State Civil Services · Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC)
TGPSC Group-I — Telangana State Service Examination — Group-I (formerly TSPSC)
The complete TGPSC Group-I blueprint: tier-wise pattern, topic weightage from previous-year analyses, and free chapter-by-chapter study material.
3 stages — Prelims (qualifying), Mains (six merit papers), Interview900 Mains merit marks across six papers — General English is qualifying and not counted1 dedicated paper (Paper VI) on the Telangana Movement and State Formation — examined nowhere else Free · tutor-verified
TGPSC Group-I at a glance
Conducted byTelangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC)
CycleTGPSC (formerly TSPSC) recruits to Group-I Services on an as-notified basis. Confirm the live notification and calendar on the Commission's site.
ModePrelims: objective, single paper, 2.5 hours. Mains: pen-and-paper descriptive papers of 3 hours each, written in English, Telugu or Urdu.
EligibilityA bachelor's degree from a recognised university. As generally reported, the age limit is 18 to 46 years for general-category candidates, with relaxations for reserved categories — confirm on the current notification.
LanguagesEnglish, Telugu or Urdu for the Mains descriptive papers; the Prelims paper's own language options should be confirmed on the notification.
Selection intoGroup-I Services fill Telangana's own Group A-equivalent gazetted posts, including Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, District Registrar and other senior state administrative posts. Pay levels differ by post; confirm from the notification.
Where TGPSC Group-I leads
Deputy CollectorDeputy Superintendent of PoliceDistrict RegistrarAssistant Commissioner and other Group-I state administrative postsVacancy numbers vary by notification — confirm on the current cycle
⚡ What changed recently
- TSPSC's abbreviation was changed to TGPSC following the Telangana government's own shift from the TS to the TG state abbreviation; both names refer to the same Commission.
- Paper VI, Telangana Movement and State Formation, remains the single distinguishing feature of this exam's syllabus relative to any national-level or neighbouring-state exam.
- Sources disagree on the current interview component — confirm directly from the live notification rather than assuming a fixed figure.
- Office-holders change, so this hub teaches Telangana's institutions, laws and dated programmes and names no sitting Governor or Chief Minister. Confirm current names independently before the exam.
How TGPSC Group-I selection works
Know what each stage is for before you spend a single hour preparing.
SCREENING GATE, QUALIFYING ONLY
Prelims — single objective paper, 150 marks
150 questions covering general studies (history, geography, polity, economy, environment, science and current events), with marks not counted toward final merit — used only to shortlist candidates for Mains.
THE SCORING STAGE, 900 MARKS
Mains — six merit papers plus qualifying English
General Essay, History/Culture/Geography, Indian Society/Constitution/Governance, Economy and Development, Science/Technology/Data Interpretation, and the dedicated Telangana Movement and State Formation paper — each 150 marks, three hours. General English (150, qualifying at Class X standard) does not count toward merit.
VERIFY ON THE LIVE NOTIFICATION
Interview (confirm current status)
Sources disagree on whether an interview currently forms part of Group-I selection, and on its marks if so. Confirm directly from the official TGPSC notification before relying on any specific figure.
The exam pattern, tier by tier
Marks, timing and negative marking exactly as per the official notification.
Prelims — General Studies
Screening — qualifying only, marks not counted toward final merit150 marks · 150 Q
2.5 hours · No negative marking is reported for the current cycle — confirm on the live notification, since this is occasionally revised.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| History & Culture | — | — | Single paper (150 Qs · 150 marks · 2.5 h) |
| Geography | — | — | Single paper (150 Qs · 150 marks · 2.5 h) |
| Polity & Governance | — | — | Single paper (150 Qs · 150 marks · 2.5 h) |
| Economy | — | — | Single paper (150 Qs · 150 marks · 2.5 h) |
| Environment & Ecology | — | — | Single paper (150 Qs · 150 marks · 2.5 h) |
| Science & Technology | — | — | Single paper (150 Qs · 150 marks · 2.5 h) |
💡 A single general studies paper covering current events, history and culture of India and Telangana, geography, polity, economy, environment and general science, at a breadth comparable to the Mains General Studies papers it screens candidates for.
Mains — Papers I to V
Merit — 750 of the 900 Mains marks750 marks
3 hours per paper
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Essay | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| History, Culture & Geography of India | Descriptive | — | Paper II (150 marks · 3 h) |
| History and Culture of Telangana | Descriptive | — | Paper II (150 marks · 3 h) |
| Geography of Telangana | Descriptive | — | Paper II (150 marks · 3 h) |
| Indian Society & Constitution | Descriptive | — | Paper III (150 marks · 3 h) |
| Society and Governance of Telangana | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| Indian Economy & Development | Descriptive | — | Paper IV (150 marks · 3 h) |
| Economy of Telangana | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
| Science, Technology & Data Interpretation | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
💡 General Essay (contemporary issues, politics/heritage, science/education); History, Culture & Geography (India to 1947, history and culture of Telangana, geography of India and Telangana); Indian Society, Constitution & Governance (society and Telangana movements, Constitution, governance); Economy & Development (Indian economy, Telangana economy, development/environment); Science, Technology & Data Interpretation (role of S&T, modern applications, data interpretation).
Mains — Paper VI: Telangana Movement and State Formation
Merit — 150 of the 900 Mains marks, examined nowhere else150 marks
3 hours
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Telangana Movement | Descriptive | 150 | 3 hours |
💡 The single most distinguishing paper in this syllabus: the idea of Telangana (1948-70), the mobilisation phase (1971-90), and the formation of Telangana State (1991-2014).
Mains — General English
Qualifying — Class X standard, not counted toward merit150 marks
3 hours
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|
💡 A qualifying paper at Class X standard, confirming basic English proficiency without contributing to final merit.
Where your TGPSC Group-I score comes from
Prelims is a single objective paper of 150 questions and 150 marks, qualifying only, with no negative marking reported for the current cycle — confirm this on the live notification, since negative marking is occasionally reintroduced. The Mains is descriptive: six merit papers of 150 marks each (900 total) plus a qualifying General English paper at Class X standard, not counted toward merit. Sources disagree on whether an interview currently forms part of selection, or how many marks it carries if it does — this hub states Mains marks as the confirmed core of merit and flags the interview question as one to verify from the official notification rather than asserting a disputed figure. Click any block to open its chapters:
General Essay150 marks · 16.7%
One-sixth of Mains merit. Prepare topics across social, political and science/education themes, each supported with a planned, multidimensional essay.
History, Culture & Geography (India + Telangana)150 marks · 16.7%
Blends all-India content with Telangana-specific dynastic history, culture and geography — this hub pairs aliased national chapters with dedicated Telangana chapters.
Society, Constitution & Governance150 marks · 16.7%
Combines Indian society and the Constitution with Telangana-specific social movements and e-governance initiatives like Mee Seva and T-Fiber.
Economy & Development150 marks · 16.7%
Pairs the national economy with Telangana-specific programmes: Kaleshwaram, Mission Kakatiya, TS-iPASS and Rythu Bandhu.
Science, Technology & Data Interpretation150 marks · 16.7%
The only paper with an objective data-interpretation component alongside descriptive science and technology content.
Telangana Movement and State Formation150 marks · 16.7%
Examined nowhere else — a dedicated paper covering the 1948-2014 statehood movement in full chronological depth.
Subjects in TGPSC Group-I
Chapter-by-chapter study material built to the exam's own blueprint.
Topic-wise weightage — what to study first
Question counts per topic, distilled from previous-year paper analyses. Click any topic with a link to open its full chapter.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|
🎯 This subject aliases UPSC CSE content directly, since the underlying syllabus matches closely enough to share chapters rather than duplicate them.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| History of Telangana: Ancient to Modern | ~17 | Very high |
| Culture and Heritage of Telangana | ~17 | Very high |
🎯 Learn the five-dynasty chronology as one continuous card, and the three named cultural markers (Bathukamma, Bonalu, Perini) as predictable, specific content.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Geography of Telangana | ~34 | Very high |
🎯 Keep the Godavari and Krishna tributary lists separated by system, and learn Kaleshwaram's site and dates as a single fact card.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Economy of Telangana | ~34 | Very high |
🎯 Frame every signature programme (Kaleshwaram, Mission Kakatiya, TS-iPASS, Rythu Bandhu) as a targeted response to a specific pre-2014 disparity.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Society and Governance of Telangana | ~64 | Very high |
🎯 Distinguish Dalit, tribal and women's movements by their specific grievances, and always analyse Mee Seva and T-Fiber together.
| Topic | Marks | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| The Idea of Telangana, 1948 to 1970 | ~50 | Very high |
| Mobilisation Phase, 1971 to 1990 | ~50 | Very high |
| Towards Formation of Telangana State, 1991 to 2014 | ~50 | Very high |
🎯 Build one master timeline across all three chapters, and prepare the three-point comparison of why 2001-2014 succeeded where 1969 failed.
TGPSC Group-I resources
Everything you need to prepare.
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FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Yes — the Telangana State Public Service Commission changed its own abbreviation from TSPSC to TGPSC following the state government's shift from the TS to the TG abbreviation. Both names refer to the same Commission.
Yes — it is a TGPSC-exclusive paper with no equivalent in UPSC CSE or any neighbouring state's own civil service exam, covering the 1948-2014 statehood movement in dedicated depth.
No negative marking is reported for the current cycle, unlike several other state PCS exams — confirm this on the live notification, since it is occasionally revised.
Sources disagree on this point for the current cycle — confirm directly from the official notification rather than relying on a fixed, asserted figure.
Office-holders change, and this content is written to stay accurate across those changes. Confirm current names from a live source close to your exam date.
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