TSPSC Group 2 Exam Pattern 2026: Papers and Marks Guide

The TSPSC Group 2 exam pattern decides how the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC, earlier TSPSC) ranks candidates for Group-II Services posts. Under Notification No. 28/2022, the exam has a single written stage of four objective papers, each with 150 questions for 150 marks in 150 minutes. There is no interview, so your written score alone decides your rank.

This page explains the paper-wise pattern, marking rules, qualifying marks and how the final merit list is built, based on the 2022 notification. As of 20 October 2026 no new Group-II notification has been released, so confirm the pattern again when the next one is published. You will also find what the pattern means for your time and effort, and an exam-day plan.

Table of Contents

TSPSC Group 2 exam pattern at a glance

Paper-wise pattern

The papers are set in English, Telugu and Urdu. In the 2022 cycle the four papers were held over two days, 15 and 16 December 2024. The notification allows the commission to hold the exam either as a computer-based test or as an OMR-based test, and the choice is announced before the exam.

Marking scheme and negative marking

• Marks per question: Each paper has 150 questions for 150 marks, so every question carries one mark.

• Negative marking: The 2022 notification does not mention any deduction for wrong answers. Confirm this in the next notification before you change your attempt strategy.

• Deleted questions: If a question is deleted after the key review, its marks are awarded proportionately based on your performance in the remaining questions, calculated to three decimal places.

• Answer key objections: The commission publishes a preliminary key, and objections can be filed online within the given window on payment of Rs. 500 per objection. Objections on the final key are not accepted.

• All papers compulsory: Absence from any paper disqualifies the candidate.

What the pattern means for you

• One minute per question: Every paper gives exactly 150 minutes for 150 questions. Practise at that pace so you finish with time to review.

• Attempt strategy: With no negative marking mentioned in the 2022 notification, a reasoned guess costs nothing. Eliminate options first, then mark your best answer rather than leaving it blank.

• Telangana weight: Paper IV is fully Telangana-based, and one section each of Papers II and III covers Telangana. That makes state topics roughly 250 of the 600 marks, more if you count the Telangana parts of Paper I.

• Balanced effort: There are no sectional cut-offs in the notification, but the total of all four papers decides your rank. A weak paper pulls down the total, so do not drop any section.

The Telangana share above is an estimate based on how the syllabus is divided, not an official breakdown.

Stages after the written exam

Certificate verification

Candidates who clear the qualifying marks are called in order of merit, community-wise and category-wise, against the available vacancies. You must produce original certificates on the day and submit your preferences for zones and multi-zones as web options. Posts are allotted only within the options you give.

Medical and physical standards

All selected candidates must be medically fit. For Prohibition and Excise Sub Inspector, men need a height of at least 167.6 cm and a chest of at least 86.3 cm with 5 cm expansion, and women need a height of at least 152.5 cm, with lower standards for Scheduled Tribe candidates from specified agency areas.

No interview

Some older pages still describe an interview round. Under Notification 28/2022 there is none, and selection is based on written exam marks.

How the final merit is calculated

Your merit score is the total of the four papers out of 600. To be considered, you must reach the minimum qualifying marks for your category:

Worked example: A BC candidate scores 98 in Paper I, 104 in Paper II, 96 in Paper III and 112 in Paper IV. The total is 410 out of 600, well above the 210 minimum, so the candidate enters the ranking list. Selection then depends on where 410 stands against other candidates for the same post, zone, community and gender.

When totals are equal, the notification breaks ties in this order: local candidates of Telangana first, then the older candidate, then marks in the subject papers other than General Studies, then higher qualification and its percentage.

Time management and exam-day strategy

• First pass in 90 minutes: Answer everything you know quickly and mark the rest for review.

• Second pass in 45 minutes: Return to marked questions and use elimination on statement-based items.

• Last 15 minutes: Check that every answer is marked correctly, especially on an OMR sheet where a wrong bubble cannot be fixed.

• Two-day stamina: Practise two full papers in a day, back to back, at least a few times before the exam.