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TNPSC Group-I

Cycle 2025

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

DRAFT — unverified

Unverified — pending official notification check.

Pattern from commission website and official notifications.

Exam pattern

1.Preliminary Examination

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Main Session

Sections & timing

SectionTimingQuestionsMarks / QNegativeNature
General StudiesNot timed separately1751.5−0Scored
Aptitude & Mental AbilityNot timed separately251.5−0Scored
Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

  • One 3 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
  • You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
  • The timer cannot be paused once started.

2.Main Examination

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Descriptive papers as per TNPSC pattern.

3.Interview

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Personality test.

Notes from the official source

Preliminary Examination · Preliminary Examination · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Merit paper for Mains shortlisting. No negative marking.

Main Examination — note

Descriptive papers as per TNPSC pattern.

Interview — note

Personality test.

Official syllabus

Source: TNPSC official Group-I notification scheme & syllabus (tnpsc.gov.in); cutoffs from TNPSC official result/cutoff lists for the 2019 and 2022 Group-I examinations · official document

Prelims

General Studies (175 questions, degree standard, 262.5 marks)

  • General Science — physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, science & technology, current developments
  • Geography of India with special reference to Tamil Nadu
  • History and culture of India and the Indian National Movement
  • Indian Polity
  • Indian Economy and development administration in Tamil Nadu
  • Current events — national and international
  • Environment, biodiversity and disaster management
  • Tamil society, culture and heritage

Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions, SSLC standard, 37.5 marks)

  • Simplification, percentage, HCF & LCM, ratio and proportion, simple and compound interest, area, volume, time and work
  • Logical reasoning, puzzles, dice, visual reasoning, alphanumeric reasoning, number series
Mains

Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test (100 marks, qualifying, SSLC standard, descriptive)

  • Translation (English to Tamil and vice-versa)
  • Summary / precis writing
  • Comprehension
  • Expansion of ideas
  • Letter writing
  • Essay writing (including on Thirukkural)
  • Tamil language knowledge; social issues, economy, science & technology, Dravidian and social reform movements, government schemes, current affairs

Paper II: General Studies I (250 marks, descriptive)

  • Modern history of India and Indian culture
  • Social issues in India and Tamil Nadu
  • General aptitude and mental ability
  • Ethics and integrity

Paper III: General Studies II (250 marks, descriptive)

  • Indian polity and emerging political trends
  • Role and impact of science and technology
  • Geography of India
  • History and culture of Tamil Nadu

Paper IV: General Studies III (250 marks, descriptive)

  • Indian economy and development
  • Development administration in Tamil Nadu — welfare schemes and governance
  • Administration and governance
  • Current events — national, international and Tamil Nadu
Interview (Personality Test, 100 marks)

Paper-wise distribution of mains GS topics is approximate — verify against the official notification annexure. TNPSC does not publish a single consolidated prelims cutoff table for every cycle; exact category-wise cutoffs for the 2024 cycle were not found.

Previous cutoffs

Source: TNPSC official result/cutoff lists for Group-I Services 2019 and 2022 (as published on tnpsc.gov.in)

TNPSC Group-I Services Examination 2022· Prelims

BC
202.5
BCM
181.5
GT
211
MBC/DC
202.5
SC
199.5
SCA
190.5
ST
180

TNPSC Group-I Services Examination 2019· Prelims

BC
189
BCM
181.5
GT
204
MBC/DC
186
SC
180
SCA
177
ST
160.5

Prelims is out of 300 marks. Figures are the official general-sub-category cutoffs published by TNPSC; the commission also publishes gender/PSTM/differently-abled sub-category cutoffs which are not listed here. Exact officially-published category-wise cutoffs for the 2024 cycle were not found (only indicative ranges circulate), and the 2025/2026 cycle is still in progress.

Sources

  • Untitled document