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Is Tamil compulsory for TNPSC Group 4?
On this page
Yes. Part A of the Group 4 paper is the Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test: 100 questions for 150 marks, set in Tamil only. You must score at least 40 percent in it, which is 60 out of 150, or your answers to Parts B and C are not even evaluated.
Why it is called "eligibility-cum-scoring"
The test does two jobs. It is an eligibility gate, because below 60 marks you are out. It is also a scoring paper, because the marks you earn in Part A are added to Parts B and C when ranks are drawn. Half of the 300 marks in the paper therefore come from Tamil. Notification No. 11/2026 (para 6.1) describes it that way, and the full structure is on the Group 4 exam pattern page.
The only exception
Differently-abled candidates who studied only in English can opt for General English (SSLC standard) instead of Part A. The same 40 percent, or 60 marks, applies to it (para 6.2). Nobody else gets an English option in Group 4. Older articles that describe "General Tamil with a General English choice" describe the earlier scheme, not the 2026 one.
Tamil as a rule for the job
Separately from the paper, the notification requires adequate knowledge of Tamil on the date of notification, usually shown by studying Tamil as a language or by a Tamil-medium school. The ways to prove it are on the do I need to know Tamil to apply page.
What this means for your preparation
Because the gate sits in front of the rest of the paper, Tamil comes first. Part A questions follow the SSLC standard, and the literature unit is based on school textbooks up to SSLC. Start with the General Tamil guide and the Tamil Eligibility Test explainer.
PrepMatic lets TNPSC aspirants choose Tamil as their exam language, so assessments and mock tests come in Tamil. Full Group 4 mocks run 200 questions in 180 minutes, the same as the real paper.
Source
Check the latest notification on tnpsc.gov.in before you apply.
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- Failing the Group 4 Tamil paperScore below 60 of 150 in Group 4 Part A (Tamil) and your General Studies and aptitude answers are not evaluated. What it means and how to avoid it.
- Can I write TNPSC in English?General Studies questions come in Tamil and English, but Group 4 Part A is Tamil only. Here is where English is allowed in Group 1, 2/2A and 4.
- 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.
More in TNPSC
- Is there a Group 8 exam?Executive Officer Grade IV, once the Group 8 post, is now recruited through TNPSC Group 4, and EO Grade III through Group 2A. Eligibility and the HR&CE rules.
- Is Group 2A mains objective?Group 2A Main Paper II is a computer-based objective test of 200 questions, while Group 2's is descriptive. Both have a qualifying Tamil paper. Full comparison.
- Marks per question in Group 4Each TNPSC Group 4 question carries 1.5 marks: 200 questions for 300 marks. How marks split across Tamil, General Studies and aptitude, and what a blank costs.
- Group 4 passing markThe minimum qualifying mark in TNPSC Group 4 is 90 out of 300 for all communities, plus 60 of 150 in the Tamil Part A. Passing is not the same as selection.
- Group 4 interview?TNPSC Group 4 has no interview. Your rank comes only from the written paper, followed by certificate verification and counselling. The steps after the exam.
- Group 4 exam dateThe TNPSC Group 4 exam under Notification 11/2026 is on 10 January 2027, 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM. Application dates and why the planner date changed.
- Group 4 educational qualificationThe minimum qualification for TNPSC Group 4 is an SSLC pass. Which posts need typewriting, shorthand or a degree, and the order rule for qualifications.
- Group 4 age limitGroup 4 age limit as on 1 July 2026: 30 for Others, 32 for BC/MBC, 35 for SC/ST on most posts, and no maximum for higher-qualified reserved candidates.