LIC AAO Syllabus for Generalist Posts: Prelims and Mains

LIC AAO prelims syllabus and pattern

The English marks are not counted when the mains list is drawn up, but you must still reach the minimum in it. Shortlisting uses reasoning and quantitative aptitude, and in the latest cycle LIC said it would call about 20 times the vacancies, category by category, to the mains.

Topics

• Reasoning: box, floor and circular seating puzzles, coded inequalities, syllogisms, family trees, directions, ranking, letter and number series, codes
• Quantitative aptitude: approximation, missing and wrong number series, comparing two quadratic roots, and arithmetic word problems on ratios, percentages, averages, interest, pipes and work, boats and trains, ages and mixtures, along with one or two small DI sets
• English: one or two passages, word swaps, sentence correction, blanks, sentence ordering and word usage

LIC AAO mains syllabus and pattern

The descriptive English paper comes right after, on the same computer. It carries 25 marks for two writing tasks in 30 minutes, such as a letter or communication piece and an essay or precis. It is qualifying, and LIC evaluates it only for those who clear the objective part.

Topics

• Reasoning (mains level): long puzzles, input and output, coding with conditions, data sufficiency, critical reasoning such as assumptions, inferences and courses of action
• Data analysis and interpretation: paragraph caselets, tabular and graph based sets, sets with blanks to work out, and the arithmetic hidden inside them
• GK and current affairs: about six months of happenings in India and abroad, budget highlights and survey data, government schemes, appointments, awards, sports and static facts
• Insurance and financial market awareness: basics of life and general insurance, key terms such as premium, sum assured, riders and claims, the role of IRDAI, SEBI and RBI, stock and money markets, mutual funds, pension products, recent developments in the insurance sector

Interview and final selection

Candidates are called for the interview in a set ratio to the vacancies, based on mains scores. The final list combines mains and interview performance, and a pre recruitment medical test follows. Expect interview questions about LIC's products, why you want an insurance career, your graduation subjects and current financial news. The weightage of each stage is printed in the notification, so read it before you plan your last month.

What makes this exam different

Most of the mains looks like a bank PO paper, which is why people preparing for the IBPS PO syllabus often sit LIC AAO as well. The difference is the 60 mark insurance and financial market section. It is short, 20 minutes for 30 questions, but very scoring if you know basic insurance terms and current regulatory news. Bank aspirants who skip it lose an easy edge; our bank exams hub compares LIC AAO with the other officer exams. Also note the 3 marks per question in reasoning and data analysis: one solved puzzle set can be worth 15 marks.

Ten weeks on the LIC AAO syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 3: quant arithmetic and reasoning puzzles daily, plus a comprehension set every evening.
2. Weeks 4 to 5: prelims sectional tests under 20 minute limits, then full prelims mocks.
3. Weeks 6 to 7: mains level puzzles and data interpretation caselets; start insurance basics and a GK notebook.
4. Weeks 8 to 9: insurance and financial market news of the last six months, and two letters and essays typed each week.
5. Week 10: full mains mocks with the descriptive paper at the end, as on the real day.

Study sources in general terms

Class 8 to 10 maths books rebuild arithmetic, and one reasoning workbook with plenty of puzzle sets is enough. For insurance, read the basic insurance guides published by the regulator and LIC's own product pages. Read a daily paper and revise from your own monthly news notes. For the descriptive paper, practise typing, since you write on a computer, not on paper.