PrepMaticExam questions answered · TNPSC
Is TNPSC Group 2A mains objective?
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Yes. In the 2025 scheme, Group IIA Main Paper II is an objective test taken on a computer: 200 multiple-choice questions for 300 marks in 3 hours. Group II's Main Paper II, by contrast, is descriptive. Both groups also have Paper I, a descriptive Tamil Eligibility Test that is qualifying only.
Group II and Group IIA mains side by side
| Group II | Group IIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Tamil Eligibility Test, SSLC standard, 100 marks, 3 hours, 40 to pass | Same |
| Paper I counts for rank? | No | No |
| Paper II type | Descriptive | Computer-based test (CBT), objective |
| Paper II marks | 300, 3 hours | 300, 3 hours, 200 questions |
| Paper II content | General Studies, degree standard, in 7 units | Part A General Studies (degree) 150 questions plus Part B General Intelligence and Reasoning (SSLC) 50 questions |
| Minimum in Paper II | 90 | 90 |
| Rank decided by | Paper II marks | Paper II marks |
How the Group II descriptive paper is built
Paper II for Group II has three parts: nine questions of 10 marks answered in about 100 words, three of five questions of 10 marks on Unit II, and twelve questions of 15 marks in about 200 words. That adds up to 90 plus 30 plus 180, or 300 marks. Answer-writing practice therefore matters for Group II and not for Group IIA. The Group 2 mains preparation guide covers it.
What Group IIA candidates should practise
Because the paper is on a computer, you read from a screen and click answers instead of shading an OMR sheet. Practise sitting 200 questions in 180 minutes on a screen. Part A is 150 General Studies questions across five units (history and Tamil society, administration, science and technology, the Tamil Nadu economy and social issues, and geography) and Part B is 50 reasoning questions. See the Group 2 syllabus.
PrepMatic's objective practice suits the Group IIA main paper. Group II's descriptive Main Paper II is not covered by the app.
One caution
Everything above is from Notification No. 11/2025 (Advt No. 713). Later notifications can change the scheme.
Source
Check the current scheme on tnpsc.gov.in before you plan.
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- Group 2 interview?In the 2025 notification TNPSC Group 2 has no interview. Ranking is based only on marks in Main Paper II. Where interviews still exist in TNPSC exams.
- Failing the Group 2 Tamil testIn TNPSC Group 2 and 2A mains, Paper I is a Tamil test with a pass mark of 40 of 100. Fail it and your Paper II is not evaluated. How the rule works.
- Group 2 vs 2ATNPSC Group 2 vs Group 2A: posts, pay levels, vacancies, how Paper II differs, why neither has an interview, and how to decide which one to aim for.
More in TNPSC
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.