TNPSC · Group 4 & VAO

TNPSC Group 4 syllabus, unit by unit

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

The TNPSC Group 4 syllabus is one paper at SSLC (Class 10) standard, syllabus code 496. It has three parts: Part A, the Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test (100 questions, 7 units); Part B, General Studies (75 questions, 6 units); and Part C, Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions, 2 units). This page follows Annexure III of Notification No. 11/2026 (6 October 2026), the notification for the exam on 10 January 2027. For marks, timing and the Tamil qualifying rule, see the Group 4 exam pattern.

Group 4 syllabus at a glance

The notification says the unit-wise question numbers below are only indicative. Expect a unit to run a few questions above or below its figure, and never skip a small unit on the strength of its count.

Part A: Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test (100 questions)

Part A is set in Tamil only. You need at least 40% (60 of 150 marks) here or Parts B and C are not evaluated, and the marks you score still count towards your rank. Candidates with a disability who studied only in English can opt for General English instead (covered at the end of this section). The seven units, with the official Tamil headings:

Unit VII is the one that rewards a list. The notification limits Thirukkural to twenty named chapters, among them ஒழுக்கமுடைமை (right conduct), பொறையுடைமை (forbearance), விருந்தோம்பல் (hospitality), ஈகை (giving), கல்வி (learning) and புறங்கூறாமை (not speaking ill of others). It also names the ethical works Naladiyar, Nanmanikkadigai, Palamozhi Nanuru, Mudumozhikkanchi, Thirikadugam, Inna Narpadhu, Sirupanchamoolam and Elathi, plus Avvaiyar's songs. The scholar list includes U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, G.U. Pope, Veeramamunivar, Devaneya Pavanar and C. Ilakkuvanar, and writers such as Bharathidasan, Kannadasan, Namakkal Kavignar and Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram. A note in the notification says Unit VII is based on school textbooks up to SSLC standard. Copy the full chapter and name lists from Annexure III rather than from a coaching summary.

For how to study these units, see the General Tamil guide and the Tamil Eligibility Test guide.

The General English alternative for eligible differently-abled candidates has the same 100 questions in seven units: Grammar 25, Vocabulary 15, Writing Skills 10, Technical Terms 10, Reading Comprehension 20, Translation 5 and Literary Works 15. The same 60-mark gate applies.

Part B: General Studies (75 questions)

All six units are at SSLC standard, and Parts B and C appear in Tamil and English. Topic lists below are condensed from Annexure III.

• Unit I, General Science: measurement of physical quantities, laws of motion, force, pressure and energy, everyday mechanics, electricity, magnetism, light, sound, heat and nuclear physics; elements and compounds, acids, bases, salts, petroleum products, fertilizers, pesticides, metallurgy and food adulterants; life science, classification of organisms, evolution, genetics, physiology, nutrition, health, human diseases; environmental science; latest inventions. See General Science.
• Unit II, Geography: earth location, physical features, monsoon, rainfall and climate, water resources, rivers, soil, minerals, forest and wildlife, agriculture, transport and communication, population in Tamil Nadu and India, calamities and disaster management, climate change, geographical landmarks. See Geography.
• Unit III, History and National Movement: Indus Valley Civilization, Guptas, Delhi Sultans, Mughals, Marathas, South Indian history; national renaissance, early uprisings, the Indian National Congress, leaders such as Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Bharathiar, V.O. Chidambaranar, Periyar, Kamarajar and Muthulakshmi Ammaiyar; agitations in Tamil Nadu; Indian culture and unity in diversity. See History and the National Movement.
• Unit IV, Indian Polity: the Preamble and salient features, citizenship, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, Union and State executive and legislature, local government and Panchayat Raj, federalism, elections, judiciary, Lokpal and Lokayukta, Right to Information, consumer forums, human rights, political parties in Tamil Nadu and India. See Indian Polity.
• Unit V, Economy and Development Administration: the nature of the Indian economy, five-year plans, Planning Commission and NITI Aayog, sources of revenue, RBI, Finance Commission, Union-State resource sharing, GST, employment, land reforms, agriculture, industry, rural welfare programmes, social problems, social justice, education and health systems in Tamil Nadu, welfare schemes. See Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu.
• Unit VI, Tamil Nadu history and culture: Tamil society and archaeological discoveries, Tamil literature from the Sangam age to today, Thirukkural (its significance as secular literature, relevance to everyday life, impact on humanity, universal values, socio-political-economic relevance and philosophical content), Tamil Nadu in the freedom struggle, the role of women, social reformers and reform movements. See Tamil Nadu history and culture and Thirukkural.

Units I, II, IV and V each end with "Current affairs", and together they carry 45 of the 75 questions. That is not 45 current-affairs questions, but it is a clear signal to keep a running notes habit; the current affairs guide shows how.

Part C: Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions)

• Unit I, Aptitude (15 questions): simplification, percentage, HCF, LCM, ratio and proportion, simple interest, compound interest, area, volume, time and work.
• Unit II, Reasoning (10 questions): logical reasoning, puzzles, dice, visual reasoning, alpha-numeric reasoning, number series.

The list is short and every topic is school-level arithmetic or reasoning, which makes Part C the most learnable 25 questions in the paper. Formulas and drills are in the aptitude and mental ability guide.

How to prioritise the syllabus

With one question worth about 1.5 marks (150 marks for 100 questions), the unit counts translate directly into marks.

1. Tamil first. Part A is half the marks and a hard gate. Grammar (Unit I) is the single biggest unit in the paper at 25 questions.
2. Tamil Nadu content next. Units V and VI together carry 40 of the 75 GS questions, and Unit III includes Tamil Nadu leaders and agitations.
3. Polity for steady marks. Fifteen questions from a fixed, textbook-based topic list.
4. Aptitude and reasoning for accuracy. Twenty-five questions that reward practice more than reading.
5. Science and Geography last, but not never. Ten questions in all, with overlap in environment and current affairs.

The Group 4 study plan turns this order into weeks. For an overview of all TNPSC groups, start at the TNPSC guide.

Working through the syllabus with PrepMatic

PrepMatic's free assessment is about 15 untimed questions. It shows your weakest subjects, so you can decide where to start rather than guess. Full-length Group 4 mocks have 200 questions in 180 minutes, and you can build shorter custom mocks on subjects you choose. You can pick Tamil as your exam language, so questions and mock tests appear in Tamil. The assessment works at subject level, not unit level, so use this page's unit lists to go deeper into whichever subject it flags.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Group 4 syllabus the same for VAO and Junior Assistant?

Yes. The notification prescribes one paper, code 496, for the exam, and all posts in it are filled on that paper. Forest Guard and Forest Watcher add physical tests on top, but the written syllabus is the same.

Is Thirukkural in the Group 4 syllabus?

Yes, in two places. Part B Unit VI lists Thirukkural themes (secular literature, everyday life, universal values and more), and Part A Unit VII limits Thirukkural to twenty named chapters.

Is current affairs part of the Group 4 syllabus?

Four of the six GS units list it: General Science, Geography, Indian Polity, and Indian Economy with Development Administration. History and Tamil Nadu history do not.

What is the standard of the Group 4 syllabus?

All three parts are at SSLC (Class 10) standard, which is why school textbooks are the usual base. TNPSC states this for the literature unit explicitly; for the rest, the standard is stated in the section headings.

Do the unit-wise question counts stay fixed?

No. The notification calls them indicative. Use them to plan your time, not to skip a unit.

Official sources

• TNPSC Group 4 Notification No. 11/2026 (English PDF): Annexure III, Syllabus, code 496.
• TNPSC Group 4 Notification 2026 (Tamil PDF): the same notification in Tamil.
• TNPSC official website: notifications and syllabus pages.

Syllabus and scheme can be modified by TNPSC. Confirm every unit against the latest notification before you finalise your notes.

← All TNPSC guides