The NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026 provides a detailed review of the examination conducted on 30 October 2026 by the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL). Candidates can check the overall difficulty level, section-wise analysis, good attempts and questions asked in different sections. The Mains examination included five sections: Reasoning Ability, English Language, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge and Quantitative Aptitude. This analysis is based on candidate feedback and questions reported after the examination.
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026
The NICL Assistant Mains Exam 2026 was conducted on 30 October 2026 as the second stage of the recruitment process for Assistant posts. The examination was held online and consisted of 200 questions carrying 200 marks, with a total duration of 120 minutes. Candidates were required to attempt five sections within their respective sectional time limits. Based on initial candidate feedback, the overall difficulty level was Easy to Moderate. The following table provides the key examination details.
| Exam Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | NICL Assistant Mains Exam 2026 |
| Conducting Body | National Insurance Company Limited |
| Exam Date | 30 October 2026 |
| Exam Stage | Mains / Phase II |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Total Questions | 200 |
| Total Marks | 200 |
| Total Duration | 120 minutes |
| Sections | 5 |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 mark for each incorrect answer |
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026: Overall Difficulty Level and Good Attempts
According to the initial feedback received from candidates, the NICL Assistant Mains examination was Easy to Moderate overall. The five sections included a mix of straightforward and moderate-level questions. The number of good attempts may vary depending on candidates’ accuracy, question selection and time management. The section-wise difficulty level and estimated good attempts are provided below.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | 27–37 |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | 24–34 |
| General Awareness | Easy to Moderate | 20–30 |
| Computer Knowledge | Easy to Moderate | 29–38 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Easy to Moderate | 25–35 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 120–180 |
Note: Good attempts are indicative estimates based on candidate feedback and should not be considered guaranteed qualifying scores.
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026: Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning Ability section of the NICL Assistant Mains Exam 2026 included 40 questions covering puzzles, seating arrangements and miscellaneous reasoning topics. Candidates encountered questions based on circular seating arrangements, designation-based puzzles, floor puzzles and stack-based arrangements. Other topics included input-output, inequality, direction and distance, syllogism and data sufficiency. The topic-wise distribution of questions is provided below.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Circular Seating (7 Persons, Bidirectional) | 5 |
| Designation Puzzle (6 Persons, 6 Countries) | 5 |
| Floor Puzzle (7 Floors, 7 Cars) | 5 |
| Stack Puzzle (11 Persons) | 5 |
| Input-Output | 5 |
| Inequality | 3 |
| Direction and Distance | 3 |
| Syllogism | 3 |
| Data Sufficiency (Blood Relation, Order Ranking, Height-Based, Parallel Row Seating) | 3 |
| Miscellaneous (Odd One Out, Coding-Decoding, Alphabet-Based) | 3 |
| Total | 40 |
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026: English Language
The English Language section consisted of 40 questions covering reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and sentence-based topics. Reading Comprehension was based on teenage chatbots, AI, parental control and social media. Vocabulary questions included synonyms and antonyms of words such as Set, Problem and Clear. Other topics included error spotting, para jumbles, word swap, connectors, double fillers, sentence improvement, idioms and phrases, and match-the-column questions. The topic-wise distribution is given below.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension (Teenage Chatbots, AI, Parental Control and Social Media; Synonyms/Antonyms) | 11 |
| Error Spotting (Correct and Incorrect Sentences) | 4 |
| Para Jumbles (6 Sentences) | 5 |
| Word Swap | 5 |
| Connectors | 3 |
| Double Fillers | 4 |
| Sentence Improvement | 4 |
| Idioms and Phrases (Drive Away, Piece of Cake) | 2 |
| Match the Column | 2 |
| Total | 40 |
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026: Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section included 40 questions based on Data Interpretation, arithmetic, approximation, quadratic equations and number series. Data Interpretation questions were asked through a table, line graph and caselet. The table DI was based on boys and girls, while the line graph involved fans and bulbs. The caselet DI covered three subjects: Hindi, English and Sanskrit. Arithmetic accounted for the highest number of questions, with 13 questions. The topic-wise distribution is provided below.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Table DI (Boys and Girls) | 6 |
| Line Graph DI (Fans and Bulbs) | 5 |
| Caselet DI (Hindi, English and Sanskrit) | 2 |
| Quadratic Equation | 3 |
| Approximation | 6 |
| Missing Number Series | 5 |
| Arithmetic Problems | 13 |
| Total | 40 |
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026: General Awareness
The General Awareness section included questions from current affairs, insurance awareness, government schemes, financial institutions, geography, international organisations and static General Knowledge. Candidates encountered questions related to regulatory authorities, insurance companies, dams, tiger reserves, space missions, government ministries and international currencies. Some of the questions reported by candidates in the NICL Assistant Mains Exam 2026 are listed below.
- The term ‘Shuttlecock’ is associated with which sport?
- In which states are India’s major coal reserves/mines located?
- Who appoints the Attorney General of India?
- Where is the headquarters of EPFO located?
- Which regulatory authority regulates Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) in India?
- In which year was UPI launched?
- What is the name of the government’s scheme aimed at providing clean cooking fuel to households?
- How many medals did India win at the Asian Games?
- What does the letter ‘P’ stand for in UPS?
- Which is the insurance regulator in India?
- Which of the following is not a government-owned insurance company?
- In which state is Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport located?
- Buxa Tiger Reserve is located in which state?
- ISRO’s Mars mission was sent to which planet?
- What is the capital of Denmark?
- Which countries are members of ASEAN?
- Which railway zones are headquartered in which states?
- Which state has the GI tag for Guntur Chilli?
- Which temple has the longest corridor in India?
- When is National Sports Day celebrated in India?
- SLINEX is a joint military exercise between which countries?
- Who is the current MD and CEO of LIC?
- Who is the current Union Minister of Tourism?
- Under the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, how many girl children can be enrolled from a single family?
- What is known as the ‘Spice Garden of India’?
- Indira Gandhi Dam is located in which state?
- Which railway zone caters to two administrative office?
- Which was India’s first metro railway service?
- Ramanathaswamy Temple is located in which state?
- What is the lock-in period of ELSS mutual funds?
- What is the currency of Malaysia?
- Phulkari is associated with which state?
- What is the meaning of S in UNESCO?
- Which company developed Claude?
- Which state is the largest producer of wheat in India?
- Who is known as the Father of Indian Cinema?
- What is the term used for the amount paid by an insured person to an insurance company?
- Which countries are separated by the Palk Strait?
- The Sahitya Akademi Award is given in which languages?
- Narmada river flows through which of these states?
NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026: Computer Knowledge
The Computer Knowledge section consisted of 40 questions and tested candidates’ understanding of basic computer concepts, applications and terminology. The estimated good attempts for this section were 29–38, with the difficulty level reported as Easy to Moderate.
NICL Assistant Prelims Exam Analysis 2026
The NICL Assistant Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 has been released after the 1st and 2nd shifts of the exam scheduled for 27th August 2026 were conducted. The analysis covers the section-wise difficulty level, good attempts, and questions asked, based on candidate feedback and expert analysis. Candidates can use the analysis to evaluate their performance and understand the overall difficulty level of the exam.
NICL Assistant Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift-wise Difficulty and Good Attempts
The NICL Assistant Prelims Exam 2026 Shift 1 and Shift 2 were held on 27th August 2026. The shift-wise difficulty level and good attempts are provided below based on candidate feedback and expert analysis. Check NICL Assistant Shift Timings.
| Section | Shift 1: Difficulty | Shift 1: Good Attempts | Shift 2: Difficulty | Shift 2: Good Attempts |
| English Language | 24 – 28 | Easy | 25 – 28 | Easy |
| Reasoning Ability | 31 – 33 | Easy | 30 – 32 | Easy |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 – 30 | Easy | 24 – 27 | Easy but Calculative |
| Overall | 85 – 89 | Easy | 82 – 87 | Easy |
Note: Good attempts have been updated based on the reviews received from candidates who appeared for the exam. These figures are indicative and should not be considered official cut-offs.
NICL Assistant Prelims Shift-wise Sectional Analysis 2026
The NICL Assistant Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 includes a detailed section-wise analysis of the exam. It covers the topics asked, number of questions, difficulty level, and overall review of each section based on candidate feedback.
NICL Assistant Prelims Reasoning Ability Analysis 2026
The detailed topic-wise analysis, including questions asked from puzzles, seating arrangements, inequalities, blood relations, directions, alphanumeric series, order and ranking, and other reasoning topics in Shifts 1 and 2, is as follows:
| Topics | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
| Alpha-Numeric Series | 5 | 5 |
| Syllogism | 3 | 4 |
| Direction and Distance | 3 | 1 |
| Blood Relation | 3 | — |
| Inequality | 3 | 4 |
| Odd One Out | 1 | — |
| Meaningful Word | 1 | — |
| Number-Based Question | 1 | — |
| Floor-Based Puzzle | 5 | — |
| Sequence-Based Puzzle | 5 | — |
| Square-Based Seating Arrangement | 5 | — |
| Two Row Puzzle | — | 5 |
| Linear Puzzle | — | 5 |
| Box Based Puzzle | — | 5 |
| Weight | — | 3 |
| Pair Formation | — | 3 |
| Total | 35 | 35 |
NICL Assistant Prelims English Language Analysis 2026
The detailed analysis of Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Fillers, Misspelt Words, Cloze Test, and other topics in Shifts 1 and 2 is as follows:
| Topics | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
| Cloze Test | 6 | 6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 9 | 9 |
| Spotting Errors | 5 | 3 |
| Misspelt Words | 3 | 3 |
| Word/Phrase Replacement | 3 | — |
| Rearrangement | 3 | — |
| Match the Column | 1 | — |
| Sentence Formation | — | 4 |
| Total | 30 | 30 |
NICL Assistant Prelims Quantitative Aptitude Analysis 2026
The topic-wise analysis covering Data Interpretation, Arithmetic, Missing Number Series, Approximation, Simplification, and other Quantitative Aptitude topics in Shifts 1 and 2 is as follows:
| Topics | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
| Arithmetic | 13 | 10 |
| Data Interpretation (Bar Graph) | 5 | — |
| Missing Number Series | 6 | — |
| Simplification | 11 | 10 |
| Table DI | — | 5 |
| DI | — | 3 |
| Wrong Number Series | — | 5 |
| Total | 35 | 35 |
NICL Assistant Previous Year Prelims Trends
The NICL Assistant Prelims exam pattern has remained consistent, with English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude forming the three sections. Each section has a fixed number of questions, with 30 questions in English and 35 questions each in Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. Analysing previous-year trends helps candidates understand the commonly asked topics and prepare according to their weightage.
NICL Assistant Prelims Good Attempts Trend
Good attempts depend on the difficulty level of the paper, question distribution, and candidates’ accuracy. In the NICL Assistant Prelims 2024, the overall good attempts were estimated at 79–85 questions, with Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude recording higher good attempts than English.
| Year | English | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | Overall Good Attempts |
| 2024 | 24–26 | 28–30 | 27–29 | 79–85 |
Note: Good-attempt figures are indicative and may vary across shifts depending on the difficulty level and accuracy of candidates.
NICL Assistant Prelims Overall Difficulty Trend
The NICL Assistant Prelims 2024 was reported to be Easy overall, with all three sections—English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude rated Easy.
| Year | English Language | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | Overall Difficulty |
| 2024 | Easy | Easy | Easy | Easy |
NICL Assistant Prelims English Language Trend
The English Language section has consistently focused on Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Fillers, and vocabulary-based questions. In the 2024 examination, Reading Comprehension carried the highest weightage, while Para Jumbles, Error Detection, Fillers, and Misspelt Words were also asked.
| Topic | 2024 |
| Reading Comprehension | 10 |
| Para Jumbles | 5 |
| Error Detection | 5 |
| Fillers | 4 |
| Misspelt Words | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | 1 |
| Total Questions | 30 |
Trend: Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Error Detection, and Fillers have been important areas of the English section. Candidates should also prepare vocabulary-based questions such as misspelt words and word usage.
NICL Assistant Prelims Quantitative Aptitude Trend
The Quantitative Aptitude section has included a combination of Data Interpretation, Arithmetic, Number Series, Approximation, and Simplification. In 2024, Arithmetic and Data Interpretation together formed a significant portion of the section, making calculation speed important.
| Topic | 2024 |
| Bar Graph DI | 7 |
| Tabular DI | 6 |
| Caselet DI | 4 |
| Arithmetic | 9 |
| Missing Number Series | 5 |
| Approximation | 4 |
| Total Questions | 35 |
Trend: Data Interpretation and Arithmetic have remained important areas of Quantitative Aptitude. Candidates should also practise Number Series and Approximation to improve speed and accuracy.
NICL Assistant Prelims Reasoning Ability Trend
Reasoning Ability has primarily focused on Puzzles and Seating Arrangements, along with short and scoring topics such as Inequality, Blood Relation, Direction, Alphanumeric Series, Order and Ranking, and Meaningful Word. The 2024 paper included three major puzzle sets.
| Topic | 2024 |
| Puzzles | 15 |
| Blood Relation | 3 |
| Direction | 3 |
| Inequality | 3 |
| Alphanumeric Series | 4 |
| Meaningful Word | 1 |
| Order and Ranking | 3 |
| Alphabet Test | 1 |
| Pair and Letter | 1 |
| Miscellaneous | 1 |
| Total Questions | 35 |
Trend: Puzzles and Seating Arrangements have formed a major part of the Reasoning section, while topics such as Inequality, Direction, Blood Relation, and Alphanumeric Series provide opportunities for quick and accurate attempts.
- NICL Assistant Mains Exam Analysis 2026, 30th October Review
- NICL Assistant Mains Shift Timings 2026: Exam Schedule
- FREE NICL Assistant Study Material 2026: Notes, Mocks & PDFs
- NICL Assistant English Mock Paper 2026: FREE Practice PDF & Live Quiz
- NICL Assistant Quant Mock Paper 2026: FREE Practice PDF & Live Quiz
- NICL Assistant Reasoning Mock Paper 2026: FREE Practice PDF & Live Quiz
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