TNPSC Group 1 Cut Off: Previous Year Marks and How to Set Your Target

The TNPSC Group 1 cut off is the mark secured by the last selected candidate in a category at a given stage. It changes every cycle, so the best use of it is as a benchmark for your own target. This page shows the latest cut-offs published by the Commission, explains how they differ from the minimum qualifying marks, and helps you set a realistic target score.

As on 22 October 2026, the Preliminary exam for the 2026 cycle has been held on 27 September 2026, but the result and its cut-off have not been announced. No expected or estimated figure is given here as official. The figures below are from the 2024 cycle (Notification No. 04/2024, Preliminary exam held on 13 July 2024), as listed in the Commission's published cut-off disclosure.

Cut-off versus qualifying marks

These two numbers are often confused. The qualifying mark is a fixed minimum set in the notification, reported as 120 out of 300 for general candidates and 90 out of 300 for the reserved categories named there. The cut-off is the rank-based mark that decides who is called to the Main exam. Roughly 20 times the number of vacancies are called, so the cut-off is usually far above the minimum.

Previous cut-off: Preliminary exam, 2024 cycle

The table gives the cut-off for admission to the Main Written examination for the general-turn (G) groups. The Commission also publishes separate cut-offs for women (W), candidates with Tamil-medium study (PSTM) and persons with benchmark disabilities. Check the official disclosure for those sub-categories. The Preliminary paper in this cycle carried 300 marks.

Reading the table

• The gap between categories is narrow near the top: GT, BC and MBC/DC cut-offs are within about eight marks of each other.

• Cut-offs sit well above the minimum: General candidates needed 219 marks against a qualifying minimum of 120, which means about 146 correct answers out of 200.

• Women and PSTM lists differ: Some of those groups had higher or lower cut-offs than the G lists, so compare yourself with your own group.

Later stages in the 2024 cycle

For the Main stage, the Commission also published the written examination marks of the last candidate admitted to the interview in each category. For example, the figure was 517.00 for GT (G) and 505.25 for BC (G). The disclosure does not show the maximum marks on the page we checked, so use it only to understand how high the bar can go in descriptive papers. Refer to the official disclosure on https://www.tnpsc.gov.in for the complete tables.

What affects the cut-off

• Paper difficulty: A tougher General Studies or aptitude section lowers the marks that top candidates can score.

• Number of vacancies: More posts mean more candidates called to the Main exam, which can lower the last-selected mark. The 2026 vacancy count rose from 26 to a reported 46 after an addendum.

• Number of applicants and attendance: A larger pool of serious candidates pushes marks up.

• Reservation and category lists: Each category and sub-category has its own list, so the number depends on your community, gender and special category.

How to set your target

1. Pick your category and find the last published cut-off for it.

2. Add a safety margin of 10 to 15 marks, since difficulty varies and the first-attempt paper can feel harder than your mocks.

3. Break the target into parts: for example, 30 or more marks from aptitude and Tamil Nadu units, and the rest from the other units.

4. Use full mocks to check that you cross your target consistently, not only once.

Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat last cycle's figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.