United India Insurance Company Limited (UIIC) AO Recruitment 2026: 225 Administrative Officer (Scale I) Vacancies - Apply Online
United India Insurance Company Limited (UIIC) has released notification Ref: HO:HRM:REC:AO:1:2026 dated 07.09.2026 for the recruitment of Administrative Officers (Scale I) in the Generalist and Hindi Officer disciplines. There are 225 vacancies in total — 200 for Generalists and 25 for Hindi Officers. Online registration is open from 8 September 2026 to 28 September 2026, and the selection runs through a Preliminary exam, a Main exam with a descriptive paper, and an interview.
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Quick take: Graduates aged 21–30 with 60% marks can apply for the Generalist post. The job pays roughly ₹1,10,000 gross per month at metro centres, but comes with a five-year service bond and a likely posting in the Southern or Western zone.
UIIC AO 2026 Overview — Summary Table
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | United India Insurance Company Limited (Government of India Undertaking) |
| Post | Administrative Officer (Scale I) — Generalists & Hindi Officers |
| Notification number | HO:HRM:REC:AO:1:2026, dated 07.09.2026 |
| Total vacancies | 225 (Generalists 200 + Hindi Officers 25) |
| Application mode | Online only, through the Recruitment section of uiic.co.in |
| Registration window | 08.09.2026 to 28.09.2026 (both days inclusive) |
| Application fee | ₹1,000 + GST (general) / ₹250 + GST (SC, ST, PwBD, UIIC employees) |
| Age limit | 21 to 30 years as on 30.06.2026 (relaxation as per rules) |
| Qualification | Graduate or Post Graduate with 60% marks (55% for SC, ST, PwBD) for Generalists; Master's degree with Hindi–English combination for Hindi Officers |
| Selection process | Tier I Preliminary exam → Tier II Main exam (objective + descriptive) → Interview |
| Tier I exam date | 22 October 2026 (tentative) |
| Tier II exam date | 30 November 2026 (tentative) |
| Pay scale | ₹82,485 – ₹1,56,745; gross approximately ₹1,10,000 per month at metro centres |
| Official website | uiic.co.in |
About United India Insurance Company
UIIC is a public sector general insurance company wholly owned by the Government of India. As on 31.03.2026 it recorded a gross premium of more than ₹21,400 crore and operated over 1,200 offices including service hubs across the country. Administrative Officer (Scale I) is the entry-level officer cadre in the company, and it is one of the most sought-after non-banking PSU jobs in the insurance sector.
UIIC AO Vacancy Details 2026
The company has notified 225 provisional vacancies split across two disciplines:
| Discipline | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Administrative Officer – Generalists | 200 |
| Administrative Officer – Hindi Officers | 25 |
| Total | 225 |
Category-wise vacancies
| Category | Generalists | Hindi Officers |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 18 | 1 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 30 | 4 |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 62 | 7 |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 22 | 2 |
| Unreserved (UR) | 68 | 11 |
| Total | 200 | 25 |
PwBD horizontal reservation (4% under RPwD Act 2016)
| Sub-category | Generalists | Hindi Officers |
|---|---|---|
| Visually Impaired (VI) | 2 | 1 |
| Hearing Impaired (HI) | 2 | 0 |
| Orthopedically Challenged (OC) | 4 | 0 |
| Multiple Disabilities / Intellectual Disability | 3 | 0 |
Points every applicant should read twice
- Category-wise numbers are provisional and may be varied or interchanged at any stage.
- You can apply for either Generalists or Hindi Officers, not both. Multiple registrations or appearances will get your candidature cancelled.
- Candidates already serving as Administrative Officers (Scale I) in UIIC are not eligible.
- Vacancies are substantially in the Western and Southern zones. Selected candidates will most likely be posted there for a minimum of five years, and transfer requests to a place of choice will not be entertained during that period.
Eligibility — Age Limit (as on 30.06.2026)
The minimum age is 21 years and the maximum is 30 years as on 30 June 2026. In date terms, you must have been born not earlier than 30.06.1996 and not later than 30.06.2005, both days inclusive.
| Category | Upper age relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe | 5 years |
| Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | 10 years |
| Ex-servicemen with at least five years of military service (including ECOs/SSCOs), released under qualifying conditions | 5 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations during hostilities or in a disturbed area | 3 years |
| Widows, divorced women and women legally separated from their husbands who have not remarried | 9 years |
| Existing confirmed employees of public sector general insurance companies (including GIC and AIC of India Ltd.) | 8 years |
Important notes on relaxation: if you qualify under more than one category, relaxations are cumulative, subject to a maximum age of 45 years. Original certificates must be produced at the interview stage. Age relaxation for ECOs and SSCOs is the same as for ex-servicemen. Once you register, no change of category or discipline is permitted.
Eligibility — Educational Qualification (as on 30.06.2026)
For Administrative Officer (Generalists)
A Graduate degree or Post Graduate degree in any discipline — engineering, arts, science, commerce, agriculture, data science and so on — from a recognised university, with a minimum of 60% marks (55% for SC, ST and PwBD) in either of the degree examinations.
For Administrative Officer (Hindi Officers)
A Master's degree from a recognised university with 60% marks (55% for SC, ST and PwBD), satisfying any one of the following combinations:
- Master's in Hindi, with English as a compulsory or elective subject, or as the medium of examination at degree level.
- Master's in English, with Hindi as a compulsory or elective subject, or as the medium of examination at degree level.
- Master's in any other subject, with Hindi medium and English as a compulsory or elective subject or medium of examination at degree level.
- Master's in any other subject, with English medium and Hindi as a compulsory or elective subject or medium of examination at degree level.
- Master's in any other subject, with Hindi and English as compulsory or elective subjects, or one of the two as the medium of examination and the other as a compulsory or elective subject at degree level.
Qualification conditions that reject applications every year
- The degree must be from a university or institute in India approved by UGC or AICTE and recognised by the Central Government, acquired through the 10+2+3 pattern or an equivalent system.
- Where the university awards only CGPA, OGPA or SGPA, you must produce a conversion certificate from the competent authority. The fraction is ignored — 59.99% is treated as less than 60%.
- The qualification must be completed on or before 30.06.2026. Final-year candidates whose results are declared after that date are not eligible.
- Working knowledge of computers is compulsory.
Nationality and Citizenship
Applicants must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 intending to settle permanently, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of settling permanently in India. Everyone other than Indian citizens must hold a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
Application Fee and Service Charges
| Category of applicant | Amount (non-refundable) |
|---|---|
| All applicants other than SC, ST, PwBD and permanent employees of UIIC | ₹1,000 (application fee including service charges) + GST as applicable |
| SC, ST, PwBD and permanent employees of UIIC | Application fee: Nil. ₹250 service charges only + GST as applicable |
Payment is online only, using debit cards (RuPay, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro), credit cards, internet banking, IMPS, cash cards or mobile wallets. An e-receipt is generated on success; if no e-receipt appears, the payment has failed and must be repeated after logging back in. Fees once paid are not refunded and cannot be carried over to another examination.
Important Dates — UIIC AO 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 7 September 2026 |
| Online registration opens | 8 September 2026 |
| Last date of online registration | 28 September 2026 |
| Last date for fee payment | 28 September 2026 |
| Call letter download | 7 days before each online examination (tentative) |
| Tier I Preliminary Examination | 22 October 2026 (tentative) |
| Tier II Main Examination + Descriptive Test | 30 November 2026 (tentative) |
Exams may fall on weekdays or holidays, and UIIC reserves the right to change the schedule. Keep checking the Recruitment section of uiic.co.in.
UIIC AO Selection Process 2026
Selection has three stages: Tier I Preliminary Examination → Tier II Main Examination (objective plus descriptive) → Interview. Meeting the eligibility norms alone does not entitle anyone to a call letter.
Tier I: Preliminary Examination (both disciplines)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 min | English |
| Reasoning | 35 | 35 | 20 min | English / Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 min | English / Hindi |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 min | — |
Each section is separately timed. Candidates must clear both the sectional cut-off and the overall qualifying score fixed by the company. An adequate number of candidates in each category will be shortlisted for the Main examination.
Tier II: Main Examination for Generalists
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 40 | 50 | 30 min | English |
| Reasoning | 50 | 60 | 40 min | English / Hindi |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 40 min | English / Hindi |
| General Awareness (special reference to the financial sector) | 40 | 60 | 30 min | English / Hindi |
| Computer Knowledge | 20 | 20 | 10 min | English / Hindi |
| Objective total | 200 | 250 | 150 min | — |
| Descriptive Test — English (Letter Writing 10 marks, Essay 20 marks) | 2 | 30 | 30 min | English |
The descriptive test is typed on the computer immediately after the objective paper. Answer scripts are evaluated only for candidates who clear the objective Main examination, and the cut-off for evaluation depends on the number of vacancies.
Merit list for Generalists: only the Tier II objective test and the interview count, in the ratio 75:25. Marks in the Preliminary examination and in the Descriptive test are not used for the final merit list.
Tier II: Main Examination for Hindi Officers
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 25 | 20 min | English |
| Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 30 min | English / Hindi |
| Professional Knowledge — Hindi and English grammar and vocabulary, Official Language Acts and Rules, translation both ways | 50 | 100 | 50 min | English and/or Hindi |
| General Awareness | 25 | 25 | 10 min | English / Hindi |
| Computer Knowledge | 25 | 25 | 10 min | English / Hindi |
| Objective total | 150 | 200 | 120 min | — |
| Descriptive Test — English Essay 10, Hindi Essay 10, Hindi Letter Writing 10, English to Hindi translation 10, Hindi to English translation 10 | 5 | 50 | 60 min | English and/or Hindi |
Merit list for Hindi Officers: the Tier II objective test plus the descriptive test, together with the interview, in the ratio 75:25. Preliminary marks are not counted.
Hindi typing in the descriptive paper requires familiarity with the Inscript or Remington (GAIL) keyboard layout. Check all key functions before you begin typing; you get 60 minutes in total.
Marking scheme and scoring rules
- Negative marking: one-fourth of the marks allotted to a question is deducted for every wrong answer, in both Preliminary and Main examinations. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
- There is a sectional cut-off in every section and an overall cut-off in every category.
- Corrected scores are equated across sessions to adjust for differences in difficulty, and scores are reported to two decimal places.
- If two candidates end up with the same consolidated score, the older candidate is placed higher in the merit list.
Interview
Candidates who qualify in the Main examination are called for interview at select centres, up to three times the number of vacancies in each category and discipline. The weightage of online examination to interview is 75:25. Outstation candidates are reimbursed to-and-fro sleeper class railway fare or bus fare by the shortest route, on production of valid travel proof. Attested copies of certificates for age, education and category must be submitted at the interview.
How to Apply Online for UIIC AO 2026
Applications are accepted online only, from 08.09.2026 to 28.09.2026. No other mode will be accepted.
- Go to the Recruitment section of uiic.co.in and click "Apply Online".
- Choose "Click here for New Registration" and enter your name, contact details and email ID. A provisional registration number and password are generated and sent by email and SMS — note them down.
- Use "Save and Next" if you cannot finish in one sitting, and verify every entry before moving on.
- Upload your photograph, signature, left thumb impression and handwritten declaration as per the specifications below.
- Fill in the remaining details, including exam centre choice and whether you want Pre-Examination Training or a scribe.
- Click Preview and check the entire form. Names of the candidate and father or husband must match the certificates exactly.
- Click "Complete Registration" only after you are satisfied — no change is possible afterwards.
- Proceed to the Payment tab, pay the fee, wait for the e-receipt, and take a printout of the e-receipt and the application form.
Document scanning specifications
| Document | Dimensions | File size |
|---|---|---|
| Photograph (recent passport style, colour, light background) | 200 × 230 pixels | 20 KB – 50 KB |
| Signature (black ink on white paper) | As specified in the online form | 20 KB – 50 KB |
| Left thumb impression (black or blue ink on white paper) | 240 × 240 pixels at 200 DPI (3 cm × 3 cm) | 20 KB – 50 KB |
| Handwritten declaration (English, black ink, running hand) | 800 × 400 pixels at 200 DPI (10 cm × 5 cm) | 50 KB – 100 KB |
All files must be JPG or JPEG, scanned at a minimum of 200 DPI in true colour. Caps, hats and dark glasses are not allowed in the photograph; religious headwear is permitted as long as it does not cover the face.
The handwritten declaration text
"I, _______ (Name of the candidate), hereby declare that all the information submitted by me in the application form is correct, true and valid. I will present the supporting documents as and when required."
It must be in your own handwriting, in English, and not in capital letters. If someone else writes it, or it is in another language or in capitals, the application is treated as invalid. The signature must also not be in capital letters. If your signature on the attendance sheet does not match the uploaded one, you can be disqualified.
UIIC AO Salary, Perks and Service Conditions
The pay scale for Administrative Officer (Scale I) is ₹82,485 – 4050(14) – ₹1,39,185 – 4390(4) – ₹1,56,745. Along with admissible allowances, the gross pay works out to approximately ₹1,10,000 per month at metropolitan centres.
Benefits include gratuity, leave travel subsidy, medical benefits, group personal accident insurance, the National Pension System and leased accommodation, all as per company rules.
Probation and the Licentiate requirement
Selected candidates who are certified medically fit are appointed on probation for one year, extendable at the company's discretion. During probation, officers must pass the non-life "Licentiate Examination" conducted by the Insurance Institute of India. Confirmation of service happens only after this examination is cleared; failure to pass within the extended probation period can lead to termination.
Five-year guarantee bond
Before joining, selected candidates must give an undertaking to serve the company for a minimum of five years including the probation period. If you resign before the bond expires, you are liable to pay liquidated damages equal to the actual gross salary paid to you, capped at one year's gross salary, plus ₹35,000 towards onboarding and integration cost. If you resign after one year but before five years, the liquidated damages are proportionately reduced based on service rendered after probation.
Posting and transfer
Posts are permanent and all-India transferable. Your preference of posting location in the application form is not binding on the company. Most vacancies lie in the Southern and Western zones, and the initial posting is for a minimum of five years with no transfer requests entertained in that period.
Pre-Examination Training (PET)
UIIC will arrange online Pre-Examination Training for SC, ST, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) and PwBD candidates in line with Government of India guidelines. If you want it, tick the relevant column in the online application. Schedules are intimated through your registered email and mobile number; no hard copies are sent. Attending PET does not create any right to employment.
Provisions for PwBD Candidates and Scribes
- Visually impaired candidates and candidates with benchmark disabilities whose writing speed is permanently affected may use their own scribe at their own cost. The requirement must be indicated in the online application; later requests may not be entertained.
- The scribe must not be a candidate in the same examination, must not be a current UIIC employee, cannot act as scribe for more than one candidate, must be from a different academic stream, and must hold a qualification one step below that of the candidate.
- Candidates using a scribe get compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour, but only if they registered for it — the system allocates it automatically and it cannot be granted at the centre.
- Candidates with locomotor disability or cerebral palsy affecting the writing extremity (minimum 40% impairment) get 20 minutes per hour of compensatory time. The same applies to candidates with more than 40% intellectual disability, with or without a scribe.
- Visually impaired candidates with not less than 40% disability may opt to view the test in magnified font, with 20 minutes per hour of compensatory time.
- Persons with specified disability of less than 40% who have difficulty in writing can get a scribe or compensatory time on production of a certificate from a competent medical authority of a government healthcare institution, in the format at Appendix-II.
- Under the Office Memorandum dated 17.12.2025, PwBD candidates whose certificate marks the condition as "likely to improve" under the temporary disability category are not eligible for reservation. Those marked "progressive, non-progressive or not likely to improve" are eligible.
- If the scribe is found answering independently or giving hints, cues or prompts, the examination is terminated on the spot and the candidature is cancelled — even if this is reported after the exam is over.
Exam Day: Documents, Reporting Time and Identity Verification
Call letters are downloaded from uiic.co.in using your registration or roll number and password or date of birth. Intimation comes by email and SMS; no hard copy is posted. Affix a recent recognisable photograph on the call letter, preferably the same one used at registration.
Although the Preliminary exam lasts one hour, plan for about two hours or more at the venue; for the Main exam, which runs three hours, plan for about four hours or more. Candidates reporting after the time printed on the call letter are not allowed to take the exam.
Carry all of these, or you will not be allowed to sit:
- A valid call letter with a recent photograph affixed, for that date and session.
- Original photo identity proof bearing the same name and date of birth as on the call letter.
- A photocopy of the photo identity proof.
- Two recent passport size photographs, preferably the same as uploaded.
- Any additional documents applicable to PwBD candidates.
Accepted ID proofs: PAN card, passport, driving licence, voter's card, bank passbook with photograph, Aadhaar card with photograph, employee ID, Bar Council identity card with photograph, a valid recent identity card issued by a recognised college or university, or a photo identity proof issued on official letterhead by a Gazetted Officer or a People's Representative. Ration card and learner's driving licence are not valid.
The name on your photo ID must match the name on the call letter exactly. Female candidates who changed their first, middle or last name after marriage should note this carefully and carry the original gazette notification, marriage certificate or affidavit.
UIIC may also capture photographs, thumb impressions or IRIS scans for biometric verification at various stages, and may conduct online Aadhaar verification of the candidate and scribe. Do not apply mehendi, ink or chemicals on your hands. Mobile phones and other electronic devices are banned inside the examination and interview campus.
Rules on Misconduct and Unfair Means
Furnishing false, tampered or fabricated particulars, suppressing material information, impersonation, using unfair means, misbehaving in the hall, disclosing or reproducing test content in any form, or carrying a mobile phone into the hall can lead to disqualification, permanent or fixed-period debarment from UIIC examinations, termination of service if already joined, and criminal prosecution.
UIIC also runs response pattern analysis comparing answers across candidates. If the analysis concludes that responses were shared, results can be withheld and candidature cancelled, with no representation entertained. Canvassing in any form disqualifies a candidate, and the company does not authorise any agency or individual to act on a candidate's behalf.
Other Points You Should Not Miss
- Applications once submitted cannot be withdrawn or edited, and fees are never refunded — including if you are not shortlisted.
- Requests to change contact number, address, email ID, exam centre or interview centre are not entertained. Choice of centre, once exercised, is final, though UIIC may allot a different centre.
- Candidates from Maharashtra claiming SC, ST or OBC benefits must produce a Caste Validity Certificate at the interview, failing which candidature is cancelled.
- For Scheduled Tribe communities of Tamil Nadu, only a certificate from the Revenue Divisional Officer is accepted, not one from the Tehsildar.
- OBC candidates must belong to a caste common to both the Central and State lists and must produce a non-creamy-layer certificate in the prescribed proforma.
- EWS candidates need an Income and Asset Certificate for financial year 2025-26, issued after 31.03.2026, with family gross annual income below ₹8 lakh and no disqualifying property holdings.
- Candidates serving in Government, Quasi-Government or PSUs must produce a No Objection Certificate at the interview and a discharge certificate at the time of joining.
- Appointment is subject to verification of credentials, certificates, references, medical examination and antecedents. Adverse reports on character, antecedents or moral turpitude make a candidate ineligible.
- The company may cancel or withdraw the recruitment process, in whole or in part, at any stage without assigning a reason.
- Any dispute arising out of this advertisement falls under the sole jurisdiction of the courts in Chennai.
Preparation Strategy for UIIC AO 2026
With Tier I scheduled for late October 2026, you have roughly six weeks from the closing date of registration. A workable plan:
- Treat the Prelims as a speed filter. Sections are separately timed at 20 minutes each, so practise sectional mocks rather than full-length papers alone. Negative marking of 0.25 means guesswork is expensive.
- Put your weight behind the Mains objective paper. For Generalists, it carries 75% of the final merit. Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude are 60 marks each, General Awareness another 60 — so current affairs with a financial and insurance slant deserve daily attention.
- Build an insurance-specific General Awareness base: IRDAI regulations and circulars, general insurance terminology, government insurance schemes, banking and financial sector news of the last six to eight months, and key UIIC facts.
- Practise typing. Both descriptive papers are typed on a computer under time pressure. Hindi Officer aspirants must be comfortable with Inscript or Remington (GAIL) layouts; Generalists should practise a 20-mark essay and a 10-mark letter in 30 minutes flat.
- Do not neglect Computer Knowledge. It is only 20 marks for Generalists, but it is the fastest-scoring section and is often the difference at the cut-off.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many vacancies are there in UIIC AO Recruitment 2026?
There are 225 vacancies in total — 200 for Administrative Officer (Generalists) and 25 for Administrative Officer (Hindi Officers). The numbers are provisional and may be varied or interchanged.
What is the last date to apply for UIIC AO 2026?
28 September 2026. This is also the last date to pay the application fee.
Can final year students apply?
No. The qualification must be completed on or before 30.06.2026. Candidates who have written the final examination but whose results are declared after that date are not eligible.
I scored 59.99% in my degree. Am I eligible?
No. The notification states clearly that the fraction is ignored and 59.99% is treated as less than 60%. The relaxed cut-off of 55% applies only to SC, ST and PwBD candidates.
Can I apply for both Generalist and Hindi Officer posts?
No. You may apply and appear for only one of the two. Multiple registrations or appearances will result in cancellation of candidature.
Is there negative marking?
Yes. One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer in both the Preliminary and Main examinations. Unanswered questions are not penalised.
Do Preliminary exam marks count in the final merit list?
No. For both disciplines, the Preliminary examination is only a qualifying stage. For Generalists the merit list is built from the Mains objective test and the interview in a 75:25 ratio, with the descriptive test also excluded. For Hindi Officers, the Mains objective test plus the descriptive test are combined with the interview in a 75:25 ratio.
What is the salary of a UIIC Administrative Officer?
The basic pay scale starts at ₹82,485 and rises to ₹1,56,745. Gross pay is approximately ₹1,10,000 per month at metropolitan centres, along with gratuity, LTS, medical benefits, group personal accident insurance, NPS and leased accommodation.
Is there a service bond?
Yes. A minimum service undertaking of five years including probation. Early resignation attracts liquidated damages up to one year's gross salary plus ₹35,000 towards onboarding and integration cost, reduced proportionately for service rendered after the first year.
Where will I be posted?
Most vacancies are in the Western and Southern zones, and selected candidates are likely to be posted there. The initial posting is for a minimum of five years, and transfer requests to a place of choice will not be entertained during that period. Posts are transferable anywhere in India.
Do I have to pass any exam after joining?
Yes. During probation, officers must pass the non-life Licentiate Examination conducted by the Insurance Institute of India. Confirmation of service follows only after clearing it.
Can I correct a mistake in my application after submitting it?
No. No change of application data is permitted after registration is completed, and no correspondence, phone calls or emails in this regard are entertained. Fill the form carefully and use the preview option before final submission.
Final Word
UIIC AO 2026 is one of the larger PSU insurance recruitments of the year, and with 225 posts against a nationwide applicant pool, the cut-offs will be decided by accuracy in the Mains objective paper. Apply well before the closing date rather than on 28 September, when server load is at its heaviest — the company takes no responsibility for failed submissions. Read the official notification in full on uiic.co.in before you pay the fee, and keep your email and mobile number active until the recruitment process is complete.
Disclaimer: This article summarises notification Ref: HO:HRM:REC:AO:1:2026 dated 07.09.2026 for the convenience of aspirants. Candidates must verify all details against the official notification published on the UIIC website before applying. Dates and vacancy numbers are subject to change by the company.