APPSC Group-I 2026: what the notification means, and what 17 years of Mains papers say to study first
Ghissu Editorial · Updated 4 October 2026
APPSC published a brief notification for Group-I Services (Notification No. 07/2026) on 15 September 2026, together with brief notifications for 19 other posts. The detailed notification, with vacancies, eligibility, fees and the application window, follows separately on psc.ap.gov.in. Treat the detailed notification as the final word on dates and numbers.
How the exam works
Group-I has three stages: an objective screening test (Prelims), a written Mains, and an interview. Only candidates who clear Prelims write Mains, and Mains is where ranks are decided.
Mains has five papers that count, plus language papers:
- Paper I: Essay
- Paper II: History and Geography, of India and Andhra Pradesh
- Paper III: Polity, Law and Ethics
- Paper IV: Economy, of India and Andhra Pradesh
- Paper V: Science, Technology and Environment
What 17 years of Mains papers show
We mapped every APPSC Group-I Mains question from the eight sittings between 2008 and 2025 (850 questions across Papers II to V) to the syllabus. Three findings matter for planning:
1. Almost half the syllabus is asked every single time. Of 51 syllabus topics, 23 have appeared in all eight sittings. Those topics are your first pass.
topics were asked in every single sitting
The 23 topics asked in every sitting, by paper. Each link opens that chapter's past questions:
Paper II
- Ancient India - Pre-history, IVC, Vedic, Mauryas, Kushans, Satavahanas, Sangam, Guptas (16 questions)
- Early Medieval & Medieval India - Pallavas to Cholas, Delhi Sultanate, Bhakti & Sufi, Kakatiya-Vijayanagara-Bahmani-Qutubshahi (13 questions)
- British Rule 1757-1856, the 1857 Revolt, Socio-Religious Reform & the Rise of Nationalism (20 questions)
- Indian Nationalism in Three Phases; Independence, Partition and After (22 questions)
- Andhra - Ancient (16 questions)
- Andhra - Medieval (16 questions)
- Andhra - Nationalist Movement and Formation of the State (22 questions)
Paper III
- Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Union-State functions (18 questions)
- Federal structure, Governor and distribution of powers (17 questions)
- Parliament and State Legislatures (13 questions)
- Judiciary in India (15 questions)
Paper IV
- Major Challenges of Indian Economy (26 questions)
- Resource mobilization in Andhra Pradesh (20 questions)
- Inclusive Growth: India and AP schemes (49 questions)
- Agriculture Development in Andhra Pradesh (31 questions)
- Industrial Policy of the AP Government (18 questions)
Paper V
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (24 questions)
- Indian Space Programme, ISRO, Satellites and DRDO (23 questions)
- Energy: needs, resources, policy; Nuclear programme and policy (24 questions)
- Development vs Environment: natural resources, climate change, EIA, natural disasters (48 questions)
- Pollution & solid waste; global issues; environmental legislation; disaster management policy; agricultural revolutions (43 questions)
- Biotechnology & Nanotechnology: scope, ethics, genetic engineering, biodiversity, fermentation, immuno-diagnosis (50 questions)
- Human diseases; genetic engineering basics; biotechnology in agriculture; vaccines (54 questions)
2. Andhra Pradesh is not a side topic. About 4 in 10 Paper II questions are on Andhra's own history (ancient, medieval, modern, the national movement and state formation, and bifurcation). Over a third of Paper IV questions are on the AP economy specifically: agriculture, resource mobilisation, industrial policy, infrastructure and the state budget.
3. Each paper has a clear favourite.
Diseases, genetic engineering, vaccines
Inclusive growth: India and AP schemes
Andhra national movement, state formation
Constitution, Fundamental Rights, DPSP
In Paper V, biotechnology and health alone account for over a third of all questions.
What to do this week
- Read the detailed notification the day it is out, and note the Prelims date.
- Start with the 23 topics asked every sitting (the list above), and read the past questions on each.
- For every national topic, add the Andhra Pradesh angle: state figures, schemes and examples.
- Write answers, not just notes. One past question a day, written by hand within the time limit, builds the speed Mains needs.
Browse every past question by paper, year and chapter on our APPSC Group-I page.
Source: Ghissu analysis of APPSC Group-I Mains papers, 2008-2025. Notification details from the APPSC portal, 15 September 2026.
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