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Typist vs Steno-Typist Grade III: which Group 4 post fits you

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 9 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

Typist and Steno-Typist Grade III are both TNPSC Group 4 posts filled through the same written paper, but they differ in pay level, certificates and competition. In the Group 4 notification of 6 October 2026, Typist is at Level 8 with 856 vacancies (including backlog), and Steno-Typist Grade III is at Level 10 with 209 (including backlog). Steno-Typist needs shorthand as well as typewriting, so your certificates decide which post you can even apply for.

Typist and Steno-Typist side by side

The "no maximum age" rule for reserved-category candidates with a higher qualification also applies to these two posts. It means you must not have completed 60 years.

Your certificates decide eligibility first

Both posts ask for a typewriting certificate from the state government's technical examinations, and the notification lists exactly which Tamil and English grade combinations it accepts (Higher and Lower grades in different pairings). Match your certificate grades against that list before you apply. A certificate that looks equivalent is not necessarily accepted.

Steno-Typist Grade III adds shorthand. If you have typewriting but no shorthand, only the Typist post is open to you. If you hold both, you can look at both entries, and the notification explains how post choices are taken in the application. Read it for the date by which each certificate must be held, because this is where rejections happen.

The Typist post also asks for the Computer on Office Automation certificate, with the allowance that for some posts it can be acquired during probation. Do not rely on that allowance without checking your post code.

Pay, seats and competition

Level 10 sits two levels above Level 8, so Steno-Typist is the better-paid post on the pay matrix. The notification prints levels, not rupee figures, for these posts. It also has about four Typist seats for every Steno-Typist seat (856 against 209), so Typist is the wider door. The two posts are ranked on the same written marks, which means your rank is what opens a seat. Seat counts are not cut-offs, and TNPSC does not predict closing ranks.

Who should choose which

• Typist if you hold typewriting only, or you want the post with the most vacancies and fewer certificate hurdles.
• Steno-Typist Grade III if you hold both typewriting and shorthand in an accepted combination and want the higher pay level, accepting fewer seats.
• Neither yet if you have no skill certificate. Junior Assistant needs only SSLC, so see VAO vs Junior Assistant and the Group 4 eligibility rules. Or plan to take the certificate exams before the next notification.

The written paper is the same

Ranking is on written marks alone, with no interview. The paper has Part A Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test (150 marks), Part B General Studies (75 questions) and Part C Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions). You need 90 out of 300 overall and 60 out of 150 in Part A. The Group 4 exam pattern and syllabus cover the detail.

PrepMatic's free assessment of about 15 untimed multiple-choice questions shows your weakest subjects across Tamil, General Studies and Aptitude. Its Group 4 mocks follow the 200-question paper and can be set in Tamil. Typing and shorthand skill is outside it: for those you need the technical examination courses.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need shorthand for the Typist post?

No. The Typist post needs a typewriting certificate (and Computer on Office Automation, with some flexibility during probation). Shorthand is required for Steno-Typist Grade III.

Is there a typing test in the TNPSC exam itself?

The notification describes a single-stage written exam, with ranking on written marks alone. Your typing and shorthand skill is shown through the certificates, not a separate test in this scheme.

Can I apply for both posts?

Both come from the same Group 4 exam, so you sit one paper. If you hold the certificates for both, read the application instructions in the notification to see how post choices are recorded.

Official sources

• TNPSC Group 4 Notification No. 11/2026: post codes 2200 and 2300, certificate requirements and shortlisting ratios.
• TNPSC website: notifications and press releases.

Confirm certificate grades, vacancies and dates in the latest notification.

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