New criteria for conducting preliminary exams for government job recruitment have been adopted by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), marking a significant development in its recruiting process. The most recent policy, which represents a substantial change from the previous strategy, states that preliminary exams will only be held if the quantity of applications received surpasses 200 times the number of vacant positions.

Once 25,000 applications were received, regardless of the number of positions, APPSC used to hold a multi-stage recruiting process that included both preliminary and mains exams. Unless a screening round is required due to the volume of applications, the Commission has now simplified the process to include only one examination round.

For example, a screening test will only be conducted for 100 positions if there are more than 20,000 applications, and for 200 positions if there are more than 40,000 applications. Only a one-stage main exam will be held if these requirements are not fulfilled, which will lessen the workload for candidates and speed up the hiring process.

According to a report by Telegraph, the APPSC explained that an objective-type OMR-based offline mode will be used for both the screening and major exams, when they are conducted. The newly announced recruitment for the Andhra Pradesh Forest Subordinate Service's Forest Section Officer and Beat Officer positions already uses this new format.

The decision seeks to provide a more effective method of public sector recruitment in Andhra Pradesh by streamlining selection, reducing exam anxiety, and speeding recruitment.