TNPSC

Overview

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) recruits into Tamil Nadu's state civil services through the Combined Civil Services Examinations (CCSE), graded by seniority: CCSE-I (Group I, senior executive and administrative posts such as Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police), CCSE-II and IIA (Group II, gazetted posts with an oral test, and Group IIA, non-gazetted posts without one), and CCSE-IV (Group IV, non-gazetted posts such as Village Administrative Officer and Junior Assistant). TNPSC also runs a separate Combined Technical Services Examination and periodic departmental exams, each under its own notification number. tnpsc.gov.in was unreachable when this page was last checked, so the pattern, eligibility and fee figures below are corroborated from secondary reports of TNPSC's own notifications rather than read directly from the Commission's site; confirm against the current notification before applying.

Who can apply

Applicants must be Indian citizens (TNPSC also admits Nepali or Bhutanese subjects, and certain categories of returning overseas Indians, subject to an eligibility certificate from the Tamil Nadu government). Educational qualification varies by post and group: Group I and Group II/IIA posts generally require a bachelor's degree, while Group IV posts require a minimum of SSLC (10th standard), with some posts needing higher qualifications or specific skills such as typewriting. For the 2026 Group IV notification, the minimum age is 18 years for most posts, rising to 25 years for Executive Officer Grade IV; TNPSC also grants relaxed or no maximum age limit to SC/ST, MBC/DNC, BC and other reserved categories, as stated in each notification. Knowledge of Tamil is required or preferred for most posts.

Exam pattern — Group I (CCSE-I)

Group I selection runs through a Preliminary Examination (screening only, not counted in the final merit), a Main Examination, and an Interview (Oral Test).

The final merit for Group I is based on Mains Papers II–IV plus the Interview (850 marks); the Tamil paper and the Preliminary score are not added to the merit.

Exam pattern — Group II and IIA

Group II (interview posts) and Group IIA (non-interview posts) share a Preliminary and Main Examination.

For the 2026 cycle, TNPSC did not hold an interview for Group II or IIA vacancies; final selection follows the Mains score and certificate verification. Some earlier Group II notifications did carry a 40-mark Oral Test for interview posts — check the current notification for your post.

Exam pattern — Group IV

Group IV is a single-stage written exam, with no interview and no negative marking.

Candidates must score at least 40% (90/150) in Part A to be considered; the rest of the merit is decided by the total score across all parts.

Fees

For the Group IV notification opened in October 2026, the application fee was Rs 100 for general-category candidates, paid online after completing One-Time Registration (OTR); fee amounts and exemptions (typically for SC/ST, MBC/DNC, BC, destitute widows, and persons with disabilities) are set separately in each notification, so confirm the fee for Group I and Group II/IIA from their own current notification rather than assuming the Group IV figure applies.

How to apply

Applications for every TNPSC examination are submitted online through the Commission's website, using the common One-Time Registration (OTR) number, followed by the group- or post-specific application form, document upload and fee payment for that notification.

Preparation tips

Since the Preliminary Examination is only a screening stage for Group I and Group II/IIA, most preparation time is best spent on the Mains syllabus once the Preliminary syllabus is comfortable. For Group IV, since there is a single written stage with no negative marking, attempting every question and clearing the 40% qualifying mark in Part A are both important. Always confirm which notification number and group you are tracking, since TNPSC runs several cycles in parallel with different schedules, fees and, in some cycles, different pattern details.