The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission officially released the TNPSC Group 1 Syllabus 2026 for the Combined Civil Services Examination – I. With 26 vacancies announced for the TNPSC Group 1 Notification 2026: 26 Vacancies Announced – View Details, candidates are gearing up for the upcoming recruitment process. The Preliminary stage is scheduled for 6th September 2026. Aspirants looking to register can access the TNPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026: Official Online Application Portal to submit their applications.
To clear the TNPSC Group 1 Exam, candidates must navigate through a rigorous selection process comprising multiple tiers designed to test administrative aptitude, general awareness, and language proficiency.
TNPSC Group 1 Selection Process 2026
The TNPSC Group 1 selection process consists of a 3-hour objective-type Preliminary examination followed by a comprehensive descriptive Mains examination and an interview.
Stages of Selection
- Prelims
- Mains
- Interview
| Organisation | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission |
| Name of the Exam | TNPSC Group 1 Exam |
| TNPSC Group 1 Selection Process | 1. Preliminary Exam 2. Mains Exam 3. Interview |
| Total Marks | 1. Prelims – MCQ-based paper – 300 marks 2. Mains – 3 descriptive papers – 750 marks 3. Interview – 100 marks |
| Duration of Exam | • Prelims: 3 hours • Mains: 3 hours for each paper |
| Language of Exam | English, Tamil |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Mode of Counselling | Offline |
TNPSC Group 1 Exam Pattern & Overview
The Preliminary exam mode is offline and objective-type, consisting of 120 questions according to overview, but detail breakdown mentions 200 objective-type questions carrying 1.5 marks each (total 300 marks). There is no negative marking for incorrect answers in the TNPSC Group 1 Prelims Exam. The language of the Preliminary Exam is English and Tamil. Prelims exam duration is 3 hours, and it is of a qualifying nature (marks do not count towards the final merit list).
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Combined Civil Services Examination – I |
| Mode of Exam | Offline Objective-type |
| No. of Question | Prelims- 120 Mains- 380 |
| Duration | Prelims- 3 hours Mains- 3 hours each |
| Stages of Selection | Prelims Mains Interview |
| Exam Date | Prelims- 6th September 2026 Mains- To be notified |
Marks & Qualifying Standards
Candidates must achieve the minimum qualifying marks to proceed through the stages.
| Subject | Duration | Maximum marks | Minimum Qualifying Marks (SCs, SC(A)s, STs, MBCs /DCs, BC(OBCM)s and BCMs) | Minimum Qualifying Marks (Others) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Exam | 3 hours | 300 | 90 | 120 |
| Mains Exam: Paper-I | 3 hours | 100 | 40 | 40 |
| Mains Exam: Paper-II | 3 hours | 250 | 255 | 340 |
| Mains Exam: Paper-III | 3 hours | 250 | ||
| Mains Exam: Paper-IV | 3 hours | 250 | ||
| Interview | No fix duration | 100 | Not Defined | Not Defined |
TNPSC Group 1 Preliminary Exam Syllabus Breakdown
Unit 5 (Indian Economy & Development Administration in Tamil Nadu) carries the highest weightage in Prelims with 50 questions. Furthermore, Unit 4 (Indian Polity) and Unit 6 (Tamil Nadu History & Socio-Political Movements) each carry 40 questions in Prelims.
TNPSC Group 1 Prelims Part A Syllabus - General Studies (Degree Standard – 175 Questions)
- General Science
- Geography
- History, Culture of India, and Indian National Movement
- Indian Polity
- Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu
- History, Culture, Heritage, and Socio-Political Movements in Tamil Nadu
TNPSC Group 1 Prelims Part B Syllabus - Aptitude and Mental Ability (SSLC Standard – 25 Questions)
- Aptitude
- Reasoning
| Subjects | Sub-topics | Number of Questions | Total No. of Questions | Total marks | Duration of exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | General Science | 10 | 175 | 300 | 3 hours |
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | Geography | 10 | |||
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | History, Culture of India, and Indian National Movement | 25 | |||
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | Indian Polity | 40 | |||
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu | 50 | |||
| General Studies (Degree Standard) | History, Culture, Heritage, and Socio-Political Movements in Tamil Nadu | 40 | |||
| Aptitude & Mental Ability Test (SSLC Standard) | Aptitude | 15 | 25 | ||
| Aptitude & Mental Ability Test (SSLC Standard) | Reasoning | 10 | |||
| Total | Total | 200 | 200 | 300 | 3 hours |
TNPSC Group 1 Mains Examination Structure
The Mains exam has 380 questions or 4 papers depending on breakdown: Paper-I (100 marks, 3 hours, Tamil Eligibility Test), Paper-II (250 marks, 3 hours), Paper-III (250 marks, 3 hours), and Paper-IV (250 marks, 3 hours).
| Subject | Total Marks | Duration of exam |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I Tamil Eligibility Test (SSLC Standard) (Descriptive Type) | 100 | 3 hours |
| General Studies Paper II | 250 | 3 hours |
| General Studies Paper III | 250 | 3 hours |
| General Studies Paper IV | 250 | 3 hours |
| Total | 750 | - |
| Paper | Subjects | Syllabus | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | Compulsory Tamil Language Aptitude Test (SSLC Standard) | Compulsory Tamil Language Aptitude Test (SSLC Standard) | 100 Marks |
| Paper-II | General Studies I (Degree Standard – 250 Marks) | Unit 1: Modern history of India and Indian culture | 100 marks |
| Unit-2: Social issues in India and Tamil Nadu | 100 marks | ||
| Unit-3: General Aptitude & Mental Ability | 50 marks | ||
| Paper-III | General Studies II (Degree Standard – 250 Marks) | Unit 1: Indian Polity and emerging political trends across the world affecting India | 100 marks |
| Unit 2: Role and impact of Science and Technology in the development of India | 100 marks | ||
| Unit 3: Tamil Society & Its Culture and Heritage | 50 marks | ||
| Paper-IV | General Studies III (Degree Standard – 250 Marks) | Unit 1: Geography of India with special reference to Tamil Nadu | 75 marks |
| Unit 2: Environment, Bio Diversity and Disaster Management | 75 marks | ||
| Unit 3: Indian Economy - Current economic trends and impact of global economy on India | 100 marks |
Recommended Books & Preparation Resources
Candidates can leverage standardized books and resources such as NCERT Class 6-12 textbooks, Samacheer Kalvi State Board textbooks, M. Laxmikanth's Indian Polity, Ramesh Singh's Indian Economy, Bipan Chandra, and G.C. Leong to build a solid foundation.
| Subject | Recommended Books / Resources |
|---|---|
| General Studies (Foundation) | NCERT Class 6–12 textbooks (all subjects) |
| Tamil Nadu Specific Topics | Samacheer Kalvi State Board textbooks (Classes 6–12); Tamil Nadu Government Yearbook; Asan Publications – Unit 6 (Tamil Nadu History, Culture, Heritage) |
| Indian Polity | Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth (Orient BlackSwan) |
| Indian Economy | Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh; Economic Survey (latest); Union Budget highlights |
| History & Culture | India's Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra; Tamil Nadu History – State Board Books |
| Geography | NCERT Geography (Class 11 & 12); Certificate Physical and Human Geography – G.C. Leong |
| General Science | NCERT Science Class 6–10; Lucent's General Science |
| Aptitude & Reasoning | Quantitative Aptitude – R.S. Aggarwal; TNPSC Previous Year Aptitude Papers |
| Current Affairs | The Hindu (daily); Dinamani (for TN-specific news); Yojana Magazine; Competitive Success Review (monthly) |
| Mains Answer Writing | Arihant's TNPSC Group 1 Mains Guide; previous year Mains question papers with model answers |
Official Syllabus Documentation
Download the official syllabus guides to assist in your preparation:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Recommended Reads
- TNPSC Group 1 Salary Structure, Allowances, Perks & Job Profile 2026
- TNPSC Group 1 & Group 1A Notification 2025: Check Vacancies, Dates & Eligibility
- TNPSC Group 1 Notification 2026: Revised Vacancies & Exam Date
- TNPSC Group 1 Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for 26 Vacancies, Dates, Fee
- TNPSC Group 1 Cut Off Marks: Historical Trends (2014-2022) & 2026 Preparation Guide
- TNPSC Group 1 Hall Ticket 2026: Prelims Exam Date & Download Guide
- TNPSC Group 1 Final Result 2026 Declared: Check Merit List and 72 Vacancies
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