The scheme on this page is the one annexed to APPSC brief Notification No. 23/2026 (15 September 2026), cited there as Annexure-V of G.O.Ms.No.201, Finance (HR-I Plg and Policy), 21 December 2017. The notification says the examination is single-level, with no screening test irrespective of the number of applications, in online (CBRT) mode. The exam date is not in the brief notification; it is to be announced in the detailed notification due on or before 16 October 2026. For the post, vacancies and application window see the Executive Officer guide; for the topics see the syllabus.
The scheme of examination
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Minutes | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies and Mental Ability | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Paper II | Hindu Philosophy and Temple System | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Total | 300 | 300 |
One mark per question, one minute per question. Both papers are objective and both count in full; there is no stage that is "only qualifying" before the written test.
Rules that come with the scheme
- Negative marking. Each wrong answer costs one third of the marks prescribed for the question (G.O.Ms.No.235, 6 December 2016).
- Single level. No screening test, whatever the number of applications.
- Mode. Online (CBRT). The 2025 cycle under Notification 10/2025 was OMR-based, so do not carry over that assumption.
- Normalisation. If the test is held in more than one session, the Commission will adopt a process of normalisation of marks where it considers it necessary; details are to be notified later.
- Selection. Merit in the written examination, followed by the Computer Proficiency Test. The 2025 notification also made appearance in all papers compulsory; read the 2026 detailed notification for the same clause.
Computer Proficiency Test
| Item | What the annexure says |
|---|---|
| Nature | Practical, under G.O.Ms.No.26, G.A. (Ser.B), 24 February 2023 |
| Duration and marks | 60 minutes, 100 marks |
| Minimum marks | SC, ST, PBD 30; BC 35; OC 40 |
| Part A (20 percent) | MCQs: introduction to computers, software types, operating systems, Windows, basic Linux and Mac concepts, the Internet, email and the World Wide Web |
| Part B (80 percent) | Word processing including typing speed (25); organising and inserting objects (15); a spreadsheet with formatting, formulas, conditional formatting and graphs (20); a presentation (20) |
The CPT does not add to merit, but a candidate who does not reach the minimum is not eligible for appointment. Four fifths of it is hands-on work, so it is practised at a keyboard, not from a book.
The negative-marking arithmetic
Arithmetic from the scheme, not an APPSC statement. Three wrong answers cancel one right one. A candidate who attempts 120 questions in a paper and gets 96 right loses 8 marks for the 24 wrong answers and scores 88, not 96. Guess only after ruling out at least one option; a run of blind guesses gains nothing on average and can cost marks.
What this page does not have
- The exam date, centres and number of sessions: to be announced in the detailed notification.
- Age limit, fee and the category-wise break-up of the 104 provisional vacancies: detailed notification.
- The normalisation formula, if more than one session is held.
- Minimum qualifying marks for 2026. The 2025-cycle figures are on the cut-off page, labelled as 2025.
Full-length mocks on Pareeksha in this two-paper format are Pro; the 10-question mini-mock for the General Studies paper and Daily Dangal are free.
Related: Syllabus · Cut-off · Preparation strategy · Andhra Pradesh state guide