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TNPSC Probation Officer salary: Level 18 pay

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 9 Oct 2026 · 3 min read

Probation Officer in the 2025 TNPSC Group 2 and 2A notification (No. 11/2025) is at Level 18 of the pay matrix, which runs from ₹36,900 to ₹1,16,600 a month in basic pay. A direct recruit starts at ₹36,900. The notification lists two Probation Officer posts: one in the Tamil Nadu Social Defence Subordinate Service (code 1011, 2 vacancies) and one in the Tamil Nadu Jail Subordinate Service (code 1023, 3 vacancies). Both counts are for 2025 and change each cycle.

Pay level and the two posts

The notification prints "Level 18" only; the range is from Schedule-I of G.O. Ms. No. 303 (11 October 2017), summarised on the salary hub. The age difference between the two posts is large, so make sure you read the code you are applying for.

What is added to basic pay

Dearness allowance is added on basic pay, and house rent allowance and any city compensatory allowance depend on the place of posting. The CPS marker means a monthly pension contribution is deducted, together with professional tax and income tax. Annual increments move pay one cell down Level 18 on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October, set by your date of joining.

What a Probation Officer does

The notification does not describe duties. Probation officers generally work with offenders and young persons in difficulty: preparing social investigation reports for courts, supervising people released on probation, counselling, and helping with rehabilitation and after-care. The Social Defence post sits in the department for children welfare and special services, and the Prisons post in the department for prisons and correctional services, so the setting of the work differs.

Promotion

Promotion in each subordinate service goes to higher probation and welfare grades under the service rules, seniority and any departmental tests. Each step carries a higher level, and annual increments raise pay in between.

Qualification

For both posts, a degree from a UGC-recognised university. The preferences, other things being equal, differ:

• Social Defence (1011): a degree in Sociology or Psychology, and practical experience of social welfare work or a Diploma in Social Service.
• Prisons (1023): an M.A. in Criminology or Sociology or a degree in Sociology or Psychology, or a Diploma in Sociology or Psychology with another degree, or at least one year of social welfare work, or the Diploma in Social Work from the Madras School of Social Work.

Persons with benchmark disability are not eligible for either Probation Officer post.

How to get the post

Through Group 2: a common prelims for screening, then a Mains with a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test and a descriptive General Studies paper of 300 marks. Rank is on the General Studies paper, with no interview in the 2025 scheme. See the Group 2 exam pattern and syllabus.

Frequently asked questions

What is the starting salary of a Probation Officer in TNPSC Group 2?

₹36,900 a month in basic pay at Level 18, before allowances and deductions.

Is a sociology or psychology degree compulsory?

No. Any UGC-recognised degree qualifies, and those subjects, social work experience and diplomas are preferences when candidates are otherwise equal.

Why are the age limits so different for the two posts?

The 2025 notification prints a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 42 for the Social Defence post (1011) and 22 to 32 for the Prisons post (1023), both for the Others category.

Official sources

• TNPSC Group 2 and 2A Notification No. 11/2025: para 3.1 (posts and levels), para 4.1 (age) and para 4.2.1 (qualification).
• 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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