APPSC Group 1 2026: Notification Status, Syllabus, Pattern & Eligibility

Status: Notification released. Applications are open.

Last date to apply: 9 November 2026, 11:59 PM (extended from 27 October 2026).

Verified on: 30 October 2026, against the detailed Notification No. 07/2026 dated 06/10/2026 and the deadline extension announced by the commission.

Official link: psc.ap.gov.in

What to do now: If you have not applied, complete your OTPR, fill the form and click “Save & Submit” without waiting for the last day. BC and EWS candidates need a certificate issued on or after 1 April 2026. The Screening Test (Prelims) is on 24 January 2027, which is 86 days from today, so start revision now.

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has notified 166 vacancies in 13 Group-I posts, including Deputy Collector, DSP (Civil) and Assistant Commissioner of State Tax, the post many aspirants still search for as Commercial Tax Officer. This page puts the notification status, vacancies, dates, eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, salary and a preparation plan in one place. Every number below comes from the notification itself. Where websites disagree, we say so and name the source we follow.

Still deciding between APPSC and other state exams? Read our guide on how to get a government job in AP and Telangana first, then come back here for the Group 1 details.

Latest update

30 October 2026. Applications remain open until 9 November 2026. Only the application deadline has moved. The Screening Test date of 24 January 2027 has not changed.

27 October 2026. After requests from candidates, APPSC extended the last date to apply for Group-I and several other recruitments from 27 October to 9 November 2026, up to 11:59 PM.

6 October 2026. The detailed Notification No. 07/2026 was released with 166 vacancies in 13 post codes. Online applications opened and the Screening Test date was fixed as 24 January 2027.

15 September 2026. The brief notification 07/2026 was published on the commission’s website with 163 provisional vacancies. It said the detailed notification would follow on or before 6 October.

14 September 2026. G.O.Ms.No.187 and G.O.Ms.No.188 (General Administration, Ser-A), both dated 14/09/2026, were issued. The notification cites them for the revised age limits, including the upper limit of 44 for non-uniform posts.

Key facts

Notification and vacancies

APPSC issued Notification No. 07/2026 for direct recruitment to Group-I Services. Para 1.2 of the detailed notification lists 166 vacancies across 13 post codes. The largest groups are DSP (Civil) with 36 and Divisional Development Officer with 35, which together make 71 of the 166 vacancies. Five vacancies are carried forward from earlier recruitments: 3 in DSP (Civil), 1 in Deputy Registrar and 1 in District Employment Officer. The notification says carried-forward reserved vacancies are filled first, before the fresh ones.

The notification also says the number of vacancies and departments are subject to variation when departments send fresh indents. Any added vacancies will be accepted only before the Screening Test date, and the commission will issue an addendum.

Post-wise vacancies

Source: Notification No. 07/2026 dated 06/10/2026, Para 1.2 (pages 1 and 2). The split by multi-zone, zone and category is in Annexure I.

Why numbers differ across websites

Vacancy counts for APPSC Group 1 2026 have changed more than once, and older cycles add more noise. Here is the sequence we can trace.

A government order of 22 August 2026 is reported to have sanctioned 149 posts. The brief notification of 15 September listed 163. The detailed notification of 6 October lists 166, because one more Deputy Collector post (11 to 12), one more Deputy Registrar post (15 to 16) and one more Assistant Audit Officer post (14 to 15) were added.

Three more things cause confusion:

• Pages that were not updated. Many sites still show 163 because they copied the brief notification and never refreshed it.
• Wrong post names. Some pages list Deputy Superintendent of Jails and District Fire Officer. Those categories belonged to the 2023 cycle (Notification 12/2023, 81 posts). In the official 2026 table, the slots with 3 and 14 vacancies are DSP (Communications) and District Educational Officer.
• Older cycles. Figures such as 81 (2023) and 92 (2022) belong to earlier recruitments. A count like 91 does not appear in any 2026 document we reviewed, so we do not use it.

The source we use: Para 1.2 of Notification No. 07/2026 dated 06/10/2026, which totals 166. Because the notification allows changes before the Screening Test, check psc.ap.gov.in for any addendum before you finalise your plans.

Important dates

Posts covered

The 13 post codes in Notification 07/2026 are:

• Deputy Collector in the A.P. Civil Service (Executive Branch)
• Assistant Commissioner of State Tax in the A.P. State Tax Service (the post many aspirants know as Commercial Tax Officer)
• Deputy Superintendent of Police (Civil) Category-2 in the A.P. Police Service
• DSP (Communications) in the A.P. Police Service
• District Educational Officer in the A.P. Educational Service
• Regional Transport Officer in the A.P. Transport Service
• District Tribal Welfare Officer in the A.P. Tribal Welfare Service
• Deputy Registrar in the A.P. Cooperative Service
• Municipal Commissioner Grade-II in the A.P. Municipal Administration Service
• Assistant Treasury Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer in the A.P. Treasury & Accounts Service
• District Employment Officer in the A.P. Employment Exchange Service
• Assistant Audit Officer in the A.P. State Audit Service
• Divisional Development Officer in the A.P. Panchayat Raj Service

The two DSP posts carry physical and vision standards. Men must be at least 167.6 cm tall with a chest of at least 86.3 cm and an expansion of 5 cm. ST men need 164 cm and 83.8 cm. Women need a height of at least 152.5 cm and a weight of at least 45.5 kg. Colour blindness, squint and some other conditions listed in Para 3 are disqualifications. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities have no reservation in the two DSP posts.

Eligibility

To apply, you must be a citizen of India, hold the prescribed degree, be within the age limit on 1 July 2026, and meet the health and character conditions in Para 2. The sections below give the detail.

Age limit and relaxation

Age is counted on 1 July 2026 under Rule 12 of the A.P. State and Subordinate Service Rules, read with G.O.Ms.No.187 and G.O.Ms.No.188 dated 14/09/2026.

For ex-servicemen and NCC instructors, the age after deduction must not exceed the maximum age fixed for the post. Candidates in these groups should read Para 5 of the notification before applying.

Qualification and local status

• Degree: a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in India (or an equivalent qualification) for all posts except DSP (Communications). The degree must be held on the date of the detailed notification, 6 October 2026.
• DSP (Communications): B.E or B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering or Radio Engineering.
• Distance and open university degrees count only if recognised by the Distance Education Council. A distance B.E or B.Tech counts only if approved by AICTE. The candidate must prove recognition if there is a doubt.
• Local candidate: you are local to the area where you studied for at least four consecutive years up to and including the year you appeared for Class 7. If you did not study in any institution during that period, a residence certificate is accepted. If you studied up to Class 7, study certificates are compulsory.
• Local reservation: 95% of posts in each multi-zone go to local candidates of that multi-zone, and 5% are open to locals and non-locals together on merit. This applies to all posts except DSP (Communications), which is a State-level post. Post code 12 is filled by six zones. All other posts are filled by Multi-Zone I and Multi-Zone II.
• Migrants from Telangana: candidates who moved to Andhra Pradesh between 2 June 2014 and 1 June 2024 must obtain a Local Status Certificate and produce it at verification.
• BC and EWS certificates: the BC non-creamy-layer certificate and the EWS certificate must be issued by a Tahsildar on or after 1 April 2026, and not later than the closing date of applications. The EWS certificate must be digital and based on income for 2025-26, with a family income below Rs 8 lakh. After the extension, confirm whether the commission treats 9 November 2026 as that closing date.
• Other States: SC, ST, BC and EWS candidates from other States get no reservation and no fee exemption.
• Horizontal reservation: 33 1/3% for women and 3% for meritorious sports persons, across categories.

Selection process and exam pattern

APPSC Group 1 has three stages: the Screening Test (commonly called Prelims), the Mains and the Interview. The scheme follows G.O.Ms.No.158 dated 26/12/2018, read with G.O.Ms.No.100 dated 30/09/2022, as shown in Annexure II.

• The Screening Test only shortlists candidates. The notification calls it a test meant for shortlisting, and final selection rests on Mains and Interview.
• The commission admits to the Mains a number equal to 50 times the vacancies, irrespective of community. For 166 vacancies, that is 8,300 candidates.
• After the Mains, candidates are called for the Interview at 1:2, which means two candidates for each vacancy, or about 332 for 166 posts.
• Minimum qualifying aggregate marks are 40% for OC, sports persons and EWS, 35% for BC, and 30% for SC, ST and PBD.
• There is no waiting list. If candidates tie on Mains marks, the older candidate ranks higher.

Prelims / screening test

• The test is objective, offline and OMR based. Appearing in both papers is compulsory, and absence in either paper can lead to disqualification.
• Negative marking: each wrong answer costs one third of the marks for that question.
• The question paper is set in English and translated into Telugu. If the two versions differ, the English version is treated as authentic.
• Use only a blue or black ball point pen. Pencil, ink pen and gel pen are not permitted, and a wrong or blank booklet series invalidates the OMR sheet.
• The commission publishes an initial key. Objections must be filed within three days at Rs 100 each, refunded if the objection is sustained. The final key cannot be challenged again.

Mains

The Telugu and English papers are qualifying only and their marks are not counted for merit. The pass mark in each is 40% for OC, sports persons and EWS, 35% for BC and 30% for SC, ST and PBD. In Paper I, you write three essays of about 800 words each, one from each of three sections.

Papers I to V can be answered in English, Telugu or Urdu. You choose the medium online before the Mains and must write all five papers in that one medium. The Mains will be held at four centres: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Ananthapuramu. The commission has not yet announced the Mains dates.

Interview

The Interview (Personality Test) carries 75 marks. The final merit list is prepared out of 825 marks: 750 from the five Mains merit papers and 75 from the Interview. That means the Mains decides about 91% of your final score and the Interview about 9%. Screening Test marks are not added.

Syllabus

The syllabus is printed in Annexure II of Notification 07/2026. All papers are degree standard except the Telugu and English language papers, which are SSC standard. The headings below are grouped paper-wise so you can plan each subject.

Screening Test, Paper I: General Studies

• A. History and Culture: Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic age, Mahajanapadas, Jainism and Buddhism, Mauryas, Satavahanas, Sangam age and Guptas; South Indian dynasties such as the Badami and Eastern Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Cholas, Kakatiyas and Reddis; the Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Mughal empires, Bhakti and Sufism; European trading companies; the Revolt of 1857, reform movements and the freedom movement; Gandhi, Patel and Bose; Dr B.R. Ambedkar and the making of the Constitution; reorganisation of States after Independence.
• B. Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations: evolution and features of the Constitution, Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, amendments and basic structure; Union and State functions, Parliament and State Legislatures; constitutional authorities and Panchayati Raj; the impact of liberalisation on governance and regulatory bodies; rights issues; India’s foreign policy and international institutions.
• C. Indian and Andhra Pradesh Economy and Planning: features of the Indian economy, NITI Aayog, human development and sustainable development; national income, poverty, unemployment and rural and urban development; agriculture, industry, energy and trade; RBI, banking, GST, finance commissions, public debt and the budget; and the Andhra Pradesh economy after the 2014 bifurcation.
• D. Geography: general geography, plus physical, social and economic geography of the world, India and the concerned State.

Screening Test, Paper II: General Aptitude

• A. General Mental Ability, Administrative and Psychological Abilities (60 questions): logical reasoning, number series, coding and decoding, relations, Venn diagrams, clocks, calendars and ages, ratio and proportion, averages, percentages, simple and compound interest, time and work, time and distance, mensuration, geometry, algebra, data interpretation, data sufficiency and probability. It also covers emotional intelligence, social intelligence, decision making and critical thinking.
• B(i). Science and Technology (30 questions): nature and scope of science and technology, national policy on science and innovation, ICT and e-governance, cyber security, space and defence (ISRO, DRDO), energy resources and policy, environmental science, biodiversity and climate change, biotechnology and nanotechnology.
• B(ii). Current events of regional, national and international importance (30 questions).

Mains papers

• General Essay (Paper I): three essays, one from each of three sections covering current affairs; socio-political, socio-economic and socio-environmental issues; and cultural, historical, civic and reflective topics.
• Paper II, History, Culture and Geography of India and Andhra Pradesh: a longer treatment of the Paper I history themes, then the history and culture of Andhra Pradesh from ancient to modern times, then physical, economic, social, fauna and flora, and environmental geography.
• Paper III, Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law and Ethics: federal structure, local governance, the judiciary, public administration, good governance and e-governance, RTI, ethics in public service, human values, attitude and emotional intelligence, and basic knowledge of civil, criminal, labour, cyber and tax laws.
• Paper IV, Economy and Development of India and Andhra Pradesh: challenges of the Indian economy, resource mobilisation, government budgeting, inclusive growth, agriculture, industry and infrastructure, each paired with its Andhra Pradesh counterpart.
• Paper V, Science, Technology and Environmental Issues: science and technology institutions, ICT, space programme, energy and nuclear policy, environment and pollution, environmental legislation, disaster management, biotechnology, human diseases and intellectual property rights.
• English (qualifying): essay, letter, press release, report writing, writing on visual information, formal speech, precis, reading comprehension, grammar and translation.
• Telugu (qualifying): essay, explaining verses from Vemana and Sumathi Satakam, precis, comprehension, speech, letter, application, report writing, translation, word meanings, synonyms and antonyms.

Andhra Pradesh-specific topics

Andhra Pradesh appears in almost every merit paper, so treat it as its own subject. Checked against Annexure II, these are the AP topics the notification names:

• History and culture: Satavahanas, Ikshvakus, Salankayanas, Pallavas, Vishnukundins, Eastern Chalukyas, Renati Cholas, Kakatiyas, Reddis, Gajapatis, Vijayanagara rulers and Qutb Shahis; Telugu language, literature and art; European trade in Andhra and Company rule; social reformers such as Gurajada Apparao and Kandukuri Veeresalingam; the Andhra movement, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Potti Sreeramulu; the formation of Andhra State in 1953 and Andhra Pradesh in 1956; and the bifurcation of 2014 and its impact.
• Geography: physical features, rivers, soils, minerals, forests, population, agriculture, industry, natural hazards and environmental issues of Andhra Pradesh.
• Economy: the AP economy after bifurcation, the A.P. Reorganisation Act 2014, central assistance, special status and special assistance, the Visakhapatnam railway zone, the Kadapa steel factory, the Dugarajapatnam airport, expressways and industrial corridors, the State budget, and the State’s current schemes for inclusive growth.
• Schemes: the Mains economy paper asks for all current Andhra Pradesh government schemes for inclusive growth and financial inclusion, plus agriculture schemes, so keep a schemes notebook and update it from the latest State budget.
• Amaravati: the syllabus text we read does not name Amaravati directly. It covers the loss of the capital city, the building of a new capital and its financial implications, and central assistance for a new capital. Prepare Amaravati under those headings.

Salary and posts

Pay scales for the 13 posts, as printed in Para 1.2 of the notification, fall into four bands:

These are scales of pay. Allowances and other benefits follow Andhra Pradesh Government rules. Appointment also depends on being found medically fit, and the notification says the Commission can assign you to any notified post you qualify for, so post and zone preferences are indicative and not binding.

How to apply

Applications are open until 9 November 2026, 11:59 PM. Applications by any other mode are not accepted.

1. Register. Create your One Time Profile Registration (OTPR) on psc.ap.gov.in. OTPR alone is not an application. Fill it carefully, because the OTPR data on the day you apply is the data used for this notification.
2. Log in with your OTPR ID, click “Online Application Submission” and click “Fill Application” against Notification 07/2026.
3. Check the pre-filled data and fill application-specific details such as local or non-local status and white ration card details, which decide your fee.
4. Fill the rest. Enter qualification details, post preferences and exam centres. Choose three Screening Test centres from the 26 district centres and one Mains centre from Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Ananthapuramu. Upload your own photo and signature in JPG format.
5. Click Save & Submit and pay. Clicking only Save does not submit the form. Pay by net banking, credit card or debit card. The fee is not refunded.
6. Download the filled form and keep the payment reference.

Fee: Rs 250 processing fee for everyone, plus a Rs 120 exam fee. The exam fee is exempt for SC, ST, BC, PBD and ex-servicemen, for families with an A.P. white ration card, and for unemployed youth who submit a declaration later. Candidates from other States pay both, except PBD candidates and ex-servicemen.

Corrections: after the last date, corrections are allowed for 7 days at Rs 100 each. Name, fee and age relaxation fields cannot be changed. Community cannot be changed later.

Warning: a false declaration can lead to debarment from all APPSC exams for up to five years. Keep your degree, community, BC non-creamy-layer or EWS certificate, Class 1 to 7 study certificates and any disability or local status certificate ready for verification.

Preparation plan

The Screening Test is on 24 January 2027, 86 days from 30 October 2026. Because the Screening Test only shortlists and the final rank comes from the Mains and Interview, split your effort: win the Screening Test with accuracy, then start Mains-style writing early. If you are reading this for a future cycle in which the notification is still awaited, use Phases 1 and 2 as your base-year plan and keep Phase 3 for the eight weeks before the announced date.

6-month plan

The Mains dates are not announced, so adjust Phases 4 to 6 once the commission publishes a schedule.

Mock tests and previous papers

The scheme in this notification follows G.O.Ms.No.158 of 2018, read with G.O.Ms.No.100 of 2022, so previous Group 1 Screening Test and Mains papers remain a useful guide to question style and difficulty. Solve papers from earlier cycles after you finish the first reading, not before.

For guided practice, see the courses, fees and batch timings guide, which explains how classroom and online batches work, and our APPSC coaching articles for how to pick the right batch. Our guide to the best government exam coaching in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana lists what to check before you join any institute.

What you may read online vs the official source

On the number check: our TSPSC Group 2 guide uses 28/2022 for the TSPSC notice. That is a different commission from APPSC, and each commission numbers its notifications on its own, so the same number can point to different recruitments. When you quote a notification number, always add the commission name and the year.

Common Questions Students Ask

Is the APPSC Group 1 2026 notification out?

Yes. The brief notification 07/2026 came out on 15 September 2026 and the detailed notification, dated 06/10/2026, followed on 6 October. Applications are open until 9 November 2026.

How many vacancies are there in APPSC Group 1 2026?

166 vacancies in 13 post codes, as per Para 1.2 of the detailed notification. The brief notification had listed 163. The commission can still add vacancies before the Screening Test through an addendum.

What is the age limit for APPSC Group 1 2026?

18 to 44 years on 1 July 2026 for most posts. DSP (Civil) is 21 to 30 and DSP (Communications) is 18 to 30. SC, ST, BC and EWS candidates get 5 years, and PBD candidates get 10 years.

Has the APPSC Group 1 syllabus changed?

The notification prints the scheme and syllabus in Annexure II under G.O.Ms.No.158 of 2018 and G.O.Ms.No.100 of 2022. The structure is a two-paper Screening Test, five merit papers in the Mains plus Telugu and English qualifying papers, and a 75-mark Interview. Read Annexure II for the exact topics.

Which books should I read for APPSC Group 1?

Start with the syllabus, not the booklist. A sensible base is NCERT textbooks for history, geography and polity basics, a standard Indian polity text, standard Andhra Pradesh history and geography material, the Andhra Pradesh socio-economic survey and State budget documents for the economy, and one reliable current affairs source. Build your own notes from there.

How many attempts are allowed?

The notification does not set a limit on attempts. What limits you is the age limit. Check Para 5 for the relaxation that applies to your category.

Do Screening Test marks count in the final merit?

No. The Screening Test shortlists candidates for the Mains, and the final merit is based on the Mains and Interview, out of 825 marks.

Can candidates from other States apply?

Yes, if they meet the qualification and age rules. SC, ST, BC and EWS candidates from other States get no reservation and no fee exemption, though PBD candidates and ex-servicemen keep the fee exemption. Non-local candidates compete in the 5% open pool.

Join the batch / test series

Group 1 rewards steady daily work, structured notes and regular answer writing. Sreedhar’s CCE runs classroom batches across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and online batches through its learning platform. Book a free demo class to see how the faculty teach, meet the mentors and check which batch suits your schedule.

• Find your nearest centre on our Andhra Pradesh branches page.
• Read about the institute and its directors on the About Sreedhar’s CCE page.
• Compare batch types and timings in the courses, fees and batch timings guide.

Talk to a mentor today, join the demo class and start your Group 1 plan before the 24 January 2027 Screening Test.