APPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026 – Check Prelims and Mains Exam Pattern, Subject-Wise Topics and PDF

APPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026 covers the Preliminary Examination (Screening Test), Main Written Examination and Interview conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). Candidates preparing for Group-I Services should understand the complete syllabus, marking scheme and subject-wise examination structure. The Prelims consist of two objective papers containing 120 questions and 120 marks each, with one-third negative marking for incorrect answers. The Mains consist of seven written papers, including Telugu and English qualifying papers and five descriptive papers counted for merit. The final selection process also includes a 75-mark interview. Candidates can check the detailed APPSC Group 1 Prelims and Mains syllabus, paper-wise marks, preparation tips and official syllabus links below.

APPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026 Overview

APPSC Group 1 Selection Process 2026

The APPSC Group 1 selection process includes three major stages:

1. Preliminary Examination: An objective-type screening test used for shortlisting candidates for Mains.
2. Main Written Examination: Seven papers, including two qualifying language papers and five merit-based descriptive papers.
3. Interview/Personality Test: A 75-mark assessment conducted after the written examination.

APPSC Group 1 Exam Pattern 2026

The APPSC Group-I examination pattern differs between the preliminary and main stages. The Screening Test assesses objective knowledge and aptitude, while the Mains assess descriptive writing, subject understanding and analytical ability.

APPSC Group 1 Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The Preliminary Examination contains two objective papers, each carrying 120 marks and lasting 120 minutes.

Negative Marking: One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every incorrect answer. For a one-mark question, this is a deduction of one-third mark.

APPSC Group 1 Prelims Paper I Subject-Wise Marks Distribution

Paper I covers General Studies and consists of four sections with equal marks.

APPSC Group 1 Prelims Paper II Subject-Wise Marks Distribution

APPSC Group 1 Prelims Syllabus 2026

The Screening Test syllabus includes History, Culture, Constitution, Governance, Economy, Geography, Reasoning, Science, Technology and Current Affairs.

APPSC Group 1 Paper I – History and Culture Syllabus

• Indus Valley Civilisation and Vedic Age
• Mahajanapadas, Jainism and Buddhism
• Magadha, Mauryan Empire and Kushans
• Satavahanas, Sangam Age and Gupta Empire
• Ancient Indian administration, art and architecture
• Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Cholas, Kakatiyas and other South Indian dynasties
• Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara Empire and Mughal Empire
• Bhakti and Sufi movements
• European trading companies in India
• Governor-Generals and Viceroys
• Revolt of 1857 and its significance
• Social and religious reform movements
• Indian National Movement and freedom struggle
• Role of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Subhas Chandra Bose
• Contributions of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganisation of Indian states

APPSC Group 1 Paper I – Constitution, Polity and Social Justice Syllabus

• Evolution and important features of the Indian Constitution
• Preamble and Basic Structure
• Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties
• Directive Principles of State Policy
• Constitutional amendments
• Union and State Governments
• Parliament and State Legislatures
• Federalism and Centre-State relations
• Constitutional authorities and institutions
• Local self-government and Panchayati Raj
• Public administration and governance
• Statutory and regulatory bodies
• Social justice and rights-related issues
• Women, children and disadvantaged communities
• India’s foreign policy
• International relations and international organisations
• Government policies and welfare programmes

APPSC Group 1 Paper I – Indian and Andhra Pradesh Economy Syllabus

• Indian economy after independence
• Economic planning and NITI Aayog
• National income and economic development
• Human Development Index and sustainable development
• Poverty, inequality and unemployment
• Population and demographic trends
• Agriculture, irrigation and agricultural reforms
• Rural and urban development
• Industry and industrial policy
• Make in India and start-up initiatives
• Economic reforms and globalisation
• International trade and balance of payments
• Reserve Bank of India and monetary policy
• Banking and financial sector reforms
• GST, taxation and fiscal policy
• Public debt, budgets and government expenditure
• Andhra Pradesh economy after bifurcation
• Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014
• State resources, revenue and infrastructure
• Water-sharing and irrigation issues
• Andhra Pradesh industrial development and employment
• State welfare programmes and development initiatives

APPSC Group 1 Paper I – Geography Syllabus

• Earth and the Solar System
• Structure and movements of the Earth
• Landforms and geomorphology
• Atmosphere and climate
• Oceans and marine resources
• Earthquakes, landslides and natural hazards
• Major physical divisions of the world and India
• Indian monsoon and climatic regions
• Rivers and drainage systems
• Natural vegetation and soil types
• National parks and wildlife sanctuaries
• Minerals and natural resources
• Population distribution and demographic changes
• Urbanisation and migration
• Agriculture, industries and service sectors
• Transport, communication and trade
• Physical and economic geography of Andhra Pradesh

APPSC Group 1 Prelims Paper II Syllabus 2026

Paper II evaluates General Mental Ability, Administrative and Psychological Abilities, Science and Technology, and Current Events.

General Mental Ability and Reasoning

• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Number series and coding-decoding
• Blood relations and relationship problems
• Venn diagrams
• Clocks, calendars and age-related problems
• Number system
• Ratio and proportion
• Averages, mean, median and mode
• HCF, LCM, squares and cube roots
• Percentages and variation
• Profit and loss
• Simple and compound interest
• Time and work
• Speed, time and distance
• Basic geometry and mensuration
• Algebra and simplification
• Data interpretation and analysis
• Data sufficiency and probability

Administrative and Psychological Abilities

• Emotional intelligence
• Understanding and managing emotions
• Empathy and stress management
• Social intelligence
• Interpersonal communication
• Decision-making
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Personality-related assessment

Science and Technology

• Science and technology in everyday life
• Indian science and technology policies
• Important scientific institutions
• Contributions of Indian scientists
• Information and Communication Technology
• E-governance and digital services
• Cybersecurity
• Indian space programme and ISRO
• Satellite programmes
• Defence technology and DRDO
• Energy resources and renewable energy
• Solar, wind and nuclear energy
• Environmental science and biodiversity
• Climate change and global warming
• Environmental legislation
• Biotechnology and genetic engineering
• Nanotechnology and its applications
• Disaster management

Current Events

• Andhra Pradesh current affairs
• National developments
• International affairs
• Government policies and programmes
• Science and technology developments
• Economy and development updates
• Major regional, national and international events

APPSC Group 1 Mains Exam Pattern 2026

The Main Examination has seven descriptive papers. The Telugu and English language papers are qualifying, while the five numbered papers contribute to final merit.

The five merit-based Mains papers carry a total of 750 marks. The qualifying language papers are not included in this total.

APPSC Group 1 Mains Syllabus 2026 Paper-Wise

APPSC Group 1 Mains Paper I – General Essay

Candidates must write three essays, one from each of the prescribed sections, of approximately 800 words each.

Important themes include:

• Current affairs
• Social and political issues
• Economic challenges and development
• Environmental concerns
• History and culture
• Civic awareness and public issues
• Reflective and analytical topics

APPSC Group 1 Mains Paper II – History, Culture and Geography

• Prehistoric cultures and ancient Indian civilisation
• Ancient and medieval Indian history
• Modern Indian history
• Indian National Movement
• Andhra Pradesh history and cultural heritage
• Ancient and medieval Andhra dynasties
• Social and political developments in Andhra Pradesh
• Formation and bifurcation-related developments
• Physical geography of India
• Geography of Andhra Pradesh
• Population and settlement patterns
• Agriculture and natural resources
• Economic geography and infrastructure
• Environmental geography

APPSC Group 1 Mains Paper III – Polity, Constitution, Governance, Law and Ethics

• Indian Constitution and constitutional development
• Federalism and Centre-State relations
• Legislature, Executive and Judiciary
• Local governance
• Public administration
• Governance reforms
• Transparency and accountability
• Citizen-centric administration
• Public service values and ethics
• Integrity and probity in governance
• Human values and attitude
• Emotional intelligence
• Foundations of Indian law
• Basic civil, criminal, labour, cyber and taxation laws

APPSC Group 1 Mains Paper IV – Economy and Development

• Indian economic development
• Economic planning and policy
• National income and economic growth
• Public finance and budgeting
• Resource mobilisation
• Fiscal and monetary policy
• Agriculture and rural development
• Industrial development
• Infrastructure and investment
• Employment and labour
• Poverty and inequality
• Inclusive and sustainable growth
• Andhra Pradesh economy
• Development challenges after state bifurcation
• Government welfare programmes
• State-specific development initiatives

APPSC Group 1 Mains Paper V – Science, Technology and Environmental Issues

• Role of science and technology in national development
• Information Technology and ICT
• Digital technologies and governance
• Indian space programmes
• Defence technology
• Energy security and renewable energy
• Environmental conservation
• Environmental pollution and control
• Climate change and mitigation
• Environmental legislation
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Human diseases and public health-related scientific issues
• Agricultural biotechnology
• Animal husbandry biotechnology
• Emerging scientific developments

APPSC Group 1 Telugu Qualifying Paper Syllabus 2026

The Telugu qualifying paper carries 150 marks and is conducted for 180 minutes at the prescribed language standard.

It includes the following question types:

• Essay writing
• Elaboration of poetic or literary thought
• Precis writing
• Reading comprehension
• Formal speech writing
• Publicity statements
• Letter writing
• Debate writing
• Application writing
• Report writing
• Dialogue writing
• Translation from English to Telugu
• Telugu grammar

This paper is qualifying in nature. Candidates should refer to the official examination rules for the prescribed minimum qualifying marks.

APPSC Group 1 English Qualifying Paper Syllabus 2026

The English qualifying paper carries 150 marks and lasts 180 minutes.

The syllabus includes:

• Essay writing
• Formal letter writing
• Press release and appeal writing
• Report writing
• Writing based on charts, graphs and visual information
• Formal speech writing
• Precis writing
• Reading comprehension
• English grammar
• Tenses, voice and narration
• Articles, determiners and prepositions
• Idioms and phrasal verbs
• Synonyms, antonyms and one-word substitutions
• Translation from a regional language into English

The Telugu and English papers do not contribute to the final merit total, but candidates must meet the applicable qualifying conditions.

APPSC Group 1 Interview 2026

Candidates qualifying the Main Examination as per the Commission’s shortlisting rules will be considered for the Interview/Personality Test.

How to Download APPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026 PDF?

1. Visit the APPSC official website at portal-psc.ap.gov.in.
2. Open the Syllabus or Group-I Services section.
3. Select the Group-I Services syllabus page.
4. Choose Preliminary Syllabus or Mains Syllabus, as required.
5. Open the applicable syllabus document.
6. Verify the notification number and examination scheme.
7. Download or save the document for reference.
8. Use the syllabus as a checklist for preparation and revision.

APPSC Group 1 Preparation Tips 2026

• Study the complete Prelims and Mains syllabus before preparing a timetable.
• Allocate separate study sessions for General Studies and General Aptitude.
• Give special attention to Andhra Pradesh history, economy, geography and current affairs.
• Revise the Indian Constitution, governance and social justice topics.
• Practise reasoning, data interpretation and numerical ability regularly.
• Read current affairs covering Andhra Pradesh, India and important international developments.
• Solve previous-year APPSC Group-I question papers.
• Attempt objective mock tests with the prescribed negative marking.
• Practise descriptive answer writing and essays for Mains.
• Prepare the Telugu and English qualifying papers alongside the merit papers.
• Maintain revision notes for facts, statistics, constitutional provisions and state-specific developments.
• Review test performance and concentrate on areas requiring improvement.

APPSC Group 1 Prelims vs Mains Exam Pattern 2026

APPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026 Important Links