TSPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026: Prelims and Mains Guide

The TSPSC Group 1 syllabus is set by the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC, earlier TSPSC) in Annexure-II of its Group-I Services notification. It covers a Preliminary Test in General Studies and Mental Ability and a Main Examination with one qualifying English paper and six descriptive papers. The latest syllabus is the one published with Notification No. 02/2024, and no newer Group 1 notification had been released as of 20 October 2026.

Unlike many exams, the Commission publishes a detailed topic list for every Mains paper, so you do not need to guess. This page turns that official list into a working checklist: what each paper covers, where to start, which topics overlap between Prelims and Mains, and how to plan your coverage week by week.

Table of Contents

• Syllabus at a glance

• Key points to know

• Prelims syllabus

• Mains syllabus, paper by paper

• Overlap between Prelims and Mains

• Is there an interview?

• How to cover the syllabus

TSPSC Group 1 Syllabus at a Glance

Key Points to Know

• Telangana runs through the syllabus: State history, geography, economy, policies and society appear in Prelims and in Mains Papers II, III and IV, and Paper VI is entirely on the Telangana movement.

• Degree-level standard: The scheme is set at honours degree standard, except General English, which is at Class X standard.

• Paper V includes maths: Data interpretation, quantitative aptitude and a decision-making case study are part of a descriptive paper, not only Prelims.

• No optional subject: All candidates write the same papers, so there is no optional to choose.

Older pages may still show an interview or a different paper list from earlier cycles. Follow the syllabus printed in the latest official notification.

TSPSC Group 1 Prelims Syllabus

The Preliminary Test is a single General Studies and Mental Ability paper. The official list has 13 areas. The table groups them and suggests where to start.

Telangana-specific areas and current affairs take up a large part of the official list, and they need state-specific sources that national study material does not cover. History, polity, economy and geography also form the base for Mains Papers II to IV, so time spent on them counts twice.

TSPSC Group 1 Mains Syllabus

General English (qualifying)

Paper I: General Essay

You write three essays, one from each section. Each section has three questions, and each essay carries 50 marks.

• Section I: Contemporary social issues and social problems; issues of economic growth and justice.

• Section II: Dynamics of Indian politics; historical and cultural heritage of India.

• Section III: Developments in science and technology; education and human resource development.

Paper II: History, Culture and Geography

• History and culture of India: Indus and Vedic civilisations to the Guptas; Bhakti and Sufi movements; Kakatiya, Vijayanagara, Delhi Sultanate and Mughal contributions; British conquest and its economic impact; 1857; socio-religious and anti-caste movements; the three phases of the freedom struggle, 1885 to 1947.

• History and cultural heritage of Telangana: Satavahanas, Ikshvakus and Vishnukundins; Kakatiyas, Velamas and Qutub Shahis; the Asaf Jahi dynasty and Salar Jung reforms; socio-cultural awakening; peasant and Adivasi struggles; the end of Nizam rule and integration of Hyderabad State.

• Geography of India and Telangana: Physiography, monsoon, soils, minerals, energy, water, agriculture, industries, transport, population and urbanisation; Telangana's relief, rivers, irrigation including Mission Kakatiya, industries, tribal population and the growth of Hyderabad.

Paper III: Indian Society, Constitution and Governance

• Indian society: Social structure, vulnerable groups, social issues, social issues in Telangana (such as vetti, the jogini system, fluorosis and migrant labour), social movements and social policies.

• Constitution of India: Evolution and basic structure, Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles, Union and state governments, judiciary, federalism, local self-government and inter-state water disputes.

• Governance: Good governance and e-governance, constitutional bodies, district administration, development programmes, civil society and ethics in administration, including RTI and anti-corruption bodies.

Paper IV: Economy and Development

• Indian economy: National income, poverty and unemployment, money and banking, public finance and budget, planning, NITI Aayog and liberalisation.

• Telangana economy: The economy in Hyderabad State and united Andhra Pradesh, GSDP trends, human resources, land reforms, agriculture, industry and services, and state industrial and ICT policies.

• Development and environment: Environment versus development, natural resources, ecosystems and biodiversity, pollution and solid waste, and climate change.

Paper V: Science and Technology and Data Interpretation

Paper VI: Telangana Movement and State Formation

Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

Is There an Interview Syllabus?

No. Under the 2024 notification, candidates are selected and allotted posts on their Main Examination merit, followed by certificate verification and a medical examination. There is no interview, so there is no interview syllabus.

How to Cover the TSPSC Group 1 Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 8: Build concepts in history, polity, economy and geography of India and Telangana. Read state material alongside national topics, not after them.

2. From week 3: Add current affairs for 30 to 40 minutes a day and keep monthly notes, with a separate section for Telangana schemes.

3. From week 6: Start topic-wise tests and short sectional tests in reasoning and data interpretation. Taking them on Testkart after each block gives you a section-wise record of progress.

4. From week 10: Begin timed Mains answer writing, essays and Paper VI timelines, while continuing Prelims revision.

5. Final phase: Full-length Prelims mocks, same-day analysis and error-log revision.