IRDAI Surveyor Fire (S-02) exam-day guide
IRDAI Surveyor Fire (S-02) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admit card / hall ticket
Download and print two copies from the IRDAI or designated exam-provider portal once the link opens. Verify your name, roll/registration number, exam centre address, and reporting time match your application. If any detail is wrong, contact the provider immediately rather than correcting it by hand. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory or a digital copy is accepted.
Original photo ID
Carry the original government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence, or voter ID) whose number you declared in the application. Photocopies, scans, and expired documents are normally refused. Confirm with the provider the exact list of accepted IDs and whether the ID must match the application number exactly.
Passport-size photographs
Carry two to four recent colour photographs matching the one uploaded with the application, in case the centre requires pasting or attestation. Confirm with the provider the required size and background colour.
Confirmation of centre, reporting time, and shift
Re-read the admit card the evening before. Centres often have multiple gates and shifts; arriving at the wrong gate or shift is a common cause of being turned away. Note the reporting time, not just the exam start time.
Transparent water bottle and permitted personal items
Most centres allow only a transparent water bottle and the admit card/ID inside the hall. Bags, phones, smart watches, and study material must be left outside or in a designated area. Confirm with the provider what is permitted; do not assume lockers are available.
Exam-specific permitted aids
The S-02 paper is a technical insurance exam; confirm with the provider whether a non-programmable calculator, rough sheets, or a pen are provided or must be brought. Do not carry any aid that is not explicitly permitted.
Travel and contingency plan
Pre-book travel and, if the centre is far, overnight accommodation near it. Plan to reach the centre at least 60-90 minutes before the reporting time to absorb traffic, security queues, and document checks.
Syllabus and weightage revision sheet
Prepare a one-page summary of the S-02 syllabus: insurance fundamentals, fire insurance principles, policy wordings, underwriting, claims, survey and loss assessment, and the regulatory framework. Use it for the final 24-hour revision instead of new material.
Question-bank of previously weak topics
Keep a short list of the topics you got wrong in mock tests and re-read only those explanations in the last 24 hours. Do not start a new topic the night before.
Mock-test timing practice
Confirm the total duration and number of questions from the provider's information bulletin, and practise attempting a full paper within that time so you know your per-question pace. Confirm with the provider the exact pattern and marking scheme.
Rest and health plan
Sleep at your normal time, avoid all-night cramming, and carry any prescribed medicine with a prescription. A fatigued candidate makes avoidable errors on calculation and wording questions.
Emergency contacts
Save the exam-provider helpline number and the centre address on your phone, and tell a family member your schedule. If you are delayed, call the helpline rather than the centre directly.
Plan the day
Stop collecting new material. Re-read the S-02 syllabus and mark topics you have not revised. Take one or two full-length timed mock tests under exam conditions, then spend the next day reviewing every wrong answer and the underlying concept. Re-read policy wording clauses on standard fire policy, special perils, and claims documentation, since these are frequent weak spots. Confirm your admit card details, ID, and travel plan.
Do a light revision of your one-page summary and weak-topic list only. Pack the admit card, original ID, photographs, transparent water bottle, and any permitted aids in a single bag. Re-check the reporting time and centre location, set two alarms, and sleep at your normal time. Do not attempt a new mock test late at night.
Eat a normal meal, leave early enough to reach the centre 60-90 minutes before reporting time, and carry only permitted items. At the centre, complete security and document verification calmly, locate your seat, and read the instructions on the screen or paper before starting. If there is a technical problem, raise your hand and inform the invigilator immediately rather than troubleshooting yourself.
Read each question fully, especially wording questions with 'except' or 'not'. Attempt questions you know first, mark uncertain ones for review, and return to them; do not leave blanks if there is no negative marking, but confirm the marking scheme with the provider beforehand. Watch the clock and reserve the last few minutes to review flagged questions and confirm submission.
Rules to check
Carry only the original photo ID declared in your application; photocopies, expired documents, and digital-only IDs may be refused. Confirm with the provider the accepted ID list.
Electronic devices, smart watches, Bluetooth earbuds, study material, and bags are not allowed in the exam hall; keep them in the designated area or leave them at home.
Reach the centre before the reporting time; late entry is usually not permitted after the gate closes, and the cut-off is set by the provider, so confirm it in advance.
Follow all invigilator instructions, including signing the attendance sheet and undergoing biometric or photograph capture where required.
Do not communicate with other candidates or exchange material during the exam; malpractice can lead to cancellation of your candidature and debarment.
Breaks are generally not allowed during the exam; confirm with the provider whether a comfort break is permitted and how it affects your time.
Scoring and qualifying marks are set by IRDAI and the exam provider; confirm the current pass criteria, negative marking, and validity period from the official information bulletin rather than relying on hearsay.
If you face a technical failure or medical emergency, inform the invigilator at once and ask for the incident to be recorded, as this is the basis for any later grievance.