The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), based in Vijayawada, recruits for many of the state's gazetted and non-gazetted posts, including the Group-I services that lead to posts such as Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police. Police posts are recruited separately by the State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB) at Mangalagiri.
In late 2026 both bodies are active. APPSC's Group-I Notification No. 07/2026 is open for applications until 27 October 2026, and SLPRB has announced a police recruitment. This guide explains what APPSC does, where its recruitments stand, the Group-I scheme and eligibility, and how the new local-reservation rules apply.
Checked against psc.ap.gov.in and slprb.ap.gov.in on 9 October 2026.
What APPSC recruits for
APPSC issues numbered notifications for each recruitment. On 15 September 2026 it published brief notifications numbered 07/2026 to 26/2026, covering Group-I services and posts such as Forest Range Officer, Forest Section Officer, Forest Beat Officer, Hostel Welfare Officer and Assistant Social Welfare Officer. Detailed notifications follow on the portal, each with its own application window, so check the specific notification for the post you want.
Two older recruitments were completed in early 2026: APPSC declared provisional selection lists for Group-II (Notification 11/2023) in late January 2026 and for Group-I (Notification 12/2023) on 30 January 2026. When we checked, there was no new Group-II notification in 2026.
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Continue with Document Verification Checklist – Central and Defence Recruitment₹299 — coaching के एक महीने से काफ़ी सस्ता / far cheaper than a month of coachingGroup-I Services: Notification No. 07/2026
| Item | Official position |
|---|---|
| Notification | No. 07/2026, detailed notification dated 6 October 2026 |
| Vacancies | 166 |
| Online applications | 6 October to 27 October 2026 (until 11:59 pm) |
| Screening Test | 24 January 2027 |
| Main Examination | Dates to be announced |
The 166 posts include Deputy Collector (12), Assistant Commissioner of State Tax (14), Deputy Superintendent of Police (Civil) (36), District Educational Officer (14), Deputy Registrar (16), Municipal Commissioner Grade-II (12), Assistant Audit Officer (15) and Divisional Development Officer (35), among others. Source: the Group-I detailed notification.
Age
The notification gives a minimum of 18 or 21 and a maximum of 30 or 44 years, depending on the post, on 1 July 2026, citing G.O.Ms.No.187 and 188 of 14 September 2026. Most posts are 18–44; Deputy Superintendent of Police (Civil) is 21–30 and DSP (Communications) 18–30. SC, ST, BC and EWS candidates get 5 years' relaxation, with other relaxations listed in the notification.
Worked example (illustrative): a candidate born on 10 May 1990 is 36 on 1 July 2026. That is within the 44-year limit for Deputy Collector but above the 30-year limit for DSP (Civil), so the same person may be eligible for some Group-I posts and not others. Check the age band for every post you select.
The scheme of examination
Screening Test (objective, offline OMR):
| Paper | Questions | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| I: General Studies (history and culture; constitution, polity, social justice and international relations; Indian and Andhra Pradesh economy and planning; geography) | 120 | 120 minutes | 120 |
| II: General Aptitude (general mental ability, administrative and psychological abilities; science and technology; current events) | 120 | 120 minutes | 120 |
Each wrong answer carries a penalty of one-third of the question's marks. The Screening Test is for shortlisting; candidates must appear in both papers.
Main Examination (descriptive):
| Paper | Marks |
|---|---|
| Telugu (qualifying) | 150 |
| English (qualifying) | 150 |
| I: General Essay | 150 |
| II: History, Culture and Geography of India and Andhra Pradesh | 150 |
| III: Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law and Ethics | 150 |
| IV: Economy and Development of India and Andhra Pradesh | 150 |
| V: Science, Technology and Environmental Issues | 150 |
| Interview | 75 |
Each Main paper is three hours. The Telugu and English papers are qualifying only: candidates must score at least 40% (OC, sports persons and EWS), 35% (BC) or 30% (SC, ST and persons with benchmark disability) in each, and those marks are not counted for merit. The five other papers (750 marks) and the interview (75) make up the 825 marks used for merit. Those papers may be answered in English, Telugu or Urdu.
Worked example: the Screening Test penalty
Illustrative only. In Paper I, each question carries 1 mark. Suppose you answer 100 questions: 78 right and 22 wrong.
- Penalty: 22 × (1 ÷ 3) = 7.33
- Score: 78 − 7.33 = 70.67 out of 120
Twenty unanswered questions cost nothing, while 22 wrong answers cost more than seven marks. Track how often your "educated guesses" are right before deciding how many to make.
Local reservation under the Presidential Order 2025
The Group-I notification says selection will follow the Presidential Order 2025, read with G.O.Ms.No.45 dated 20 April 2026, and that 95% of posts organised in multi-zones are reserved for local candidates of each multi-zone. Local reservation does not apply to the one post code organised as a State cadre. APPSC's portal also carries a notice on modifying the One-Time Profile Registration in accordance with the new order. If you studied or lived in more than one district, check the definition of "local candidate" in the notification before you apply.
Police recruitment through SLPRB
SLPRB's press note dated 16 September 2026 says the government sanctioned police recruitment and that notifications were issued that day. Its tables include:
| Group | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Sub-Inspectors (Civil 253, Reserve SI (AR) 116, SPF 9) | 378 |
| SI (Communications) and SI (PTO) | 60 |
| Police Constables (Civil and AR), Firemen and Warders | 1,156 |
| PC (Communications) | 200 |
| PC (PTO) Mechanics and Drivers | 213 |
| Scientific Assistant (FSL) | 43 |
SLPRB says the dates for online applications and the preliminary written test will be notified separately.
A checklist before you apply
Notification number and post code(s):
My age on the notification's reference date for each post:
Local-candidate status under the Presidential Order 2025, with documents:
One-Time Profile Registration updated (Y/N):
Medium chosen for the Main papers (English, Telugu or Urdu):
Screening Test date from the hall ticket:
Date I last checked psc.ap.gov.in
For general state PSC preparation methods, see our state PSC preparation guide, and use the current affairs hub for dated notes on regional and national events.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an APPSC Group-II notification in 2026?
Not as of 9 October 2026. The latest Group-II recruitment is Notification 11/2023, whose provisional selection list was declared in January 2026.
Is there an interview in APPSC Group-I?
Yes. The 2026 scheme includes a 75-mark interview after the Main Examination.
Can I write the Group-I Main papers in Telugu?
Yes. Apart from the qualifying Telugu and English papers, the Main papers may be answered in English, Telugu or Urdu, as chosen in the application.