OICL Assistant Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility

Tier I: Preliminary, 100 marks, one hour

You must pass each test separately, at marks the Company decides. It then shortlists an "adequate number" per state and category for Tier II.

Tier II: Main, 250 marks, two hours

Negative marking

One fourth of the question's marks per wrong answer, at both tiers; nothing for a blank. That's 0.25 at Tier I and 0.3125 at Tier II, where a question is worth 1.25.

Regional Language Test

Before final selection you're tested on reading, writing and speaking your state's language. No marks. Fail it and you're out, whatever your Main score.

The Company can change the structure and will say so on its website.

The advertisement fixes the tests, counts, marks and timings but gives no topic list. The usual scope of each section:

The Regional Language Test has no syllabus beyond reading, writing and speaking the state's language.

Age: 21 to 30 as on 31/07/2025

Born between 31.07.1995 and 31.07.2004, both days included.

The SC, ST or OBC relaxation adds to one other head only. An SC widow gets 5 plus 5; an SC widow who is also an employee can't add all three. Certificates are checked at the Regional Language Test.

Qualification, as on 31.07.2025

A degree in any discipline, with the result declared by that date. You must also have passed English as a subject at SSC, HSC, Intermediate or Graduation level. Someone educated entirely in a regional medium without English as a subject isn't eligible, whatever their degree.

Language

You must read, write and speak the regional language of the state you apply for. There's no domicile rule.

Nationality

Indian citizen, subject of Nepal or Bhutan, Tibetan refugee who came before 1 January 1962 to settle, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, the named East African countries, Ethiopia or Vietnam to settle. All but Indian citizens need a certificate of eligibility.

OBC and EWS certificates

• OBC: non-creamy-layer clause per the DoPT OMs of 08.09.1993 and 15.11.1993, valid on the date you register, based on income for 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25. The caste name must match the Central list letter by letter. A separate declaration is also needed. Creamy-layer OBC apply as UR.
• EWS: family income below ₹8 lakh for 2024-25, under DoPT OM No. 36039/1/2019-Estt. (Res.) of 31/01/2019. EWS vacancies are tentative.
• Both must be issued after 31.03.2025 and on or before the Regional Language Test date. The notice of 05.08.2025 (revising Para 13 B and 13 D) moved this from the original deadline of 31/07/2025.

Nothing in the application can be changed after registration, including state and category. If you're found ineligible at any stage, you're out.

1. Tier I Preliminary: pass each of the three tests; an "adequate number" per state and category go through.
2. Tier II Main: you need a minimum total set by the Company. This exam alone decides merit.
3. Regional Language Test: qualifying, no marks. Originals are checked here.
4. Medical fitness, for those within the vacancies.

Equal marks at the cut-off go to the older candidate. A contingency list may be used if selected candidates decline.

Documents at the Regional Language Test

Miss any of these and you're out:

• RLT call letter and the online application printout.
• Proof of date of birth (municipal birth certificate, or SSLC/Std X).
• Original photo ID with a photocopy.
• Graduation and HSC mark sheets and certificates, with proof the result was declared by 31.07.2025.
• Caste certificate in the prescribed format.
• Certificates for any age relaxation.

The Company publishes an RLT instruction sheet, documents checklist, data sheet and OBC declaration with the call letter; fill them in before you go. Date and venue changes aren't entertained.

If a technical problem disrupts the exam, the Company may move you or hold a re-test. Refusing that ends your candidature.

Pre-revision scale, as the advertisement quotes it:

₹22405-1305(1)-23710-1425(2)-26560-1605(5)-34585-1855(2)-38295-2260(3)-45075-2345(2)-49765-2500(5)-62265

Total pay is about ₹40,000 a month at the start in a metro, pre-revision, and varies with posting. Benefits include domiciliary medical, group mediclaim, leave travel subsidy and staff welfare schemes.

Probation and bond

Probation is at least 6 months, extendable. Leave or be terminated during probation and you repay the salary received plus ₹25,000 towards training. After probation there's no bond. Any lien or bond with a current employer isn't binding on the Company.

Online only, through the IBPS-run link in the Careers section. The 2025 window was 02 August to 17 August 2025.

Non-refundable; bank charges extra.

Fixed once you submit

Your state (which sets vacancies, centre, language and posting), category, the pre-exam training option and any scribe request. If you apply twice, only the last complete application counts and the other fees are lost.

Uploads

Photo, signature (not in capitals), left thumb impression, and a handwritten declaration in English, in your own hand, not in capitals. Anyone else's writing or another language makes the application invalid.

Free online training

SC, ST, OBC (NCL) and PwBD candidates can opt in on the form. It's online, and you're told by email or SMS. It gives no right to a job.

The Oriental Insurance Company Limited (CIN U66010DL1947GOI007158), Corporate Office at Block-IV, Plate-A, NBCC Office Complex, East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi 110023, incorporated in 1947. It's one of four public sector general insurers, with New India Assurance, National Insurance and United India Insurance.

The Company runs this recruitment itself (reference OICL/Rect./2025), with IBPS handling the application and call letter portal.

An Assistant handles policy issue and servicing, premium collection, documents, claims paperwork and customers in a divisional, branch or micro office, in the state applied for. Arunachal Pradesh's language for this purpose is English, and Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and Tripura offer a choice of two.

You sit in the state you applied for, at a centre the Company allots. Tier I runs in many towns per state. Tier II narrows to one or two:

Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Punjab, Haryana and Daman and Diu have no Tier II centre of their own, so candidates there travel to the one allotted. Centres can be added or cancelled and requests to change centre, date or session aren't entertained. The RLT venue is published separately in the Careers section.

About eleven months from advertisement to contingency list. The 2025 notice came out on 1 August; there's no fixed annual cycle, so watch the Careers section, which keeps an archive of previous years.

Separate call letters for Tier I, Tier II and the Regional Language Test, downloaded from the link in the Careers section about 7 days before each exam. No call letter, no entry.

Bring the call letter, an original photo ID with the same name, and a photocopy of it. Accepted IDs: PAN, passport, driving licence, voter card, bank passbook with photo, ID from a Gazetted Officer or People's Representative with photo, college or university ID, Aadhaar or E-Aadhaar with photo, employee ID, or Bar Council ID with photo.

Each section has its own clock, so you can't go back to one once its time is up.

The merit list is the Tier II corrected score, state-wise and category-wise, for those who pass the Regional Language Test. Within the vacancies, appointment depends on medical fitness. Being shortlisted doesn't guarantee a job.

Results, RLT lists and contingency lists are posted in the Careers section, with older cycles in its archive. The Company doesn't answer correspondence.

OICL published no cut-off marks for the 2025 Assistant recruitment. The advertisement leaves both the Tier I sectional pass marks and the Tier II minimum to the Company, and cut-offs differ by state and category.

It did publish a Phase I and II cut-off document for its parallel Administrative Officer recruitment, so check the Careers section after the final list.

1. Prepare for the Main. Tier I only screens, and there's no interview.
2. Drill Computer Knowledge and General Awareness. 100 of 250 marks at 22 seconds a question, against 45 for the other sections. It's pure recall, so it improves fastest. For General Awareness, read up on IRDAI, the four public insurers, General Insurance Council premium data, classes of general insurance and government schemes.
3. Practise Tier I as three sealed 20-minute blocks and score each separately, since each must be passed.
4. Score Tier II mocks properly: out of 250, 1.25 a question, 0.3125 off per wrong answer, in blocks of 30, 30, 30, 15 and 15 minutes. Most mocks use 200 marks, a flat 0.25 and 24 minutes a section, which isn't this exam.
5. Pick your state carefully. Nine states have no unreserved post, among them Andhra Pradesh (26 posts), West Bengal (23), Bihar (19) and Madhya Pradesh (19).
6. Check the English-subject rule before you apply.
7. Practise writing the regional language, not just speaking it.
8. Opt for the free online training if you're eligible.
9. Sort out OBC or EWS certificates early and check the caste name against the Central list.

OICL doesn't publish previous papers or sample papers for the Assistant exam, as of now.

Before each paper, the IBPS information handout and practice link are posted in the Careers section, usually with the call letters a week ahead.

• Advertisement Ref. No. OICL/Rect./2025, English (46 pages)
• The same advertisement in Hindi
• Notice of 05.08.2025 revising Para 13 B and D (OBC and EWS)
• Careers section: notices, shortlists, call letters, archive
• orientalinsurance.org.in
• Central OBC list (NCBC)
• DoPT (EWS and OBC rules), DEPwD (RPWD Act 2016)
• IRDAI, General Insurance Council, Insurance Institute of India

Is there an interview?

No. Selection is on the Main exam, subject to passing the Regional Language Test.

Does the Preliminary score count?

No. It only decides who sits the Main.

Can I apply for more than one state?

No. One State or UT, and you can't change it later.

Do I have to live in the state?

No, but you must read, write and speak its language.

Why is the Main 200 questions but 250 marks?

Each question carries 1.25 marks, so a wrong answer costs 0.3125.

What is the age limit?

21 to 30 as on 31/07/2025, with category relaxations. The caste relaxation adds to one other head only.

What qualification do I need?

A degree in any discipline, plus English as a subject at SSC, HSC, Intermediate or degree level.

What is the fee?

₹850, or ₹100 for SC, ST, PwD and Ex-Servicemen, non-refundable.

Why are there so few unreserved posts?

289 of the 500 are backlog reserved posts, leaving 113 unreserved.

What if two candidates score the same?

The older one goes ahead.

How long is probation?

At least 6 months, with no bond after it.

Where do I check notices and results?

Only the Careers section of orientalinsurance.org.in.