NEELGYAN EXAM GUIDE
TNPSC Combined Civil Services Examination I Guide
TN Combined Civil Services Examination-I
2026 examination cycle · Tamil Nadu PSC (TNPSC)
Prepared by NeelGyan Team
Editorial source verification is still in progress
2026 planner notification date
23 June 2026
2026 planner Prelims date
6 September 2026 (tentative)
Current detailed notice
Recheck required
Vacancies
Not stated in annual planner
Last verified structure
Notification 04/2025
Index status
Held pending current notification
2026 cycle tracker
- Annual planner published2026 programme
- Planned notification date23 June 2026
- Detailed notification/application recheckRequired nowYou are here
- Tentative Preliminary examination6 September 2026
- Main examination and interviewCurrent notice required
On This Page
Exam Resources
About TNPSC Group I
What is TNPSC Group I?
TNPSC's 2026 annual planner lists Combined Civil Services Examination I (Group I Services), a planned notification date of 23 June 2026 and a tentative Preliminary examination date of 6 September 2026.
As of 2 August 2026, the official notification page reviewed did not expose a readable 2026 detailed Group I notice even though the planner's notification date had passed. The page therefore remains unverified for indexing and does not guess vacancies, application dates or 2026 post rules.
The eligibility, fee and paper figures below are clearly labelled as the structure in Notification 04/2025. A later 2026 notification can change them and always controls.
Latest TNPSC Group I Updates
Verified updates, newest first
TNPSC Group I Highlights
Key verified exam details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission |
| 2026 status | Planner available; detailed notice recheck |
| Planned Prelims | 6 September 2026 |
| Reference selection | Prelims → Main → Interview |
| Reference Main merit | 750 written + 100 interview |
| Authority rule | 2026 detailed notification supersedes reference figures |
TNPSC Group I 2026 Important Dates
Official notification and exam timeline
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Planner's notification date | Planned date; detailed notice recheck required | |
| Planner's Preliminary examination date | Tentative; verify against current notice |
TNPSC Group I Application Process and Fees
Official application route and fee details
Do not present an active 2026 application until the detailed notification and TNPSC application route are visible.
TNPSC applications use One Time Registration followed by a separate examination application. OTR alone is not an application.
Notification 04/2025 used ₹150 OTR registration valid for five years, ₹100 Preliminary fee and ₹200 Main fee for non-exempt candidates; recheck all amounts in the 2026 notice.
| Item | Notification 04/2025 | 2026 position |
|---|---|---|
| One Time Registration | ₹150; five-year validity | Recheck current rules |
| Preliminary fee | ₹100 unless exempt | Not established |
| Main fee | ₹200 unless exempt | Not established |
- Fee-exemption chances and categories must be read in the current detailed notification.
TNPSC Group I Eligibility Criteria
Qualification, age and other requirements
Current-cycle eligibility
2026 notice required
- Confirm every post and qualification from the current detailed notification.
- Do not submit a claim from the planner alone.
Reference qualification
Recognised degree
- Notification 04/2025 generally required a degree, with post-specific preferences.
- Final-year provisions were subject to proof before Main admission.
Reference age
Minimum 21; maximum post-specific
- The 2025 notice used 1 July 2025 as its age date.
- A 2026 notice may use a different cut-off and post roster.
Tamil and physical standards
Post-dependent
- Adequate Tamil knowledge was required in the reference notice.
- Police and other identified posts may carry physical standards.
TNPSC Group I Admit Card Status
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No current 2026 admit-card release was verified.
A planner date is not an admit-card notice.
TNPSC Group I Exam Pattern and Selection Process
Stages, papers and qualifying rules
- Preliminary examinationTentatively 6 September 2026 under the planner
- Main examinationPrevious notice used Tamil qualifying + three GS papers
- InterviewPrevious notice carried 100 marks
Final merit · 850 marks
- Main GS Papers I–III 750 marks · 88.2%
- Interview 100 marks · 11.8%
TNPSC Group I Preliminary reference pattern
| Component | Questions | Marks/time |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | 175 | Part of 300 marks; 3 hours |
| Aptitude and Mental Ability | 25 | Part of 300 marks; 3 hours |
- Reference qualifying marks were 90 for listed reserved communities and 120 for Others.
TNPSC Group I Main reference pattern
| Paper | Marks | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Eligibility Test | 100 | Qualifying; 40 marks |
| General Studies I | 250 | Merit |
| General Studies II | 250 | Merit |
| General Studies III | 250 | Merit |
| Interview | 100 | Merit |
- The 2026 detailed notification must confirm this pattern.
TNPSC Group I Syllabus Overview
Subjects and stages in the official syllabus
- The reference Preliminary syllabus combines General Studies with aptitude and mental ability.
- The reference Main scheme uses a Tamil Eligibility Test and three descriptive General Studies papers.
- Download the 2026 syllabus from TNPSC before treating any unit distribution as current.
General Studies Preliminary
175-question component in the 2025 reference scheme.
Aptitude and Mental Ability
25-question component in the reference scheme.
Tamil Eligibility Test
Qualifying Main paper in Notification 04/2025.
Main General Studies I–III
Three 250-mark descriptive merit papers in the reference notice.
TNPSC Group I Answer Key Status
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No 2026 Group I answer key can be treated as official before the examination and Commission release.
Use the TNPSC answer-key page after the examination.
TNPSC Group I Result Status
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No 2026 Group I result was verified.
Use the official dashboard for each stage result.
TNPSC Group I Cut-off Status
Verified current-cycle status
Current status: No 2026 official cut-off exists in the material reviewed.
Minimum qualifying marks in an older notice are not the current competitive cut-off.
Routes, Posts and Outcomes
Where successful candidates may progress
Group I combines senior state-service posts. The current 2026 post list and vacancy count were not stated in the annual planner.
- Previous notifications included posts such as Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police.
- Only the 2026 detailed notification can establish the current roster and vacancies.
TNPSC Group I post verification
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| 2026 post list | Not stated in annual planner |
| 2026 vacancies | Not stated in annual planner |
| Post-specific standards | Confirm in detailed notification |
TNPSC Group I Preparation Strategy
A syllabus-first preparation route
- Start with the official 2026 notice recheck, not the planner alone.
- Use the previous-paper archive for format practice while keeping the scheme label visible.
- Prepare Tamil eligibility and Main answer writing provisionally, then remap after the current notice.
- Track TNPSC notification and dashboard pages for schedule changes.
TNPSC Group I Previous Question Papers
Official question-paper resources
TNPSC publishes objective and descriptive previous-question-paper pages. Match papers to Group I and the applicable scheme.
TNPSC Group I Frequently Asked Questions
When is TNPSC Group I Prelims 2026?
The annual planner lists 6 September 2026 tentatively; verify the detailed notification before relying on it.
Is the TNPSC Group I 2026 notification available?
A readable current detailed notice was not verified on the official notification page as of 2 August 2026.
How many 2026 vacancies are there?
The annual planner does not state a vacancy number.
Is OTR the examination application?
No. OTR and the separate examination application are different steps.
What was the last verified Preliminary pattern?
Notification 04/2025 used 175 General Studies and 25 aptitude questions for 300 marks in three hours.
What was the last verified Main pattern?
A qualifying Tamil paper, three 250-mark GS papers and a 100-mark interview.
Can I use 2025 fees for 2026?
Only as a clearly labelled reference; the 2026 detailed notification controls payable fees.
Why is this page held from indexing?
Because the current detailed 2026 notification was not verifiably accessible during review.
Official Information and Sources
Primary notice and authority links
Related State Civil Service Examinations
Use each commission's current detailed notification before comparing dates or eligibility.
Verify Before You Apply
Eligibility, dates, fees, vacancies, pattern and status can change. Read the latest notice on the official authority’s website before applying. NeelGyan does not collect application fees or guarantee admission or selection.