NIACL AO Exam Pattern
Each stage is checked separately so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Prelims
Official Recruitment of 550 Administrative Officers 2025 pattern| Questions | 100 |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Sections | English Language, Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 |
Timing: 20 minutes per section.
Candidates must clear the qualifying cutoff in each section. Prelims is used only to shortlist roughly 15 times the number of vacancies for the Main Examination; Prelims marks do not carry forward into the final merit list, which is decided by the Main Examination objective score plus the interview.
Official source · checked 6 August 2026Mains
Official Recruitment of 550 Administrative Officers 2025 pattern| Questions | 200 |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Duration | 150 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Reasoning, English Language, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 |
| English Language | 50 | 50 | 40 |
| General Awareness | 50 | 50 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 |
Timing: 40/40/30/40 minutes across the four sections respectively (sectional lock).
This mock covers the Objective Test only (2.5 hours, sectional lock). The Main Examination also includes a separate 30-minute Descriptive Test (Letter Writing and Essay, 30 marks) which is not multiple-choice and is excluded here; candidates must qualify it, but it is not counted for shortlisting or final selection. Final selection is based on the consolidated Main Examination objective score plus interview marks; Prelims marks are not part of the final merit list.
Official source · checked 6 August 2026