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Is there still a TNPSC Group 8 exam?
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No separate Group 8 exam is current in the notifications we have read. Executive Officer Grade IV, the post Group 8 used to fill, is now recruited through the Group 4 exam. The 2026 Group 4 notification lists it as post code 1655 with 46 vacancies at Level 8.
Where each grade is recruited now
| Post | Where it is filled | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Officer Grade IV (HR&CE Subordinate Service) | Group 4 | Notification No. 11/2026 (2024 Group 4 also included it) |
| Executive Officer Grade III (HR&CE) | Group 2A, post code 1654 | Notification No. 11/2025 |
| Executive Officer Grade I | Not verified for the current cycle |
For Grade I, which older sources call Group 7B, we have not confirmed a recent official notification, so we do not state its scheme here. Old articles that describe a separate Group 8 paper for EO Grade IV are out of date.
EO Grade IV eligibility in the 2026 notification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Qualification | SSLC, or the "Tamil Pulavar" title |
| Age (as on 1 July 2026) | 25 to 35 for Others; BC/MBC up to 37; SC/ST up to 40 |
| Age, other categories | PwBD 45; destitute widow 40 |
| Pay | Level 8 |
| Religion | Hindu candidates only, as HR&CE posts are for Hindu candidates |
| Preference | Employees of religious institutions with five or more years of service get a preference |
The exam is the same single Group 4 paper as for VAO and Junior Assistant: Tamil Part A, General Studies and Aptitude, no interview. The Group 4 exam pattern explains it.
What to do
If you want an Executive Officer post, read the whole picture on the Executive Officer exams page, apply under the current Group 4 notification for Grade IV, and watch for a Group 2/2A notification for Grade III. Group numbers such as 3, 3A, 5A and 7B are not covered by the notifications we reviewed, so check the TNPSC notifications page for those.
Source
- TNPSC Group 4 Notification No. 11/2026, para 3 and para 4.5
- TNPSC Group 2/2A Notification No. 11/2025
Confirm everything in the notification of the cycle you are applying to.
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- VAO and Group 4: same exam?No. VAO is a post filled through the TNPSC Group 4 exam. One paper, one application, then post choice by rank at counselling. Where VAO rules differ.
- Applying for Group 2 and 2AGroup 2 and 2A share one notification and one prelims. You can be shortlisted for both mains, paying Rs.300 instead of Rs.150. How selection works.
- Executive Officer examsWhere TNPSC recruits HR&CE Executive Officers now: Grade IV through Group 4 (2026) and Grade III through Group 2A (2025), with eligibility and what to prepare.
More in TNPSC
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.