# APPSC Group III Services (APPSC Group III) — Shishya exam context

> Machine-readable context for APPSC Group III Services, maintained by Shishya (https://shishya.in) — India's end-to-end free government exam preparation platform. All facts below are free to cite; link back to https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3. Human page: https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3

## Exam pattern
- Category: STATE_LEVEL · state: AP
- Questions: 150 · Total marks: 150 · Marks per question: 1
- Duration: 150 minutes
- Negative marking: −0.33 per wrong answer
- Languages offered: EN, TE

## Eligibility & vacancies
- Age: 18–42 years (before category relaxation: OBC +3, SC/ST +5)
- Education: Bachelor's degree from a recognized university
- Approximate annual vacancies: 1,051
- Note: Includes posts like Panchayat Secretary, VRO, Extension Officer; requires knowledge of Telugu and Hindi for some posts
- Official portal: https://psc.ap.gov.in (Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC))

## Key dates
- 2026-07-30 — One-Time Profile Registration (OTPR) opens on official portal
- 2026-07-31 — Application portal opens (expected)
- 2026-08-06 — APPSC Group 3 Notification 2026 expected release
- 2026-08-07 — Application window opens (estimated)
- 2026-08-11 — Application portal opens (estimated)
- 2026-08-13 — Official notification expected
- 2026-08-22 — Application deadline (estimated)
- 2026-08-28 — Application portal opening (estimated)

## Syllabus outline
### General Studies and Mental Ability (weight 1)
Analytical Ability and Data Interpretation · Current Affairs · Disaster Management · Environment and Ecology · Indian National Movement · Geography of India · World Geography · History of India · Indian Economy · Indian Polity and Constitution · International Organisations · Logical Reasoning · Mental Ability · Science and Technology · Sustainable Development

### Andhra Pradesh Specific Studies (weight 1.4)
Administration of AP · Bifurcation of AP (2014) · Culture and Heritage of AP · Current Affairs of AP · Economy of AP · Geography of Andhra Pradesh · AP Government Schemes · History of Andhra Pradesh · Notable Personalities of AP · Social Movements of AP

### Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (weight 1.2)
73rd Constitutional Amendment · Cooperatives and SHGs · e-Governance in Rural Areas · Evolution of Panchayat Raj in India · Finance of Panchayats · Flagship Rural Schemes (AP) · Flagship Rural Schemes (Central) · Land Revenue Administration · Roles of Panchayat Secretary · Panchayat Raj in Andhra Pradesh · Rural Development Problems in AP · Rural Sociology

### Language Ability (Telugu and English) (weight 1)
English Comprehension · Error Correction · English Grammar · English Vocabulary · Telugu Comprehension · Telugu Grammar · Telugu Literature

## Expected cutoffs (category-wise)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (Indicative) |
|----------|------------------------------|
| General | 105-115 marks (70-77%) |
| EWS | 100-110 marks (67-73%) |
| OBC | 95-105 marks (63-70%) |
| SC | 85-95 marks (57-63%) |
| ST | 80-90 marks (53-60%) |
| PwD | 75-85 marks (50-57%) |

**Guidance:**

- **Category differential**: General cutoffs typically exceed OBC by 10-15 marks (7-10%), while SC/ST categories see 20-30 mark relaxation from General; EWS cutoffs track 5-7 marks below General.

- **Year-on-year variation**: Cutoffs fluctuate by ±5-8 marks based on paper difficulty, vacancy count, and candidate pool strength; competitive years push General near 115 marks, while moderate difficulty/higher vacancies can bring it to 105 marks.

- **Post-specific reality**: These represent minimum qualification cutoffs; actual selection for preferred Group B posts requires 85-92% range (127-138 marks) for General category, with proportional scaling across other categories.

Full cutoff page: https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3/cutoff

## Free resources on Shishya for this exam
- Exam hub (mocks, PYQs, news, dates): https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3
- Full syllabus + free study notes: https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3/syllabus
- Category-wise expected cutoffs: https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3/cutoff
- Memory tricks & mnemonics: https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3/tricks
- How to crack it (strategy guide): https://shishya.in/exams/AP_APPSC_GROUP3/guide
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