Government job aspirants were seen waiting outside the Group-I mains examination centre at Government Degree College for Women in Begumpet, Hyderabad on Monday (October 21, 2024).
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

The Group-1 mains examination conducted by Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) commenced on Monday (October 21, 2024) with General English (qualifying test).

The exam is being held at 46 centres in Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts. The three-hour duration conventional and descriptive model exam began at 2 p.m. A total of 31,382 candidates were provisionally admitted to the mains examination.

The last time Group-1 exam was successfully held in 2011

The Group-1 mains are being held for the first time in the separate State of Telangana. An earlier notification issued in 2018 failed as the candidates were left in limbo after a question paper leakage scam nullified the preliminary examination. The Telangana High Court directed the Commission to cancel the exam and conduct it afresh. The last successful Group–1 examination in the erstwhile united State of Andhra Pradesh was held in 2011 to fill 312 posts.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, on Monday, took to X (formerly Twitter) to wish the candidates. “Write your exams with full concentration. I wholeheartedly wish that you succeed in these exams and soon become partners in the reconstruction of Telangana,” he posted.

District Collectors and police officials inspected the centres and ensured that all arrangements are in place. The police have invoked Section 144 near the exam centres to prevent assembly of people.

Exam centre gates close at 1.30 p.m.

According to collector Anudeep Durishetty, Hyderabad district has eight centres and will seat 5,613 candidates. Inspecting the centres, he said all arrangements were in place, including a medical team for each centre, uninterrupted power supply. He informed that 56 personnel were appointed as identification officers and each officer is tasked with identifying 100 candidates at the entrance.

While the exams begins at 2 p.m., Mr. Durishetty said the gates of the exam centres will be closed at 1.30 p.m. to ensure admission and candidate authentication procedures including biometrics are completed smoothly. He advised candidates to reach the venues in time to avoid last-minute hassles.