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TNPSC Executive Officer exam: where each grade is recruited now

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 8 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

TNPSC does not run a separate Executive Officer (EO) exam in the notifications we checked. Executive Officer Grade IV in the HR&CE department, once recruited through a "Group 8" exam, is now filled through the Group 4 exam: the 2026 notification (No. 11/2026) lists 46 vacancies under post code 1655 at Level 8. Executive Officer Grade III is filled through Group 2A: the 2025 notification (No. 11/2025) lists it under post code 1654 at Level 10. If an article describes a standalone Group 8 EO exam, it is out of date. We have not verified anything current for Grade I.

Where each EO grade is recruited

Group 4 also listed EO Grade IV in its 2024 notification, so the move into Group 4 is not a one-off. The Annual Planner for 2026 lists Combined Technical Services, Group 1, Group 2 and 2A and Group 4 and has no standalone EO exam. For a map of all the groups, see TNPSC groups explained.

EO Grade IV through Group 4

The 2026 Group 4 notification gives these conditions for post code 1655 (age is counted on 1 July 2026):

Three details deserve a second read. The minimum age is 25, so a fresh SSLC or degree holder in their early twenties is not eligible for this particular post. Under the notification's higher-qualification rule, reserved-category candidates holding a qualification above SSLC have no maximum age for most posts (only VAO, Forest Guard and Forest Watcher are excluded), so check how it applies to code 1655. And the preference for religious-institution employees is a preference, not a reservation.

The exam is the same single Group 4 paper as for every other post: 200 questions, 300 marks, three hours, no interview. See the Group 4 exam pattern for the Tamil gate and marking, and the Group 4 syllabus for the units. The Group 4 syllabus (code 496) has no HR&CE-specific topics.

EO Grade III through Group 2A

EO Grade III sits in the Group 2A list of the 2025 notification at Level 10, alongside posts such as Assistant and Senior Revenue Inspector. The conditions in that notification (age counted on 1 July 2025):

• Age: 25 to 37 for Others. Reserved categories have no maximum age for most posts in that notification, so read the table for this post.
• Qualification: a degree from a UGC-recognised university, with any post-specific conditions listed in the notification.
• Religion: the Group 4 notification restricts HR&CE posts, including the EO grades, to Hindu candidates. Confirm the wording in the Group 2A notification you are applying under.

The 2025 Group 2/2A scheme works like this, and the 2025 notification has no interview:

1. Preliminary exam (screening only): 200 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours. Part A language (Tamil or English, SSLC standard, 100 questions), Part B General Studies (degree standard, 75) and Part C Aptitude and Mental Ability (SSLC, 25). Minimum 90 for all communities. Prelims marks are not counted for the final rank.
2. Mains Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test, 100 marks, qualifying mark 40, not counted for rank.
3. Mains Paper II for Group 2A: a computer-based objective test of 200 questions for 300 marks in 3 hours, with General Studies (degree standard, 150 questions) and General Intelligence and Reasoning (SSLC, 50). Minimum 90.
4. Ranking: on Paper II marks alone.

A Group 2/2A notification for 2026 has been reported in the press, but we haven't verified its post list. Check whether EO Grade III appears in it. The Group 2 exam pattern and Group 2 vs Group 2A pages explain both stages, and the Group 2 syllabus lists the units.

The old Group 7 and Group 8 exams

Older articles describe EO Grade IV as "Group 8" and the Grade I post as "Group 7B", each with its own exam and syllabus. For Grade IV, TNPSC's own recent notifications place the post in Group 4, and an older "Revised Syllabus Scheme" PDF for EO Grade IV is still on the TNPSC site (we have not read it, so don't rely on it for current rules). For Grade I, we found no recent official notification, and the details we saw in non-official sources are unverified, so we don't repeat them. If TNPSC notifies a Grade I exam, read its scheme in the notification itself.

What to prepare

• For Grade IV: the Group 4 syllabus, in the order the study plan suggests. Tamil comes first because Part A is half the marks and has a 60-mark gate.
• For Grade III: the Group 2A syllabus: the prelims papers, the mains Tamil eligibility test and the CBT Paper II. It is a graduate-level General Studies paper, so a Group 4 plan is not enough.
• Both: the HR&CE aspect shows up at the eligibility stage (religion, and the Grade IV preference), not as a paper. If you're unsure which group suits you, start with the TNPSC eligibility guide.

Pay levels are given in the notifications, not rupee amounts. The salary guide explains how levels convert to pay, and the TNPSC guide is the starting point for all groups.

Staying on top of EO notifications

1. Watch the TNPSC notifications page rather than the planner. The planner is tentative and doesn't list EO posts.
2. Search each Group 4 and Group 2/2A notification for "Executive Officer" or "HR&CE" before you decide.
3. Read the age table for the specific post code, as the EO rows differ from the general rows.

Preparing with PrepMatic

PrepMatic covers Group 4 and Group 2/2A, the two groups that carry EO posts, with objective practice questions. The free assessment of about 15 untimed questions shows your weakest subjects. Your study plan is built from your exam date, daily hours and study days, and you can focus mocks on your weak subjects. You can pick Tamil as your exam language. Practice is multiple-choice only, so it supports the Group 4 paper and the objective stages of Group 2A, but not descriptive writing.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a separate TNPSC exam for Executive Officer?

Not in the latest notifications we checked. Grade IV is recruited through Group 4 (2026) and Grade III through Group 2A (2025). The Annual Planner 2026 lists no standalone EO exam.

What is the qualification for Executive Officer Grade IV?

SSLC, or the "Tamil Pulavar" title, according to the 2026 Group 4 notification. The minimum age is 25.

Is the Group 8 exam still conducted?

A separate Group 8 exam for EO Grade IV is not what the recent notifications show. The post now appears in Group 4, so check the Group 4 notification instead.

What is the salary of an Executive Officer?

EO Grade IV is Level 8 and EO Grade III is Level 10 on the Tamil Nadu pay matrix, as printed in the notifications. The notifications don't give the rupee range for these posts.

Can non-Hindu candidates apply for EO posts?

No. The 2026 Group 4 notification states that HR&CE posts, including the EO grades, are for Hindu candidates only. Confirm the wording in whichever notification you apply under.

Official sources

• TNPSC Group 4 Notification No. 11/2026 (English PDF): EO Grade IV, post code 1655.
• TNPSC Group 2 and 2A Notification No. 11/2025 (English PDF): EO Grade III, post code 1654.
• TNPSC notifications list: all current notifications.
• TNPSC Annual Planner: the tentative programme.

Posts and conditions change between notifications. Confirm them in the latest notification.

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