APPSC Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 Compared: Posts, Eligibility, Exam Stages and How to Choose

Almost every aspirant who opens the APPSC website for the first time asks the same question: which Group should I prepare for? The four names sound like four rungs of one ladder, and the common assumption is that Group 1 is hard, Group 4 is easy, and the other two sit in between. That picture is not wrong, but it is too thin to plan a year around. The groups differ in the kind of work the post involves, in the number of exam stages, in whether writing skill is tested, in how many vacancies appear in a typical cycle, and even in whether a given Group is being recruited at all right now.

This guide compares the four groups using the Commission's own notification documents rather than coaching summaries. Where a number comes from an official document, the document is named. Where something could not be verified, the text says so instead of filling the gap. The aim is simple: after reading, you should be able to look at your degree, your age, the hours you can study each day and your comfort with long-form writing, and decide which notification deserves your first year of preparation.

As on 7 October 2026. Group 1 is currently open for applications under Notification No. 07/2026 (detailed notification dated 6 October 2026). Group 2 was last notified in 2023 and no new Group 2 notification appears on the Commission's notification page. Group 3 has no current notification. Group 4 recruitment has appeared only in small, post-specific notifications in recent years. Always treat the live notification on psc.ap.gov.in as the final word, because vacancy numbers, age limits and fees change from cycle to cycle.

For the wider picture of state recruitment beyond APPSC, see our Andhra Pradesh government exams 2026 guide. For a syllabus-level look at the current Group 1 cycle, see APPSC Group 1 2026 syllabus, exam pattern and eligibility. For the full notification walkthrough, see APPSC Group 1 Notification 2026.

What a "Group" means at APPSC

APPSC does not run one exam called "Group". It groups state services into numbered categories, and each category is recruited through its own notification with its own scheme of examination. The numbers loosely follow the seniority of the posts. Group 1 covers the state's top civil-service cadres. Group 2 covers executive and non-executive posts in the middle of the hierarchy. Group 3 historically covered village-level administration. Group 4 covers clerical and office-support posts.

Two consequences follow. First, a post sometimes appears under a different Group than you expect. The Junior Assistant is the best example. It is usually thought of as a Group 4 post, yet the 2023 Group 2 notification advertised dozens of Junior Assistant vacancies across departments. Second, the scheme of examination belongs to the notification, not to the Group name. A Group 4 notification issued in 2021 and one issued in 2022 can differ in stages, marks and pay scale. When you read a blog or watch a video that says "Group 2 has two papers of 150 marks", the sentence is only true for the notification it was drawn from.

The four groups at a glance

Feature	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Typical posts	Deputy Collector, DSP, District Educational Officer, Assistant Commissioner of State Tax	Deputy Tahsildar, Assistant Section Officer, Sub-Registrar Grade-II, Excise Sub-Inspector, Junior Assistant	Panchayat Secretary (Grade-IV)	Junior Assistant, Typist, Junior Stenographer, Junior Office Assistant
Latest official notification	07/2026 (6 Oct 2026)	11/2023 (7 Dec 2023)	13/2018 (21 Dec 2018)	23/2021, 06/2022, 22/2025
Written stages	Screening, Mains (descriptive), Interview	Screening, Mains (objective), Computer Proficiency Test	Check the notification	Screening (only if applications are very many), Mains, computer test
Interview	Yes, 75 marks	No	Check the notification	No
Negative marking	One-third in the screening test	One-third in both stages	Check the notification	One-third

Group 1: the state civil services

Group 1 is the route to the posts that run districts and departments. The 2026 notification, issued by the Commission on 6 October 2026 as the detailed version of Brief Notification No. 07/2026 (dated 15 September 2026), lists 166 vacancies across 13 post codes. The brief notification had listed 163. The detailed notification raised three posts by one vacancy each (Deputy Collector, Deputy Registrar and Assistant Audit Officer) and marks five vacancies as carried forward from earlier recruitments, which is exactly the kind of change that makes it unsafe to quote a number from a news report.

Post code	Post	Vacancies	Pay scale (Rs)
01	Deputy Collector (Executive Branch)	12	61,960 - 1,51,370
02	Assistant Commissioner of State Tax	14	61,960 - 1,51,370
03	DSP (Civil) Category-II	36 (3 carried forward)	61,960 - 1,51,370
04	DSP (Communications)	3	61,960 - 1,51,370
05	District Educational Officer	14	61,960 - 1,51,370
06	Regional Transport Officer	3	57,100 - 1,47,760
07	District Tribal Welfare Officer	1	57,100 - 1,47,760
08	Deputy Registrar (Cooperative)	16 (1 carried forward)	57,100 - 1,47,760
09	Municipal Commissioner Grade-II	12	54,060 - 1,40,540
10	Assistant Treasury Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer	2	54,060 - 1,40,540
11	District Employment Officer	3 (1 carried forward)	54,060 - 1,40,540
12	Assistant Audit Officer	15	54,060 - 1,40,540
13	Divisional Development Officer (Panchayat Raj)	35	65,360 - 1,54,980
	Total	166

Most of these posts accept any bachelor's degree. The exception is post code 04, DSP (Communications), which needs a B.E. or B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering or Radio Engineering. The two DSP posts also carry physical and vision standards, which the detailed notification spells out in full.

The selection design is what really separates Group 1 from the others. A screening test of two objective papers, held in offline OMR mode, shortlists candidates for the Mains in the ratio of 50 times the number of vacancies. The Mains is descriptive, with two qualifying language papers (Telugu and English, 150 marks each, not counted in merit) and five merit papers of 150 marks each. A 75-mark interview follows, and the merit total is 825 marks: five papers of 150 marks plus the interview. Interview calls go out at a ratio of 1:2 against vacancies. Mains answers can be written in English, Telugu or Urdu for the papers other than the two language papers, and the medium chosen must be the same across all five papers.

The screening test for this cycle is notified for 24 January 2027. Mains dates are to be announced later.

Group 2: executive and non-executive posts

Group 2 is the group most graduates end up choosing, because it combines a large number of vacancies with an objective-type exam. The last full cycle was Notification No. 11/2023, dated 7 December 2023, with a detailed breakup published later in December 2023. The Commission posted a selection notification for that cycle on 28 January 2026. No fresh Group 2 notification appears on the Commission's page as on 7 October 2026.

Group 2 is split into two families. Executive posts carry field authority: inspection, enforcement, registration, revenue administration. Non-executive posts are office posts: secretariat files, audit, accounts, clerical administration. The 2023 detailed notification advertised 325 fresh executive vacancies and 521 fresh non-executive vacancies, along with 8 and 45 carried-forward vacancies respectively.

Family	Post (examples)	Fresh vacancies (2023)	Pay scale (Rs)
Executive	Municipal Commissioner Grade-III	4	45,830 - 1,30,580
Executive	Sub-Registrar Grade-II	16	44,570 - 1,27,480
Executive	Deputy Tahsildar	114	44,570 - 1,27,480
Executive	Assistant Labour Officer	28	44,570 - 1,27,480
Executive	Assistant Registrar (Cooperative)	14	45,830 - 1,30,580
Executive	Prohibition and Excise Sub-Inspector	149	40,970 - 1,24,380
Non-executive	Assistant Section Officer (GAD)	211	40,970 - 1,24,380
Non-executive	Assistant Section Officer (Law, Legislature, Finance)	12, 14 and 23	40,970 - 1,24,380
Non-executive	Senior Auditor, Auditor, Senior Accountant	5, 10 and 10	34,580 - 1,07,210
Non-executive	Junior Accountant	20	25,220 - 80,910
Non-executive	Junior Assistant (many departments)	1 to 31 per department	25,220 - 80,910

Two details matter for planning. The first is that the Junior Assistant appears here, which means a graduate who wants a clerical post can reach it through Group 2 as well as through a Group 4-type notification. The second is that several posts ask for a specific degree or carry a preference. The Assistant Section Officer (Law Department) post asks for a law degree, some audit and accounts posts ask for commerce, economics or mathematics, and some computer-related posts name computer science or computer applications. The Sub-Registrar Grade-II post says preference goes to candidates with a law degree. Read the post-wise qualification table before assuming that any degree works.

Group 3: what the record shows

Group 3, in the Commission's records, is the Panchayat Secretary (Grade-IV) category, described on the results page as General Recruitment under Group-III Services. The latest notification listed against it on the portal is Notification No. 13/2018, dated 21 December 2018. As on 7 October 2026 there is no current Group 3 notification, so there is no live set of vacancies, age limits or scheme to compare.

It would be easy to fill this gap with numbers from a forum post. That would mislead you. Candidates interested in village-level administration should watch the notifications page and also check recruitment by the village and ward secretariat system, which recruits through a different body and is covered separately in our Andhra Pradesh government exams guide.

Group 4: clerical and office-support posts

Group 4 notifications in recent years have been narrow, post-specific announcements rather than one large cycle. Three examples from the Commission's records show how varied they are.

Notification	Post	Vacancies	Pay scale	Age limit
23/2021 (28 Dec 2021)	Junior Assistant cum Computer Assistant, Revenue Department, district cadre	670 across 13 districts	Rs 16,400 - 49,870	18-42 on 1 July 2021
06/2022 (26 Sep 2022)	Junior Assistant, Junior Assistant cum Typist, Typist, Steno/Typist, Junior Stenographer (limited recruitment)	6 carried forward	Rs 25,220 - 80,910 (RPS 2022)	18-42 on 1 July 2022
22/2025 (24 Sep 2025)	Junior Office Assistant, Prisons and Correctional Services, district cadre	1 carried forward	Rs 25,220 - 80,910	18-42 on 1 July 2025

The 2021 notification was the large one. It followed a three-part design: a screening test held only if applications exceeded 200 times the number of vacancies, a computer-based Mains of two papers, and a qualifying computer proficiency test. It also fixed the district a candidate chooses at the time of application, with no later change. The 2022 notification was a small limited recruitment for reserved carried-forward vacancies, open only to specified categories. The 2025 notification advertised a single vacancy with a written, objective, OMR-based examination.

The lesson is that "Group 4" is an unreliable label for planning. If you are aiming for a clerical post, you need to watch every notification, and you should treat Group 2 Junior Assistant vacancies as part of the same target.

Eligibility and age: what the notifications actually say

Educational qualification is the easier half. For Group 1 (2026), all posts except DSP (Communications) need a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification. For Group 2 (2023), the minimum was a degree, with the post-specific conditions described above. Group 4 (2021) asked for a bachelor's degree for the Junior Assistant cum Computer Assistant post and added a computer proficiency requirement before appointment. Qualification is counted on a "crucial date" that the notification names: in Group 1 (2026) the date of the detailed notification, 6 October 2026, and in Group 2 (2023) the date of the notification, 7 December 2023. If your final degree result arrives after the crucial date, you are not eligible under that notification, even if you pass later.

Age is where recent policy has changed the picture. Historically the general maximum for direct recruitment was 42. On 14 September 2026 the General Administration (Ser.A) Department issued two orders. G.O.Ms.No. 187 raised the maximum age to 44 for non-uniform services recruited through APPSC and other agencies, for notifications up to 30 September 2027. G.O.Ms.No. 188 gave uniform services an extra two years over the special-rules limit for the same period. Uniformed services such as police, excise, fire, prisons, forest and transport posts for which physical standards are prescribed fall under the second order rather than the first.

Item	Group 1 (2026)	Group 2 (2023)	Group 4 (2022)
General age range	18-44 on 1 July 2026	18-42 on 1 July 2023	18-42 on 1 July 2022
Exceptions	DSP (Civil) 21-30; DSP (Communications) 18-30	Sub-Registrar 20-42; Excise Sub-Inspector 18-30	None
SC, ST, BC, EWS relaxation	5 years	5 years	BC and EWS 5 years; SC and ST 10 years (limited recruitment)
Benchmark disability	10 years	10 years	10 years

Other relaxations repeat across notifications. Ex-servicemen may deduct the length of their service plus three years, though the result may not exceed the post's maximum. Regular state-government employees may deduct their regular service up to five years, but employees of corporations and municipalities are excluded. Always compute your own eligibility from the notification you intend to apply to, using its stated reference date, not from a table in a blog.

Exam stages side by side

Group 1 (Notification 07/2026):

Stage	Detail
Screening test	Paper I General Studies and Paper II General Aptitude, 120 questions, 120 minutes and 120 marks each; offline OMR; one-third negative marking
Mains	Telugu and English (qualifying, 150 marks each); General Essay, History-Culture-Geography, Polity-Governance-Law-Ethics, Economy-Development, Science-Technology-Environment (150 marks each, 180 minutes each, descriptive)
Interview	75 marks; merit total 825

Group 2 (Notification 11/2023):

Stage	Detail
Screening test	One paper of General Studies and Mental Ability, 150 questions, 150 minutes, 150 marks; offline OMR
Mains	Paper I (social and cultural history of Andhra Pradesh and the Indian Constitution) and Paper II (Indian and AP economy, and science and technology); 150 questions, 150 minutes, 150 marks each; offline OMR or computer-based
Computer Proficiency Test	Practical, 60 minutes, 100 marks; minimum 30 for SC, ST and PH, 35 for BC, 40 for OC

Group 4 (Notification 23/2021):

Stage	Detail
Screening test	Held only if applications exceed 200 times the vacancies; 150 marks (100 General Studies and Mental Ability, 50 General English and General Telugu)
Mains	Computer-based, Paper I General Studies and Mental Ability (150), Paper II General English and General Telugu (150)
Computer test	Qualifying, 30 minutes, 50 marks

The most important difference sits between the first two rows. Group 1 asks you to write: an essay paper of three essays of about 800 words each, history and economy answers in your own words, a language paper with letter writing, press releases and precis. Group 2 and Group 4 are objective throughout. A candidate who reads quickly and recalls precisely can do well in objective papers without ever practising a handwritten answer. A candidate who thinks well but has never written a timed 800-word essay will find Group 1 harder than the syllabus list suggests.

One feature the three share is the selection rule that mere qualifying marks give no right to selection. The minimum qualifying aggregate in Groups 1, 2 and 4 is 40 per cent for open competition, sports persons and EWS (and, in Group 2, ex-servicemen), 35 per cent for Backward Classes and 30 per cent for SC, ST and persons with benchmark disabilities. These are floors, not cut-offs.

Competition and how selection works

Official documents do not publish the number of applicants for a cycle in the notification itself, so any number quoted before the exam is an estimate. What the documents do establish is the structure of the funnel. In Group 1 the funnel is explicit: 50 times the vacancies are admitted to the Mains, and twice the vacancies are called for interview. With 166 vacancies that means up to 8,300 candidates at the Mains stage. In Group 2 the notification says only that the shortlist ratio for the Mains will be decided by the Commission. In Group 4 (2021) a screening test was conditional on the number of applications.

Three structural features shape the competition more than any rumour about applicant counts. The first is how many stages remain after the screening test. Group 1 has two more filters, which means a lucky screening score cannot carry a weak Mains. The second is whether marks from the first stage count in the final merit. In Group 2, the 2023 notification states that selection is on merit in the Main examination, so the screening test acts as a gate and nothing more. The third is local reservation. In Group 1 (2026), 95 per cent of each post's vacancies in the multi-zone and zonal posts go to local candidates of the relevant zone, and the remaining five per cent form a combined merit pool of local and non-local candidates. Your local status therefore shapes your effective competition as much as the headline vacancy count does.

Career growth and promotion

A good deal of casual talk about promotions is unreliable, so this section keeps to what can be said safely. Group 1 officers enter at senior levels and have, in principle, access to the upper tiers of the state administration and to induction into the All India Services by selection, subject to length of service, eligibility, vacancies and a selection committee. That path is not guaranteed and depends on rules outside the APPSC notification. Group 2 executive posts, such as Deputy Tahsildar, typically lead towards Tahsildar-level responsibilities, and secretariat posts, such as Assistant Section Officer, lead towards Section Officer and above. Group 4 clerical posts progress through senior assistant and superintendent-level steps determined by each department's service rules.

The number of years to promotion, the quota percentage and the number of levels vary by department and are fixed by service rules and government orders. This guide has not verified those figures from official documents and does not quote them. If a post's long-term path matters to your choice, read the special rules of the department that owns the post.

A related point is that the first job need not be the last attempt. Many people take a Group 2 or Group 4 post and continue preparing for Group 1 while they remain within the age limit. State government employees can deduct their regular service, up to five years, when calculating age for these notifications. Before relying on that plan, check leave and permission rules in the department you join, and remember that employees must inform their head of office in writing that they have applied.

Choosing: a decision method that fits real lives

Most advice ends with "choose according to your interest". That is true and unhelpful. A better method is to run through five filters in order.

Filter 1: eligibility. Start with your degree and your age on the reference date. If you are over the Group 1 limit for your category, the decision is already made. If your degree does not match a post's specific requirement, remove that post.

Filter 2: time. Count the hours you can protect every day for the next twelve months, including weekends. A full-time aspirant with six to eight hours can aim at Group 1, which asks for syllabus breadth, writing practice and interview readiness. A candidate in a job, with three to four hours, will usually do better by committing to an objective exam where the preparation is cumulative and the stages are fewer.

Filter 3: writing. Write one 800-word essay on a current-affairs theme, timed at 60 minutes, and have someone read it honestly. If this is painful, you have learned something useful about Group 1 before spending a year on it. The painful part is also trainable, but plan for it.

Filter 4: tolerance for uncertainty. Group 1 has 166 vacancies at the time of writing and a cycle that runs from notification to final list over a long period. Group 2 has historically offered many more vacancies but also long gaps between notifications. If you need an income sooner, plan a parallel application to other recruitments.

Filter 5: interest. Only now should you ask which work you would actually want to do. Field administration, enforcement, accounts, audit and secretariat work are different careers. Reading the pay scale and the post title is not the same as understanding the day-to-day job.

Situation	A sensible first target
Recent graduate, under the age limit with room to spare, can study full time	Group 1, with Group 2 as a parallel application because the syllabus overlaps
Working professional, 3-4 hours a day	Group 2 or a suitable Group 4-type notification
Close to the upper age limit	Check the exact age rows first; the exceptions (DSP, Excise SI) are lower
Strong in typing or computers	Group 4 typist-type posts and the computer proficiency stage
Wants field authority	Group 2 executive posts or Group 1
Interested in audit, finance, accounts	Group 2 non-executive audit and accounts posts; Group 1 audit and treasury posts

Can you attempt several groups at once?

Yes. Each notification is a separate application, and a candidate can apply to as many as he or she is eligible for. APPSC asks every candidate to complete a One Time Profile Registration (OTPR) and then log in with the OTPR ID to apply. The OTPR is a profile, not an application, and the notifications say so in plain words. On 29 September 2026 the Commission announced that the OTPR now carries district, zone and multi-zone local-status fields in line with the Presidential Order, 2025, and that candidates must update their OTPR particulars from 30 September 2026 before applying to any notification.

A few cautions help. Exams for different notifications can fall close together, so check dates before paying fees. Fees and last dates differ. Data in the OTPR cannot easily be corrected later, and the Group 1 (2026) notification allows corrections only within seven days of the last date of application at a charge of Rs 100 per correction, with name, fee and age-relaxation fields locked. And the declaration you make is serious: a candidate who gives wrong information or suppresses information is liable to be debarred from the Commission's examinations for up to five years.

What preparation is shared and what is specific

The good news for a candidate who is undecided is that the groups share a base. Indian history with an Andhra Pradesh emphasis, geography, current affairs and mental ability recur in the Group 1 screening, the Group 2 screening and the Group 4 screening, though in different weights. Polity, economy and science appear as separate Mains subjects in Groups 1 and 2.

Area	Group 1	Group 2	Group 4 (2021)
Indian and AP history	Screening and Mains	Screening (Indian history); Mains Paper I (AP history)	Modern history with AP emphasis
Geography	Screening and Mains	Screening	Physical geography of India and AP
Polity and Constitution	Screening and Mains	Mains Paper I	Indian polity and governance
Economy	Screening and Mains	Mains Paper II	Economic development since independence
Science and technology	Screening and Mains	Mains Paper II	General science and applications
Mental ability and reasoning	Screening Paper II	Screening	Screening and Mains Paper I
Language and writing	Telugu, English, essay	None	General English and Telugu

A practical plan, therefore, is to build the common base first and add the group-specific layer afterwards: essay and writing practice for Group 1, AP social history and the Constitution for Group 2 Mains, and English and Telugu for Group 4.

How to read any APPSC notification

Most expensive mistakes happen because candidates read a summary and not the notification. Take these eight checks into every document you open.

1. Post codes. One notification lists many posts, and each can have its own qualification, age and zone.
2. Crucial date. The date on which qualification and experience are counted, which is not always the application date.
3. Age reference date and relaxation. The notification names the date (for example 1 July 2026) and the categories that get relaxation.
4. Local status. Whether the post is state, multi-zone, zonal or district cadre, and what study or residence certificates you will need.
5. Mode of exam. OMR or computer-based, and the medium of the question paper. In Group 1 (2026) the paper is set in English and translated into Telugu, and the English version is authentic for valuation.
6. Qualifying tests. Computer proficiency tests, typing or other conditions that apply later.
7. Fee and exemptions. Group 1 (2026) charges Rs 250 as application processing fee and Rs 120 as examination fee, with exemptions from the examination fee for SC, ST, BC, persons with benchmark disabilities, ex-servicemen, families with a white ration card, and unemployed youth as defined in the order cited in the notification. Fees are not refunded.
8. Dates. Application window, fee-payment deadline, correction window and the date or timing of the screening test.

Common mistakes when choosing a group

• Treating all groups as one exam. The difference between objective and descriptive papers changes how you practise.
• Using a number from an old cycle as if it were current. Age moved from 42 to 44 for non-uniform posts in September 2026; the Group 1 vacancy count moved from 163 in the brief notification to 166 in the detailed one.
• Skipping the post-wise table. A high vacancy count for a post you are not qualified for is meaningless to you.
• Leaving certificates for later. Caste, non-creamy-layer, EWS and local-status certificates are tied to dates, and the Group 1 notification requires BC and EWS certificates issued on or after 1 April 2026 and no later than the application closing date.
• Assuming the last cycle's pattern holds. Check the scheme in the live notification.
• Waiting for the last day. The Commission itself advises applying well before the last date.

Key facts for exams

• APPSC Group 1 Notification No. 07/2026: brief dated 15 September 2026, detailed dated 6 October 2026, 166 vacancies in 13 post codes, applications 6 to 27 October 2026, screening test on 24 January 2027.
• Group 1 screening: two papers, 120 questions, 120 minutes, 120 marks each, one-third negative marking. Mains: two qualifying language papers plus five merit papers of 150 marks. Interview: 75 marks. Merit total: 825.
• Group 1 shortlist ratios: 50 times the vacancies for the Mains, 1:2 for the interview.
• Group 1 age as on 1 July 2026: 18-44 for most posts, 21-30 for DSP (Civil), 18-30 for DSP (Communications).
• Group 2 (Notification 11/2023): screening of 150 marks, objective Mains of 300 marks, no interview, qualifying computer proficiency test of 100 marks.
• Group 3 in APPSC records is the Panchayat Secretary (Grade-IV) category; no current notification.
• Group 4 (2021): 670 vacancies in the Junior Assistant cum Computer Assistant post across 13 districts; computer proficiency test of 50 marks.
• G.O.Ms.No. 187 and 188 (14 September 2026) govern the upper age limit for non-uniform and uniform posts for notifications up to 30 September 2027.
• Wrong answers attract a penalty of one-third of the marks prescribed for the question in these notifications.

10 practice questions

1. In the Group 1 (2026) notification, how many marks does the interview carry? a) 50 b) 60 c) 75 d) 100

2. The detailed Group 1 notification of 6 October 2026 lists how many vacancies? a) 163 b) 166 c) 175 d) 250

3. Which Group 1 post requires a B.E. or B.Tech in Electronics and Communication or allied branches? a) Deputy Collector b) DSP (Civil) c) DSP (Communications) d) Municipal Commissioner Grade-II

4. In the Group 2 (2023) notification, which post had the highest number of fresh executive vacancies? a) Deputy Tahsildar b) Sub-Registrar Grade-II c) Assistant Labour Officer d) Prohibition and Excise Sub-Inspector

5. Selection in Group 2 (2023) is based on: a) Screening test and interview b) Merit in the Mains examination c) Screening test alone d) Interview alone

6. Which statement about Group 4 Notification 23/2021 is correct? a) A screening test is held only if applications exceed 200 times the vacancies b) Interview carries 75 marks c) The post is state-wide cadre d) There is no computer proficiency test

7. A wrong answer in these APPSC examinations is penalised by: a) one-fourth of the marks b) one-third of the marks c) half of the marks d) no penalty

8. In the Group 1 (2026) notification, local candidates share what percentage of the posts in multi-zone and zonal posts? a) 70 b) 80 c) 95 d) 100

9. What does OTPR stand for? a) Online Test Preparation Record b) One Time Profile Registration c) Official Test Pass Receipt d) Open Test Practice Register

10. The upper age limit of 44 years for non-uniform posts, introduced by G.O.Ms.No. 187, applies to notifications up to: a) 31 December 2026 b) 31 March 2027 c) 30 September 2027 d) 31 March 2028

Answers

1. c. The interview carries 75 marks, and the merit total of 825 includes it.
2. b. The detailed notification lists 166, up from 163 in the brief notification.
3. c. Only post code 04 needs the engineering degree.
4. d. The Excise Sub-Inspector post had 149 fresh vacancies, ahead of Deputy Tahsildar with 114.
5. b. Paragraph 15 of the detailed notification bases selection on the Mains.
6. a. The 2021 notification set the 200 times rule.
7. b. G.O.Ms.No. 235 (Finance, 6 December 2016) sets the one-third penalty.
8. c. The notification divides each list into 5 per cent combined merit and 95 per cent local candidates.
9. b. OTPR is a profile, not an application.
10. c. The order extends the relaxation up to 30 September 2027.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between APPSC Group 1 and Group 2? Group 1 covers senior cadres such as Deputy Collector and DSP and uses a screening test, a descriptive Mains and an interview. Group 2 covers executive and non-executive posts such as Deputy Tahsildar and Assistant Section Officer and uses an objective screening test and an objective Mains, with no interview but a computer proficiency test.

Is Junior Assistant a Group 2 or Group 4 post? It has appeared under both. The 2023 Group 2 notification advertised Junior Assistant posts in many departments, and Group 4 notifications have advertised Junior Assistant and related posts. Read the notification to see which scheme applies.

What is Group 3 in APPSC? The Commission's results page lists the Panchayat Secretary (Grade-IV) category under Group-III Services. No Group 3 notification is current as on 7 October 2026.

What is the age limit for APPSC Group 1 in 2026? For most posts, 18 to 44 years as on 1 July 2026. DSP (Civil) is 21 to 30 and DSP (Communications) is 18 to 30. Category relaxations apply on top, such as five years for SC, ST, BC and EWS candidates.

Can I apply for Group 1 and Group 2 together? Yes, whenever both notifications are open, as each is a separate application. Check that the exam dates do not clash.

Which group has the most vacancies? Looking at the latest notifications, Group 2 (2023) listed more fresh vacancies than Group 1 (2026), but a new Group 2 notification has not been issued yet. Vacancy counts change between cycles.

Does the screening test count towards final merit? In Group 1, the Mains and interview decide selection. In Group 2 (2023), the notification states selection is on Mains merit. The screening test is a gate.

Do I have to update my OTPR? The Commission's web note of 29 September 2026 asks all candidates to update OTPR particulars from 30 September 2026 before applying for any notification.

Related reading

• Andhra Pradesh government exams 2026: complete guide
• APPSC Group 1 2026 syllabus, exam pattern and eligibility
• APPSC Group 1 Notification 2026: posts, age, fee and dates
• APPSC Group 2 Mains syllabus and strategy
• APPSC Group 2 screening test: 90-day plan
• Telugu version of this guide

Practise on pareeksha.in

When you have narrowed your choice, take a timed paper under exam conditions and look at where marks leak. Pareeksha.in offers 10 Lakh+ MCQs, 100+ Exams and 5,000+ Full-Length Mocks, and you can start with a free mini mock or move to the online test series. Use the exam calendar to track dates.

Sources and verification

Opened and read for this guide:

• APPSC Notification No. 07/2026 (Group-I Services), detailed notification dated 6 October 2026, and Brief Notification No. 07/2026 dated 15 September 2026, psc.ap.gov.in.
• APPSC Notification No. 11/2023 (Group-II Services), dated 7 December 2023, and the detailed breakup of vacancies, scale of pay, age, qualifications and instructions, psc.ap.gov.in.
• APPSC Notification No. 23/2021 (28 December 2021), No. 06/2022 (26 September 2022) and No. 22/2025 (24 September 2025), psc.ap.gov.in.
• APPSC Group-II syllabus document (published 27 April 2023) and the APPSC homepage notification list, psc.ap.gov.in and portal-psc.ap.gov.in, including the OTPR web note of 29 September 2026 and the results page for the Panchayat Secretary (Grade-IV) recruitment.
• Government of Andhra Pradesh, General Administration (Ser.A) Department, G.O.Ms.No. 187 and G.O.Ms.No. 188, both dated 14 September 2026 (read from copies of the orders; the originals are listed on goir.ap.gov.in).

Not verified: applicant counts per cycle, the promotion timelines and quotas for individual departments, the IAS and IPS induction rules, and any Group 3 scheme, since no current notification exists. These are left out or described only in general terms.