The LIC AAO (Assistant Administrative Officer) exam for 2025 is split into two main stages—Prelims and Mains—followed by an Interview.

Understanding its structure and syllabus is vital to design an effective preparation strategy. Since the competition is extremely high, candidates need to be well aware of the marking scheme, sectional timings, and qualifying nature of certain sections.

A clear idea of the exam pattern not only helps in time management but also allows aspirants to focus on the most scoring areas and avoid wasting time on sections that are only qualifying in nature.

Exam Pattern

Preliminary Examination (Phase I)

• Format: Online objective-type.
• Sections:
  • Reasoning Ability – 35 Qs, 35 Marks, 20 minutes
  • Quantitative Aptitude – 35 Qs, 35 Marks, 20 minutes
  • English Language – 30 Qs, 30 Marks, 20 minutes (qualifying only)
• Total: 100 Qs, 70 Marks, 60 minutes
• Marking Scheme: No negative marking.
• Important Note: English section is just qualifying; its score doesn’t factor into the final merit.

Main Examination (Phase II)

• Format:
  • Objective Test – 120 Qs, 300 Marks, 120 minutes
  • Descriptive Test (Essay & Letter Writing) – 2 tasks, 25 Marks, 30 minutes (qualifying)
• Objective Section Breakdown:
  • Reasoning Ability – 30 Qs, 90 Marks, 40 mins
  • General Knowledge & Current Affairs – 30 Qs, 60 Marks, 20 mins
  • Data Analysis & Interpretation (DAI) – 30 Qs, 90 Marks, 40 mins
  • Insurance & Financial Market Awareness – 30 Qs, 60 Marks, 20 mins
• Important Notes:
  • No negative marking in objective test.
  • Descriptive English is qualifying; marks not counted toward ranking.

Interview

Marks from the Main Examination and Interview/Personality Test are considered for the final selection. Scores from the Prelims exam are not included in the final merit.

Exam Pattern Table

Syllabus Overview

Prelims Syllabus

• Reasoning Ability: Puzzles, seating arrangements, coding-decoding, logical reasoning, inequalities, syllogisms, blood relations, etc.
• Quantitative Aptitude: Simplification, number series, profit & loss, time & work, percentages, ratios, DI basics, etc.
• English Language: Grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, sentence arrangement, cloze tests.

Mains Syllabus

• Reasoning Ability: Similar to Prelims but may include higher difficulty puzzles and logical reasoning sections.
• General Awareness & Current Affairs: Static GK, current events, economics, policy changes, national and international happenings.
• Data Analysis & Interpretation (DAI): Charts, gráphs, table interpretation, data sufficiency.
• Insurance & Financial Market Awareness: Insurance industry (policies, history, IRDAI), terminology, banking and financial market concepts.
• Descriptive English: Essay and Letter writing to assess written communication and expression.