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TNPSC age limit and eligibility, group by group

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 8 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

The TNPSC age limit depends on the group, the post and your community. In the Group 4 notification of October 2026, the maximum age for most SSLC-level posts is 30 for Others, 32 for BC/BCM/MBC/DC and 35 for SC/SC(A)/ST, counted as on 1 July 2026. Group 2 (2025) allows Others up to 32 and sets no maximum for most reserved candidates. Group 1 (2025) allows Others up to 34 and reserved candidates up to 39. Qualification is SSLC for Group 4 and a degree for Groups 1, 2 and 2A. For what each group is and which posts it fills, see TNPSC groups explained, or start from the TNPSC exam guide.

Limits change between notifications, and they differ post by post inside one notification. Use the tables below to see where you stand, then check your own post's row in the notification.

Group 4 eligibility (Notification No. 11/2026)

The age is reckoned as on 1 July 2026. For most posts the minimum is 18, and the maximum for the SSLC-level posts (Junior Assistant, Typist, Steno-Typist, Bill Collector and similar) is:

Three exceptions matter.

• Village Administrative Officer: minimum age 21. Maximum 30 for Others and 40 for all reserved categories. PwBD 40 (Others) or 50 (reserved), ex-servicemen 48 or 53, destitute widows 40. See the VAO page.
• Executive Officer Grade IV (HR&CE): age 25 to 35 for Others, up to 37 for BC/MBC and 40 for SC/ST. PwBD 45, destitute widows 40. Hindu candidates only. See the Executive Officer exams page.
• Forest Guard and Forest Watcher: minimum age 21, and the "no maximum" rule below does not apply.

The "higher qualification" rule. For most posts, BC (OBCM), BCM, MBC/DC, SC, SC(A) and ST candidates who hold a general educational qualification higher than the minimum (for example a degree for an SSLC-level post) have no maximum age limit. VAO, Forest Guard and Forest Watcher are excluded. "No maximum" in TNPSC's wording means you must not have completed 60 years.

Worked example. For an Others candidate in Group 4 (30 years maximum), the rule is that you must not have completed 30 years on 1 July 2026. Someone born on 15 March 1997 is 29, so eligible. Someone born on 2 July 1996 is 29 years and 364 days on the cut-off date, so eligible. Someone born on 1 July 1996 completes 30 on the cut-off date itself. Check the notification's exact wording for your column before relying on the last case.

Some older articles quote 32 for Others in Group 4. We could not verify why, so use the current notification's figure of 30.

The Group 4 paper and its marks are described in the Group 4 exam pattern.

Group 2 and 2A eligibility (Notification No. 11/2025)

Age is counted as on 1 July 2025 in that cycle. Always read the date in the current notice.

Post-specific limits override that table:

• Executive Officer Grade III: 25 to 37.
• Probation Officer (post 1011): 26 to 42. Probation Officer (post 1023): 22 to 32.
• Sub Registrar Grade II: minimum 20.
• Forester: 21 to 32 for Others and up to 37 for reserved categories.

Group 1 eligibility (Notification No. 04/2025)

Minimum age is 21 for all posts, as on 1 July 2025.

Reservation for destitute widows and ex-servicemen does not apply to Group 1, though the age concessions are listed. See the Group 1 exam pattern for the stages.

Educational qualification

The degree must follow the order 10th, then HSC or diploma, then undergraduate. For the typing posts, the Group 4 notification asks for the Government Technical Examination in typewriting, in Tamil and English combinations, and a computer certificate on Office Automation. For some posts the computer certificate can be acquired during probation. Read the qualification column for your post code; this is where applications most often fail.

Tamil knowledge, attempts and other rules

• Tamil knowledge. Every notification we reviewed requires adequate knowledge of Tamil on the date of notification. You meet it with SSLC, HSC or a degree with Tamil as a language, or with Tamil-medium schooling at high school level, or by passing the Commission's Second Class Language Test (Full Test) in Tamil. If you don't hold one of these, you must pass that test within 2 years of appointment or be discharged. This is separate from the Tamil paper inside the exam, covered in TNPSC Tamil eligibility test.
• Attempts. The three notifications we reviewed prescribe no limit on attempts. The only counted limit is the number of free chances for fee concession (see OTR and fees).
• Government service. "Others" candidates with five or more years of central or state government service are not eligible for these exams.
• Religion-specific posts. HR&CE posts are for Hindu candidates only, and Waqf Board Typist and Steno posts for Muslim candidates only.

Community terms and reservation

TNPSC tables use these labels: Others, BC (OBCM), BCM (Backward Class Muslim), MBC/DC, SC, SC(A) (Arunthathiyar) and ST. Reservation in the Group 4 notification is SC 15%, SC(A) 3%, ST 1%, BC other than Muslims 26.5%, BC Muslims 3.5% and MBC/DC 20%. Women get 30%, PwBD 4%, and destitute widows 10% of the women's 30% for posts up to Level 10.

The destitute-widow income ceiling was Rs.4,000 a month in the 2025 notifications and Rs.8,000 a month in the 2026 Group 4 notification, and divorced or deserted women are not covered.

Checking your eligibility with PrepMatic

PrepMatic does not decide eligibility; only the notification does. Once you know which group you qualify for, the beginner roadmap shows how to start. PrepMatic's free assessment, about 15 untimed questions, then shows your weakest subjects for that exam, and the study plan is built from your exam date, daily study hours and study days. You can choose Tamil as your exam language for TNPSC practice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the age limit for TNPSC Group 4?

In the 2026 notification, the maximum age is 30 for Others, 32 for BC/BCM/MBC/DC and 35 for SC/SC(A)/ST for most SSLC-level posts, as on 1 July 2026. Reserved candidates with a higher qualification than SSLC have no maximum age limit for most posts, except VAO.

Is there an age limit for TNPSC Group 2?

For Others, the 2025 notification set a maximum of 32 for most posts. BC, BCM, MBC/DC, SC, SC(A) and ST candidates had no maximum age limit for most posts, except for posts such as Forester. "No maximum" means below 60 years.

What is the TNPSC Group 1 age limit?

In the 2025 cycle the minimum was 21 and the maximum 34 for Others and 39 for reserved categories, with one extra year for a B.L. degree on some posts. PwBD and ex-servicemen have higher limits.

How many attempts are allowed in TNPSC?

The notifications we reviewed set no cap on attempts. Check each new notification, as TNPSC can change rules.

Can a graduate apply for Group 4?

Yes. The minimum qualification is SSLC, so a graduate meets it. For reserved-category graduates it also removes the maximum age limit on most posts. Check the post's own conditions first, because some posts need typewriting or other certificates.

Official sources

• TNPSC official website: notifications and press releases.
• Group 4 Notification No. 11/2026: paragraph 4 (eligibility) and Annexure II (reservation).
• Group 2 and 2A Notification No. 11/2025
• Group 1 Notification No. 04/2025

Age limits and qualifications are fixed in each notification. Confirm them in the latest notification for your post before applying.

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