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TNPSC salary by group: pay levels from Group 4 to Group 1

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

TNPSC notifications state pay as a Tamil Nadu pay-matrix level, not as a rupee amount. In the latest notifications, Group 1 posts such as Deputy Collector and DSP are at Level 22. Group 2 posts sit at Levels 16 and 18 (see Group 2 vs Group 2A), Group 2A posts at Levels 9 to 12 (Assistants at Level 10), and most Group 4 posts, including Village Administrative Officer (VAO) and Junior Assistant, at Level 8. This page (part of the TNPSC exam guide) shows the level for each representative post and how to turn a level into a monthly figure, rather than quoting salary numbers that nobody in the notification has stated.

Pay level by group and post

Levels come from Notification No. 04/2025 (Group 1), No. 11/2025 (Group 2 and 2A) and No. 11/2026 (Group 4). Posts and levels can change in a new notification.

Three patterns are worth noticing.

• The ladder is steep. Level 8 (Group 4) to Level 22 (Group 1) is a long climb, and the posts in between are where Group 2 and Group 2A sit.
• Group does not equal pay level. Steno-Typist Grade III and Junior Inspector of Co-operative Societies, both Group 4 posts, are at Level 10, the same level as a Group 2A Assistant. Within Group 2A the levels run from 9 to 12.
• Most of Group 4 is one level. VAO, Junior Assistant (the largest block, 2,610 of 6,574 vacancies in 2026), Bill Collector and Typist are all Level 8, so choosing among them is about duties and posting, not pay. The paper for all of them is described in the Group 4 exam pattern.

Some board and corporation posts print their own rupee scale. In the 2026 Group 4 notification, the Junior Assistant (Accounts) post in the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (422 vacancies) is listed at Level 3 on the board's scale of Rs.19,500 to Rs.62,000. That is the board's scale, so don't compare it with a state-matrix level.

Why there are no rupee ranges here

For government posts, the notification gives the level and stops. The rupee range behind a level comes from the Tamil Nadu Revised Pay Rules 2017 pay matrix, issued by the state's Finance Department. Many websites print a rupee range for each level without citing the rule, and the numbers differ from site to site. Since we could not source a rupee figure for each level, we don't print one. To get the real number:

1. Note the level for your post from the notification.
2. Open the current pay-matrix order on the Tamil Nadu Finance Department's site and find that level's row.
3. The first cell is the starting basic pay. Pay then moves up with annual increments within the level.

How to estimate your in-hand salary

Once you have the starting basic pay, the in-hand figure is a sum of a few parts. The government revises some of them from time to time, so use the latest orders.

In-hand salary = basic pay + DA + HRA + CCA + other allowances − deductions. Do the sum for two or three postings you might get, because HRA and CCA are the parts that move the most when you change district.

Compare posts using this same method rather than a ready-made "salary" figure from a website, which can mix gross pay, in-hand pay and different years' DA rates.

Promotions and career growth

The TNPSC notification tells you the entry post and level. What happens next is set by the rules of each service.

• Promotion ladders are service-specific. A VAO and a Junior Assistant start at the same level but sit in different services, each with its own promotion rules and departmental tests. The notification does not list them, so read the service's special rules before you choose between posts.
• Departmental examinations. TNPSC also conducts departmental examinations for serving government employees.
• Moving up through a higher exam. You can write Group 2, 2A or Group 1 while in service if you meet the eligibility. One restriction to know: in the 2026 Group 4 notification, "Others" candidates with five or more years of central or state government service are not eligible to apply. The eligibility guide shows how that rule and the age limits interact.
• Different exam, different entry level. Group 4 is the SSLC-level entry route, while Group 2A, Group 2 and Group 1 start at higher levels. TNPSC groups explained shows which group leads to which kind of post.

For HR&CE posts, such as Executive Officer Grade IV (Group 4) and Grade III (Group 2A), see the Executive Officer exams page. The VAO post is covered on the VAO page.

Once you have picked a target

If a pay level helped you choose a group, PrepMatic's free assessment (about 15 untimed questions) shows your weakest and strongest subjects for TNPSC. The study plan is built from your exam date, daily study hours and study days, and full-length mocks match the real paper, for example 200 questions in 180 minutes for Group 4. You can practise in Tamil, and the practice is multiple-choice, so it fits the prelims-style papers, not descriptive mains writing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the salary of a TNPSC Group 4 employee?

Most Group 4 posts, including VAO, Junior Assistant, Bill Collector and Typist, are at Level 8 of the Tamil Nadu pay matrix. The notification does not print a rupee figure, so read the starting basic pay for Level 8 in the Finance Department's current pay matrix and add allowances for your posting.

What is the pay level of a VAO?

Level 8, per Notification No. 11/2026, which lists 291 VAO vacancies. The same level applies to Junior Assistant, Bill Collector, Typist and Executive Officer Grade IV in that notification.

What is the salary of a TNPSC Group 1 officer?

The 2025 Group 1 notification (stages on the Group 1 exam pattern page) places all six advertised posts, including Deputy Collector and DSP, at Level 22. That is the highest level among the posts in the three notifications reviewed here.

Is Group 2 salary higher than Group 2A?

Yes, by level. In the 2025 notification Group 2 posts are at Levels 16 and 18, and Group 2A posts at Levels 9 to 12. Group 2A Assistants, the biggest block, are at Level 10.

Are TNPSC salaries the same in every department?

For state-government posts the pay level and matrix are the same, but allowances such as HRA and CCA depend on the place of posting. Board and corporation posts, such as the TN Power Distribution Corporation post above, may follow their own scale.

Official sources

• Group 4 Notification No. 11/2026: posts, vacancies and pay levels (paragraph 3).
• Group 2 and 2A Notification No. 11/2025
• Group 1 Notification No. 04/2025
• TNPSC official website

The rupee value of a pay level and the allowances change by government order. Confirm them in the latest notification and the current Finance Department orders before you rely on any figure.

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