PrepMaticExam questions answered · TNPSC
Can I write the TNPSC exam in English?
Partly. The General Studies and aptitude papers are bilingual, so you can read and answer those in English. The Tamil language papers are not: Group 4 Part A is in Tamil only, and the Group 1 and Group 2/2A mains have a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test. Whether you can use English depends on the paper.
Paper by paper
| Exam and paper | Language |
|---|---|
| Group 4, Part A (100 questions, 150 marks) | Tamil only. Differently-abled candidates who studied only in English may take General English instead. |
| Group 4, Part B General Studies and Part C Aptitude | Bilingual, Tamil and English |
| Group 2/2A prelims, Part A (100 questions) | Your choice of General Tamil or General English |
| Group 2/2A prelims, General Studies | Set in Tamil and English |
| Group 2/2A mains, Paper I | Tamil Eligibility Test, qualifying only |
| Group 1, General Studies | Set in Tamil and English |
| Group 1 mains, Paper I | Tamil Eligibility Test, qualifying only |
Group 4 is the one that changed. Earlier Group 4 papers let candidates choose English in place of General Tamil, but Notification No. 11/2026 (para 6.1) makes Part A the Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test. Group 2 prelims, in the 2025 notification, still offer the General English option in Part A.
What "qualifying" means
The Tamil Eligibility Test in the Group 1 and Group 2/2A mains is an SSLC-standard paper of 100 marks. You need 40 to pass, and the marks do not count toward your rank. If you fail it, your General Studies answer sheets are not evaluated. Persons with benchmark disabilities can be exempted. Read about the paper on the Tamil Eligibility Test page.
If you studied in English medium
Studying in English does not exempt you from Tamil. Part A and the Tamil Eligibility Test still test Tamil, and there is a separate rule that you must know Tamil to be appointed. Both are covered in the Tamil requirement answer. For descriptive mains papers, read the notification's instructions on the medium of answers.
Source
Confirm the language rules in the notification for your cycle.
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- Is Tamil compulsory for Group 4?Yes. Group 4 Part A is a Tamil-only test of 100 questions and 150 marks, and you need 60 marks in it for Parts B and C to be evaluated. Exceptions explained.
- Is Tamil needed to apply?TNPSC requires adequate knowledge of Tamil, shown by studying Tamil at school or college, or by passing the TNPSC Second Class Language Test later.
- TNPSC Tamil eligibility testHow the TNPSC Tamil eligibility test works in Group 4, Group 2/2A and Group 1: the 40% gate, whether marks count for rank, syllabus standard and how to prepare.
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