Alerts and Updates for TS SET (Telangana State Eligibility Test)

TG-SET 2026 paper structure at a glance

The two papers are not timed separately. Both are taken in a single three-hour session, so the 50-question Paper I and the 100-question Paper II compete for the same clock. Paper II carries two-thirds of the 300 marks. The subject list runs to 29 papers, from Chemical Sciences and Life Sciences through Telugu, Urdu, Law, Social Work and Linguistics, each with its own code.

Dates and windows

Dates are taken from the notification page maintained by Osmania University for TG-SET 2026. The subject-wise and session-wise split across the three examination days is issued through a separate schedule on the same portal; check the hall ticket for the exact date, session and centre allotted.

What this means for your preparation

The most common misreading of this exam is treating 40 per cent as the pass mark. It is only the entry floor. The brochure states that the number of candidates qualified for eligibility as Assistant Professor equals 6 per cent of those who appear in both papers, computed subject by subject and category by category. Clearing 40 per cent and still not qualifying is the normal outcome, not an anomaly.

The 6 per cent cap sets the real target

Because the qualified list is capped at 6 per cent of candidates who appear in both papers, the score that qualifies floats with the strength of the field in your subject that year. In a large subject such as Life Sciences, Commerce or Political Science, where thousands sit, the effective threshold rises well above the 40 per cent floor of 120 marks out of 300. There is no published minimum beyond the 40 per cent for General and 35 per cent for reserved categories, so planning around a bare pass is planning to fail. Work instead to a target well above the floor, and treat the 6 per cent slot allocation, which is applied per subject and per category with 33.3 per cent reservation for women and 5 per cent horizontal reservation for persons with disability, as the arithmetic that actually decides the list.

Paper II carries two-thirds of the marks

Paper I contributes 100 marks from 50 questions; Paper II contributes 200 marks from 100 questions. A candidate who splits revision time evenly between aptitude and subject is under-investing in the part that decides the outcome. Paper I rewards a short, finite drill: teaching and research aptitude, reasoning, comprehension and general awareness are a closed set that can be covered in a few weeks and then kept warm with practice papers. Paper II is unbounded, covers the entire syllabus of the chosen subject, and is where marginal effort keeps paying. The sensible ratio for the final fortnight is roughly one part Paper I revision to three parts subject work, with Paper I practice used mainly to protect speed.

Prepare from the NET syllabus, not a state-specific one

The official syllabus page states that the CSIR/UGC-NET syllabus has been adopted for all 29 TG-SET subjects, which has two practical consequences. First, standard UGC NET and CSIR NET preparation material, previous papers and unit-wise notes are directly usable, and there is no separate Telangana syllabus to hunt for. Second, science candidates in Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences and Earth Sciences should note that these are the CSIR-side subject papers, which are conceptually harder and more calculation-heavy than the humanities papers. Download the subject syllabus PDF from the portal's syllabus page and use it as the checklist against which you mark units covered, because the paper claims to span the entire syllabus rather than a favoured core.

One clock, 150 questions, no sectional timing

Both papers are attempted in a single three-hour session, so there is no protected time for either. At 150 questions in 180 minutes the average is 72 seconds per question, and Paper II questions in the science subjects will not be finished in that time if Paper I has been allowed to run long. The scheme page records no negative marking, which changes strategy materially: leave nothing blank. Attempt everything, but sequence deliberately, for example clearing Paper I in around 45 minutes, giving Paper II the bulk of the remaining time, and reserving the last few minutes to fill in every unanswered question. Practise full three-hour mocks in CBT format rather than paper-based sets, since the test is delivered on computer.

Eligibility, fees and centre logistics

The eligibility page requires a Master's degree with at least 55 per cent for General, unreserved and EWS candidates and 50 per cent for BC, SC, ST, PwD and transgender candidates, both without rounding off, and it states there is no age limit for TG-SET 2026. PhD holders whose Master's examination was completed by 19 September 1991 get a 5 per cent relaxation. Fees were Rs 2,000 for unreserved, Rs 1,500 for BC and EWS and Rs 1,000 for SC, ST, PwD and transgender candidates, paid online and non-refundable under any circumstances. Centres are limited to nine Telangana towns, so candidates travelling in should confirm the allotted centre on the hall ticket before booking, and out-of-state candidates should note that they are treated as unreserved.

Common questions

Is TS SET the same thing as TG SET?

Yes. The conducting body's 2026 documents style the examination TG-SET, while the portal address remains telanganaset.org and most candidates still search for TS SET. Both names refer to the Telangana eligibility test for Assistant Professor and Lecturer posts. Searching under either spelling should bring you to the same official site. The 2026 cycle is being conducted by Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a press note issued for the cycle records that Osmania University conducts TG-SET on behalf of the Telangana State.

Who conducts TS SET, Osmania University or the state higher education council?

The official portal names Osmania University, Hyderabad as the conducting institution, with the university's Vice-Chancellor as Chairman of the TG-SET committee, a Member Secretary and a Coordinator drawn from the university's faculty. A press note for the cycle states that Osmania University conducts the examination on behalf of the Telangana State. The 2026 information brochure on the official site does not name the state higher education council as a conducting or implementing body, so Osmania University is the correct address for queries.

When is the TS SET 2026 exam and when can I download the hall ticket?

The examination is scheduled from 28 to 30 September 2026 in computer-based test mode, and hall ticket download opened on 24 September 2026 on the official portal. The application window closed on 5 September without late fee, with late-fee slabs running to 12 September and a correction window from 13 to 15 September. Your exact day, session and centre are printed on the hall ticket, since the sitting is spread across three days and 29 subjects.

What is the TS SET exam pattern and is there negative marking?

There are two papers taken in one continuous three-hour session. Paper I has 50 compulsory questions for 100 marks covering teaching and research aptitude, reasoning, comprehension and general awareness. Paper II has 100 compulsory questions for 200 marks on the chosen subject, covering its entire syllabus. All questions carry two marks, giving a 300-mark total. The official examination scheme page does not state any negative marking, so there is no penalty recorded there for a wrong answer.

What marks do I need to qualify TS SET?

The stated minimum is 40 per cent aggregate for General category candidates and 35 per cent for SC, ST, BC, PwD and transgender candidates. That is a floor rather than the qualifying score. The brochure states that the number of candidates qualified for eligibility as Assistant Professor equals 6 per cent of the candidates who appear in both papers, allocated by subject and category, so the mark that actually qualifies in a given subject depends on how the field performs that year.

Which subjects does TS SET 2026 offer and does it follow the UGC NET syllabus?

Twenty-nine subjects are offered, including Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Earth Science, Geography, Commerce, Computer Science and Applications, Economics, Education, English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu, Sanskrit, History, Law, Management, Journalism and Mass Communication, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Social Work, Physical Education, Library and Information Science, Environmental Studies and Linguistics. The official syllabus page states that the CSIR/UGC-NET syllabus has been adopted for all 29 subjects, so NET material applies directly.