Tamil Nadu Govt Exams: TNPSC, TNUSRB

Overview

Tamil Nadu Exams

State jobs and entrance

7.5%Government-school students

40%Women

What you need to know

1
Tamil Nadu's recruiters: TNPSC (Group 1 to Group 4 and VAO), TNUSRB (police, prisons, fire), TRB (teachers) and MRB (doctors and nurses).
2
Almost every state exam has a compulsory Tamil paper at Class 10 level: score at least 40% or your other answers are not checked.
3
Engineering admission (TNEA) is on Class 12 marks, not an entrance test. Government-school students get a 7.5% quota in engineering and medical seats.
4
Women get 40% of state jobs, and 20% of posts go to people who studied fully in Tamil medium.

Official sources

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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01Branch

Every year: the calendar

When things usually happen

What you need to know

1
TNPSC publishes an annual planner (usually around October–December); Group 1 and Group 4 have often been held around June–July (reported).
2
Polytechnic and ITI applications: May–June. TNEA counselling: July–August.
3
AICSCC free UPSC coaching entrance test: usually around November (reported).
4
Exact dates change every year: always check the official website before you apply.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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02Branch

TNPSC Group 1 and 2

Officer and executive jobs

Learn from these 2

Official
TNPSCGroup 1, 2, 2A and 4, Civil Judge; annual planner.
Free
Official
TNPSC Group 4 scheme (PDF)The Tamil Part A 40% rule.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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02TNPSC Group 1 and 2

Group 1

What you need to know

1
Any graduate, minimum age 21 (upper limit about 32–34 for "Others", more for reserved) (reported).
2
Prelims (screening) → Mains (with a qualifying Tamil test) → interview. Posts: Deputy Collector, DSP, district registrar and more; Pay Level 22 (₹56,100 basic) (reported).

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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02TNPSC Group 1 and 2

Group 2/2A and judges

What you need to know

1
Group 2/2A: graduate, age 18–32 for others; common prelims, then a descriptive mains and interview (Group 2) or objective mains (2A); no attempt limit (reported).
2
Civil Judge is recruited by TNPSC (prelims, mains, viva).

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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03Branch

Group 4 and VAO

The biggest exam

Learn from these 3

Official
TNPSC (Group 4 and VAO)No separate staff selection board in TN.
Free
Official
Medical Services Recruitment BoardDoctors, nurses and health staff.
Free
Official
TN employment exchange portalEmployment exchange registration.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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03Group 4 and VAO

How it works

40% in Part Ascore at least

What you need to know

1
Class 10 pass, age mostly 18–32 (VAO 21–32). One paper: Part A Tamil (150 marks) and Part B general studies and aptitude (150 marks).
2
Part B is checked only if you score at least 40% in Part A. Posts: junior assistant, typist, VAO, bill collector, forest guard; usually several thousand posts.
3
No separate staff selection board or common eligibility test in Tamil Nadu.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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04Branch

TNUSRB police

Constable and SI

Learn from these 2

Official
TNUSRBConstable, SI, jail warder and firemen.
Free
Official
TNUSRB SI advertisement (PDF)SI eligibility and stages.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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04TNUSRB police

Constable and SI

30%

What you need to know

1
Grade II Constable: 10th pass (a higher degree without 10th pass is not enough), age about 18–26; height 170 cm men, 159 cm women (reported).
2
Sub-Inspector: graduate, age 20–30 (more for BC/MBC/SC/ST); written exam, physical tests, viva.
3
About 30% of constable posts are for women (reported).

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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05Branch

Teachers

TN TET and TRB

Learn from these 3

Official
Teachers Recruitment BoardTN TET and teacher recruitment.
Free
Official
TN B.Ed admissionsSingle-window B.Ed counselling.
Free
Book
Tamil Nadu state textbooksFree Samacheer Kalvi books; the base for the Tamil test and GS.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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05Teachers

Teacher jobs

What you need to know

1
TN TET (by TRB): Paper I for Class 1–5, Paper II for Class 6–8; valid for life unless the government notifies otherwise.
2
TRB then holds recruitment exams for BT Assistants (graduate teachers), PG Assistants and college assistant professors. B.Ed admission is single-window counselling.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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06Branch

After Class 10 and 12

TNEA, NEET, polytechnic

Learn from these 4

Official
TNEA engineering counsellingClass 12 marks, no entrance; 7.5% government-school quota.
Free
Official
TN Medical Selection CommitteeNEET state quota with the 7.5% government-school quota.
Free
Official
DOTE polytechnic admissionDiploma admission on SSLC marks.
Free
Official
TN ITI admissionFree tuition; no upper age limit for women.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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06After Class 10 and 12

State admissions

7.5%

What you need to know

1
Engineering (TNEA): on Class 12 cut-off marks (out of 200), no entrance exam; separate counselling for the 7.5% government-school quota.
2
MBBS/BDS: NEET-based state quota through the Medical Selection Committee, with a 7.5% quota for NEET-qualified students who studied Class 6–12 in government schools.
3
Polytechnic: on SSLC marks. ITI: tuition free, no upper age limit for women (reported).

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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07Branch

Other state jobs

Courts, health, power

Learn from these 2

Official
Madras High CourtDistrict court staff recruitment.
Free
Official
TNEB LtdHolding company of the state power companies.
Free

Inside this branch

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07Other state jobs

Other recruiters

What you need to know

1
Madras High Court: a common exam for district court office assistants, typists and copyists (reported).
2
MRB: doctors and nurses. Power: TANGEDCO was split in 2024 into separate distribution, generation and green energy companies.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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08Branch

Reservation and language

Who gets what

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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08Reservation and language

The rules

69%

What you need to know

1
69% reservation for SC, ST, BC and MBC (protected by state law); Tamil Nadu has not adopted the 10% EWS quota (reported).
2
Women: 40% of government jobs. PSTM: 20% of direct recruitment for those who studied in Tamil medium from Class 1 (reported).
3
No domicile rule was found for TNPSC, but the compulsory Tamil paper applies to everyone.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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09Branch

Free coaching and help

AICSCC, Naan Mudhalvan, Pudhumai Penn

Learn from these 3

Course
All India Civil Services Coaching Centre, ChennaiFree residential UPSC coaching through an entrance test.
Free
Official
Naan Mudhalvan competitive examsUPSC prelims stipend; SSC and bank coaching.
Free
Official
Pudhumai Penn₹1,000 a month for government-school girls in higher studies.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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09Free coaching and help

State help

What you need to know

1
All India Civil Services Coaching Centre (Chennai): free UPSC coaching with free hostel and food, through an entrance test.
2
Naan Mudhalvan: ₹7,500 a month for UPSC prelims aspirants selected by a test, plus coaching for SSC, railway and bank exams (reported).
3
Pudhumai Penn: ₹1,000 a month for girls from government schools until they finish higher studies.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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10Branch

Scams and safety

Stay safe

Learn from these 4

Official
TNPSC official siteOnly TNPSC notices are valid; no agents.
Free
Official
TNUSRB official sitePolice jobs only through written and physical tests.
Free
Official
PIB Fact CheckCheck fake job notices.
Free
Official
Cyber crime portal (helpline 1930)Report job-for-money fraud.
Free

Inside this branch

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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10Scams and safety

What to know

1930Lost money? Call

What you need to know

1
In 2019, malpractice at two Group 4 centres led TNPSC to ban 99 candidates for life and arrests followed (reported). No separate state anti-paper-leak law was found.
2
Apply only on tnpsc.gov.in, tnusrb.tn.gov.in and trb.tn.gov.in.
3
Never pay anyone for a job. Lost money? Call 1930.

Official sources

Rules change every year: check the official website before you apply.
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