TNPSC Group 1¶
Evidence status: 🟢 official. Every number below is from TNPSC Notification No. 05/2026 (Combined Civil Services Examination – I, dated 23.06.2026), Addendum 5A/2026 (dated 16.07.2026), the commission's scheme-of-examination page, and the 2026 Annual Planner — all fetched from tnpsc.gov.in on 2026-09-29.
TNPSC Group 1 recruits Deputy Collectors, Assistant Commissioners (Commercial Taxes), Deputy Registrars of Co-operative Societies, District Registrars and Assistant Commissioners of Labour — senior officers across Tamil Nadu. Selection runs in three stages: a qualifying objective preliminary exam, a descriptive main exam, and an interview.
At a glance¶
| Conducted by | Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission |
| Posts | Deputy Collector, Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes), Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, District Registrar, Assistant Commissioner of Labour — 26 vacancies in Notification 05/2026 |
| Stages | Preliminary (objective, qualifying) → Main (descriptive) → interview |
| 2026 cycle (per notification) | Notified 23.06.2026; online applications 30.06.2026–29.07.2026 (correction window 02–04.08.2026); preliminary exam 27.09.2026, 09:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M. (postponed from 06.09.2026); main exam date to be announced after prelims results |
| Qualification | A degree (any discipline) for all posts; age and other eligibility details in the notification |
| Age (as on 01.07.2026) | Minimum 21 for all posts; maximum 34 for unreserved candidates and 39 for SC/ST/MBC/BC candidates (35/40 for Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes) depending on degree type); higher concessions for persons with benchmark disability, ex-servicemen and destitute widows — see the notification's age tables |
| Application | Online only, via the commission's One Time Registration portal at tnpscexams.in |
Official sources¶
- Commission's official website (notifications, syllabus, previous papers): https://www.tnpsc.gov.in
- Previous year question papers and answer keys: https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/home.aspx (Navigate to 'Question Papers / Answer Keys' in the menu)
- Notification No. 05/2026, dated 23.06.2026 (62-page PDF — posts, vacancies, eligibility, dates): https://tnpsc.gov.in/document/english/Group%20I%20Notification%202026_E.pdf
- Addendum 5A/2026, dated 16.07.2026 (postpones preliminary exam to 27.09.2026): https://tnpsc.gov.in/Document/english/ADDENDUM%205A_16.07.2026.pdf
- Scheme of examination (confirms paper-wise questions, marks and qualifying rules): https://tnpsc.gov.in/English/scheme.html
- Syllabus (Prelims GS + Mains Tamil Eligibility Test and GS papers): https://tnpsc.gov.in/English/Syllabus.html
- Annual Planner 2026, published 03.12.2025 (tentative schedule): https://tnpsc.gov.in/English/annual_planner.html
Exam pattern¶
Preliminary examination — one objective paper, qualifying only (marks do not count toward the final merit):
| Part | Subject | Standard | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | General Studies | Degree | 175 | 300 |
| B | Aptitude and Mental Ability | SSLC | 25 | — |
| Total | 200 | 300 |
Main examination — four descriptive papers plus interview:
| Paper | Subject | Standard | Type | Marks | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Tamil Eligibility Test | SSLC | Descriptive | 100 | Qualifying |
| II | General Studies I | Degree | Descriptive | 250 | Scoring |
| III | General Studies II | Degree | Descriptive | 250 | Scoring |
| IV | General Studies III | Degree | Descriptive | 250 | Scoring |
| Interview | 100 | Scoring | |||
| Total (Papers II–IV + interview) | 850 |
- The preliminary exam is a screening stage; only candidates who qualify are eligible for the main exam.
- The Tamil Eligibility Test (Paper I) is qualifying — candidates must pass it, but its marks do not add to the final score.
- Final merit is the sum of Papers II, III, IV and the interview (850 marks).
Syllabus¶
- Prelims — General Studies (degree standard): current events, history and culture of India and Tamil Nadu, geography, Indian polity, economy, general science and technology, and Tamil Nadu-specific history, geography, economy and culture.
- Prelims — Aptitude and Mental Ability (SSLC standard): quantitative aptitude, logical and analytical reasoning, puzzles, series and data interpretation at school level.
- Mains — Tamil Eligibility Test (SSLC standard): Tamil grammar, vocabulary, comprehension and writing ability.
- Mains — GS Papers I–III (degree standard): essay-style descriptive answers on general studies including polity, history, geography, economy, science, technology and current affairs, with emphasis on Tamil Nadu.
- The commission's syllabus page links the detailed unit-wise syllabus PDFs for each paper.
Free resources¶
- Official previous year question papers and answer keys are available on the commission's website at https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/home.aspx under the 'Question Papers / Answer Keys' section.
How to prepare (free, in order)¶
- Understand the pattern: Review the official Scheme of Examination.
- Download the syllabus: Get the detailed syllabus from the official Syllabus page.
- Analyze PYQs: Download previous year question papers from the Question Papers / Answer Keys section on the official website to understand the question style and weightage.
- Study core subjects: Focus on the General Studies topics listed in the syllabus, emphasizing Tamil Nadu-specific content.
- Practice: Use the official PYQs for regular practice.