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What happens if I fail the Tamil Eligibility Test in TNPSC Group 2?
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If you score below 40 out of 100 in Paper I of the Group 2 or Group 2A mains, the Tamil Eligibility Test, your Paper II is not evaluated and you cannot be ranked. Paper I carries no rank marks, so passing it earns you nothing extra, but failing it ends your chances for that cycle.
The rule in the 2025 notification
Notification No. 11/2025 (Advt No. 713) lays down the mains scheme for both groups:
- Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test, SSLC standard, 100 marks, 3 hours, descriptive. Pass mark 40.
- Paper II: Group II's descriptive General Studies paper or Group IIA's computer-based objective paper, 300 marks each, with a minimum of 90.
- Paper II is evaluated only if you pass Paper I, and both papers are compulsory.
- Rank is decided by Paper II marks alone.
Does it matter in the prelims?
The prelims has a language part, Part A, where you choose General Tamil or General English, but the notification sets the minimum for the prelims as a whole (90 of 300 for all communities). The Tamil Eligibility Test is a separate paper in the mains.
Who can be exempted
Persons with benchmark disabilities can be exempted from Paper I. The exemption is set out in the notification, so read the conditions if it applies to you.
What is in the paper
The paper is at SSLC standard. Its syllabus in the notification includes translation between Tamil and English, comprehension and an essay on Thirukkural themes, and it is written in Tamil script, so read it in the notification itself. For preparation, the Tamil Eligibility Test guide explains the paper and the General Tamil guide covers the language units. Our Thirukkural for TNPSC page covers the essay theme.
How to protect yourself
- Do not leave Tamil until after the prelims. Paper I has to be passed before your General Studies paper is read at all.
- Write timed practice answers in Tamil, as the paper is descriptive.
- Keep your General Studies preparation going; Paper I is a hurdle, not a rank-maker.
This is the mirror image of Group 4, where the Tamil part counts toward rank. See what happens if you fail the Tamil paper in Group 4.
Source
Confirm the mains scheme in the current notification.
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- 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.
- Do Group 2 prelims marks count?In TNPSC Group 2 and 2A the prelims is only a screening test. Its marks are not added to the final rank, which Main Paper II decides. Shortlist ratio 1:10.
- 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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