NICL AO Topic-Wise Weightage 2026: Check Previous Trends

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Published on 8 October 2026 by

The NICL AO Topic-Wise Weightage 2026 gives candidates an idea of the topics that have been frequently asked in the previous examinations. While NICL does not release an official topic-wise weightage, analysing the questions asked in the 2024 and 2025 NICL AO Phase-I examinations helps identify recurring topics and their approximate distribution. The NICL AO Prelims consists of 100 questions, including 30 questions from English Language and 35 questions each from Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude.

NICL AO Topic-Wise Weightage

The previous-year analysis shows that reading comprehension and grammar-based questions were prominent in English, while puzzles and seating arrangements dominated reasoning. In quantitative aptitude, data interpretation and arithmetic accounted for a substantial share of the questions. Candidates can use these trends to prioritize topics while continuing to cover the complete syllabus.

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NICL AO English Topic-Wise Weightage

The English Language carries 30 questions for 30 marks in the NICL AO Prelims. The section has consistently included reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and sentence-based questions. In the 2024 examination, 10 questions were asked from Reading Comprehension, along with Double Fillers, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Phrase Replacement, and Word Usage.

In 2025, the English section again included a 10-question reading comprehension, while the cloze test and error spotting also had significant weightage. This indicates that candidates should not depend on a single topic and should prepare both comprehension and grammar-based questions.

English TopicsNICL AO 2024NICL AO 2025Trend
Reading Comprehension1010High
Cloze Test—5Moderate-High
Error Spotting57–8High
Fillers52–3Moderate
Para/Sentence Rearrangement55High
Phrase Replacement4—Moderate
Word Usage1—Low
Total3030—

NICL AO 2024: Reading Comprehension was based on James Bond research and accounted for 10 questions. Five questions each were asked from Double Fillers, Para Jumbles, and Error Detection, while Phrase Replacement had four and Word Usage had one question.

NICL AO 2025: The English section included a 10-question reading comprehension based on a dating-app theme, five Cloze Test questions, 7–8 Error Spotting questions, 5 Sentence Rearrangement questions, and 2–3 Fillers.

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NICL AO English Trend

The two-year comparison shows that reading comprehension remained stable at 10 questions, making it one of the most important topics. Error spotting also remained significant, while the cloze test, fillers, and sentence-based questions changed slightly from one year to another. Therefore, candidates should prioritize reading comprehension, error spotting, cloze tests, para/sentence rearrangement, and fillers.

NICL AO Reasoning Topic-Wise Weightage

Reasoning Ability carries 35 questions for 35 marks in the Prelims. The 2024 paper had a strong focus on puzzles and arrangements, with questions from Box/Stack, Flat-Floor, Linear Arrangement and Square Seating. Coding-Decoding, Syllogism and Blood Relation were also asked.

The 2025 paper again had a puzzle-heavy Reasoning section. Month-Based, Floor and Box Puzzles accounted for 5 questions each, while Linear Seating Arrangement had 5 questions. Inequality and Direction Sense were also tested.

Reasoning TopicsNICL AO 2024NICL AO 2025Trend
Box/Stack Puzzle55High
Floor/Flat Puzzle55High
Linear Seating/Arrangement55High
Other Puzzles/Arrangements59High
Coding-Decoding5—Moderate
Syllogism4—Moderate
Inequality—5High
Blood Relation3—Moderate
Direction Sense—3Moderate
Miscellaneous33Low-Moderate
Total3535—

NICL AO 2024: The paper included Box-Stack, Flat-Floor and Linear Arrangement puzzles along with Square Seating Arrangement, accounting for a large portion of the section. Five Coding-Decoding questions, four Syllogism questions and three Blood Relation questions were also reported.

NICL AO 2025: The Reasoning section included a 5-question Month-Based Puzzle, 5-question Floor Puzzle, 5-question Box Puzzle, 4-question Uncertain Seating Arrangement and 5-question linear seating arrangement. Inequality contributed 5 questions, while Direction Sense had 3 questions.

Solve NICL AO Reasoning Mock Paper

NICL AO Reasoning Trend

The biggest takeaway from the two years is the consistently high weightage of Puzzles and Seating Arrangement. Candidates should therefore give maximum priority to Box, Floor, Month-Based, Linear and other arrangement-based puzzles. At the same time, topics such as Inequality, Syllogism, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relation and Direction Sense should be prepared because the exact mix can change each year.

NICL AO Quantitative Aptitude Topic-Wise Weightage

Quantitative Aptitude carries 35 questions for 35 marks. The previous two examinations show a strong focus on Data Interpretation and Arithmetic, along with topics such as Approximation, Number Series and Quadratic Equations.

In 2024, candidates encountered Line DI, Tabular DI, Caselet DI, Approximation, Quadratic Equations and approximately 10–12 Arithmetic questions. In 2025, the paper included a 7-question Bar Graph DI, 6-question Tabular DI and 4-question Caselet DI, followed by 9 Arithmetic questions, 5 Missing Number Series questions and 4 Approximation questions.

Quantitative Aptitude TopicNICL AO 2024NICL AO 2025Trend
Data Interpretation13–1417Very High
Arithmetic10–129High
Approximation54Moderate-High
Quadratic Equation5—Moderate
Number Series—5Moderate
Caselet DI34Moderate
Total3535—

NICL AO 2024: The Quantitative Aptitude section included 5–6 questions each from Line DI and Tabular DI, 3 Caselet DI questions, 5 Approximation questions, 5 Quadratic Equation questions and approximately 10–12 Arithmetic questions.

NICL AO 2025: The section included 7 Bar Graph DI questions, 6 Tabular DI questions, 4 Caselet DI questions, 9 Arithmetic questions, 5 Missing Number Series questions and 4 Approximation questions.

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NICL AO Quantitative Aptitude Trend

Data Interpretation and Arithmetic have remained the most important areas across the two examinations. However, the type of DI and the remaining calculation-based topics changed between 2024 and 2025. Candidates should therefore prepare Bar Graph, Tabular, Line Graph and Caselet DI, along with Arithmetic, Approximation, Number Series and Quadratic Equations.

NICL AO Previous Year Weightage Comparison

The overall comparison of the 2024 and 2025 Prelims shows a clear pattern. English remained relatively balanced, Reasoning was heavily dependent on puzzles and arrangements, while Quantitative Aptitude gave substantial weightage to DI and Arithmetic.

Section2024 Major Areas2025 Major AreasKey Trend
EnglishRC, Fillers, Para Jumbles, Error DetectionRC, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Sentence RearrangementRC + Grammar
ReasoningPuzzles, Seating, Coding, SyllogismPuzzles, Seating, Inequality, DirectionPuzzles dominate
Quantitative AptitudeDI, Arithmetic, Approximation, QuadraticDI, Arithmetic, Series, ApproximationDI + Arithmetic

NICL AO Expected Topics 2026

Based on the 2024 and 2025 NICL AO Prelims trends, candidates can prioritize the following topics for the 2026 examination. These are expected areas based on previous-year patterns and should not be treated as an official prediction of the question distribution.

English Language

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Error Spotting
  • Cloze Test
  • Para Jumbles/Sentence Rearrangement
  • Fillers
  • Phrase Replacement
  • Word Usage and Vocabulary

Reasoning Ability

  • Box-Based Puzzles
  • Floor-Based Puzzles
  • Month-Based Puzzles
  • Linear Seating Arrangement
  • Circular/Square Seating Arrangement
  • Inequality
  • Coding-Decoding
  • Syllogism
  • Blood Relation
  • Direction Sense

Quantitative Aptitude

  • Data Interpretation
  • Tabular DI
  • Bar Graph DI
  • Line Graph DI
  • Caselet DI
  • Arithmetic
  • Approximation
  • Number Series
  • Quadratic Equations
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