APPSC Group I Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 166 Assistant Audit Officer, DSP and More Posts

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), Vijayawada, has released Notification No. 07/2026 dated 06/10/2026, inviting online applications for Direct Recruitment to Group-I Services (General/Limited Recruitment), covering 13 categories of posts such as Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, District Educational Officer, and others.

• Recruiting body: Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), Vijayawada
• Posts: 13 categories under Group-I Services (Deputy Collector, Asst. Commissioner of State Tax, DSP (Civil), DSP (Communications), District Educational Officer, Regional Transport Officer, District Tribal Welfare Officer, Deputy Registrar (Cooperative), Municipal Commissioner Grade-II, Asst. Treasury Officer/Asst. Accounts Officer, District Employment Officer, Assistant Audit Officer, Divisional Development Officer)
• Total vacancies: 166
• Eligible candidates: Bachelor's degree holders (or B.E./B.Tech in ECE/Telecommunications/Radio Engineering for Post Code 04) from a recognized University, meeting post-specific age limits
• Application start date: 06/10/2026
• Application last date: 27/10/2026, up to 11:59 P.M.
• Application mode: Online, through https://psc.ap.gov.in
• Screening Test date: 24/01/2027 (tentative); Main Examination dates to be announced later

APPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026 Overview

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission invites online applications from eligible candidates for Direct Recruitment to various categories of posts under Group-I Services. All desirous and eligible candidates must apply online after satisfying themselves as per the terms and conditions of the Recruitment Notification. The Screening Test (objective type) will be held in offline mode (OMR based), and the Main Examination will be Descriptive type.

APPSC Group 1 Important Dates

Candidates applying for APPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026 must note the following timeline carefully.

Candidates are required to visit the Commission's website regularly to keep themselves updated until completion of the recruitment process, as the Commission's website information is final for all correspondence.

APPSC Group 1 Vacancy 2026 Details

A total of 166 vacancies have been notified across 13 categories of posts under Group-I Services. The number of vacancies and Departments are subject to variation on intimation being received from the Department concerned; any addition of vacancies will be accepted only before the date of the Screening Test, with an addendum issued to that effect.

Note: "CF" denotes carried-forward vacancies from previous recruitments; selection/appointment to such reserved vacancies will be made first, before fresh vacancies. The detailed break-up of vacancies by Community, State-wide, Multi-Zone, and Zone is available at Annexure-I of the official notification.

APPSC Group 1 Eligibility Criteria 2026

APPSC Group 1 eligibility 2026 requires candidates to be of sound health, of good character and antecedents, possess the prescribed academic qualification, and be a citizen of India.

APPSC Group 1 Educational Qualification

• Post Codes 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 12: Bachelor's Degree of any University in India established or incorporated by/under a Central Act, Provincial Act, or State Act, or an Institution recognized by the UGC, or an equivalent qualification.
• Post Codes 02, 06, 08: A Degree of a University in India established or incorporated by/under a Central Act or State Act, or any other equivalent qualification.
• Post Code 04 (DSP Communications): B.E./B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, or Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, or Radio Engineering, from a recognized University/Institution.
• Post Code 10: A Degree from any recognized University in India established by Act of any State Government or incorporated by/under a Central Act or State Act, or equivalent qualification.
• Post Code 11: A Bachelor's Degree from a University in India, or any other equivalent qualification recognized by the UGC.
• Post Code 13: A Bachelor's Degree recognized by the UGC.

Applicants must possess the prescribed academic qualification as on the date of the detailed notification, which is also the crucial date for calculating experience, including practical experience.

APPSC Group 1 Physical Requirements (Post Codes 03 & 04)

• Height/Chest: Not less than 167.6 cms in height and not less than 86.3 cms round the chest on full inspiration, with a chest expansion of not less than 5 cms (164 cms height and 83.8 cms chest for ST candidates).
• Women candidates: Not less than 152.5 cms in height and not less than 45.5 Kgs in weight.
• Vision standards are prescribed separately for Post Code 03 (DSP Civil) and Post Code 04 (DSP Communications), as detailed in the official notification and Annexure-V (Medical Examination guidelines).

APPSC Group 1 Age Limit 2026

The age limit is Minimum 18/21 years and Maximum 30/44 years, as on 01/07/2026 (varying by post, as shown in the vacancy table above), as per Rule 12 of APS&SS Rules, 1996.

Candidates at Sl. Nos. 3 & 4 above, after deductions, shall not exceed the maximum age limit prescribed for the post. Age relaxation applies to those released from the Armed Forces other than by dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency.

To avoid any confusion regarding age eligibility, candidates can use our Age Calculator to calculate their exact age based on the prescribed cut-off date before applying.

APPSC Group 1 Salary 2026

The pay scale varies by post, ranging from Rs. 54,060–1,40,540 to Rs. 65,360–1,54,980, as detailed in the post-wise vacancy table above. Posts such as Deputy Collector, Asst. Commissioner of State Tax, DSP (Civil & Communications), and District Educational Officer carry the highest scale of Rs. 61,960–1,51,370.

APPSC Group 1 Application Fee 2026

Applicants must pay an Application Processing Fee and, unless exempted, an Examination Fee, both payable online.

Exempted from Examination Fee (Rs. 120/-):

• SC, ST, BC, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PBD) & Ex-Servicemen.
• Families having a Household Supply White Card issued by the Civil Supplies Department, A.P. Government (Residents of Andhra Pradesh).
• Unemployed youth, as per G.O.Ms.No.439, G.A (Ser-A) Dept., dated 18/10/1996 — a declaration must be submitted at the appropriate time.

Applicants belonging to the above categories (except PBD & Ex-Servicemen) hailing from other States are not entitled to fee exemption or any kind of reservation. Fee is to be paid online using Net Banking/Credit Card/Debit Card; it is non-refundable and non-adjustable under any circumstances. IPOs/Demand Drafts are not accepted.

APPSC Group 1 Selection Process 2026

Selection to APPSC Group-I Services involves a Screening Test, a Main Written (Descriptive) Examination, and an Interview (Personality Test).

APPSC Group 1 Screening Test (Objective Type)

Candidates must appear in all papers of the Screening Test; absence in any paper renders the candidate liable for disqualification. Each wrong answer is penalized with 1/3rd of the marks prescribed for the question. The number of candidates admitted to the Main Written Examination will be 50 times the number of vacancies available, irrespective of community.

APPSC Group 1 Main Examination (Descriptive Type)

Appearance in all papers of the Main Written Examination is compulsory; absence in any paper automatically disqualifies the candidature. The Telugu and English papers are qualifying in nature, and marks secured are not counted for merit. Minimum qualifying marks for Telugu & English are 40% for OC/Sports Persons/EWS, 35% for BCs, and 30% for SC/ST/PBD. All papers except Telugu & English may be answered in English, Telugu, or Urdu, as chosen by the candidate, but the medium chosen must be used consistently across all five papers.

APPSC Group 1 Minimum Qualifying Marks (Aggregate)

Mere securing of minimum qualifying marks does not confer any right to the candidate for being considered for selection.

APPSC Group 1 Interview

After the Main Written Examination, eligible candidates will be called for an Interview (Personality Test) in the ratio of 1:2 with reference to the number of vacancies, duly following special representation as per General Rule-22 of A.P. State and Subordinate Service Rules, 1996.

APPSC Group 1 Exam Centres

The Screening Test will be held at all District Centres (26 centres, including newly organized districts), with candidates choosing up to three preferences. The Main Written Examination will be held at four centres only: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Ananthapuramu. The Commission reserves the right to increase/decrease the number of centres or allot a different centre based on administrative requirements.

How to Apply for APPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026

APPSC Group 1 Apply Online process is conducted through the Commission's website, and requires a One Time Profile Registration (OTPR) before applying.

1. Step 1: Login to the Commission's website, https://psc.ap.gov.in, with your registered OTPR number. First-time applicants must register their bio-data particulars through One Time Profile Registration (OTPR); a User ID is then generated and sent to the registered mobile number and email ID. Note: OTPR registration is not considered an application for any post.
2. Step 2: Login with your User Name (OTPR ID) and password, click "Online Application Submission," and then "Fill Application" against Notification No. 07/2026.
3. Step 3: Fill application-specific data such as Local/Non-Local status, White Card details (used to calculate fee), Qualification details, Post preferences, and examination centre. Use "Save" to save partial details, or "Save & Submit" to proceed to payment — only "Save & Submit" generates the payment link and finalizes the application.
4. Payment Process: Verify the pre-populated fee and age-relaxation details from OTPR data, then complete payment via Net Banking/Credit Card/Debit Card. A payment reference ID is generated and an SMS alert sent to the registered mobile number upon successful payment.
5. Step 4: If the payment process fails, restart the payment process as described in Step 2.
6. Step 5: After successful submission, corrections are enabled for up to 7 days from the last date of application, on payment of Rs. 100/- per correction (fields affecting Name, Fee, and Age Relaxation cannot be corrected). No changes are allowed after this window.
7. Download and retain the filled application PDF for future reference and correspondence.

APPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026 – Important Instructions

• Any application sent through any mode other than the prescribed online mode will not be entertained under any circumstances.
• Submission of the application form is construed as confirmation that the candidate has read the notification and will abide by its terms and conditions.
• The particulars furnished in the application form will be taken as final; incomplete/incorrect applications will be summarily rejected, and no relevant column should be left blank.
• Candidates belonging to Backward Classes must produce a Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued on or after 01.04.2026 but not later than the closing date of the application.
• EWS candidates must possess an EWS certificate based on income for FY 2025-2026, issued by a Revenue Authority in the rank of Tahsildar, in digital format, on or after 01.04.2026.
• Reservation for local candidates applies to Post Codes 01 to 03 and 05 to 13 (not applicable to Post Code 04, which is a State cadre post). Posts are organized into Multi-Zone-I, Multi-Zone-II, and Zonal cadre (Post Code 12), with 95% local reservation as per the Presidential Order 2025.
• Candidates furnishing incorrect information or making false declarations regarding eligibility are liable to be debarred for up to five years from appearing in any examination conducted by the Commission, in addition to summary rejection of candidature.
• Use of mobile phones (even switched off), calculators, or any electronic/programmable devices, storage media, smart watches, cameras, or Bluetooth devices is strictly prohibited in the examination; violation entails disciplinary action, including a ban from future examinations.
• Candidates must ensure their eligibility for the recruitment before submitting the application; the Commission's decision on all matters pertaining to the application, examination, and selection process is final.
• There shall be no waiting list; recruitment will be made only to the vacancies notified.
• Objections on the Screening Test's initial Answer Key must be filed within three days of publication, with a fee of Rs. 100/- per objection (refundable if the objection is found valid). The question paper is set in English and translated into Telugu; the English version is authentic for evaluation.

APPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026 – Important Links