourth** of the marks of a question for each wrong answer. This rule applies to the objective tests of Phase I and Phase II. Each Phase I and Phase II question carries one mark. So a wrong answer costs 0.25 mark.

A question left blank has no penalty. The candidate selects an answer with a mouse click. The system highlights the chosen option and counts it as an answer.

## How long does each phase take?

Phase I lasts 60 minutes. Phase II lasts 210 minutes. The candidate may need to stay at the venue longer. The venue needs time to verify documents, log in, and give instructions.

NICL may change the structure of the exam. The company posts any change on its website. Read the [selection process page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/selection-process/) for the cut-off rules. Read the [exam day checklist](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/before-exam-checklist/) for the rules at the venue. See the [exam date page](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-date/) for the dates.

**Next step:** see the [salary and job profile](/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/salary-and-job-profile/) of an IT Specialist officer.


## Frequently asked questions

### What is the NICL AO Prelims exam pattern?

Phase I has 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes. It has English Language (30 questions), Reasoning Ability (35), and Quantitative Aptitude (35). Each section has a separate 20-minute timer.

### How many marks is the IT paper in NICL AO Mains?

The IT professional knowledge test has 50 questions for 50 marks. The candidate gets 35 minutes. The Computer Knowledge test adds 40 more marks, so the two tests carry 90 of the 250 objective marks.

### Is there negative marking in the NICL AO exam?

Yes. NICL deducts one-fourth of the marks for each wrong answer in the objective tests. A question left blank has no penalty. For a one-mark question, the deduction is 0.25 mark.

### How long is the NICL AO descriptive test?

The descriptive test is 30 minutes for 30 marks. It has an essay (10 marks), a précis (10 marks), and a comprehension (10 marks). The candidate types the answers in English on the computer.

### In which language is the NICL AO exam?

The English Language test is in English only. All other objective tests are in English and Hindi. The descriptive test is in English. The candidate types the descriptive answers on the computer.

### Are the sections of the NICL AO Prelims timed separately?

Yes. Each of the three sections has its own 20-minute timer. The sections do not follow a fixed order. A candidate must also get the passing marks in each section.

## 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.
- [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.
- [Exam Date](https://bunkpoint.com/article/nicl/nicl-ao-information-technology-specialist-phase-i-prelims-2026/exam-date/): 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.
- [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.