TNPSC Group 1 Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026: Prelims & Mains

TNPSC Group 1 Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026

The TNPSC Group 1 selection process has three stages: prelims, mains and interview. Prelims is an objective screening test, while final ranking is based on the three scoring General Studies papers in mains plus the interview.

How to Use This Syllabus

• Start with the prelims weightage table: Indian Economy and Tamil Nadu Development Administration carries 50 questions, while Indian Polity and Tamil Nadu history each carry 40.
• Keep Aptitude and Mental Ability in the weekly plan because its 25 questions can materially affect the screening score.
• For mains, organise notes paper-wise and unit-wise, then practise descriptive answers within the three-hour limit.
• Treat current affairs as a recurring layer across science, geography, polity, economy, social issues and environment.
• Qualify Paper 1 first: TNPSC evaluates Papers 2–4 only after the Tamil Eligibility Test requirement is met.

Official-Scheme Notes

• The prelims minimum qualifying mark is 90 for SC, SC(A), ST, MBC/DC, BC(OBCM) and BCM candidates, and 120 for others.
• For mains Papers 2–4 together, the stated minimum is 225 for the listed reserved categories and 300 for others.
• The unit-wise question distribution is indicative and may be adjusted marginally by TNPSC.
• Where Tamil and English versions differ, TNPSC states that the English notification version is final.

TNPSC Group 1 Selection Process

TNPSC Group 1 Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

TNPSC Group 1 Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Important TNPSC Group 1 Exam Rules

TNPSC Group 1 Prelims Syllabus 2026

The prelims syllabus has 175 degree-standard General Studies questions and 25 SSLC-standard Aptitude and Mental Ability questions.

General Studies — Unit 1: General Science (10 questions)

• Scientific knowledge and temper; reasoning; conceptual learning; science as a tool for understanding the past, present and future.
• Universe and scientific laws; mechanics; properties of matter; force, motion and energy.
• Everyday applications of electricity, magnetism, light, sound, heat, nuclear physics, lasers, electronics and communication.
• Elements and compounds; acids, bases and salts; petroleum products; fertilizers and pesticides.
• Life science, classification, evolution, genetics, physiology, nutrition, health, hygiene and human diseases.
• Environment, ecology, recent inventions in science and technology, and current affairs.

General Studies — Unit 2: Geography of India (10 questions)

• Location and physical features; monsoon, rainfall, weather and climate; water resources and rivers.
• Soils, minerals, natural resources, forests, wildlife and agricultural patterns.
• Transport and communication; population density and distribution; racial and linguistic groups and major tribes.
• Natural calamities and disaster management; pollution, preventive measures, climate change and green energy.
• Geographical landmarks and current affairs.

General Studies — Unit 3: History, Culture of India and Indian National Movement (25 questions)

• Indus Valley Civilization; Guptas, Delhi Sultans, Mughals, Marathas, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms; South Indian history.
• Socio-cultural change and continuity; National Renaissance; early uprisings against British rule; Indian National Congress.
• National leaders including B.R. Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Bharathiar, V.O. Chidambaranar, Nehru, Kamarajar, Gandhi, Azad, Periyar, Rajaji, Bose and Tagore.
• Satyagraha and militant movements; communalism and Partition; Indian culture, unity in diversity, secularism and social harmony.
• Prominent personalities in arts, science, literature and philosophy; national symbols; people and places in news; sports; books and authors; current affairs.

General Studies — Unit 4: Indian Polity (40 questions)

• Constitution, Preamble and salient features; Union, States and Union Territories; citizenship.
• Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy.
• Union and State executives and legislatures; local government and Panchayati Raj; Centre–State relations and federalism.
• Elections, judiciary and rule of law; corruption and anti-corruption measures; Lokpal, Lokayukta and Right to Information.
• Women’s empowerment, consumer protection, human rights, political parties, political system and current affairs.

General Studies — Unit 5: Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu (50 questions)

• Nature of the Indian economy; Five-Year Plans; Planning Commission and NITI Aayog.
• Revenue sources, RBI, fiscal and monetary policy, Finance Commission, Union–State resource sharing and GST.
• Employment, land reforms, agriculture, technology in agriculture, industrial growth and rural welfare programmes.
• Population, education, health, employment and poverty; human-development indicators and Tamil Nadu’s comparative position.
• Social reform movements, reservation policy, welfare schemes, social justice and social harmony in Tamil Nadu.
• Tamil Nadu’s education and health systems, geography and economic growth, achievements, e-governance, public administration and delivery systems.
• Current socio-economic issues and current affairs.

General Studies — Unit 6: Tamil Nadu History, Culture, Heritage and Socio-Political Movements (40 questions)

• Tamil society, archaeology and Tamil literature from the Sangam age to contemporary times.
• Thirukkural as secular literature; its everyday relevance, universal values, social, political, economic and philosophical ideas.
• Tamil Nadu’s role in the freedom struggle, early anti-British agitations and women in the freedom movement.
• Justice Party, Rationalist movement, Self-Respect movement and Dravidian movement.
• Contributions of Thanthai Periyar and Perarignar Anna.

Aptitude — Unit 1: Aptitude (15 questions)

• Simplification, percentage, HCF, LCM, ratio and proportion, simple interest, compound interest, area, volume, time and work.

Mental Ability — Unit 2: Reasoning (10 questions)

• Logical reasoning, puzzles, dice, visual reasoning, alphanumeric reasoning and number series.

TNPSC Group 1 Mains Syllabus 2026

Paper 1 is a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test. Papers 2, 3 and 4 are degree-standard General Studies papers and together carry 750 merit marks.

Paper 1: Tamil Eligibility Test (100 (qualifying) marks)

• Translation from Tamil to English and English to Tamil; précis writing; comprehension; developing a passage from notes.
• Essay on Thirukkural-related themes; official letter writing; practical Tamil language knowledge.
• Contemporary events, social issues, environment, Indian economy, science and technology, arts and culture.
• Rationalist, Dravidian and Self-Respect movements; contemporary Tamil including computer Tamil, administrative Tamil and emerging forms.
• Tamil Nadu’s socio-economic development and welfare schemes; social justice, equality, humanism and Thirukkural’s universal values.

Paper 2 — General Studies 1: Unit 1: Modern History of India and Indian Culture (100 marks)

• European arrival, colonialism and imperialism; establishment and consolidation of British rule.
• South Indian Rebellion, Vellore Rebellion, Revolt of 1857 and national movements.
• Major national leaders, constitutional developments from 1773 to 1950, the final freedom struggle and Partition.
• Tamil Nadu freedom fighters; socio-economic impact of British rule; renaissance and socio-religious and educational reforms.
• Social Justice ideology, Justice Party and later socio-political movements; post-Independence India; Indian culture and recent historical research in Tamil Nadu.

Paper 2 — General Studies 1: Unit 2: Social Issues in India and Tamil Nadu (100 marks)

• Population, fertility, mortality, migration, poverty, illiteracy, school dropouts, education and skill development.
• Child labour, abuse, protection laws and welfare; rural and urban sanitation.
• Women’s empowerment, domestic violence, dowry, sexual assault, protection laws and government/NGO programmes.
• Urbanisation, violence, terrorism, communalism, minority issues, human rights and regional disparities.
• Social-development models, community development, entrepreneurship, NGOs, health policy and vulnerable sections; current affairs.

Paper 2 — General Studies 1: Unit 3: Ethics and Integrity (50 marks)

• Ethics and human interface; Indian schools of philosophy; ethics of Thirukkural.
• Intuitionism, existentialism, duties, responsibility, moral judgement, absolutism and obligation.
• Attitude and its relationship with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes.
• Ethics and probity in governance, codes of ethics and conduct, transparency, confidentiality, competence, non-discrimination, citizen charters and corruption.

Paper 3 — General Studies 2: Unit 1: Indian Polity and Global Political Trends Affecting India (100 marks)

• Constitutional history, making of the Constitution, Preamble, Parts, Articles, Schedules and amendments.
• Citizenship, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, and Union, State and local government institutions.
• Judiciary, judicial review and activism; federalism and Union–State relations; Union Territories.
• Civil services, political parties, pressure groups, media, NGOs, vigilance, anti-corruption bodies, RTI and administrative reforms.
• Indian states, e-governance, foreign policy, defence, national security, nuclear policy, terrorism, human rights and international organisations; current affairs.

Paper 3 — General Studies 2: Unit 2: Science and Technology in India’s Development (100 marks)

• Chemistry, energy resources, space research, nanotechnology, IT, robotics, automation, AI and mobile communication.
• Computer architecture, operating systems, networks, cryptography, databases, software engineering, image processing and machine learning.
• Agriculture, biotechnology, genetically modified crops, intellectual-property rights, biosafety, horticulture, hydroponics and propagation.
• Life science, human systems, genetics, health, diseases, addiction, organ transplantation, stem cells, forensics and sewage treatment.
• Science policy and institutions including DRDO and ocean research; Indian achievements, new inventions and current affairs.

Paper 3 — General Studies 2: Unit 3: Tamil Society, Culture and Heritage (50 marks)

• Origins and development of Tamils; palm-leaf manuscripts, documents and excavations at Adichanallur, Arikamedu, Keezhadi, Konthagai, Manalur and Sivakalai.
• Tamil literature, music, drama, arts, science and culture; society and trade from Sangam to modern times.
• Rationalist and Dravidian movements and their socio-economic contribution.
• Modern Tamil social and cultural life, caste, religion, women, polity, education, economy, commerce, international links and diaspora.
• Print, editing, translation, film, computing and media. Answers may be written in Tamil or English for this unit.

Paper 4 — General Studies 3: Unit 1: Geography of India with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu (75 marks)

• Earth, solar system, atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
• India and Tamil Nadu: location, physical divisions, drainage, monsoon, rainfall, resources, irrigation and multipurpose projects.
• Agriculture, livestock, fisheries, industries, population, migration, races, tribes, languages, religions and trade.
• Geopolitics and border disputes; Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal relief; remote sensing, GIS, GNSS and map locations; current affairs.

Paper 4 — General Studies 3: Unit 2: Environment, Biodiversity and Disaster Management (75 marks)

• Ecosystems, succession, ecosystem services, biodiversity types and Indian hotspots.
• Threats and conservation; CITES, IUCN, CBD and the Biodiversity Act.
• Air, water, soil, thermal and noise pollution; waste management, standards, monitoring, EIA, environmental clearance and auditing.
• Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, monsoon changes, mitigation, clean energy, Paris Agreement and NDCs.
• Environmental laws and treaties, natural and human-made disasters, NDMA, Sendai Framework, environmental health and current affairs.

Paper 4 — General Studies 3: Unit 3: Indian Economy and the Global Economy (100 marks)

• National income, capital formation, New Economic Policy and NITI Aayog.
• Agriculture, land reforms, Green Revolution, contract farming, MSP, PDS, food security, marketing, insurance, rural credit and WTO.
• Industry, disinvestment, privatisation, liberalisation, PPP, SEZ, MSME and Make in India; infrastructure and R&D.
• Banking, finance, stock markets, monetary policy, RBI, public finance, taxation, GST, fiscal policy, debt and fiscal federalism.
• Poverty, inequality, welfare, unemployment, gender inequality, inflation, trade, balance of payments, foreign exchange, FDI and globalisation.
• IMF, World Bank, BRICS, SAARC and ASEAN; Tamil Nadu economy, agriculture, industry, infrastructure, tourism, health, SHGs, rural poverty and welfare; current affairs.