GIC Assistant Administrative Officer (AAO) exam gives a direct entry to the officer cadre. Anyone recruited as a direct AAO can hope to reach the highest level, provided his/her performance in the profession is very good. AAOs are normally appointed as Branch Managers in smaller branches and, as the name of the post indicates, are responsible for overall general administration of the branch. Even in the bigger branches and, higher offices, AAOs are assigned important tasks and assist not only in better administration of the branch/said office but also help achieving the financial targets.

GIC AAO examination is a combined Civil Services examination for recruitment to the posts of Assistant Administrative Officer (Generalist) in the General Insurance Corporation of India, i.e., (i) National Insurance Company Ltd., Calcutta; (ii) The New India Assurance Company Ltd., Mumbai; (iii) The Oriental Fire and General Insurance Company Ltd., New Delhi; and (iv) United India Insurance Company Ltd.

Eligibility :

Minimum Qualification: graduate/ postgraduate with 50% marks (relaxable in the case of Scheduled Castes/Tribes at 40%)

Age: 21-30 years on 1st October of the year previous to the year of examination (relaxable in the case of SC/ST/OBC, ex-servicemen and serving confirmed employees of G.I.C)

Examination Pattern:

The examination comprises of two stages:
Stage I: Written Examination
Stage II: Interview

Candidates who have submitted duly filled applications and who fulfil all the eligibility criteria are called for the objective type written examination that comprises of the following:

(1) Test of Reasoning,
(2) English Language,
(3) General Awareness
(4) Professional Knowledge

Only those candidates who pass the written examination are called for the Interview.

Application Form :

The notification for this examination is generally published in the Employment News. The last date for submission of application of duly filled application is usually in the first week of April. Applications are to be sent to: Post Bag No. 2281, Chanakyapuri Post Office, New Delhi-110 021.

Examination Centres:

The Civil Services written examination is held at 28 centres in India. The candidates may choose any one of the following centres which must be indicated in the application form clearly. No change of the centre will be allowed at a later date. Company/Corporation reserves the right to direct candidates to appear at a centre other than the one chosen by them for written examination without monetary assistance. Company/Corporation also reserves the right to hold the written examination at some and not all the examination centres listed below depending upon the number of candidates and other relevant factors.

Probation & Training:

Selected candidates if Certified fit physically may be appointed as Assistant Administrative Officer on probation for a period of one year, which may be extended by a further period up to six months. During the probationary period, candidates may be required to undergo theoretical/practical training as may be prescribed/arranged for them.

How to Prepare:

The candidates must undergo prolonged preparation to take the examination. One needs to practice regularly to improve knowledge and speed. For subjects like GK and current affairs, one needs to start practicing early and regularly. A good book on the basics of General Knowledge, supported by reading a good national newspaper and Competitive magazine can greatly assist a candidate to do well in this part. For mastering the reasoning, numerical ability and English language, special efforts are required. For the Reasoning and Numerical Ability tests, practice pays. It not only enables a candidate to solve the problems correctly by indicating the methods to be used but also by achieving the required speed. Regular practice also generates  a lot of  confidence in the mind of the candidate to attempt the paper. In-depth knowledge and correct expression are two important ingredients of essay writing. Style of writing also determines the marks to be obtained by the candidates. Similarly, précis writing is an art unto itself and needs to be mastered. It is not just summary but an attempt towards precision in own language, without losing sight of the content and its meaning. A good understanding, rich vocabulary and regular practice usually help a candidate to do well in Essay and Précis.

An aspiring candidate has to do well both in the written examination as well as the personal interview. Normally, the personal interview determines the selection of a candidate. A candidate, therefore, must be well versed in General Knowledge and current affairs and should be able to discuss and analyses topics of current importance and general interest. In addition to reading good newspapers, magazines and other books, the candidate should also have a good understanding, absorption ability and expression. Any knowledge is useless if the candidate is unable to express himself/herself while replying to any question. The candidate should also identify his/her strong and weak points and should be able to direct the course of the interview towards his/her area of strength.