The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) recruits Assistant Administrative Officers (AAO) through an online preliminary exam, a main exam, an interview and a medical examination. The most recent completed cycle was the AAO (Generalist) 2025 recruitment, the 32nd batch. As of early October 2026, LIC's careers page did not show a new AAO notification, so this roadmap uses the 2025 official documents to explain what to expect and how to prepare for the next one.
Sources: LIC's AAO (Generalist) 2025 notification and the cut-offs published for AAO (Generalist) 2025, both on LIC's careers page at licindia.in, checked on 9 October 2026.
The 2025 cycle at a glance (AAO Generalist)
| Item | 2025 recruitment |
|---|---|
| Online application | 16 August to 8 September 2025 |
| Preliminary exam | Held on 3 and 7 October 2025 |
| Main exam | 8 November 2025 |
| Later stages | Interview, then pre-recruitment medical examination; LIC published post-medical shortlists in 2026 |
| Vacancies | 350: SC 51, ST 28, OBC 91, EWS 38, UR 142 (including backlog) |
LIC ran separate notifications for AAO (Specialist) and Assistant Engineer posts in the same cycle, and a candidate could apply for only one post.
Eligibility (2025 rules)
- Age: 21 to 30 years as on 1 August 2025 (born not earlier than 2 August 1995 and not later than 1 August 2004).
- Age relaxation: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, 10/13/15 years for persons with benchmark disabilities (General/OBC/SC-ST), specified relaxations for ex-servicemen, and a further 5 years for confirmed LIC employees.
- Education (Generalist): a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised Indian university, with the result declared on or before the reference date. LIC states that no equivalent qualification will be accepted.
- Fee: ₹700 plus transaction charges and GST for most candidates; ₹85 (intimation charges) plus charges and GST for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.
Selection process and exam pattern
Phase I – Preliminary (1 hour, no negative marking)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Minimum qualifying marks (others / SC-ST-PwBD) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 18 / 16 | 20 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 18 / 16 | 20 min |
| English Language | 30 | 30 (qualifying only) | 10 / 9 | 20 min |
Only Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude count towards the 70-mark total used for shortlisting. About 20 times the number of vacancies in each category are shortlisted for the Main.
Phase II – Main (no negative marking)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Minimum qualifying marks (others / SC-ST-PwBD) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 30 | 90 | 45 / 40 | 40 min |
| General Knowledge, Current Affairs | 30 | 60 | 30 / 27 | 20 min |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 30 | 90 | 45 / 40 | 40 min |
| Insurance and Financial Market Awareness | 30 | 60 | 30 / 27 | 20 min |
| Objective total | 120 | 300 | 2 hours | |
| English descriptive (emails, reports, situation analysis, précis) | 2 | 25 (qualifying only) | 10 / 9 | 30 min |
Phase III – Interview
The interview carries 60 marks, with qualifying marks of 30 (EWS, UR, OBC) and 27 (SC/ST/PwBD). About three times the number of vacancies are called. Final merit is based on Main (300) + interview (60) = 360 marks, followed by a pre-recruitment medical examination.
What the 2025 cut-offs show
LIC published category-wise cut-offs for AAO (Generalist) 2025:
| Category | Prelims total (out of 70) | Main total (out of 300) | Final: Main + interview (out of 360) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR | 58 | 232 | 294 |
| OBC | 55 | 221 | 285 |
| EWS | 54 | 220 | 288 |
| SC | 51 | 205 | 271 |
| ST | 46 | 189 | 260 |
These are for the 2025 cycle only and will change with vacancies and difficulty.
Worked example: why the interview still matters
Illustrative calculation using the 2025 UR figures:
- Candidate A scores 240 in the Main (above the 232 Main cut-off) and 45 in the interview: 240 + 45 = 285, below the final UR cut-off of 294. Not selected.
- Candidate B scores 236 in the Main and 58 in the interview: 236 + 58 = 294, equal to the final cut-off.
Clearing the Main cut-off only earns an interview call; the final list depends on the combined score. A strong interview can lift a borderline Main score, and a weak one can undo a good Main.
Because there is no negative marking in either the prelims or the Main under the 2025 rules, there is no penalty for attempting every question. Use the last minute of each section to mark answers for any questions you have not reached.
Pay, posting and bond (2025 notification)
- Basic pay ₹88,635 a month in the scale ₹88,635–₹1,69,025. LIC put total emoluments at the minimum of the scale at approximately ₹1,26,000 a month in an 'A' class city, including HRA and city compensatory allowance where admissible.
- Probation of one year, extendable up to two years.
- After training, candidates are posted for a minimum of five years in mofussil branches outside their home zones.
- Candidates must undertake to serve LIC for at least four years, failing which liquidated damages of ₹5,00,000 apply.
Preparation plan for the next cycle
| Phase | Focus |
|---|---|
| Months 1–2 | Reasoning and quantitative basics; English grammar and comprehension |
| Months 3–4 | Data analysis and interpretation; general knowledge and current affairs; start insurance and financial market awareness from official regulator and LIC sources |
| Month 5 | Full prelims and main mocks; typed practice of emails, reports and précis for the descriptive paper |
| After the Main | Interview preparation: your background, LIC's business and basic insurance concepts |
Checklist
- Confirm your age on the next notification's reference date.
- Check your degree result date against the cut-off.
- Note sectional minimums; every section must be cleared.
- Prepare for posting outside your home zone and the four-year service undertaking.
- Watch LIC's careers page for the next AAO notification.
LIC AAO rewards balanced preparation: sectional minimums in both exams, a large insurance and financial awareness component in the Main, and an interview that can decide the final list. Use the 2025 rules as your template and confirm everything in the next official notice.