State Civil Services · Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC)
APPSC Group-I — Andhra Pradesh State Service Examination — Group-I
The complete APPSC Group-I blueprint: tier-wise pattern, topic weightage from previous-year analyses, and free chapter-by-chapter study material.
3 stages — Prelims (qualifying), Mains (five merit papers), Interview825 total merit marks — 750 Mains plus a 75-mark interview163 vacancies notified for the 2026 cycle, announced 15 September 2026 Free · tutor-verified
APPSC Group-I at a glance
Conducted byAndhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC)
CycleThe APPSC Group-I 2026 notification was released 15 September 2026, with online applications from 6 to 27 October 2026, for 163 vacancies. Confirm the live calendar on the Commission's site.
ModePrelims: objective, two papers of 120 marks each. Mains: pen-and-paper descriptive papers of 3 hours each, written in English or Telugu. Interview: in-person personality test.
EligibilityA bachelor's degree from a recognised university. As reported for the 2026 notification, the age limit is 18 to 42 years for general-category candidates, with relaxations for reserved categories — confirm on the current notification.
LanguagesEnglish or Telugu for the Mains descriptive papers (other than the dedicated Telugu and English qualifying papers themselves).
Selection intoGroup-I Services fill Andhra Pradesh's own Group A-equivalent gazetted posts, including Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, District Registrar and other senior state administrative posts. Pay levels differ by post; confirm from the notification.
Where APPSC Group-I leads
Deputy CollectorDeputy Superintendent of PoliceDistrict Registrar and Assistant Commissioner posts163 vacancies notified for the 2026 cycle across various Group-I posts
⚡ What changed recently
- The APPSC Group-I 2026 notification, released 15 September 2026, announced 163 vacancies with online applications open 6-27 October 2026.
- Andhra Pradesh was promised Special Category Status in 2014 but this was not ultimately granted; a Special Package (including full central funding for the Polavaram project) was offered instead — a frequently misunderstood, genuinely disputed point this hub teaches precisely.
- Amaravati's development as the state capital continues, with central financial assistance (reported around Rs 15,000 crore) allocated in the 2024-25 Union Budget cycle.
- Office-holders change, so this hub teaches Andhra Pradesh's institutions, laws and dated programmes and names no sitting Governor or Chief Minister. Confirm current names independently before the exam.
How APPSC Group-I selection works
Know what each stage is for before you spend a single hour preparing.
SCREENING GATE, QUALIFYING ONLY
Prelims — two objective papers, 240 marks
Paper 1 (120 marks): History & Culture, Polity, Economy and Geography of India and Andhra Pradesh. Paper 2 (120 marks): general mental ability, reasoning, numeracy, science & technology, and current events. One-third negative marking applies; marks are not counted toward final merit.
THE SCORING STAGE, 750 MERIT MARKS
Mains — five merit papers plus qualifying Telugu and English
General Essay; History, Culture & Geography; Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law & Ethics; Economy & Development; Science, Technology & Environment — each 150 marks, three hours. Telugu and English (150 each) are qualifying and not counted toward merit.
FINAL 75 MARKS
Interview
A board interview on administrative aptitude, knowledge of Andhra Pradesh, and general personality. Final merit is Mains (750) plus interview (75), for 825 total.
The exam pattern, tier by tier
Marks, timing and negative marking exactly as per the official notification.
Prelims — Papers 1 and 2
Screening — qualifying only, marks not counted toward final merit240 marks · 240 Q
2 hours per paper · One-third of a question's marks is deducted for each wrong answer.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| History & Culture | — | — | Paper 1 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
| Polity & Governance | — | — | Paper 1 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
| Economy | — | — | Paper 1 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
| Geography | — | — | Paper 1 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
| Basic Numeracy & Data Interpretation | — | — | Paper 2 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
| Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability | — | — | Paper 2 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
| Science & Technology | — | — | Paper 2 (120 Qs · 120 marks · 2 h) |
💡 Paper 1 (120 Qs/120 marks): History & Culture, Indian Constitution and polity, India and Andhra Pradesh economy and planning, and geography, each contributing 30 questions. Paper 2 (120 Qs/120 marks): general mental ability and psychological abilities (reasoning, numeracy, data interpretation), science and technology, and current events of regional, national and international importance.
Mains — Papers 1 to 5
Merit — 750 marks across five papers750 marks
3 hours per paper
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Essay | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| History & Culture of India | Descriptive | — | Paper 2 (150 marks · 3 h) |
| History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh | Descriptive | — | Paper 2 (150 marks · 3 h) |
| Geography of Andhra Pradesh | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| Indian Polity & Constitution | Descriptive | — | Paper 3 (150 marks · 3 h) |
| Law for Public Administration | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| Economy of Andhra Pradesh | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| Science, Technology & Environment | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
💡 General Essay (three essays, one from each section); History, Culture & Geography (India and Andhra Pradesh); Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law & Ethics; Economy & Development (India and Andhra Pradesh, including bifurcation-era fiscal issues); Science, Technology & Environment.
Mains — Telugu and English
Qualifying — not counted toward merit300 marks
3 hours per paper
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|
💡 Both papers are qualifying only and do not contribute to final merit.
Where your APPSC Group-I score comes from
Prelims has two objective papers of 120 marks each (240 total): Paper 1 covers History & Culture, Polity, Economy and Geography of India and Andhra Pradesh; Paper 2 covers general mental ability, reasoning and numeracy, science and technology, and current events. One-third of a question's marks is deducted for a wrong answer, and Prelims is purely a qualifying screen for Mains. The Mains has seven papers of 150 marks each: five merit papers (General Essay; History, Culture & Geography; Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law & Ethics; Economy & Development; Science, Technology & Environment) for 750 marks, plus Telugu and English, both qualifying and not counted. A 75-mark interview follows, for 825 marks of final merit. Click any block to open its chapters:
General Essay150 marks · 20%
One-fifth of Mains merit — three essays, one from each of the syllabus's three sections.
History, Culture & Geography (India + Andhra Pradesh)150 marks · 20%
Blends all-India content with Andhra Pradesh-specific dynastic history, culture and geography, including the 2014 bifurcation's own historical context.
Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law & Ethics150 marks · 20%
Combines Indian polity and constitution with public administration, governance, ethics, and a distinctive law component (constitutional, labour, cyber and tax law).
Economy & Development150 marks · 20%
Pairs the national economy with Andhra Pradesh-specific content: bifurcation-era fiscal constraints, the Special Category Status dispute, and Amaravati and Polavaram.
Science, Technology & Environment150 marks · 20%
Covers ICT, space and emerging technologies, energy and biotechnology, and environment and disaster management.
Subjects in APPSC Group-I
Chapter-by-chapter study material built to the exam's own blueprint.
Topic-wise weightage — what to study first
Question counts per topic, distilled from previous-year paper analyses. Click any topic with a link to open its full chapter.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| History and Culture of Andhra Pradesh | ~25 | Very high |
| The 2014 Bifurcation and its Aftermath | ~25 | Very high |
🎯 Keep Andhra Pradesh's own dynastic arc (Satavahanas/Ikshvakus through Kakatiyas/Vijayanagara) distinct from Telangana's own, and learn the bifurcation's own specific facts precisely.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Geography of Andhra Pradesh | ~50 | Very high |
🎯 Distinguish coastal Andhra's deltaic plains from Rayalaseema's semi-arid plateau terrain, and learn the delta and cyclone-risk content precisely.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Economy and Public Finance of Andhra Pradesh | ~25 | Very high |
| Agriculture, Industry and Infrastructure of Andhra Pradesh | ~25 | Very high |
🎯 Learn the Special Category Status dispute precisely — promised in 2014 but not granted, a Special Package offered instead — and keep Amaravati and Polavaram's own specific facts separate.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Constitutional, Labour, Cyber and Tax Law Essentials | ~25 | Very high |
🎯 Treat this as APPSC's own distinctive law-essentials content, with no direct UPSC CSE equivalent, and pair it with the aliased ethics content from Paper 3's own Section C.
APPSC Group-I resources
Everything you need to prepare.
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FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Yes — one-third of a question's marks is deducted for each wrong answer across both Prelims papers.
No — it was promised in 2014 but not ultimately granted; a Special Package, including full central funding for the Polavaram project, was offered instead. This hub teaches this distinction precisely, since it is frequently misstated.
163 vacancies, per the notification released 15 September 2026.
Office-holders change, and this content is written to stay accurate across those changes. Confirm current names from a live source close to your exam date.
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