Searches for "APPSC Section Officer" lead to two quite different recruitments, and mixing them up wastes months of preparation. One is the Forest Section Officer in the A.P. Forest Subordinate Service, for which APPSC issued Notification 17/2026 on 15.09.2026. The other is the Assistant Section Officer in the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat and related sub-services, which APPSC fills through its Group-II recruitment. A third idea, a single "Section Officer examination" that mixes direct recruitment with a departmental promotion test, does not match anything that the Commission's recruitment lists show.
This guide separates the two recruitments, gives the facts printed in each notification, and explains how to prepare. Time-sensitive facts are marked "As on October 2026" with their source. Where a detail is not available yet, the guide says so.
Which "Section Officer" are you preparing for?
As on October 2026, the Commission's recruitment list at psc.ap.gov.in shows the following relevant notifications.
| Post | Notification | Recruiting stream | Status as on October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Section Officer, A.P. Forest Subordinate Service | 17/2026 dated 15.09.2026 (brief notification) | General recruitment | Applications from 16.10.2026 to 05.11.2026; detailed notification due on or before 16.10.2026 |
| Forest Section Officer | 07/2025 dated 22.07.2025 | General/Limited recruitment | Earlier cycle, useful for the detailed rules |
| Assistant Section Officer (GAD, Law, Legislature, Finance) | 11/2023 dated 07.12.2023, Group-II services | General recruitment | Most recent Group-II notification in the list |
Two observations help. First, the Secretariat post advertised for direct recruitment is the Assistant Section Officer, not the Section Officer. The Section Officer grade sits above it. The Commission's notifications that were opened for this guide do not describe how the Section Officer grade is filled, and that is governed by the Secretariat service rules, which were not opened. If you are a serving employee asking about promotion routes or departmental tests, check your establishment section and the service rules, not a general guide. Second, the two recruitments differ completely in qualification, pattern and syllabus, so choose one at a time.
Forest Section Officer: the 2026 notification
Notification 17/2026 is a brief notification dated 15.09.2026 for direct recruitment to the post of Forest Section Officer in the A.P. Forest Subordinate Service (general recruitment). The facts printed in it, as on October 2026, are below.
| Item | As printed in Notification 17/2026 |
|---|---|
| Vacancies | 26 provisional, subject to confirmation by the department |
| Pay scale | Rs 32,670 to Rs 1,01,970 |
| Application window | 16.10.2026 to 05.11.2026, up to 11:59 PM |
| Detailed notification | To be hosted on or before 16.10.2026 with breakup of vacancies, age, community and other instructions |
| Examination | Single-level examination, no screening test, online (CBRT) mode |
| Normalisation | If held in multiple sessions, marks may be normalised, with details to be notified |
| Physical tests | Walking test and medical examination, arranged by the Forest Department with APPSC concurrence, for candidates picked in the ratio 1:2 to vacancies |
The notification states that the date of the detailed notification will be treated as the crucial date for all purposes, and that the educational qualification must be held as on that date. Age, fee and physical standards are not in the brief notification. They will be in the detailed notification, so verify them there.
Qualification
A bachelor's degree with any one of botany, forestry, horticulture, zoology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics, geology or agriculture as a subject, or a bachelor's degree in engineering with chemical, mechanical or civil engineering, from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification. Note that the qualification lists subjects, so a degree with one of those as a subject qualifies, which is broader than a degree in those subjects alone.
What changed from the 2025 cycle
The 2025 notification (07/2025, dated 22.07.2025) had a screening test followed by a main examination, both in offline OMR mode. The 2026 brief notification states a single-level examination with no screening test, irrespective of the number of applications, in online mode. It also adds a qualifying test in General English and General Telugu. If you are using last year's material, adjust your plan for these changes.
For the other details, the 2025 detailed notification is the best available guide until the 2026 detailed notice appears, and the following figures are from the 2025 notification, not the 2026 one. In 2025 there were 100 vacancies including meritorious sportsperson vacancies, age was 18 to 30 as on 01.07.2025, and the fee was Rs 250 plus Rs 80, with the usual exemptions. Physical standards for men were a height of at least 163 cm and a chest of at least 84 cm with 5 cm expansion. For women the figures were 150 cm height and chest of 79 cm with 5 cm expansion. Candidates also needed normal eyesight. The walking test was 25 km in 4 hours for men and 16 km in 4 hours for women, was qualifying only and carried no marks, and NCC certificate holders received bonus marks (5 for C, 3 for B and 1 for A certificates). Treat these as the likely pattern and confirm every number in the 2026 detailed notification.
Scheme of examination in the 2026 notification
The written test is objective, at degree standard, and follows G.O.Ms.No.3 of the General Administration (Service-A) Department dated 04.01.2019.
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Minutes | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying test | General English (50) and General Telugu (50), SSC standard; to be qualified in each individually | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Paper I | General Studies and Mental Ability | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Paper II | Mathematics (SSC standard) | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Paper III | General Forestry | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Total | 450 |
The total of 450 refers to Papers I to III. The qualifying test must be passed separately in English and in Telugu. Each wrong answer is penalised by one third of the marks. The 2026 brief notification also annexes the scheme of the Computer Proficiency Test, under G.O.Ms.No.26 of the General Administration (Service-B) Department dated 24.02.2023. It is a practical test of 100 marks in 60 minutes on office automation, with minimum qualifying marks of 40 for OC, 35 for BC and 30 for SC and ST. In the 2025 cycle, candidates qualified in the walking test and medical examination were shortlisted for it on merit, and no candidate could be appointed without qualifying it.
The syllabus in plain terms
The qualifying test: English comprehension, phrases and idioms, vocabulary and punctuation, and logical re-arrangement of sentences; Telugu synonyms and vocabulary, grammar, and Telugu to English and English to Telugu meanings.
Paper I is the standard ten-topic general studies paper: current events at international, national and Andhra Pradesh level, general science and technology, history of India with a focus on Andhra Pradesh and the national movement, geography of India with a focus on Andhra Pradesh, polity and governance, economy and planning, sustainable development and environment, disaster management with remote sensing and GIS, logical reasoning and data analysis.
Paper II is SSC-standard mathematics: arithmetic (number system, unitary method, time and distance, time and work, percentages, simple and compound interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, HCF and LCM, logarithms), algebra (polynomials, quadratic equations, simultaneous equations, sets, indices), trigonometry (ratios of standard angles, identities, heights and distances), geometry (lines, angles, triangles, congruency, similarity, parallelograms, circles), mensuration (areas and volumes of standard figures) and statistics (tabulation, graphs, measures of central tendency).
Paper III, General Forestry, has eleven blocks: plant science; forests and ecology; horticulture; soil science; management of water resources and watersheds; general silviculture, agroforestry and social forestry; animal health and nutrition; economic zoology; forest economics, legislation and administration; forest mensuration, remote sensing and working plans; and environmental science with renewable and non-renewable resources.
Mathematics practice for Paper II
Because the mathematics paper is SSC standard, speed and accuracy matter more than depth. Practise the following forms.
- Simple interest: Rs 8,000 at 7.5 percent a year for 3 years earns 8000 x 7.5 x 3 / 100 = Rs 1,800.
- Compound interest: Rs 10,000 at 10 percent a year for 2 years amounts to 10000 x 1.1 x 1.1 = Rs 12,100, so compound interest is Rs 2,100.
- Time and work: A finishes a job in 12 days and B in 18 days. Together they take 12 x 18 / (12 + 18) = 7.2 days.
- Successive percentages: a price increased by 20 percent and then reduced by 20 percent ends at 1.2 x 0.8 = 0.96 of the original, a net fall of 4 percent.
- Average speed: 120 km at 60 km/h and 120 km at 40 km/h take 2 hours and 3 hours. The average speed is 240 / 5 = 48 km/h, not 50.
- Mensuration: a cylinder of radius 7 cm and height 10 cm has volume (22/7) x 49 x 10 = 1,540 cubic centimetres.
- Heights and distances: if the angle of elevation of the top of a tower is 45 degrees from a point 30 m from the foot, the height is 30 m.
- Quadratic equation: x squared minus 5x plus 6 equals 0 factorises into (x - 2)(x - 3), so the roots are 2 and 3, with sum 5 and product 6.
Time each set. A target of about one minute per question on a 150-question paper is the right pace. Questions that need more than ninety seconds should be skipped on the first pass.
General Forestry: topics that reward revision
The forestry paper rewards clear, factual preparation. The syllabus names four laws: the A.P. Forest Act, 1967, the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Learn the year and the central purpose of each. The silviculture block lists tree species, for example Tectona grandis (teak), Santalum album (sandalwood), Pterocarpus santalinus (red sanders), Azadirachta indica (neem), Dalbergia sisoo (shisham), Eucalyptus, Casuarina equisetifolia and Bamboo species. Write each botanical name next to its common name and one economic use.
For ecology, learn the difference between in-situ and ex-situ conservation, the meaning of biodiversity hotspots, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. For mensuration, learn how girth, diameter, height and volume are measured, what a form factor is, and the difference between current annual increment and mean annual increment. For watersheds, learn the basics of soil and water conservation, shelter belts and wind breaks. A one-page note per block, revised weekly, is better than a long book read once.
Assistant Section Officer under Group-II
For the Secretariat recruitment, the relevant document is Group-II Notification 11/2023 dated 07.12.2023. The detailed notification of 20.12.2023 gives the vacancy breakup. As on October 2026, this remains the most recent Group-II notification in the Commission's list.
| Post | Pay scale | Age | Vacancies (carried forward plus fresh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Section Officer (GAD), A.P. Secretariat Sub-Service | Rs 40,970 to Rs 1,24,380 | 18 to 42 | 218 |
| Assistant Section Officer (Law), A.P. Secretariat Sub-Service | Rs 40,970 to Rs 1,24,380 | 18 to 42 | 15 |
| Assistant Section Officer (Legislature), A.P. Legislature Secretariat Sub-Service | Rs 40,970 to Rs 1,24,380 | 18 to 42 | 15 |
| Assistant Section Officer (Finance), A.P. Secretariat Sub-Service | Rs 40,970 to Rs 1,24,380 | 18 to 42 | 23 |
Qualifications printed in the notification were a bachelor's degree for the GAD and Legislature posts, a bachelor's degree in law for the Law post, and a bachelor's degree with economics, commerce or mathematics for the Finance post. The Group-II notification covered many other posts as well, and applications opened from 21.12.2023 to 10.01.2024. The fee, relaxation and reservation rules follow the detailed notification, so read it for any future cycle.
Scheme of the Group-II examination
The screening test (preliminary examination) was a single objective paper of 150 questions, 150 minutes and 150 marks, in offline OMR mode, and it was scheduled for 25.02.2024. Candidates were shortlisted for the main examination in a ratio decided by the Commission. The main examination had two papers of 150 marks each, 300 in all, objective in type and in either OMR or computer-based mode as decided by the Commission. Candidates are then shortlisted on merit for the Computer Proficiency Test, which is required for appointment. A one-third penalty applied throughout.
| Stage | Paper | Questions | Minutes | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screening | General Studies and Mental Ability | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Main | Paper I: social and cultural history of Andhra Pradesh; overview of the Indian Constitution | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Main | Paper II: Indian and Andhra Pradesh economy; science and technology | 150 | 150 | 150 |
The screening syllabus has five blocks of 30 marks each: Indian history, geography, Indian society, current affairs and mental ability. Main Paper I has two sections of 75 marks: the social and cultural history of Andhra Pradesh, from prehistoric cultures and the Satavahanas through the Andhra movement to the formation of the State and important social and cultural events between 1956 and 2014, and the Indian Constitution, from the preamble and fundamental rights to federal relations and the 73rd and 74th amendments. Main Paper II also has two sections of 75 marks: the Indian and Andhra Pradesh economy, including public finance, GST, agriculture and industrial policy, and science and technology, including space, defence, ICT, energy, biodiversity, pollution and health.
For preparation, our Andhra Pradesh notes for the formation of Andhra Pradesh, the Reorganisation Act, polity and Panchayati Raj and economy and budget map closely to Main Papers I and II.
Constitution and economy facts that recur
- The Constitution Preamble, fundamental rights and directive principles, fundamental duties, amendment procedure and the basic structure doctrine, which was laid down in the Kesavananda Bharati case of 1973.
- Commissions on Centre-State relations: the Rajamannar Committee (set up by Tamil Nadu in 1969), the Sarkaria Commission (appointed 1983) and the Punchhi Commission (appointed 2007).
- Panchayati Raj: the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957), the Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) and the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts (1992).
- Anti-defection law: the Tenth Schedule, added by the 52nd Amendment in 1985.
- Planning and policy: the Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog on 1 January 2015, and the Goods and Services Tax came into effect on 1 July 2017.
- Andhra history: the Andhra State was formed on 1 October 1953, and Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1 November 1956 under the States Reorganisation scheme, after the Gentlemen's Agreement and the report of the States Reorganisation Commission.
A twelve-week plan for the Forest Section Officer
The plan assumes about three hours daily and starts well before the detailed notification, since the syllabus is already printed.
- Weeks 1 to 2: mathematics, arithmetic and algebra, with 30 questions a day.
- Weeks 3 to 4: mathematics, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry and statistics.
- Weeks 5 to 7: General Forestry blocks one to six, with one-page notes.
- Weeks 8 to 9: General Forestry blocks seven to eleven and the four forest laws.
- Week 10: English and Telugu qualifying test practice, covering comprehension, idioms, vocabulary, grammar and translation meanings.
- Weeks 11 to 12: Paper I revision, then full mocks of 450 marks plus the qualifying test.
Prepare physically at the same time. Walking 25 km in four hours is a demanding endurance standard, so build up gradually with a doctor's advice rather than last-minute training. The walking test is qualifying and carries no marks, but failing it ends the candidature.
Answer keys, objections and the qualifying test
The notifications opened for this guide (the 2025 Forest Section Officer notification and the Group-II notification) say that the Commission publishes an initial answer key on its website. Objections must be filed in the prescribed format within three days of publication, each objection costs Rs 100, and the amount is refunded if the objection is sustained. Experts examine the objections and the final key is not reopened. When you object, cite a standard source such as a government publication, a textbook or a gazette, rather than only stating that an answer is wrong.
For the 2026 Forest Section Officer qualifying test, remember that English and Telugu must be passed individually. A very good score in one language does not compensate for failing the other. Check the detailed notification to see whether these marks count towards merit, because the scheme table totals 450 for the three papers only. For English, read one short comprehension passage daily, learn about twenty idioms and phrases a week, and practise rearranging sentences by locating the opening and closing sentences first. For Telugu, revise synonyms, vocabulary, grammar and translation meanings. Candidates from Telugu-medium schools usually find the English section harder and candidates from English-medium schools the Telugu section, so give more time to your weaker language and take a full 100-question set in 100 minutes every fortnight.
Common mistakes
- Treating the two recruitments as one. Their qualification, pattern and syllabus are different.
- Using the 2025 pattern for the 2026 Forest Section Officer exam. The 2026 brief notification states a single-level examination without a screening test.
- Ignoring the qualifying English and Telugu test. It has to be passed separately in each language.
- Skipping the walking test preparation. The 2025 standard was 25 km in four hours for men and 16 km in four hours for women, and the 2026 detailed notification will state the current standard.
- Waiting for a Section Officer recruitment at the Secretariat. The notifications opened for this guide show direct recruitment at the Assistant Section Officer level, through Group-II.
- Overlooking that the 2026 degree list is broad. A degree with one of the named subjects qualifies, so check your degree's subjects before assuming you are ineligible.
Key facts for exams
- APPSC Notification 17/2026 dated 15.09.2026 invited applications for Forest Section Officer, with 26 provisional vacancies and pay of Rs 32,670 to Rs 1,01,970 (as on October 2026, psc.ap.gov.in).
- The application window is 16.10.2026 to 05.11.2026, and the detailed notification is due on or before 16.10.2026.
- The examination is a single-level online test with no screening test, plus a qualifying English and Telugu test of 100 marks.
- Papers I to III carry 150 marks each: General Studies and Mental Ability, Mathematics (SSC standard) and General Forestry. Wrong answers carry a one-third penalty.
- A walking test and medical examination apply, with candidates picked in the ratio 1:2.
- Assistant Section Officer posts in the Secretariat were recruited through Group-II Notification 11/2023, with pay of Rs 40,970 to Rs 1,24,380 and age 18 to 42.
- The Group-II screening test is 150 marks, followed by a main examination of 300 marks in two papers.
- Group-II Main Paper I covers the social and cultural history of Andhra Pradesh and the Indian Constitution.
Ten practice MCQs
1. Through which APPSC recruitment were Assistant Section Officer posts in the A.P. Secretariat filled in the 2023 notification? (a) Group-I (b) Group-II (c) Group-III (d) Group-IV Answer: (b), Notification 11/2023.
2. What pay scale did the Assistant Section Officer posts carry in the 2023 Group-II notification? (a) Rs 25,220 to Rs 80,910 (b) Rs 34,580 to Rs 1,07,210 (c) Rs 40,970 to Rs 1,24,380 (d) Rs 57,100 to Rs 1,47,760 Answer: (c).
3. How many provisional vacancies did Notification 17/2026 list for Forest Section Officer? (a) 100 (b) 50 (c) 26 (d) 3 Answer: (c).
4. According to the 2026 brief notification, the Forest Section Officer examination has: (a) A screening test and a main examination (b) A single-level examination with no screening test (c) An interview only (d) A descriptive paper Answer: (b).
5. How many marks does the General English and General Telugu qualifying test carry in the 2026 scheme? (a) 50 (b) 100 (c) 150 (d) 200 Answer: (b), 50 marks each, to be qualified individually.
6. Paper III in the Forest Section Officer scheme is: (a) General Studies (b) Mathematics (c) General Forestry (d) General Science Answer: (c).
7. Tectona grandis is the botanical name of: (a) Neem (b) Teak (c) Sandalwood (d) Red sanders Answer: (b).
8. The compound interest on Rs 10,000 at 10 percent a year for 2 years is: (a) Rs 2,000 (b) Rs 2,100 (c) Rs 2,200 (d) Rs 2,500 Answer: (b), since the amount is Rs 12,100.
9. Two workers can finish a job in 12 days and 18 days respectively. Working together they need: (a) 6 days (b) 7.2 days (c) 7.5 days (d) 15 days Answer: (b), 12 x 18 / 30.
10. The basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution was laid down in: (a) Golaknath case (b) Kesavananda Bharati case (c) Minerva Mills case (d) Maneka Gandhi case Answer: (b), 1973.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Forest Section Officer examination objective? Yes. The scheme in Notification 17/2026 lists objective papers, with a qualifying test and three papers, and a one-third penalty for wrong answers.
Will there be a screening test for Forest Section Officer in 2026? The brief notification says the examination will be single-level and that no screening test will be conducted, irrespective of the number of applications received.
Where will I find age and fee for the 2026 recruitment? The brief notification says the detailed notification, with age, community, qualification and instructions, will be available on psc.ap.gov.in on or before 16.10.2026. Until then, the 2025 cycle's figures are only a guide.
Does Group-II recruit Section Officers? The Group-II notification opened for this guide lists Assistant Section Officer posts, not Section Officer. For how the Section Officer grade is filled, refer to the Secretariat service rules.
Is there a Computer Proficiency Test? Yes. The Group-II notification, the 2025 Forest Section Officer notification and the 2026 brief notification all annex the scheme of the Computer Proficiency Test, a 100-mark practical test in 60 minutes. The 2025 and Group-II notifications state that no candidate is appointed without qualifying it.
Can I apply with a B.Sc in a subject not listed? The qualification lists specific subjects. A degree in which one of those subjects was studied qualifies. Confirm with the detailed notification, and where in doubt, send the Government Order showing equivalence within the stated window.
Are there bonus marks for NCC? The 2025 notification gave bonus marks to NCC certificate holders among qualified candidates. Check whether the 2026 detailed notification continues this.
Related reading
- Andhra Pradesh government exams 2026 guide
- APPSC Group-1, 2, 3 and 4 compared
- AP Forest Beat Officer guide
- APPSC Assistant Engineer (Electrical/Mechanical): what APPSC actually recruits
- APPSC AEE Civil: qualification, scheme and syllabus
- APPSC Polytechnic Lecturer guide
- AP Reorganisation Act 2014 explained
- AP polity and Panchayati Raj notes
- Andhra Pradesh hub
- Telugu version: APPSC సెక్షన్ ఆఫీసర్
When you are ready to test yourself, you can practise timed mock tests for APPSC exams on pareeksha.in, which offers 10 Lakh+ MCQs, 100+ Exams and 5,000+ Full-Length Mocks, and review your errors after each one.
Sources and verification
Official pages opened for this guide (as on October 2026):
- APPSC home page and recruitment notifications list, psc.ap.gov.in and portal-psc.ap.gov.in
- APPSC Brief Notification 17/2026 dated 15.09.2026, Forest Section Officer, A.P. Forest Subordinate Service, including the scheme and syllabus
- APPSC Notification 07/2025 dated 22.07.2025, Forest Section Officer, including qualification, physical requirements, age and fee
- APPSC Group-II Notification 11/2023 dated 07.12.2023, with the scheme and syllabus, and the detailed notification of 20.12.2023 giving vacancies, pay scales, age and qualifications
Not verified: the age, fee and physical standards in the 2026 Forest Section Officer detailed notification, which was not yet published when this guide was prepared; how the Section Officer grade in the Secretariat is filled, since the Secretariat service rules were not opened; the result and cut-offs of Group-II 11/2023; and whether a new Group-II notification has been issued after October 2026. Check the latest notification before you apply.
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