LIC AAO 2026: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility & Salary
The LIC Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO) Generalist examination is conducted by the Life Insurance Corporation of India to recruit officers into its Generalist cadre. As outlined in the 2025 notification, the selection process comprises an online Preliminary examination, a Main examination with objective and descriptive segments, and an Interview. Selected candidates undergo a structured probation period and serve in administrative and operational capacities across LIC offices.
Overview
| Conducting Body | Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) |
|---|---|
| Post Name | Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO) Generalist |
| Vacancies (2025 Notification) | 350 vacancies (32nd Batch) |
| Selection Stages | Phase-I (Prelims), Phase-II (Mains), Phase-III (Interview), followed by Medical Examination |
| Negative Marking | None in Phase-I or Phase-II objective tests |
| Probation Period | 1 year, extendable up to 2 years |
| Guarantee Bond | Minimum service of 4 years; penalty of ₹5,00,000 plus GST for breach |
| Official Website | https://licindia.in |
Eligibility
- Nationality: Must be a citizen of India (2025 Notification).
- Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized Indian University or Institution (2025 Notification).
- Number of Attempts: No restriction on attempts, provided the candidate satisfies the prescribed age and eligibility criteria (2025 Notification).
Age limit
- Minimum age: 21 years; Maximum age: 30 years as of August 1, 2025 (2025 Notification).
- SC/ST: Relaxation up to 5 years (maximum age: 35 years).
- OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): Relaxation up to 3 years (maximum age: 33 years).
- PwBD: Relaxation of 10 years (General/EWS), 13 years (OBC), and 15 years (SC/ST).
- Confirmed LIC Employees: Relaxation up to 5 years.
- Ex-Servicemen: Actual military service plus 3 years, subject to the prescribed upper age ceiling.
Selection process
- Phase-I: Preliminary Examination — Online objective screening test consisting of 100 questions across three sections; qualifying in nature to shortlist candidates for Mains at approximately 20 times the number of vacancies.
- Phase-II: Main Examination — Online examination comprising a 300-mark objective test and a 25-mark descriptive English test; used to shortlist candidates for the interview stage at approximately 3 times the vacancies.
- Phase-III: Interview — Personality evaluation carrying 60 marks with defined category-wise minimum qualifying scores.
- Pre-Recruitment Medical Examination — Final medical fitness assessment conducted after the interview stage prior to appointment.
LIC AAO exam pattern
Phase-I Preliminary Examination
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
Total duration is 60 minutes. The English Language section is qualifying only (cutoff: 9 marks for SC/ST/PwBD, 10 marks for Others) and marks are not counted for Mains shortlisting. Minimum qualifying marks for Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude are 16 marks for SC/ST/PwBD and 18 marks for Others. There is no negative marking.
Phase-II Main Examination (Objective Test)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 90 | 40 minutes |
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | 30 | 60 | 20 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 90 | 40 minutes |
| Insurance & Financial Market Awareness | 30 | 60 | 20 minutes |
Objective test consists of 120 questions carrying 300 marks with a duration of 2 hours. Sectional qualifying marks apply: Reasoning and Data Analysis require 40 marks (SC/ST/PwBD) and 45 marks (Others); GK and Insurance Awareness require 27 marks (SC/ST/PwBD) and 30 marks (Others). There is no negative marking.
Phase-II Main Examination (Descriptive Test)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language (Letter Writing & Essay) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
The descriptive test is qualifying in nature only (minimum qualifying cutoff: 9 marks for SC/ST/PwBD, 10 marks for Others). Marks do not count towards the final merit ranking.
LIC AAO syllabus
Reasoning Ability
Puzzles · Seating arrangement · Syllogisms · Inequalities · Blood relations · Direction sense · Coding-decoding · Data sufficiency
Quantitative Aptitude & Data Analysis
Data interpretation (bar, line, pie, tabular, caselet) · Number series · Simplification and approximation · Quadratic equations · Arithmetic topics: percentages, ratio, profit and loss, time and work, simple and compound interest, probability
English Language
Reading comprehension · Cloze test · Error detection · Sentence improvement · Para jumbles · Vocabulary · Letter and essay writing formats
Insurance & Financial Market Awareness
History of insurance in India · Principles and types of life and general insurance · IRDAI role, structure, and regulations · Financial markets and banking updates · Government insurance schemes (PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY, etc.)
General Knowledge & Current Affairs
National and international current events · Economic and business news · Important appointments · Awards and honours · Sports events · Static general knowledge
Salary
- Basic pay: ₹88,635/- per month on the scale ₹88635 - 4385(14) - 150025 - 4750(4) - 169025 (2025 Notification).
- Gross salary: Approximately ₹1,26,000/- per month in an 'A' Class city, including HRA, CCA, and admissible allowances (2025 Notification).
Application fee
- SC / ST / PwBD candidates: Intimation charges of ₹85/- plus GST and transaction processing charges (2025 Notification).
- All other candidates: Application fee and intimation charges of ₹700/- plus GST and transaction processing charges (2025 Notification).
Exam calendar
- Recruitment Notification: August (2025 Notification: August 16, 2025)
- Phase-I Preliminary Examination: October
- Phase-II Main Examination: November
- Phase-III Interview & Medical Evaluations: February to April
Preparation tips
- Ensure minimum qualifying cutoffs are met in every individual test section, as scoring high overall does not compensate for falling short of sectional cutoffs in either Phase-I or Phase-II.
- Allocate significant preparation time to Reasoning Ability and Data Analysis & Interpretation for Phase-II, since these two sections account for 180 out of the 300 objective marks.
- Prepare thoroughly for Insurance and Financial Market Awareness by studying insurance principles, IRDAI regulations, and government schemes like PMJJBY and PMSBY to clear the 30-mark (UR) sectional hurdle.
- Take full advantage of the exam scheme's zero negative marking policy by attempting all questions within each section's timed window.
- Maintain regular practice of typing essays and formal/informal letters on a computer within the 30-minute window to satisfy the descriptive test qualifying cutoff.
- Focus on accuracy and speed in Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning to clear the Phase-I 20-minute sectional limits, while ensuring English marks meet the qualifying benchmark.
FAQs
Is there any negative marking in the LIC AAO Generalist exam?
No, according to the 2025 notification, there is no negative marking or penalty for wrong answers in either the Phase-I Preliminary or Phase-II Main objective examinations.
Are English Language marks included in the final merit list?
No. The English section in Phase-I is qualifying only and not counted for shortlisting to Mains. Additionally, the Phase-II English Descriptive test is strictly qualifying and excluded from the final merit computation.
What components are used to prepare the final merit list?
The final merit list is based exclusively on the combined scores obtained in the Phase-II Objective Test (out of 300 marks) and the Phase-III Interview (out of 60 marks).
What is the educational qualification required for LIC AAO Generalist?
Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized Indian University or Institution as per the 2025 notification.
What are the terms of the service guarantee bond?
Selected candidates must sign an undertaking to serve LIC for a minimum of 4 years from the date of joining (including the probation period). Failure to comply incurs liquidated damages of ₹5,00,000/- plus applicable GST.
What is the interview qualifying score for LIC AAO?
The Phase-III interview carries a maximum of 60 marks. The minimum qualifying score is 30 marks for UR/EWS/OBC candidates and 27 marks for SC/ST/PwBD candidates (2025 Notification).
Sources
- licindia.in (licindia.in)
- race4job.com (www.race4job.com)
- freejobalerts.co.in (www.freejobalerts.co.in)
- adda247.com (www.adda247.com)
- website-files.com (cdn.prod.website-files.com)
Always confirm details in the latest official notification before applying. Spotted an error? Write to prepzen.app@gmail.com.
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