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Endurance test for TNPSC forest posts
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The endurance test is a physical stage in TNPSC recruitment for forest posts. In the Group 4 2026 notification, Forest Guard and Forest Watcher candidates face a Physical Standards Test and an Endurance Test. In the endurance test, men walk 25 km and women and third gender candidates walk 16 km, within 4 hours. It is held in Chennai only.
The rules in the Group 4 2026 notification
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Posts | Forest Watcher (code 3319, 40 vacancies, Level 3) and Forest Guard with Driving Licence (code 3318, 1 vacancy, Level 5) |
| Stages | Physical Standards Test and Endurance Test |
| Distance | 25 km for men; 16 km for women and third gender candidates |
| Time allowed | 4 hours |
| Venue | Chennai only |
| Minimum age | 21 |
Vacancy numbers are as notified and tentative. The higher-qualification age relaxation of Group 4 does not extend to Forest Guard and Forest Watcher, as described in higher-qualification age relaxation.
How it fits the selection
Forest posts are recruited through the Group 4 written paper, with the physical tests added for these posts. Paragraph 5.5 of the notification sets out the order of the stages and any pass requirement, so read it for the exact process. The Group 2 2025 notification also lists an Endurance Test for the Forester post, with its own conditions.
Preparing for the walk
The notification fixes distance and time, so your preparation is physical as well as academic.
- Build up distance gradually over weeks, instead of attempting the full distance without a base.
- Practise at the pace the time limit demands: 25 km in 4 hours is about 6.25 km per hour, and 16 km in 4 hours is 4 km per hour.
- Train on the surfaces and in the heat you will face, and do not neglect footwear and hydration.
- Plan your study time around training days, so that training does not crowd out your written-exam preparation.
An example
A male candidate for Forest Watcher needs an average of 6.25 km per hour for 4 hours. A candidate who can comfortably walk 4 km in 45 minutes (about 5.3 km per hour) would need to raise the pace, because the test is not a walk-and-rest session but a timed distance.
For the other Group 4 posts and codes see post code, and for the exam itself the Group 4 exam pattern.
Frequently asked questions
How far is the TNPSC endurance walk?
25 km for men and 16 km for women and third gender candidates, in 4 hours.
Where is it held?
In Chennai only.
Do all Group 4 posts have an endurance test?
No. Only the Forest Guard and Forest Watcher posts in the Group 4 2026 notification.
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- Age reckoning dateTNPSC counts your age on a fixed date, 1 July of the notification year in Groups 1, 2 and 4. See how to calculate it, with worked examples.
- Higher-qualification age relaxationReserved-category candidates with a qualification above the minimum have no maximum age limit for most Group 4 posts. See the rule, exceptions and examples.
- Post codeA post code is the number TNPSC gives each post in a notification. See the 2026 Group 4 codes for VAO, Junior Assistant, Typist, Steno-Typist and EO Grade IV.
- TNPSC age limit & eligibilityTNPSC age limits for Group 1, Group 2/2A and Group 4 by community, PwBD, ex-servicemen and widows, plus qualification, Tamil knowledge and attempt rules.
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- Five-year service ruleTNPSC notifications bar Others candidates with 5 or more years of central or state government service. See who is affected, who is not, and an example.
- Computer-based test (CBT)A computer-based test (CBT) is answered on a screen, not an OMR sheet. See which TNPSC exams use it: Group 2A Main Paper II and CTSE Interview Posts.