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Pay matrix and pay level in TNPSC posts
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The pay matrix is the table that fixes government pay in Tamil Nadu, and a pay level is the row of that table assigned to a post. TNPSC notifications name the level of each post, for example Level 8 for VAO and Junior Assistant, and do not print a rupee range for government posts.
Levels printed in recent notifications
| Level | Posts and group | Notification |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | Forest Watcher (Group 4) | Group 4, 2026 |
| Level 5 | Forest Guard with Driving Licence (Group 4) | Group 4, 2026 |
| Level 8 | VAO, Junior Assistant, Bill Collector, Typist, Executive Officer Grade IV (Group 4) | Group 4, 2026 |
| Level 9 | Assistant (TNPSC, Legislative Assembly Secretariat) and Lower Division (Counter) Clerk (Group 2A) | Group 2, 2025 |
| Level 10 | Steno-Typist Grade III and Junior Inspector of Co-operative Societies (Group 4); Assistant in most departments, Senior Revenue Inspector, Executive Officer Grade III (Group 2A) | Group 4, 2026 and Group 2, 2025 |
| Level 12 | Senior Inspector (Dairy), Audit Inspector (HR&CE) (Group 2A) | Group 2, 2025 |
| Level 16 | Assistant Section Officer (TNPSC, Secretariat Service), Forester (Group 2) | Group 2, 2025 |
| Level 18 | Assistant Inspector (Labour) and Probation Officer (Group 2); the notification's table merges cells, so confirm the level for your post | Group 2, 2025 |
| Level 22 | Deputy Collector, DSP (Category 1), Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes), Assistant Director of Rural Development, District Employment Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Group 1) | Group 1, 2025 |
Levels apply to the posts and cycle named. Check the notification you are applying to, because a post can be moved between levels.
How to read a level
- A higher number means a higher entry level on the matrix and a higher starting pay.
- The level fixes the range of basic pay. Allowances are added on top. See dearness allowance for the main one.
- Posts in boards and corporations are paid on that body's scale. The Group 4 2026 notification lists the TNPDCL Junior Assistant (Accounts) post on a board scale, so do not assume it matches Level 8.
Why rupee figures are not given here
The notifications state levels. The rupee range attached to each level comes from the Tamil Nadu pay rules, which this page does not reproduce. Any figure you read elsewhere for "Level 8" should be checked against the current government order before you use it.
An example
Two Group 4 posts, VAO and Junior Assistant, are both Level 8, so they start at the same place on the matrix. Steno-Typist Grade III is Level 10, a higher entry level, within the same Group 4 exam. The post you choose at counselling therefore changes the pay level even though you took one paper.
The salary guide for each group is in TNPSC salary by group.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pay level of VAO in TNPSC Group 4?
Level 8 in the Group 4 2026 notification.
Is Group 2A paid more than Group 4?
Many Group 2A posts sit at a higher level (Level 9 or 10 for the Assistant posts in the 2025 notification) than most Group 4 posts, which are Level 8. Group 4's Steno-Typist Grade III is also Level 10.
Does the notification list the salary in rupees?
Not for government posts. It lists the pay level. Only some board and corporation posts carry a scale.
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- Dearness allowance (DA)Dearness allowance (DA) is an add-on to basic pay that adjusts for price rises. See how DA is worked out for TNPSC posts and why no fixed rate appears here.
- Junior AssistantJunior Assistant is the largest TNPSC Group 4 post: 2,610 non-security vacancies at Level 8 in 2026. See post codes, age limits and shortlist ratios.
- VAO (Village Administrative Officer)VAO stands for Village Administrative Officer, a Level 8 post filled through TNPSC Group 4. See the Tamil name, 2026 vacancies and age limits.
- TNPSC salary by groupTNPSC salary by pay-matrix level: Level 22 for Group 1, 16-18 for Group 2, 9-12 for Group 2A, mostly Level 8 for Group 4, plus how to estimate in-hand pay.
More in TNPSC
- Option E (answer not known)Option E on the TNPSC OMR sheet means "answer not known". Learn what it scores, why leaving a question blank costs 0.5 mark, and when guessing beats shading E.
- One Time Registration (OTR)OTR is the permanent TNPSC candidate profile on tnpscexams.in. See the ₹150 fee, 5-year validity, the Aadhaar rule and why registering is not applying.
- OMR sheetHow the TNPSC OMR sheet works in Group 4: five bubbles a question, the blank-answer deduction, thumb impression and register number rules, with an example.
- 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.
- PSTMPSTM means Persons Studied in Tamil Medium, a Tamil Nadu recruitment provision. See how it differs from the Tamil knowledge rule and the Tamil papers.
- No maximum age limit"No maximum age limit" in a TNPSC notification means you must not have completed 60 years. See where it applies in Groups 2 and 4 and what it keeps.
- PwBD (differently-abled)What PwBD means in TNPSC notifications: the 4% reservation, higher age limits, free exam fee in Group 4 and Tamil paper options for disabled candidates.
- Qualifying paperA qualifying paper must be passed but its marks are not added to your rank. See which TNPSC papers are qualifying (Group 1, 2, 2A Tamil) and which count.