TNPSC Exam Pattern 2026: Group 1, 2, 2A and 4 Compared
The TNPSC exam pattern differs by group, but the main Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission exams are built from the same parts. Group 1, Group 2 and 2A, and Group 4 all begin with a 200-question, 300-mark objective paper of three hours. After that, Group 4 ends, Group 2 and 2A move to a mains with a qualifying Tamil paper, and Group 1 adds descriptive mains papers and an interview.
This page compares the stages, marks and qualifying rules side by side, explains how each exam ranks candidates and what the pattern means for how you spend your preparation time. The details follow the 2026 notifications: Group 1 (No. 05/2026), Group 2 and 2A (No. 07/2026) and Group 4 (No. 11/2026).
Table of Contents
TNPSC Exam Pattern
Exam | Stages | First paper | Mains | Interview | Counted for rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Group 1 | Prelims, mains, interview | 200 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours | Tamil Eligibility Test (qualifying) and three descriptive General Studies papers | 100 marks | Mains Papers II to IV and interview |
Group 2 | Prelims, mains, certificate verification, counselling | 200 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours (common with 2A) | Tamil Eligibility Test (qualifying) and descriptive Paper II | None | Mains Paper II only |
Group 2A | Prelims, mains, certificate verification, counselling | Same common prelims | Tamil Eligibility Test (qualifying) and objective CBT Paper II | None | Mains Paper II only |
Group 4 | Written exam, certificate verification, counselling | 200 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours | None | None | The written exam |
The prelims of Group 1 and Group 2 only screen candidates; their marks are not added to the final total. In Group 4, the single written paper decides your rank.
Key Changes to Know
No interview in Group 2: Earlier cycles had interview posts under Group 2. The 2026 scheme has no oral test for Group 2 or 2A.
Group 2A mains is objective: Paper II for Group 2A is a computer-based objective test, while Group 2 Paper II stays descriptive.
Tamil is compulsory in Group 4: Part A is a Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test. The old choice of General English is available only to exempted candidates with benchmark disabilities.
Group 1 prelims has no language part: It is General Studies and aptitude only; Tamil is tested in the mains.
Older pages may still show an interview for Group 2 or General English in Group 4, so follow the scheme printed in the notification you apply under.
TNPSC Group 1 Exam Pattern
Group 1 is the Combined Civil Services Examination-I for senior posts such as Deputy Collector. It has three stages.
Group 1 Prelims
Subject | Standard | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General Studies | Degree | 175 | 300 (whole paper) | 3 hours (whole paper) |
Aptitude and Mental Ability | SSLC | 25 | Included above | Included above |
Total | 200 | 300 | 3 hours |
The prelims is an objective OMR paper. The minimum qualifying mark is reported as 90 out of 300 for reserved communities and 120 for Others; candidates are then shortlisted for the mains in order of marks against the vacancies.
Group 1 Mains
Paper | Subject | Marks | Time | Counted in rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper I | Tamil Eligibility Test (SSLC standard, descriptive) | 100 (minimum 40 to qualify) | 3 hours | No |
Paper II | General Studies I (degree standard, descriptive) | 250 | 3 hours | Yes |
Paper III | General Studies II (degree standard, descriptive) | 250 | 3 hours | Yes |
Paper IV | General Studies III (degree standard, descriptive) | 250 | 3 hours | Yes |
Group 1 Interview
Candidates who qualify in the mains are called for an interview of 100 marks. The final total is 850: 750 from Papers II to IV and 100 from the interview.
TNPSC Group 2 and 2A Exam Pattern
Group 2 and Group 2A are recruited through one notification, the Combined Civil Services Examination-II. They share a prelims and the mains Tamil paper, then split at Paper II.
Common Prelims
Part | Subject | Standard | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
A | General Studies | Degree | 75 |
B | Aptitude and Mental Ability | SSLC | 25 |
C | General Tamil or General English | SSLC | 100 |
Total | 300 marks, 3 hours | 200 |
The minimum qualifying mark is 90 out of 300 for all communities. For the 2026 cycle the prelims is on 1 November 2026, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Group 2 and 2A Mains
Paper | Group 2 | Group 2A |
|---|---|---|
Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test | Descriptive, SSLC standard, 100 marks, 3 hours, minimum 40, not counted in rank | Same paper |
Paper II | Descriptive General Studies, degree standard, 300 marks, 3 hours, minimum 90 | Objective CBT, 200 questions (150 General Studies, 50 General Intelligence and Reasoning), 300 marks, 3 hours, minimum 90 |
Paper II is evaluated only if you clear Paper I.
TNPSC Group 4 Exam Pattern
Group 4 is a single written exam of SSLC standard, held offline on OMR sheets. The 2026 exam is scheduled for 10 January 2027.
Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
A | Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test | 100 | 150 |
B | General Studies | 75 | 150 (Parts B and C together) |
C | Aptitude and Mental Ability | 25 | Included above |
Total | 3 hours | 200 | 300 |
You must score at least 60 out of 150 in Part A before Parts B and C are evaluated. The overall minimum qualifying mark is 90 out of 300 for all communities, and marks from all three parts count for rank.
Combined Technical Services Exam Pattern
Technical posts such as Assistant Engineer, Agricultural Officer, Draughtsman and Surveyor are filled through the Combined Technical Services Examinations, notified separately for degree-level interview posts, degree-level non-interview posts and diploma or ITI-level posts. Each has a common paper and a subject paper.
Level | Common paper | Subject paper | Interview |
|---|---|---|---|
Degree or PG level, interview posts | Tamil Eligibility Test (SSLC standard) and General Studies (degree standard) | Post-specific subject at degree or PG level | Yes |
Degree or PG level, non-interview posts | Tamil Eligibility Test (SSLC standard) and General Studies (degree standard) | Post-specific subject at degree or PG level | No |
Diploma, post-diploma or ITI level | Tamil Eligibility Test (SSLC standard) and General Studies (SSLC standard) | Post-specific trade or diploma subject | No |
The Tamil and General Studies part uses the same syllabus base as the civil services exams, so technical candidates can use the same preparation for it. Marks, question counts and the mode of each paper are set in each notification, and subject papers are often computer-based.
Qualifying Marks at Each Stage
Every exam has fixed minimums. Reaching them keeps you in the race, but the actual cut-off for shortlisting is decided by vacancies and performance, and is usually much higher.
Exam and stage | Maximum marks | Minimum qualifying marks |
|---|---|---|
Group 1 prelims | 300 | 90 (reserved communities), 120 (Others), as reported |
Group 1 mains Paper I (Tamil) | 100 | 40 |
Group 2 and 2A prelims | 300 | 90 (all communities) |
Group 2 and 2A mains Paper I (Tamil) | 100 | 40 |
Group 2 and 2A mains Paper II | 300 | 90 |
Group 4 Part A (Tamil) | 150 | 60 |
Group 4 overall | 300 | 90 (all communities) |
Reported cut-offs from earlier cycles and how to set a target score are on the TNPSC cut-off page.
Marking Scheme and OMR Rules
Rule | Group 1 prelims | Group 2 and 2A prelims | Group 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
Marks per question | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Negative marking for wrong answers | No | No | No |
Language of questions | Tamil and English | Tamil and English (language part in the chosen language) | Part A in Tamil; Parts B and C in Tamil and English |
Mode | Offline OMR | Offline OMR | Offline OMR |
Option E: TNPSC OMR sheets have a fifth option, E, for questions you choose not to answer. Recent instructions prescribe a deduction when no option at all is shaded for a question, so shade one bubble for every question.
Count of answers: After the exam you record how many A, B, C, D and E options you shaded. Extra time is given only for this.
Read the hall ticket: The exact OMR rules are printed in each notification and on the hall ticket. Follow those over any summary.
Some TNPSC exams, such as the Group 2A mains and many technical subject papers, are computer-based tests. TNPSC's instructions for CBT exams say a mock test of the on-screen interface is available on the Commission's website; you can read these official CBT instructions to see how the test screen works.
How the Final Merit List Is Prepared
Exam | Marks used for rank | Maximum | Qualifying papers not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
Group 1 | Mains Papers II, III, IV and interview | 850 | Prelims, mains Paper I (Tamil) |
Group 2 | Mains Paper II | 300 | Prelims, mains Paper I (Tamil) |
Group 2A | Mains Paper II | 300 | Prelims, mains Paper I (Tamil) |
Group 4 | Parts A, B and C | 300 | None (Part A is both qualifying and scoring) |
A worked example shows the difference. A Group 2 candidate who scores 210 in the prelims and 190 in Paper II is ranked on 190 alone. A Group 4 candidate who scores 132 in Tamil and 75 in Parts B and C is ranked on 207, because all three parts count. Posts are then allotted by rank, community reservation and the candidate's preferences.
What the Pattern Means for You
Every objective question is worth the same: With 1.5 marks per question, an easy grammar question counts as much as a hard polity one. Do not get stuck on any single question.
A wrong guess costs nothing: With no negative marking, attempt every question you can narrow down, but follow the option E rules.
Tamil can end your exam early: Missing the Tamil threshold means the rest of your paper is not evaluated, so secure it first, especially if you studied in English medium.
Prelims is a filter in Group 1 and 2: Aim to clear it comfortably, but give mains-style preparation time from the start, because the mains alone decides rank.
Group 4 rewards speed: 200 questions in 180 minutes leaves under a minute each, so quick Tamil and aptitude buy time for General Studies.
Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy
Section (Group 2 prelims or Group 4) | Questions | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
Tamil or language part | 100 | 60 to 70 minutes |
General Studies | 75 | 60 to 70 minutes |
Aptitude and Mental Ability | 25 | 25 to 30 minutes |
OMR check and option E | All | 10 minutes |
This split is a starting point, not a rule. Adjust it after your first few full-length mocks, based on where you lose time. Group 1 prelims candidates can give about 140 minutes to the 175 General Studies questions and about 30 minutes to aptitude.
Start with your strongest section: Early marks settle nerves and leave time for harder questions.
Mark and move: If a question takes more than a minute, mark it and come back.
Shade as you go: Transfer answers to the OMR sheet section by section, not in the last ten minutes.
For descriptive mains: Divide time by marks, write to the word limit and leave five minutes to review each paper.
The scheme of examination for every exam is published in its notification on the official TNPSC website; check it each cycle, since TNPSC can revise a pattern from one notification to the next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to practice? Explore TNPSC mock tests from top educators.
Browse TNPSC Mock Tests