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TNPSC and Legislative Assembly Secretariat Assistant salary: Level 9
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Three Group 2A posts in the 2025 TNPSC notification (No. 11/2025) are at Level 9 of the Tamil Nadu pay matrix: Assistant in the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service), Assistant in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat Service, and Lower Division (Counter) Clerk in the same Assembly service. Level 9 runs from ₹20,000 to ₹63,600 a month in basic pay, and a direct recruit starts at ₹20,000. That is ₹600 less than the ₹20,600 start of Level 10 Assistants in other departments.
Pay level and posts
| Post | Post code | Service | 2025 vacancies | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant | 1081 | Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service, TNPSC | 8 | Level 9 (CPS) |
| Assistant | 1084 | Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat Service | 2 | Level 9 (CPS) |
| Lower Division (Counter) Clerk | 1086 | Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat Service | 2 | Level 9 (CPS) |
The notification prints "Level 9" only. The range is from Schedule-I of G.O. Ms. No. 303 (11 October 2017), summarised on the salary hub. The vacancy counts are small and change with each cycle.
What is added to basic pay
Dearness allowance is added on basic pay. House rent allowance and any city compensatory allowance depend on the place of posting, and these posts are located in Chennai, where the commission and the Assembly Secretariat sit. The CPS marker means a monthly pension contribution comes off pay, along with professional tax and income tax. Annual increments move pay one cell down Level 9 on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October, as set by your joining date.
What the posts involve
The notification does not describe duties. In general an Assistant in a secretariat-type office handles files, notes and drafts, correspondence and records for the section,. A Lower Division (Counter) Clerk is a clerical post; the "counter" in the title points to a front-desk role, though the notification does not define it.
Promotion
In the Secretariat Service the path above Assistant runs through Assistant Section Officer and Section Officer grades towards Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary level, under service rules and seniority. The Assistant Section Officer grade is also filled directly through Group 2 at Level 16. Each promotion changes your level.
How to get the posts
- Exam: Group 2A, with a common prelims for screening and a Mains of a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test and a computer-based Paper II of 200 questions for 300 marks. No interview in the 2025 scheme.
- Qualification: a degree from a UGC-recognised university.
- Age as on 1 July 2025: 18 to 32 for Others and no maximum for reserved categories (below 60).
- Preparation: see the Group 2 and 2A comparison and the Group 2 exam pattern.
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting salary of a TNPSC Assistant?
₹20,000 a month in basic pay at Level 9, before allowances and deductions.
Is the Assembly Secretariat Assistant paid the same as the TNPSC Assistant?
On the pay level, yes: both are Level 9 in the 2025 notification. Allowances can differ with posting.
Why is the Level 10 Assistant better paid?
Assistants in other departments (Commercial Taxes, School Education, Police and others) are at Level 10, with a ₹20,600 start. See the Group 2A Assistant salary page.
Official sources
- TNPSC Group 2 and 2A Notification No. 11/2025: para 3.2 and para 4.
- G.O. Ms. No. 303, Finance (Pay Cell), 11 October 2017: the pay matrix.
Check the latest notification for the current post list.
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