TNPSC Group 2 Syllabus 2026: Prelims and Mains Topics

The TNPSC Group 2 syllabus covers a common preliminary examination for Group II and Group IIA posts, followed by separate main examinations. The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission sets the syllabus in Annexure III of Notification No. 07/2026, which governs the 2026 cycle with the prelims on 1 November 2026.

This page lists what to study for each paper: General Studies, Aptitude and Mental Ability and the language paper in the prelims, the Tamil Eligibility Test, and the two different Paper II formats in the mains. TNPSC states that its unit-wise question distribution is only indicative, so the counts below are a planning guide, not a fixed rule. The topic lists combine the official units with the kind of questions asked in previous years.

Table of Contents

TNPSC Group 2 Syllabus 2026 at a Glance

For marking rules, qualifying marks and shortlisting ratios, see the TNPSC Group 2 exam pattern page.

Key Changes to Know

• No interview syllabus: The 2026 scheme has no interview, so there is no personality test to prepare for. Final rank comes from mains Paper II alone.

• Two Paper II formats: Group II writes a descriptive General Studies paper, while Group IIA takes a computer-based objective paper that includes 50 reasoning questions.

• Tamil Nadu weightage is high: In both the prelims and the mains, a large share of questions links history, economy, polity and society to Tamil Nadu.

• Language paper choice: You choose General Tamil or General English for the 100 language questions in the prelims. The Tamil Eligibility Test in the mains is compulsory, except for differently abled candidates who claim exemption.

Older pages may still show an interview or a single common mains for Group II and IIA, so follow the current notification.

Prelims General Studies Syllabus

General Studies is set at degree standard and carries 75 questions. The indicative distribution below shows where the marks come from.

The two Tamil Nadu units together carry about 40 of the 75 questions, so give them priority. Polity is the next biggest block and is also scoring because its questions stay close to the text of the Constitution.

The distribution does not list a standalone current affairs unit. Read the news with the syllabus in mind and file each development under the unit it belongs to, such as a new state scheme under development administration or a constitutional amendment under polity.

Aptitude and Mental Ability Syllabus

This section is set at SSLC standard and carries 25 questions. It splits into arithmetic aptitude and reasoning.

These questions are short and predictable. With daily practice of 20 to 30 minutes, most candidates can treat this section as a reliable source of marks.

General Tamil and General English Syllabus

The language paper is the single biggest part of the prelims, with 100 of the 200 questions. It is set at SSLC standard, and you choose either General Tamil or General English while applying. Both follow a similar structure:

Choose the language you can answer fastest and most accurately. Samacheer Kalvi language textbooks from Class 6 to 10 match the SSLC standard of this paper closely.

Mains Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test

Paper I is common to Group II and Group IIA. It is a descriptive paper in Tamil at SSLC standard, carries 100 marks and needs 40 to qualify. Marks do not count in the final rank, but TNPSC evaluates Paper II only if you clear Paper I.

TNPSC does not publish a detailed topic list for this paper in the main notification. Based on previous papers, expect writing tasks such as:

• Translation: Short passages from English to Tamil and Tamil to English.

• Comprehension and précis: Reading a passage, answering questions and summarising it in your own words.

• Formal writing: Official letters, applications and short reports.

• Essay and expansion: Short essays on social themes and developing a given idea or proverb.

Write one full practice paper every week from your second month, and get it checked for spelling and sentence structure.

Group II Mains Paper II Syllabus

Group II Paper II is a 300-mark descriptive paper at degree standard, written in Tamil or English and held at Chennai. Its units lean heavily on Tamil Nadu. The notification's Annexure III gives the question paper pattern and word limits, so check it before you start timed answer writing.

Units to Cover

• Modern history of India with reference to Tamil Nadu: British rule and its impact, the national movement, Tamil Nadu's leaders and movements, and social reform.

• Tamil society, culture and heritage: Tamil literature, art, architecture, temples, folk traditions and the Thirukkural.

• Social issues in India with reference to Tamil Nadu: Poverty, education, health, gender, child labour, social justice and welfare measures.

• Science and technology in development: Role of science in agriculture, health, energy, space, information technology and e-governance.

• Constitution, polity and governance: Centre-state relations, local government, rights, accountability and Tamil Nadu's administrative structure.

• Geography of India, environment, biodiversity and disaster management: Physical and economic geography, conservation, climate change and disaster preparedness in Tamil Nadu.

• Indian economy with reference to Tamil Nadu: Growth, sectors, public finance, rural development, industrial policy and state welfare schemes.

Good answers in this paper combine a clear structure with Tamil Nadu examples, data from official reports and a short conclusion. Practising answers against the clock matters as much as reading.

Group IIA Mains Paper II Syllabus

Group IIA Paper II is a computer-based objective test of 200 questions for 300 marks. General Studies is at degree standard and General Intelligence and Reasoning at SSLC standard.

State administration alone is worth 45 questions, and reasoning another 50. Together they make up almost half of the paper, so build these two areas early.

Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

Because the overlap is large, you do not need to restart after the prelims. Most of the work is adding depth and Tamil Nadu examples to the same topics.

How to Cover the TNPSC Group 2 Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 8, build the base: Finish Samacheer Kalvi textbooks for history, polity, geography and economy, and start the language paper with daily grammar and vocabulary practice.

2. From week 3, add current affairs: Give 30 to 40 minutes a day to Tamil Nadu and national news, and make monthly notes by unit.

3. From week 6, practise by topic: Take topic-wise tests and 20-minute aptitude sets, and keep an error log of every wrong answer.

4. From week 10, start mains preparation: Group II aspirants begin answer writing; Group IIA aspirants practise reasoning and state administration on screen. Everyone writes weekly Tamil Eligibility Test practice.

5. Final phase, full-length mocks: Take timed prelims mocks, analyse them the same day and revise from your error log.

If you are writing the 1 November 2026 prelims, use the remaining days for revision, not new topics: the language paper and the two Tamil Nadu units first, then polity, with one full mock every two to three days.

The full eligibility rules, vacancies and dates are on the TNPSC Group 2 exam page. For the official syllabus, refer to Annexure III of Notification No. 07/2026 on the TNPSC website.