# TNPSC Group IV (TNPSC Group IV) — Shishya exam context

> Machine-readable context for TNPSC Group IV, maintained by Shishya (https://shishya.in) — India's end-to-end free government exam preparation platform. All facts below are free to cite; link back to https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4. Human page: https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4

## Exam pattern
- Category: STATE_LEVEL · state: TN
- Questions: 200 · Total marks: 300 · Marks per question: 1.5
- Duration: 180 minutes
- Negative marking: −0.33 per wrong answer
- Languages offered: EN, TA

## Eligibility & vacancies
- Age: 18–32 years (before category relaxation: OBC +3, SC/ST +5)
- Education: SSLC (10th standard) or equivalent; VAO and certain posts require 21 years minimum age
- Approximate annual vacancies: 5,300
- Note: Knowledge of Tamil language required; typist/steno posts need Government Technical Exam in typewriting/shorthand
- Official portal: https://tnpsc.gov.in (Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC))

## Key dates
- 2026-08-14 — Hall ticket availability
- 2026-08-29 — Preliminary examination date (exam day)
- 2026-09-03 — Answer key publication
- 2026-10-06 — Notification release date (expected)
- 2026-10-06 — Application window opens (expected)
- 2026-10-06 — TNPSC Group 4 official notification release
- 2026-10-06 — Online application portal opens
- 2026-10-06 — Official notification release

## Declared results
- 2025-10-22 — Written Exam: Group 4 2025 results declared with over 11 lakh candidates competing → https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4/results/acb4c29b-1a09-4930-9f06-d50e47e9f978

## Syllabus outline
### General Tamil — Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test (weight 1.5)
Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary · Idioms and Proverbs · Unseen Passage (Patrudai Vinakkal) · Singular, Plural and Gender · Synonyms and Antonyms · Tamil Epics and Bhakti Literature · Bhakti Literature · Cheevaka Chinthamani · Manimekalai · Silappathikaram · Tamil Grammar (Ilakkanam) · Ani (Figures of Speech) · Eluthu (Letters) · Porul (Meaning) · Punarchi (Sandhi) · Sol (Words) · Yappu (Prosody) · Modern Tamil Literature · Subramania Bharathi · Bharathidasan · Tamil Novelists · Short Story and Essay · Sangam Literature · Ettuthogai · Pathinen Keezhkanakku · Pathupattu · Tholkappiyam

### General Studies (SSLC standard) (weight 1.2)
Economic Scenario · Geographical Landmarks · History · Political Science · Scientific Knowledge · Current Events · Indian Economy · Banking and Finance · Nature of Indian Economy · Planning and NITI Aayog · Welfare Schemes · Indian National Movement · Early Resistance and 1857 · Gandhian Era · Tamil Nadu Freedom Fighters · Geography · Natural Disasters · Earth and Universe · Geography of India · Geography of Tamil Nadu · History and Culture of India · Indian Culture · Indus Valley Civilization · Medieval India · Modern India and Freedom Struggle · Vedic and Mauryan Period · Indian Polity · Constitution of India · Elections and Public Services · Fundamental Rights, Duties and DPSP · Local Government · Union and State Government · General Science · Botany · Chemistry · Physics · Zoology · History, Culture, Heritage and Socio-Political Movements of Tamil Nadu · Administration of Tamil Nadu · Contribution of TN to Freedom Struggle · History of Tamil Nadu · Socio-Political Movements

### Aptitude and Mental Ability Test (weight 1)
Alphanumeric Reasoning · Area and Volume · Data Interpretation · Dice and Cubes · HCF and LCM · Logical Reasoning · Number Series · Percentage · Puzzles · Ratio and Proportion · Simple and Compound Interest · Simplification · Time and Distance · Time and Work · Visual Reasoning

## Expected cutoffs (category-wise)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (indicative) |
|----------|------------------------------|
| General | 165–180 marks (55–60%) |
| EWS | 160–175 marks (53–58%) |
| OBC | 155–170 marks (52–57%) |
| BC/MBC | 150–165 marks (50–55%) |
| SC | 145–160 marks (48–53%) |
| ST | 140–155 marks (47–52%) |
| PwD | 135–150 marks (45–50%) |

**Guidance:**

- TNPSC Group IV typically shows a **3–5% gap** between General and OBC categories, with BC/MBC (dominant reservation category in Tamil Nadu) positioned similarly to OBC; SC/ST cutoffs run approximately 5–8% below General.
- Cutoffs fluctuate based on **vacancy count, paper difficulty, and normalization** (if applied); years with higher vacancies or tougher papers see cutoffs drop by 3–5%, while competitive years push them toward the upper range.
- Tamil Nadu's **69% reservation** means substantial candidates qualify through reserved categories; actual selection depends heavily on **district-wise vacancy distribution** and post preferences beyond just clearing the cutoff.

Full cutoff page: https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4/cutoff

## Free resources on Shishya for this exam
- Exam hub (mocks, PYQs, news, dates): https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4
- Full syllabus + free study notes: https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4/syllabus
- Category-wise expected cutoffs: https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4/cutoff
- Memory tricks & mnemonics: https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4/tricks
- How to crack it (strategy guide): https://shishya.in/exams/TN_TNPSC_GROUP4/guide
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