The complete, official TNPSC Group 1 syllabus for the 2026 cycle - every Prelims unit with its exact question count, all four Mains papers with unit-wise marks, qualifying marks, and the full official topic text in both English and Tamil. Sourced directly from TNPSC's syllabus documents (Prelims code 497, Mains code 498) and Notification 05/2026, not summarised from other websites.
Updated for the 27 September 2026 Prelims · Last updated 29 July 2026TNPSC Group 1 (Combined Civil Services Examination - I) is Tamil Nadu's most prestigious state civil services exam, recruiting Deputy Collectors, DSPs (in cycles where the post is notified), Assistant Commissioners and other top state services posts. Here is the 2026 cycle at a glance:
| Detail | 2026 cycle |
|---|---|
| Exam name | Combined Civil Services Examination - I (Group I Services) |
| Conducting body | Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) |
| Notification | No. 05/2026, published 23 June 2026 |
| Vacancies | 26 (Deputy Collector 12, District Registrar 8, Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies 3, Assistant Commissioner Commercial Taxes 2, Assistant Commissioner of Labour 1) - tentative |
| Selection stages | Preliminary Exam → Main Exam → Interview |
| Prelims date | 27 September 2026, 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM (postponed from 6 September via Addendum 5A) |
| Syllabus codes | Prelims: 497 · Mains: 498 |
| Exam fee | Prelims Rs.100, Mains Rs.200 (One Time Registration Rs.150, valid 5 years) |
| Question paper language | Tamil and English (bilingual) |
| Negative marking | None, at any stage |
| Official website | tnpsc.gov.in |
TNPSC Group 1, formally the Combined Civil Services Examination - I (Group I Services), is the highest level of recruitment conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. It fills the state's top administrative posts - the officers who run districts, revenue divisions, tax administration and departmental leadership across Tamil Nadu. In the 2026 cycle (Notification 05/2026), the notified posts are:
| Post | Service | Vacancies | Pay level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Collector | Tamil Nadu Civil Service | 12 | Level 22 of the TN pay matrix (exact scale in the notification's annexure) |
| District Registrar | Tamil Nadu Registration Service | 8 | |
| Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies | Tamil Nadu Co-operative Service | 3 | |
| Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes) | Tamil Nadu Commercial Taxes Service | 2 | |
| Assistant Commissioner of Labour | Tamil Nadu Labour Service | 1 |
In other cycles the notified post list can also include Deputy Superintendent of Police and other services - the exact posts vary with each notification. What does not vary is the exam's structure: one syllabus, three stages, and some of the most sought-after careers in Tamil Nadu government service at the end of it.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification 05/2026 published | 23 June 2026 |
| Online application opened | 30 June 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 29 July 2026, 11.59 PM |
| Application correction window | 2 to 4 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination (revised) | 27 September 2026, 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM |
| Main Examination | To be announced after Prelims results |
Before investing months in this syllabus, confirm you are eligible for the cycle you plan to write:
| Criterion | Rule (2026 notification) |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 years for every Group 1 post |
| Maximum age | 34 years (Others) / 39 years (BC, MBC, SC, ST) for most posts, with further concessions such as +10 years for persons with benchmark disability - see the notification's post-wise table |
| Education | Any recognised university degree; some posts carry preference orders (for example B.Com/B.L. combinations for Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Taxes) |
| Final-year students | Can apply after writing the final year exam; proof of passing is required at the Mains document-upload stage |
| Attempts | No attempt limit - eligibility is bounded only by the age rules above |
Full details with worked examples: age limit FAQ, educational qualification FAQ and final-year students FAQ - all verified from the official notifications.
Group 1 selection runs in three successive stages, and understanding how marks flow between them changes how you should prepare:
| Stage | Type | Marks | Counts in final rank? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Examination | Objective (OMR), 200 questions | 300 | No - screening only |
| Main Examination - Paper I (Tamil Eligibility Test) | Descriptive | 100 | No - qualifying only (minimum 40) |
| Main Examination - Papers II, III, IV | Descriptive | 750 | Yes |
| Interview | Oral | 100 | Yes |
| Final ranking total | 850 |
Roughly 20 times the number of vacancies are admitted to Mains based on Prelims performance, and candidates equal to two or three times the vacancies (depending on reservation group size) reach the Interview. Your Prelims marks never carry forward: clear the cut-off comfortably and then forget them - the real competition is the 850-mark Mains plus Interview.
| Part | Subject | Standard | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | General Studies (6 units) | Degree | 175 | 300 | 3 hours |
| B | Aptitude and Mental Ability (2 units) | SSLC | 25 | ||
| Total | 200 | 300 | |||
Minimum qualifying marks: 90 for SC, SC(A), ST, MBC/DC, BC(OBCM) and BCM candidates; 120 for Others. Objective type on OMR sheets, question paper set in both Tamil and English, and no negative marking - so attempt all 200 questions.
This is the official unit-wise syllabus (code 497), reproduced in full - not a summary. Each unit below shows the complete official topic list in English, with the official Tamil text one tap away.
Part B is SSLC standard, and with focused daily practice these 25 questions become the most reliable marks on the paper.
Every unit is not equal. Three units together carry 130 of the 175 General Studies questions - roughly 75 percent of the GS paper:
| Priority | Unit | Questions | Share of GS paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unit V - Indian Economy and TN Development Administration | 50 | 28.6% |
| 2 | Unit IV - Indian Polity | 40 | 22.9% |
| 2 | Unit VI - Tamil Nadu History, Culture and Movements | 40 | 22.9% |
| 4 | Unit III - History, Culture and National Movement | 25 | 14.3% |
| 5 | Unit I - General Science | 10 | 5.7% |
| 5 | Unit II - Geography of India | 10 | 5.7% |
The practical takeaway: give Units V, IV and VI the bulk of your preparation time, in that order, and revise them repeatedly. Science and Geography deserve solid one-time coverage from school books rather than months of depth - 10 questions each cannot decide your selection, but the 130 from the top three units absolutely will. Our Group 1 Prelims Test Series schedules its tests in exactly this priority order.
Within each unit, the official topic list itself signals what matters most. Reading the syllabus text closely, these are the areas that deserve first attention in each unit:
| Unit | Prepare these first |
|---|---|
| V - Economy & TN Development (50 Qs) | RBI, fiscal and monetary policy, Finance Commission and GST; Five-year plans to NITI Aayog; TN Human Development Indicators and welfare schemes; reservation policy rationale; TN e-Governance and current socio-economic issues |
| IV - Indian Polity (40 Qs) | Preamble and salient features; Fundamental Rights, Duties and Directive Principles; Union and State executive and legislature; Panchayat Raj; Centre-State relations; judiciary; RTI, Lokpal and anti-corruption bodies; elections |
| VI - TN History & Culture (40 Qs) | Sangam-to-modern Tamil literature; Thirukkural (a named, recurring syllabus theme); TN's role in the freedom struggle and women's role in it; Justice Party, Self Respect and Dravidian movements; Periyar and Anna's contributions |
| III - Indian History (25 Qs) | Indus Valley; Guptas to Marathas; South Indian history; national movement stages and named leaders; culture, unity in diversity; national symbols, books and authors |
| I - Science (10 Qs) | Everyday applications of physics principles; acids/bases/salts; life science basics, health and human diseases; latest S&T inventions |
| II - Geography (10 Qs) | Monsoon and climate; rivers and water resources; soils, minerals, forests; disaster management; climate change and green energy |
Notice one phrase that appears at the end of every single unit: "Current affairs." It is not a separate section - it is embedded in all six units, which is why daily current-affairs reading mapped to these units outperforms a last-month compilation binge.
Three structural facts shape how difficult this exam actually feels:
1. Degree standard means depth, not exotic sources. The General Studies paper is set at Degree standard, but year after year a large share of questions trace directly to Samacheer Kalvi school book content read carefully - the difficulty comes from precision (matching lists, correct pairs, statement-based questions), not from obscure material outside standard sources.
2. The Tamil Nadu-specific share is the real differentiator. Units V and VI together carry 90 questions - more than half the GS paper - and both are heavily Tamil Nadu-focused: state welfare schemes, HDI comparisons, Tamil literature, Dravidian movement history. Candidates who prepare from all-India material alone and treat the TN portion casually consistently underperform here, and it is exactly where a Tamil Nadu-focused preparation gains its edge.
3. Statement-style questions have grown. The modern TNPSC pattern leans toward "which of the statements is/are correct" formats over single-fact recall, which rewards conceptual clarity and punishes half-remembered facts. Practising with tests built in this format matters more than reading an extra book.
On competition: with 26 vacancies and a statewide applicant pool, the honest way to see Group 1 2026 is that the Prelims cut-off will reward consistency over brilliance - a candidate who has revised the top three units three times will beat a candidate who has read everything once.
| Paper | Subject | Standard | Marks | Duration | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Tamil Eligibility Test | SSLC | 100 | 3 hours | Qualifying only (minimum 40) |
| Paper II | General Studies I | Degree | 250 | 3 hours | Counted for rank |
| Paper III | General Studies II | Degree | 250 | 3 hours | |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | Degree | 250 | 3 hours | |
| Interview | 100 | Counted for rank | |||
| Final ranking total (Papers II-IV + Interview) | 850 | ||||
All Mains papers are descriptive. Papers II, III and IV are evaluated only if you cross the Tamil Eligibility Test's 40-mark bar, and the combined qualifying requirement for Papers II to IV is 225 out of 750 for SC, SC(A), ST, MBC/DC, BC(OBCM) and BCM candidates, and 300 for Others. Appearance in every paper and the Interview is compulsory.
| Unit | Topic | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | Modern History of India and Indian Culture | 100 |
| II | Social Issues in India and Tamil Nadu | 100 |
| III | Ethics and Integrity | 50 |
| Unit | Topic | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | Indian Polity and Emerging Political Trends across the World affecting India | 100 |
| II | Role and Impact of Science and Technology in the Development of India | 100 |
| III | Tamil Society - Culture and Heritage (answerable in Tamil or English) | 50 |
| Unit | Topic | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | General Geography and Geography of India with special reference to Tamil Nadu | 75 |
| II | Environment, Biodiversity and Disaster Management | 75 |
| III | Indian Economy - Current Economic Trends and Impact of Global Economy on India | 100 |
Candidates who clear the Mains qualifying marks are shortlisted for the Interview at two times the vacancies in each reservation group (three times where a group has four or fewer vacancies). The Interview carries 100 marks with no minimum qualifying mark, and its stated purpose is to assess your suitability for the service - general awareness, clarity of thought, balance of judgement - not to re-examine the written syllabus.
Three rules candidates repeatedly miss: appearance is compulsory (skipping the Interview removes you from selection regardless of written marks); requests to change the interview date or time are not entertained; and a medical examination follows the Interview, with final post eligibility decided only after the Medical Board's report. Onscreen certificate verification happens before Mains admission, and no supplemental list replaces candidates rejected there - keep every certificate matching your One Time Registration details well in advance.
| Prelims (497) | Mains (498) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Objective, OMR, 200 questions | Descriptive, 4 papers |
| Marks | 300 (screening only) | 750 + 100 Interview = 850 (decides rank) |
| Unique to this stage | Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions) | Ethics and Integrity; Social Issues; Tamil Eligibility Test; deeper S&T and world-affairs coverage |
| Overlap | History, Polity, Economy, Geography, Tamil Nadu society and culture appear in both - Prelims tests recall, Mains tests structured written analysis of the same base | |
The overlap is the single most useful fact in planning: build your notes once, in a form that works for both objective recall and descriptive answers. But do not attempt Mains-depth from day one - qualify Prelims first with unit-weighted revision, then convert the same material to answer-writing practice. Our Group 1 exam pattern FAQ covers this stage-by-stage logic in more detail.
The foundation is not optional: Tamil Nadu Samacheer Kalvi school books from 6th to 12th standard are the primary source for a large share of actual questions in every unit except Polity. Build on that base with these references:
| Subject | Reference |
|---|---|
| Polity and Governance | Indian Polity - M. Laxmikant (the one subject where school books alone are insufficient) |
| Modern India and National Movement | Spectrum - A Brief History of Modern India |
| Ancient and Medieval History | Poonam Dalal Dahiya - Ancient and Medieval India |
| Geography | Majid Hussain - Geography of India |
| Economy | Ramesh Singh - Indian Economy |
| Environment | Shankar IAS - Environment |
| Aptitude and Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal (both volumes) |
| Tamil medium alternatives | History - Venkatesan; Polity - Pragadeesh publication / Tamili publications |
Read the school books first, add references only where practice tests expose gaps, and revise a small set of sources repeatedly instead of skimming a large pile once. The full reasoning behind each pick is in our Group 1 and Group 2 book list FAQ.
| Resource | Use it for |
|---|---|
| tnpsc.gov.in | Notifications, syllabus PDFs (codes 497/498), addenda, results - the only authoritative source |
| apply.tnpscexams.in | One Time Registration, online applications, hall tickets |
| Tamil Nadu textbook portal | Free official Samacheer Kalvi 6th-12th books (PDF), both mediums |
| ArivArk Daily Current Affairs | Free daily bilingual current affairs organised by these exact six Prelims units, with MCQs |
| ArivArk Mains Current Affairs | Monthly compilations and descriptive answer-writing material for Mains |
| ArivArk Group 1 Prelims Test Series | Scheduled bilingual mock tests following this syllabus in its exact weightage, with video explanations and a rank list |
The official syllabus PDFs are published by TNPSC on tnpsc.gov.in under Recruitment → Syllabus: look for code 497 (Combined Civil Services - I, Preliminary) and code 498 (Mains). This page reproduces the same official text in full, in both languages, so you can also simply bookmark this page - we update it whenever TNPSC revises the syllabus or the exam schedule, most recently for the Addendum 5A date change.
A syllabus this size rewards sequence, not raw hours. The order that consistently works:
1. Start with the top three Prelims units. Unit V (Economy and TN Development, 50 questions), Unit IV (Polity, 40) and Unit VI (TN History and Culture, 40) decide three quarters of the GS paper. Cover them from Samacheer Kalvi books first, then depth from the references above.
2. Run Aptitude daily, not in a block. 25 SSLC-standard questions reward short daily practice from day one - they are the most predictable marks on the paper.
3. Make current affairs a daily habit. Every single unit of this syllabus ends with the words "Current affairs" - it is woven through the whole exam, not a separate section. Our daily bilingual current affairs are organised by these exact units, so each day's reading files itself into your syllabus.
4. Test yourself under real conditions before the exam does. Reading the syllabus is not the same as answering 200 questions in 180 minutes. Full-length, exam-identical mock tests expose your weak units while there is still time to fix them.
5. After Prelims, convert - do not restart. The Mains syllabus overlaps heavily with Prelims; what changes is the format. Shift the same material into structured descriptive answers, add the Mains-only areas (Ethics, Social Issues, deeper S&T), and give the Tamil Eligibility Test real preparation time rather than treating it as a formality.
Indian Economy and TN Development (Unit V): Split it in two halves. For the India half, build concept clarity on RBI, fiscal/monetary policy, GST and NITI Aayog from Samacheer economics chapters plus Ramesh Singh selectively. For the TN half, maintain a running note of state welfare schemes, HDI comparisons and budget highlights - this half changes every year and is where current affairs earns its 50-question weightage.
Indian Polity (Unit IV): The most stable, most repeated unit in the exam. Read the school chapters for structure, then Laxmikant chapter by chapter, converting each into short revision points. Prioritise Fundamental Rights, DPSP, President/Governor powers, Panchayat Raj and Centre-State relations - and track constitutional current affairs (new amendments, landmark judgements) since the unit ends with current affairs like every other.
TN History, Culture and Movements (Unit VI): Prepare Thirukkural as a scoring theme, not an afterthought - it is named in the syllabus with six sub-themes. Build a timeline of the Justice Party, Self Respect Movement and Dravidian movement with founders, dates and journals, and a separate list of TN freedom fighters including women. Samacheer Tamil Nadu history chapters cover most of this directly.
Indian History (Unit III): Cover ancient-to-medieval from Samacheer plus Poonam Dalal, and the national movement from Spectrum. The syllabus names specific leaders - make one-page notes on each named personality rather than reading generally.
Science and Geography (Units I-II): One solid pass of the school books each, with short notes on everyday-application physics, health/diseases, monsoon mechanics and rivers. Cap the time invested; revise from your notes after that.
Aptitude and Reasoning (Part B): 30 minutes daily from R.S. Aggarwal, topic by topic, then timed 25-question sets. Accuracy under time pressure, not coverage, is the goal - these are the most predictable 25 questions on the paper.
| Month | Focus | Alongside, daily |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unit IV Polity: school books + Laxmikant first pass | Current affairs (30-40 min) + Aptitude practice (30 min) |
| 2 | Unit V Economy: India half (concepts) + TN schemes note started | |
| 3 | Unit VI TN History, Thirukkural, Dravidian movements | |
| 4 | Unit III Indian History + first full-length mock test | |
| 5 | Units I-II Science and Geography + second pass of Units IV-V notes | |
| 6 | Full revision in weightage order + weekly full-length mocks |
| Month | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Units V + IV only, from notes and school books - one full-length mock at month end |
| 2 | Units VI + III, plus revision of month 1 - mock every 10 days |
| 3 | Units I-II quick pass, current-affairs consolidation, weekly full mocks, error-log revision in the final week |
Both plans assume the same non-negotiables: daily current affairs filed unit-wise, daily aptitude, and mock tests under exam-identical timing. If you must cut something, cut new reading - never cut revision or tests.
Preparing all six units equally. The weightage table above exists for a reason - equal time on a 10-question unit and a 50-question unit is a planning error you pay for in September.
Treating the TN-specific portion as "easy marks I'll do later". Units V and VI are more than half the GS paper, and "later" arrives at the exam hall for many aspirants.
Ignoring the Tamil Eligibility Test until after Prelims results. It is SSLC standard, but it is descriptive, timed, and a hard gate - Papers II to IV are evaluated only if you cross 40. Budget real weeks for it.
Collecting books instead of finishing them. A small set of sources revised three times beats ten books read once. Start with Samacheer, add references only where mock tests show gaps.
Reading current affairs without filing them. A headline read in January is gone by September unless it is filed under its syllabus unit the same day - which is exactly how our daily current affairs pages are organised.
Skipping mock tests to "finish the portion first". The portion is never finished. Tests are not a reward for completing preparation; they are the fastest way to find what actually needs preparing.
The TNPSC Group 1 syllabus has two stages. The Preliminary exam (code 497) is one objective paper of 200 questions: 175 General Studies questions across 6 units (Degree standard) and 25 Aptitude and Mental Ability questions (SSLC standard), for 300 marks. The Main exam (code 498) has 4 descriptive papers: a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test (100 marks) plus General Studies Papers II, III and IV of 250 marks each, followed by an Interview of 100 marks.
General Science 10, Geography of India 10, History, Culture and Indian National Movement 25, Indian Polity 40, Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu 50, and Tamil Nadu History, Culture, Heritage and Socio-Political Movements 40, making 175 General Studies questions. Aptitude adds 15 and Reasoning 10, for a total of 200 questions.
The Group 1 Preliminary Examination 2026 is on 27 September 2026, 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM. It was originally notified for 6 September 2026 and postponed via Addendum 5A dated 16 July 2026. The Main exam date will be announced after Prelims results.
No. There is no negative marking in any TNPSC examination, including Group 1 Prelims and Mains. A wrong answer costs nothing beyond not earning that mark, so attempting every question is the correct strategy.
In Prelims, 90 marks out of 300 for SC, SC(A), ST, MBC/DC, BC(OBCM) and BCM candidates, and 120 for Others. In Mains, the Tamil Eligibility Test needs 40 out of 100 (qualifying only), and Papers II to IV together need 225 out of 750 for reserved categories or 300 for Others.
General Studies is Degree standard in both Prelims and Mains. The Aptitude and Mental Ability part of Prelims and the Tamil Eligibility Test of Mains are SSLC (10th standard) level.
The question papers are set in both Tamil and English and answers can be written in either language. Paper III Unit III (Tamil Society, Culture and Heritage) explicitly allows answering in Tamil or English. Paper I, the Tamil Eligibility Test, is a compulsory qualifying paper written in Tamil.
From the official TNPSC website tnpsc.gov.in under Recruitment, then Syllabus. The Preliminary syllabus is exam code 497 and the Mains syllabus is code 498. This page reproduces the same official syllabus text in full.
Notification 05/2026 lists 26 vacancies: Deputy Collector 12, Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes) 2, Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies 3, District Registrar 8 and Assistant Commissioner of Labour 1. The count is tentative and may be revised until Prelims results are published.
No. Prelims is a screening test only. The final rank is decided by Mains Papers II, III and IV (750 marks) plus the Interview (100 marks), out of 850. The Tamil Eligibility Test and Prelims marks are qualifying gates and do not add to the final total.
All five posts notified in 2026 (Deputy Collector, District Registrar, Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Assistant Commissioner Commercial Taxes and Assistant Commissioner of Labour) carry Pay Level 22 of the Tamil Nadu pay matrix. The exact pay scale is printed in the notification, and allowances apply as per government rules.
There is no attempt limit. You can write the exam as many times as you wish while you satisfy the age and qualification rules of the notification you apply under - the age limit is effectively the only ceiling.
Minimum 21 years for every post. Maximum 34 years for Others and 39 years for BC, MBC, SC and ST candidates for most posts, with further concessions such as 10 extra years for persons with benchmark disability. Check the post-wise age table in the notification for your exact case.
Any recognised university degree. Some posts add preference orders, for example B.Com and B.L. combinations are preferred for Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes), but any degree makes you eligible to apply. Final-year students who have written their final exam can also apply, with proof of passing required at the Mains document-upload stage.
It is indicative, not guaranteed. Paragraph 6.7 of Notification 05/2026 states the Commission may marginally increase or decrease the number of questions in each unit. Plan around the official weightage but do not skip any unit entirely.
Both Tamil and English at every written stage. The notification itself is published in both languages, and in case of any doubt the English version is final.
Yes, one: differently abled candidates can claim exemption from writing Paper I of the Main Examination under paragraph 6.6 of the notification, by furnishing the details in the online application itself and uploading the disability certificate in the prescribed format. Late claims receive no attention.
Approximately 20 times the number of vacancies, drawn in order of Prelims marks with the reservation rules applied. Candidates who tie with the cut-off mark of their reservation group are also admitted, so the actual count can slightly exceed the 1:20 ratio.
They are TNPSC's document codes: 497 is the Combined Civil Services Examination - I Preliminary syllabus and 498 is the Mains syllabus. Use these codes to find the exact official PDFs on tnpsc.gov.in.
The 2026 cycle follows the syllabus published as Annexure III of Notification 05/2026 - the same 6-unit Prelims plus 4-paper Mains structure described on this page. Any revision would come through an official addendum on tnpsc.gov.in, which is also where the one 2026 change so far (the exam date) was announced.
The Interview carries 100 marks with no minimum qualifying mark. It assesses suitability for the service rather than re-testing the written syllabus. Attendance is compulsory, the date cannot be changed, and a medical examination follows it before final selection.
More questions answered from the official notifications in our TNPSC FAQ hub - age limit, qualification, one time registration, negative marking and more.
ArivArk's bilingual Group 1 Prelims Test Series follows this exact syllabus in its exact weightage - scheduled tests in Tamil and English, a video explanation for every paper, and an honest rank list so you always know where you stand.
