In a significant development of its recruitment process, the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has introduced new guidelines for conducting preliminary exams for government job recruitment. According to the latest policy, the prelims will only be conducted if the number of applications exceeds 200 times the number of available vacancies, marking a significant shift from the earlier approach.
Earlier, APPSC held multi-stage recruitment, including both preliminary and mains exams, once applications crossed 25,000, irrespective of the number of posts. Now, the Commission has streamlined the process to include only one stage of examination—unless the volume of applicants necessitates a screening round.
For instance, a screening test for 100 vacancies will be held only if the number of applications exceeds 20,000, and for 200 posts, if applicants cross 40,000. If these thresholds are not met, only a single-stage main examination will be conducted, thereby reducing candidate burden and expediting the recruitment process.
The APPSC clarified that both the screening and main exams, when held, will follow an objective-type OMR-based offline mode. This new structure is already being implemented in the recently announced recruitment for Forest Section Officer and Beat Officer posts under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Subordinate Service.
The decision aims to simplify selection, cut down exam stress, and speed up hiring timelines, offering a more efficient approach to public service recruitment in Andhra Pradesh.