Recruitment to the assistant grade service through G.I.C. Assistant’s Examination is generally held in the month of August. The blank application and particulars are published in the Employment News, usually in the month of March. The last date for the submission of applications is usually first week of April every year.
Eligibility CriteriaAge Limits: 18 to 28 years on 1st June of the year of examination.
Educational Qualifications: Pass in Higher Secondary with 60% marks or Graduate of a recognized University.
Exam PatternThe examination comprises of:- Stage I: Written Examination including an objective type and a Descriptive type test.
- Stage II: Interview
Examination Papers- The Objective Paper will consist of Test of Reasoning, Numerical Ability, Clerical Aptitude, English Language and General Knowledge. Objective tests except English will be bilingual, i.e., both in English and Hindi.
- The Descriptive Test will be on Essay, Letter Writing and Précis writing in English.
Examination Centers: Agartala, Guwahati, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Panaji, Allahabad, Jaipur, Patna, Bangalore, Jammu, Pune, Bhopal, Kochi, Ranchi, Bhubaneshwar, Lucknow, Shillong, Kolkata, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Vadodara, Chennai, Nagpur, Vijayawada, Dehradun
How to prepare?The candidates must undergo prolonged preparation to take the examination. The objective examination is aimed at judging the knowledge and speed of the candidate, while the descriptive test judges the analytical ability, depth of knowledge, expression and understanding of the languages. For the Objective test, 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.
Objective tests require a lot of practice. Particularly 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. The descriptive questions, on the other hand, need more of knowledge and analytical input. 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 interview. Normally, the 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 analyse 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.
