General Insurance Corporation (GIC) invites applications from eligible candidates for the posts of GIC Assistant Manager. GIC conducts exams every year to recruit AOs. The competition is high as the number of candidates appearing for this exam is high.
But you can crack it with the right strategy and plan. We will discuss some tips that will help you to enhance your preparation. It is advisable that your plan should be unique and suited to you, but there are some general tips that you can benefit from.
Many candidates are often confused about the correct strategy, where to start from, etc. We will try to clear some of the general doubts. Before discussing the tips, let us understand the exam pattern and syllabus.
This is the first and most crucial part when it comes to preparing for any upcoming government exams. Do not get overwhelmed by the syllabus. Download the syllabus from the official website of GIC and refer to that only.
Syllabus
- Reasoning: Decision-making, assertions, argument and assumptions, cause and effect, seating arrangement, statement and course of action, statement and conclusions, non-verbal and verbal series, syllogism, coding and decoding, problem-solving techniques, etc.
- Numerical ability: Pie chart, bar graph, data interpretation, simple and compound interest, ratio and proportions, time and distance, profit and loss, time and work, percentages, decimal and fraction, number system, series, simplification
- Language: Antonyms, synonyms, idioms and phrases, comprehension, articles, sentence rearrangements, subject-verb agreement, verb, tenses, adverb, fill in the blanks, error detection, etc
- General awareness: National and international current affairs, international and national organizations, inventions and discoveries, banking awareness, awards and honors, books and authors, financial and economic news, sports, etc.
- Computer literacy: Operating system, Microsoft Office (Spreadsheet, Word, PowerPoint, etc), shortcut keys, fundamentals of computer, operating system, memory, history of the computer, abbreviations, internet, networking, input and output, modern-day technologies, etc.
Exam pattern
The selection process for the GIC AO posts consists of a written test followed by a group discussion and interview. The total marks of written tests, group discussions, and interviews are 200. The exam pattern for the GIC Assistant Manager written exam is given in the table below:
| Section | Subject | Number of questions | Marks |
| Part A | Technical and professional knowledge in your relevant discipline | 40 | 40 |
| Part B | Test of Reasoning,Numerical ability and Computer literacy,English language with emphasis on grammar and Vocabulary,General awareness | 20 15 25 15 | 20 15 25 20 |
| Part C | Test in the English language – essay, precis, comprehension | 3 | 30 |
| 123 | 150 |
Part A and B have objective-type questions and Part C has subjective-type questions. The time allotted for Part A is 30 minutes, for Part B is 60 minutes, and for Part C is 60 minutes.
The minimum qualifying marks in the online exam for the general and OBC category is 60% and for SC/ST category is 50%. Candidates from the general and OBC category must score at least 60% and those from SC/ST category must score at least 50% in the overall process for final selection.
Preparation Tips
1. Read newspapers and follow reliable news channels
Try to reserve some time every day for reading the newspaper. It will be helpful to note down important points and maintain short and proper notes. This will come in handy during revision. Current affairs is a less time-consuming section in the exam and you can skip questions you are not sure about.
2. Follow reliable and good-quality study materials and resources
You can follow some youtube channels for learning free topics. These videos are brief and concise. Do not get carried away by people who have accumulated a variety of study materials. Remember you have limited time for preparation and you have your own limits.
Do not try to push it a lot. The main thing to remember is to practice. There are many online practice papers available. You can refer to the study material provided by some coaching institutes.
3. Try to solve a variety of questions
If you get comfortable with a particular type of question, do not get overconfident and skip it. Try moving to an advanced level of questions in the topics where you are confident with basic questions. These competitive exams are unpredictable.
You must solve previous years’ question papers. They help you to get an idea of the type and complexity of questions asked. But do not limit yourself to a particular variety only. It is safe to practice a few advanced concepts.
4. Make a schedule and stick to it
Many students will make fictional timetables and get demotivated if the goals are not achieved. Your timetable must be unique and realistic. It should suit you and your learning process. Do not try to copy others. Everyone has a different capacity.
Trust your instincts and prepare your routine. One thing to keep in mind while preparing your timetable is to reserve some time for revision. Revision is the key. Even if you are confident in a particular topic, do not skip revision of that topic.
5. Practice mock tests daily
Do not wait for the completion of the entire syllabus to give mock tests. Mock tests help you to identify your weak and strong points. If you can detect your weak areas, you can work on them and improve your concepts. Mock tests help you to keep a check on your learnings.
If you find that you have forgotten any topic, you can revise and attempt the test again. Mock tests give you an exam-like environment. It helps you to prepare for the final day. Your mind gets trained to work in a time-bound environment.
This will boost your confidence and will save you from being panicked in the examination hall. Solving section-wise and topic-wise mock tests can help you work on each topic separately.
6. Make an effort to answer all questions
Do not waste a lot of time in adjusting too much information in one answer. No matter how good your one answer is, your total marks will be evaluated on the basis of the questions you have attempted.
Do not write too short or too long answers. Make sure that you use important keywords. It is important to practice descriptive type papers. Write well-structured answers. Do not write more than the word limit.
