TSPSC Group 1 (conducted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission) and APPSC Group 1 (conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission) are the flagship state civil services exams of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, recruiting officers such as Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and Commercial Tax Officer. Both exams share a near-identical UPSC-style structure, making them an excellent parallel track for UPSC CSE aspirants. This guide covers the complete syllabus, eligibility, exam pattern, and preparation strategy for both exams.
TSPSC & APPSC Group 1 2026: Overview
| Feature | TSPSC Group 1 | APPSC Group 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Telangana State Public Service Commission | Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission |
| 2026 Notification | Released periodically; check tspsc.gov.in | Expected 15 August 2026 (psc.ap.gov.in) |
| Selection Stages | Prelims (qualifying) → Mains → Interview | Prelims (qualifying) → Mains → Interview |
| Key Posts | Deputy Collector, DSP, Regional Transport Officer, Commercial Tax Officer | Deputy Collector, DSP, District Fire Officer, Commercial Tax Officer |
Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
Age limits vary by specific post within each exam:
- TSPSC Group 1: Generally 18-46 years for most posts (e.g., Deputy Collector); Deputy SP and Assistant Excise Superintendent posts require 21-35 years
- APPSC Group 1: Generally 18-42 years for Deputy Collector; Deputy SP requires 21-28 years, District Fire Officer requires 21-26 years
- Age relaxation (both exams): 5 years for SC/ST/BC categories, 10 years for persons with disabilities, 3 years for ex-servicemen, with additional relaxation for state government employees
Educational Qualification
Candidates need a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university for both exams. A few specialized posts (e.g., Commercial Tax Officer, Treasury Officer) require a degree in Commerce, Economics, or a related discipline — check the specific post’s requirement in the official notification.
TSPSC Group 1: Exam Pattern
Prelims (Qualifying)
| Questions | 150 (objective) |
| Marks | 150 (1 mark each) |
| Duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd mark deducted per wrong answer |
| Nature | Qualifying only — marks do not count toward final merit |
Mains (6 Descriptive Papers + 1 Qualifying)
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| – | General English (Qualifying) | – |
| Paper I | General Essay | 150 |
| Paper II | History, Culture, Geography | 150 |
| Paper III | Indian Constitution, Society, Governance | 150 |
| Paper IV | Economy and Development | 150 |
| Paper V | Science & Technology, Data Interpretation | 150 |
| Paper VI | Telangana Movement and State Formation | 150 |
Total Mains marks: 900. Interview carries an additional 100 marks. There is no negative marking in the Mains.
APPSC Group 1: Exam Pattern
Prelims (Qualifying)
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 120 | 120 | History & Culture, Polity/Constitution/Social Justice/International Relations, Indian & AP Economy/Planning, Geography |
| Paper 2 | 120 | 120 | General Mental Ability, Psychological Abilities, Science & Technology, Current Events |
Duration: 120 minutes per paper. Negative marking: 1/3rd mark deducted per wrong answer. Qualifying only — marks do not count toward final merit.
Mains (7 Papers, 180 Minutes Each)
| Paper | Subject | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Telugu | Qualifying |
| Paper 2 | English | Qualifying |
| Paper 3 | General Essay | Merit (150) |
| Paper 4 | History, Culture & Geography | Merit (150) |
| Paper 5 | Polity, Constitution & Ethics | Merit (150) |
| Paper 6 | Economy & Development | Merit (150) |
| Paper 7 | Science, Technology & Environment | Merit (150) |
Total Mains merit marks: 750 across 5 merit papers. Interview carries an additional 75 marks.
Preparation Strategy
- Both exams share 60-70% syllabus overlap with UPSC CSE — History, Polity, Geography, Economy, and Science & Technology are common ground, so UPSC aspirants can prepare for these alongside their main preparation
- Focus heavily on state-specific content: Telangana Movement & State Formation for TSPSC, and Andhra Pradesh’s regional history, geography, and economy for APPSC
- Practice previous years’ Prelims papers to build speed for the objective-format qualifying round
- For Mains, practice structured answer writing within the 150-mark, 3-hour paper format
- Follow state-specific current affairs (government schemes, state budget, state government initiatives) in addition to national current affairs
Related State PSC Exams
See our complete comparison of every state civil services exam in our State PSC Exams in India 2026 guide, including UPPSC, MPSC, RAS, MPPSC, WBCS, and BPSC. If you’re also considering Tamil Nadu, see our full TNPSC Group 1 guide, or if you’re a Kerala PSC aspirant, see our Kerala PSC Syllabus & Exam Pattern Guide and Kerala PSC Thulasi Login & OTR Registration Guide. Karnataka aspirants should also check our KPSC KAS Exam Guide, the closest structural parallel to TSPSC/APPSC Group 1 among neighboring states, Chhattisgarh aspirants can see our CGPSC Syllabus Guide, Jharkhand aspirants can see our JPSC Syllabus Guide, Odisha aspirants can see our OPSC OCS Syllabus Guide, Assam aspirants can see our APSC CCE Syllabus Guide, and Uttarakhand aspirants can see our UKPSC PCS Syllabus Guide.
FAQs: TSPSC & APPSC Group 1 2026
Q1. Is TSPSC Group 1 Prelims marks counted in the final merit?
A. No, the Prelims exam in both TSPSC and APPSC Group 1 is qualifying only — only Mains and Interview marks count toward the final merit list.
Q2. What is the syllabus overlap between TSPSC/APPSC Group 1 and UPSC CSE?
A. Both exams overlap roughly 60-70% with UPSC CSE syllabus in History, Polity, Geography, Economy, and Science & Technology, with the key difference being added state-specific topics (Telangana Movement for TSPSC, AP-specific content for APPSC).
Q3. What is the age limit for TSPSC and APPSC Group 1?
A. It varies by post — broadly 18-46 years for TSPSC and 18-42 years for APPSC for posts like Deputy Collector, with narrower ranges (21-35 or 21-28 years) for uniformed posts like Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Q4. Is there negative marking in TSPSC/APPSC Group 1 Mains?
A. No, negative marking applies only in the Prelims (qualifying) stage of both exams. The Mains, being a descriptive exam, has no negative marking.
