APPSC Group 1 Exam- Overview, Exam Dates, Eligibility

APPSC Group 1 exams are conducted in the state of Andhra Pradesh to recruit and select the officers in the second line. This exam is termed the highest-ranked exam in the state. The candidates selected through this exam are normally second to IAS officers and are in the rank of gazetted officers. They are paid handsome salaries in the state. The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission Examination is conducted for selecting high-ranking officers. The APPSC was founded on 1^st November 1956. In the year 2014, after the separate state of Telangana was formed, it was divided into two different bodies namely APPSC and TSPSC. 

Overview Of APPSC Group 1 Exam 

The APPSC Group 1 Exam is one of the most important exams to select high-ranking second-line officers. The detailed overview of the exam are tabulated below:

Exam Name	Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission Group 1 Exam
Abbreviation	APPSC Group 1 Exam 2021
Level of exam	State-level exam
Conducting & Governing Body	The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission
Vacancy for post	169 vacancies out of which 125 are for fresh candidates and 44 are carried forward
Stages of Exam	PrelimsMainsInterview
Mode of Exam	Online mode for Prelims and Mains. An interview is conducted offline
Medium of language for the exam	Telugu and English
Official website	psc.ap.gov.in

APPSC Group 1 Exam Dates 

The exam dates for APPSC Group 1 for 2021 are likely to be announced soon. The candidates can check the same on the official website. If the previous year’s trends are to be taken into consideration then the exams are normally conducted in December. 

Eligibility

The notification as released from time to time by APPSC on the official website determines the eligibility criteria for the candidates to apply for the APPSC Group 1 Exam. Some of the common eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Citizen of India
• Sound health
• Free from any kind of infirmity or bodily defects
• Educational Qualification

A bachelor’s degree from any of the UGC-recognized universities is essential for applying for the APPSC Group 1 exam. However, different posts also have some basic requirements of educational qualification. Some of such specific qualifications are mentioned below:

Post	Required qualification
District Fire Officers in Andhra Pradesh Fire services	A graduate degree in Engineering in the stream of Fire from any recognized UGC university or any educational qualification equivalent to the same.In case no candidate is available from BE (Fire) stream then the qualifying candidate from another stream or discipline may be considered on a merit basis
Assistant Accounts Officer or Assistant Treasury Officer in Accounts and Treasury services in the state of Andhra Pradesh	Graduate from any recognized UGC university in mathematics, economics, or commerce. A 2nd class distinction in any of these subjects is a must. An Indian or a Chartered Accountant from the UK can also apply for this post. Incorporated Accountant from London is also preferred for the same.
District Social Welfare Officer for Social Welfare Services in the state of Andhra Pradesh	A graduate from any UGC-recognized university. Preference is given to candidates having specialization in Social work or socialization

• Physical requirements

Certain physical requirements for different posts are specified by APPSC and are mentioned below:

Post	Category	Minimum Requirements
Post Code from 03 to 05	General	Height – 167.6 cm Round of the chest – 86.3 cm Chest expansion – 5 cm
	Reserved	Height – 164 cm Round of the chest – 83.8 cm Chest expansion – 5 cm
Post-Code 03	Women	Height –152.5 cm Round of the chest – 96.3 cm Chest expansion – 5 cm Weight – 45.5 kg
Post-Code 08	Men	Height – 165 cm Round of the chest – 86 cm Chest expansion – 5 cm

For Postcode 03 and 05 vision of the candidates is tested and recorded as per the required specification. A visual Acuity Test or General test for the candidates is conducted to ensure the health of the aspirant’s eyes.

• Age Limit

The age limits for various posts are also specified as under

Post	Minimum Age	Maximum Age
01, 07, 06, 02, 09 to 19	18 years	42 years
03, 04	21 years	28 years
05	21 years	26 years
08	18 years	26 years

For the maximum age limit, certain reserved criteria of candidates are provided with age relaxation. The age relaxation for the same are mentioned below:

Category	Age relaxation
ST/ SC/ OBC	5 years
Pwd	10 years
State Government employees	5 years
Ex-servicemen	3 years

APPSC Group 1 Vacancy

For APPSC Group 1 Exam there are 169 vacancies available for the year 2021. Out of these total vacancies 44 posts have been carried forward from the previous years. The other 125 posts are recruited from fresh candidates for the year 2021 -2022. The various posts and departments as notified and available on the official website of the APPSC are mentioned below:

Post Code	Post	Department
19	Assistant Audit Officer	Andhra Pradesh State Audit Service
18	Lay Treasurer & secretary Grade II or Administrative Officer	Andhra Pradesh Health and Medical Service in Administration
17	Municipal Commissioner Grade II	Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Services
16	District Panchayat Officer	Andhra Pradesh Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Service
15	District BC Welfare Officer	Andhra Pradesh BC Welfare Service
14	District Social Welfare Officer	Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Service
13	District Tribal Welfare Officer	Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Service
12	Deputy Registrar	Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Service
11	District Employment Officer	Andhra Pradesh Employment Exchange Service
10	District Registrar	Andhra Pradesh Registration Service
9	Mandal Parishad Development Officer	Andhra Pradesh Rural development and Panchayat raj Service
8	Assistant Excise & Prohibition Superintendent	Andhra Pradesh Excise Service
7	Regional Transport Officer	Andhra Pradesh Transport Service
6	Assistant Accounts Officer or Assistant Treasury Officer	Andhra Pradesh Accounts and Treasury Service
5	District Fire Officer	Andhra Pradesh Fire Service
4	Deputy Superintendent of jails	Andhra Pradesh jail Service
3	Deputy Superintendent of Police Category II	Andhra Pradesh Police Service
2	Assistant Commissioner	Andhra Pradesh State Tax Service
1	Deputy Collector	Andhra Pradesh Civil Service

It should be noted that all the posts the candidates are aspiring through APPSC Group 1 Exam are highly designated posts in the state and are second to IAS Officers.

APPSC Group 1 2021 Application

After the APPSC releases the notification for exam dates on the official website, the application forms are also made available on it. The candidates have a month-long period in hand to fill and apply for the APPSC Group 1 Exam. The application can be submitted online and the centers can also be chosen for the exam. 

Every candidate should have an OTPR ID for applying for the exam. In case any aspirant does not have the OTPR ID, it can be generated from the official website of the APPSC with the following steps:

1. Browse through the official website of APPSC
2. Click on the toggle button “Modify OTPR ID”
3. Tap on New Registration
4. On the window that appears, fill in the required details as it prompts
5. The window will now prompt for passport photographs. Upload an image or scanned copy with size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm and file size not more than 50 kb. The image must be in JPEG format.
6. A scanned copy of the signature is also required to be uploaded. The file size should not be more than 30 kb in JPEG format. The size of the image should be 3.5 cm x 1.5 cm.
7. The page prompts the verification declaration for the details provided. Accept the same. 
8. Check all the details in the preview mode
9. Confirm and submit the form
10. An OTPR ID is sent to the registered email ID and the registered mobile number through an email and SMS.

With this OTPR ID, the aspiring candidates can now submit the application form for APPSC Group 1 Exam form. The steps to follow for applying for the form are mentioned below:

1. With OTPR ID and registered mobile number log in on the official website of APPSC.
2. Tap on the Direct Recruitment link button
3. Find the notification for APPSC Group 1 Exam
4. Fill in all the required details in the exam form and submit after thoroughly checking the details
5. The website then prompts for making the payment for application fees
6. Pay the required amount and proceed
7. It is advisable to take two copies of print for future use of the submitted form of the APPSC Group 1 exam.

The application fee for the general category candidates is Rs. 370 while for the reserved category is Rs. 250. The same can be paid while submitting the application form through any digital mode of payment.

APPSC Group 1 2021 Admit card

The APPSC issues the hall ticket or the admit card usually before one week of the exam dates and can be downloaded from the official website. Separate admit cards are issued for the Mains and Prelims exam. It is vital to carry the admit card to the examination hall during the exam.

The admit card is available for download on the official website of APPSC. The steps to follow are mentioned below:

1. Browse through the official website of APPSC 
2. Tap on the link for Admit card for APPSC Group 1 exam notification
3. You can log in on the page with the OTPR ID and password
4. You will find a link for the Download Group 1 Services Admit card. Click on the same
5. Check all the required and mandatory details on the admit card for any discrepancies. If everything is correct then download the admit card
6. You can take the print of the admit card for any further use
7. In case there are any errors or discrepancies, then contact the helpdesk or the commission. The officials at the commission rectify the errors immediately and inform the same to the candidates. The fresh admit card can then be downloaded.

APPSC Group 1 Exam Syllabus And Exam pattern

The APPSC Group 1 exam are categorized into three different phases namely:

• Screening Test or Prelims Exam
• Mains Exam
• Interview round

The details about the exam pattern for each stage are available on the official website of APPSC. It provides vital points such as duration of the exam, difficulty level, number of questions, marks allotted, negative marking, and many more every aspirant should be aware of. 

The Prelims are conducted online and have the objective type of questions. These marks are not considered for the merit list but the exam is conducted for screening for Mains. 

The exam pattern along with the syllabus for prelims can be tabulated as follows:

Paper-I

Syllabus and Paper	Number of Questions	Marks
History & Culture	30	30
International Relations, Social Justice, and Constitution Politics	30	30
Planning and Economy of Andhra Pradesh and India	30	30
Geography	30	30

Paper-II

Psychological Abilities, Administrative and General Mental Ability	60	60
Science & Technology	30	30
Current Affairs	30	30

 The Mains exam is conducted through descriptive kinds of questions where candidates are required to write essay types of exams with a deep understanding and thorough knowledge. The exam pattern for the different papers in Mains along with its marks are as follows:

Syllabus	Marks	Duration
Telugu	150	3 hours
English	150	3 hours
Paper I General Essay on contemporary themes and issues of international, national, and regional importance	150	3 hours
Paper-II Geography, Culture, and History of Andhra Pradesh and India	150	3 hours
Paper III Law & Ethics, Governance, Constitution and Politics	150	3 hours
Paper IV Economy and development of Andhra Pradesh and India	150	3 hours
Paper V Technology, science, and environmental issues	150	3 hours
Interview	75
Total Marks	825

 Once the candidates clear the Mains they are called for an interview round. On clearing the same they are selected for the designated posts. An interview is normally conducted at Vijaywada at the Commission office and the aspirants are interviewed about current affairs, respective academics, their hometown, and any issues related to the state.

APPSC Exam Centres

The candidates can choose the center for the APPSC Group 1 Exam at their convenience while applying for the exam. However, the exam centers are allotted on a first come first serve basis. The information about the selected exam center by the candidate is also mentioned on the admit card. In case of any discrepancy, the candidate can report the issue to the Commission.

APPSC exam results

After every phase of the APPSC Group 1 Exam, results are declared on the website of the commission. The candidates who qualify for the exam can appear for the next phase. The roll numbers of the qualified candidates are normally published to declare the results.

The APPSC Group 1 Exam is highly designated in the state. The preparation for the same can be done through previous years’ question papers, coaching, books, and practice.

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