TNPSC Group 1 Previous Year Question Paper Pattern
Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission — Combined Civil Services (Group I)
Conducted by Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC). Last verified: 2026-06-05. Always match this with the latest official notification before final preparation.
Preliminary Examination (Objective)
Marks
300
Time
180 min
Negative
None
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | 175 | 262 |
| Aptitude & Mental Ability (SSLC Standard) | 25 | 38 |
Screening only — marks not counted in final merit. Qualifying: 120 (General) · 90 (reserved categories).
Main Examination — Paper I (Qualifying)
Marks
100
Time
180 min
Negative
None
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Eligibility Test | - | 100 |
Descriptive. Minimum 40 marks required. Translation, précis, Thirukkural essay, letter writing.
Main Examination — Papers II–IV (Merit)
Marks
750
Time
540 min
Negative
None
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies I | - | 250 |
| General Studies II | - | 250 |
| General Studies III | - | 250 |
Descriptive papers. Combined with Interview (100 marks) for final merit.
Important Topics
Tamil Nadu history, culture and socio-political movementsThirukkural — themes for prelims and Mains Paper I essayIndian polity, Constitution and TN governanceTN economy, welfare schemes and e-governanceScience & technology — biotech, nanotech, AI, environmentModern Indian history with TN freedom struggle focusAptitude — percentage, ratio, puzzles, reasoning, number series