NICL AO Exam 2021: Time Strategy & Last Minute Tips

The NICL AO Exam is hardly 4 days away and we hope your preparation is in full swing! The Main exam has 5 subjects in objective test & 1 in descriptive test.

Objective: Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English, General Awareness and Computer knowledge. Each section has been assigned 40 questions for 40 marks and the total duration is 120 minutes.

Descriptive: English language – Essay, Comprehension & Precis which contains 3 questions for 30 marks and 30 minute duration.

All the papers can be attempted in either English or Hindi except the English section. The marks obtained in the prelims aren’t considered for the final merit list. Marks secured in main exam and interview will account for the final selection.

However, there are a few important things that you may be neglecting during the preparation, like lacking an exam strategy or lacking rest. The following article will provide you with a list things you need to prepare for before entering the exam hall:

Time Allocation Strategy

Let’s start with the Time Allocation Strategy. 200 questions in 120 minutes, that means you have 0.6 minute or 36 seconds for each question

This is what some of the toppers have been doing with their time allocation & attempts across sections. We checked the toppers'(Top 5% or >95%ile) performance and this is broadly what was their average time allocation & average attempts during the exam was:

Reasoning: 37 min
English: 21 min
GK: 11 min
Computer Knowledge: 9 min
Quant: 42 min

NOTE: What works for some may not work for others. The above will vary depending on difficulty of a section or the paper. Hence, use this only as a guideline & not as a target.

Based on your strengths & weaknesses, you can change this to suit your strategy. Use this only as a guideline if you are unsure of your allocation. If you have a better strategy that is working for you, continue using the same and you need not deviate. Only practice will help you develop a strategy that works for you. 

Last minute tips
English language

The English language descriptive test will require you to type your answers using a keyboard. Practice typing out precis and essays at home. Keep your essays structured and precis short. Keep your language simple and double-check to make sure there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Here’s a Comprehensive Guide on Precis Writing. For Comprehension, ensure that you answer in your own words, do not copy sentences as given in passage.

NOTE: The descriptive section has a separate cut off and will only be evaluated if you cross the minimum sectional and overall cut off in the objective exam. However, the descriptive test is qualifying in nature and the marks won’t be counted for the final selection.

Quantitative Aptitude

Memorize all the important formulas for the Quantitative Aptitude section. A faster calculation speed will go a long way in helping you clear this section. To master mental calculation, learn tables till 20, square roots till 30 and cube roots till 20, and follow the one-liner approach technique for quicker addition and subtraction.

Reasoning

Reasoning requires you to have presence of mind, wit, and decision-making skills, which is something you can’t master in a day or two. To master this, you need to practice different kinds of questions under the reasoning section sufficiently. Use the last few days to solve reasoning questions from previous year question papers.

General Awareness

Your focus in General Awareness should be more on the Banking & Finance topics. The GK section doesn’t involve a lot of calculations and can be solved quickly. Read up magazines like Pratiyogita darpan and Yojana for a roundup of the news of the last 6 months or 1 year.

Computer Knowledge

This is a scoring section and at the same time the most neglected. Read up on history of computers, basic abbreviations, security, networking, virus, OSI layers, Internet, hardware and software, Microsoft office, etc.

A word on mock tests

It’s important that you strategize your exam before entering the exam hall, i.e., know which section you’re going to start with and which questions you will solve first in each section. To determine this, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. The best way to find out is to take multiple mock tests. Mock tests are prepared by experts and rankers after thorough research and analysis.

Mock tests will help you:

  • Analyze your performance & know your standing
  • Determine your speed & accuracy
  • Identify your strengths & weaknesses
  • Strategize your exam based on the above findings
General tips
  • Start by attempting the section you’re most comfortable in. First answer questions that take less time and then move on the difficult ones that consume more time.
  • Do not waste your time too much on one particular question. If you are finding it hard to solve a particular question, mark it for review and move to the next one.
  • There’s negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer, so answer only those questions which you’re confident about. Avoid guess work.
  • You don’t have to answer/attempt all the questions. Attempt sufficient questions from each section to clear the sectional cut off. Score maximum in sections that you’re good at to increase your overall marks and clear the overall cut off.
  • Do not start any new topic right before the exam.
  • Be well-rested before the exam and don’t pull an all-nighter. Avoid junk food.
  • You will be provided with a rough sheet in the exam hall. Use it for advanced calculations and do not waste time writing down questions in the sheet.

We wish you all the very best for your exam!


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