Exam glossary · TNPSC

Cut-off marks in TNPSC exams

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 9 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

A cut-off mark in TNPSC exams is the lowest score that got a candidate through a stage or into selection in a particular recruitment. It is decided by the results, not by the notification. That makes it different from the minimum qualifying marks, which are fixed in advance.

Two things people call a cut-off

A candidate can meet the minimum and still miss the cut-off. For the Group 2 mains shortlist in the 2025 notification, candidates tied at the cut-off mark are all admitted, which shows that a shortlist's cut-off is set by merit rather than in advance.

What decides a cut-off

• the number of vacancies for your post and your community turn (see communal rotation);
• how many candidates score high, which depends on the paper's difficulty;
• the shortlist ratio for that stage.

Because all of these change each cycle, last year's cut-off is a rough guide at best and never a promise.

What TNPSC publishes

TNPSC's Open Data Policy in the Group 4 2026 notification says all disclosures are made available on the Commission's website after the selection process is completed. Past disclosures are kept in a result-disclosures folder on tnpsc.gov.in, and at least one of them is a cut-off PDF. The Group 4 counselling list for the 2024 notification lists register numbers only, with no cut-off marks. This site has not found an official cut-off table for recent Group 4 or Group 2 cycles, so it does not quote one.

Which numbers to ignore

Cut-off figures posted on coaching sites, in videos and on social media are not published by TNPSC. Use them only to understand the range, never as a target. A better approach is to set your target above the minimum and track the trend across several full mocks.

An example

Suppose a recruitment shortlists the top 300 in a reservation group and the 300th candidate scored 152 marks. The cut-off for that group is 152. Another group for the same post may have a different cut-off, because the vacancies and the merit order differ.

For how to set a practical target, read the Group 4 cut-off guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does TNPSC publish cut-off marks?

It publishes selection disclosures after a recruitment is completed. Check the result disclosures on tnpsc.gov.in for the recruitment you want.

Is the cut-off the same for every community?

Not necessarily. Reservation groups are shortlisted separately, so each can end at a different mark.

Should I plan against last year's cut-off?

Use it only for a rough sense of range. Vacancies, difficulty and competition change every cycle.

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