TN TET Cut Off 2026: Category-Wise Qualifying Marks
The TN TET cut-off is a fixed qualifying mark, not a competitive cut-off that moves with the number of candidates. The Tamil Nadu government sets it by government order, and the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) applies it to your total out of 150 in each paper. If you reach it, you are shown as Qualified and receive a lifetime eligibility certificate.
The qualifying marks were lowered for reserved categories in January 2026, so many older pages are out of date. This page gives the current marks, how they have changed, indicative pass rates from recent sessions and how to set a safe target score.
Table of Contents
TN TET Qualifying Marks
Category | Qualifying percentage | Marks out of 150 (TNTET 2025) |
|---|---|---|
General (OC) | 60% | 90 |
BC, BC(M), MBC/DNC | 50% | 75 |
Persons with disabilities | 50% (reported as 40% from 2026) | 75 (60 from 2026, as reported) |
SC, SC(A), ST | 40% | 60 |
The 2025 figures are from the TRB result notice of 30 January 2026, issued under G.O. (Ms) No. 23 dated 28 January 2026: https://www.trb.tn.gov.in/more_notification_details.php?id=MN-1000. The same marks apply to Paper I and Paper II, and there are no sectional minimums.
How the Qualifying Marks Have Changed
Period | General | BC, BC(M), MBC/DNC | SC, SC(A), ST | PwD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Before January 2026 (as reported) | 60% | 55% | 55% | 55% |
From G.O. dated 28 January 2026 | 60% | 50% | 40% | 50% |
From February 2026 (reported) | 60% | 50% | 40% | 40% |
Older pages may still show 55% for reserved categories, so follow the current notification. The February 2026 PwD change is based on news reports; confirm it in the notification for your session.
Recent Pass Rates (Indicative)
TRB publishes Qualified or Not Qualified status for each candidate rather than a cut-off trend. Media reports give a rough idea of difficulty.
Session | Paper | Candidates (reported) | Pass rate (reported) |
|---|---|---|---|
Special TNTET, July 2026 | Paper I | 61,386 | About 80.8% |
Special TNTET, July 2026 | Paper II | 1,67,743 | About 38.3% |
These are not official TRB figures. They come from media reports of the October 2026 result and are shown only to indicate that Paper II has been the harder paper to clear.
TET Qualifying Marks Versus Recruitment Cut-Offs
Clearing TN TET only makes you eligible. When TRB recruits Secondary Grade Teachers or BT Assistants, it runs a separate recruitment process with its own exam and merit cut-offs, which depend on vacancies, applicants and category. Do not treat the TET qualifying mark as the score that gets you a job.
How to Set Your Target Score
Aim above the line: Cut-offs and difficulty change between sessions. Treat the qualifying mark as a floor and aim for a clear margin of 10 to 15 marks above it.
Plan by section: For a General target of 100 in Paper II, around 22 each in pedagogy and Language I, 20 in English and 36 in the subject section is one realistic split.
Use full mocks as benchmarks: Only count scores from timed, full-length papers when you judge whether you are ready.
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