TNPSC Group 4 Exam Pattern 2026: Marks, Parts and Rules

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) fills Group 4 posts such as Village Administrative Officer (VAO), Junior Assistant, Bill Collector, Typist and Steno Typist through the Combined Civil Services Examination-IV (CCSE-IV). The TNPSC Group 4 exam pattern 2026 is a single objective paper of 200 questions for 300 marks, written on an OMR sheet in three hours. There is no prelims, mains or interview, so this one paper decides your rank.

The 2026 cycle was notified on 6 October 2026 (Notification No. 11/2026) for 6,574 tentative vacancies, and the written exam is scheduled for 10 January 2027. This page explains how the paper is divided, the qualifying rules that can stop your paper from being evaluated, the marking and OMR rules, what happens after the exam, and how to plan your three hours.

Table of Contents

TNPSC Group 4 Exam Pattern at a Glance

Scheme of Examination (Part A, B and C)

The notification describes the paper in three parts. Part A is a Tamil test that works as both a filter and a scoring section. Parts B and C together carry the other 150 marks.

The syllabus for all three parts is in Annexure III of the notification. TNPSC states that the unit-wise question distribution given there is indicative, and it may marginally increase or decrease the number of questions in a unit. For the topic list.

Qualifying Marks and How Your Paper Is Evaluated

Two separate thresholds apply, and both matter.

• Part A gate (60 out of 150): Parts B and C are evaluated only if you score at least 40 percent, that is 60 marks, in Part A. Score 58.5 in Tamil and your General Studies and Aptitude answers are not counted at all.

• Overall minimum (90 out of 300): The minimum qualifying mark is 90 for all communities. Only candidates at or above this mark are considered for shortlisting.

• Ranking uses all three parts: Once you clear the Part A gate, your marks in Parts A, B and C are added. That total decides your rank.

Clearing 90 is not the same as being selected. Shortlisting for certificate verification follows rank and the rule of reservation, so the real competition happens well above the minimum.

Exemption for differently abled candidates

Differently abled candidates (irrespective of the percentage of disability) who studied only English at Board or University level can claim exemption from the Tamil test. They write General English (SSLC standard) in Part A instead, with questions set in English and no translation section. The same 60-mark minimum applies. The claim must be made in the online application, with the disability certificate uploaded in the prescribed format at the time of applying.

Marking Scheme and OMR Rules

Every question carries 1.5 marks (300 marks over 200 questions). There is no deduction for a wrong answer, so a reasoned guess never costs you marks for that question.

The OMR sheet has its own rules, and TNPSC applies penalties for not following them. The key ones from recent TNPSC objective exams are below.

• Shade one bubble for every question: Each question has options A, B, C, D and E. Option E is for a question you are not answering. Shading more than one bubble for a question means that answer is not evaluated.

• Do not leave a question with no bubble: Recent TNPSC OMR instructions prescribe a mark deduction (0.5 mark in recent notices) when no option, including E, is shaded or when the A to E totals are filled wrongly. Read Annexure IV of the 2026 notification for the exact rule that applies to this exam.

• Fill the A to E count: After the exam you write the total number of As, Bs, Cs, Ds and Es you shaded. TNPSC gives 15 minutes of extra time after the exam only for this.

• Question booklet number: The sheet is evaluated using the booklet number you shade. A missing or wrong booklet number can invalidate the sheet or attract a deduction, so check it before you start answering.

Part-wise Pattern Explained

Part A: Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test

This section has 100 questions for 150 marks at SSLC standard, set only in Tamil. It tests Tamil grammar, vocabulary, comprehension and Tamil literature and scholars. Because it decides whether the rest of your paper is evaluated, it is the first section to secure. It also carries half the total marks, so a strong Tamil score lifts your rank directly.

Part B: General Studies

Part B has 75 questions. In recent Group 4 syllabi it has covered General Science, Current Events, Geography of India, History and Culture of India, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, the Indian National Movement, and the history, culture, heritage and development administration of Tamil Nadu. Questions are bilingual, so you can read each one in the language you are more comfortable with.

Part C: Aptitude and Mental Ability

Part C has 25 questions on topics such as simplification, percentage, ratio and proportion, simple and compound interest, area and volume, time and work, and logical reasoning. These questions are short and mostly formula-based, which makes them a reliable source of marks with practice.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Tamil is the deciding section: 60 marks in Part A means 40 correct answers out of 100. Most serious candidates score far above this, but anyone weak in Tamil must fix it first, because no General Studies score can rescue a paper that fails the gate.

• Every question has the same value: A Tamil grammar question and a polity question are both worth 1.5 marks. Time spent struggling on one hard question costs you the chance to answer two easier ones.

• Attempt everything: With no negative marking for wrong answers, eliminate options and pick the best one. Use option E only when you have no basis to choose.

• Aptitude is the cheapest 37.5 marks: Part C carries 25 questions worth 37.5 marks. With regular practice, most candidates can push accuracy here close to full marks.

• Small margins decide ranks: Lakhs of candidates take this exam, so ranks are packed closely. One extra correct answer can move you past many candidates.

Selection Process After the Written Exam

The written exam is the only scored stage. The steps after it check documents and allot posts.

The endurance test is a walk of 25 km for men and 16 km for women and third gender candidates, to be completed in four hours. Being called to any stage does not guarantee selection; your rank and the vacancies left at your turn in counselling decide the post you get.

How Ranks Are Decided

The merit list is prepared on the total marks in the written exam. When candidates tie, TNPSC applies these rules in order:

1. Higher qualification: The candidate with the higher qualification is placed above.

2. Technical qualification for Typist and Steno posts: For Typist, a higher grade in typewriting ranks above a lower grade. For Steno Typist, a higher grade in shorthand ranks above a lower grade. Educational qualification is considered after this.

3. Age: If marks and qualification are the same, the older candidate ranks higher.

4. Application number: If age is also the same, the candidate who applied earlier ranks higher.

For Typist and Steno Typist posts, the notification also sets an order of preference by typewriting and shorthand grades. Candidates with Higher or Senior grade in both Tamil and English are selected first for most of these posts. The full rules are on the TNPSC Group 4 eligibility page.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

You get 180 minutes for 200 questions, a little under a minute per question. A plan that works for many candidates:

This split is a suggestion, not a rule. Adjust it after a few full-length mocks to match your strengths.

• Shade as you go: Transfer answers to the OMR sheet after each block of questions. Leaving all shading to the last 15 minutes is the most common cause of blank or misplaced bubbles.

• Read the booklet instructions: The question booklet is given 15 minutes before the exam starts. Use this time to check the booklet number and series and read the instructions, not to start answering.

• Carry only what is allowed: Mobile phones, smart watches, calculators and similar items are banned, and the venue cannot store them for you.

Older Pages and Pattern Changes

Before 2022, Group 4 had a General Tamil or General English option alongside General Studies. Since the revised scheme, Tamil is compulsory as a qualifying-cum-scoring part for all candidates except the exempted differently abled group. Some older pages still show the English option, and some 2026 pages carry the annual planner's earlier exam date of 20 December 2026. Follow the notification, which fixes the exam on 10 January 2027.

Always confirm the final pattern, OMR instructions and hall ticket details on the official TNPSC website. Hall tickets are released only online through tnpscexams.in and are not sent by post.

Once the TNPSC Group 4 exam pattern is clear, the next step is to map each part to the syllabus and start timed practice, beginning with topic-wise tests on Testkart and moving to full-length mocks in the final weeks. Check that you meet the post-wise age and qualification rules before you invest months of preparation.