TNPSC Group 5A
Group 5A · 2026
The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission conducts the TNPSC Group 5A Services Examination (Recruitment by Transfer) to recruit eligible ministerial staff for Assistant Section Officer (ASO) and Assistant posts in the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service. This page provides key details on eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, and official guidelines.
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Official WebsiteGroup 5A — All Updates
2 total postsNotification
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Admit Card
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City Intimation
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Answer Key
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Result
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Syllabus & Pattern
TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus
Previous Papers
TNPSC Group 5A Previous Year Question Papers
Date Sheet
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Eligibility Criteria
Age Limit
18
Min. Age
40
Max. Age
Qualifications Required
- Graduation / Bachelor's Degree from a UGC-recognized university, coupled with mandatory government service experience.
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / MBC / BC / BCM / DNC | Up to 40 Years Maximum Age Limit |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | Up to 10 structural years over the category baseline |
| Ex-Servicemen | As per prevailing Tamil Nadu state government service limits |
Exam Pattern
Mode
Descriptive
Total Marks
200
Duration
180 Minutes (3 Hours)
Section-wise Breakdown
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I: General Tamil (Degree Standard) | — | 100 |
| Paper II: General English (Degree Standard) | — | 100 |
Duration per Stage
Both descriptive papers must be attempted by candidates. Performance mapping and final merit ranking evaluations strictly evaluate cumulative score tallies across both structural sections.
Marking Scheme
Conventional descriptive marking based on content precision, translation quality, grammatical accuracy, and draft clarity. No negative scoring structure is applicable.
Salary & Pay Scale
Pay Level
Level 16 (for Assistant Section Officer positions)
Basic Pay Range
₹36,400 – ₹115,700
In-Hand Salary
42,000 - 55,000
Allowances Included
Syllabus Overview
Paper I: General Tamil (Degree Standard)
Essay writing on state developmental topics, precise translation from English to Tamil, precis writing, administrative vocabulary composition, comprehension skill passages, and official drafting assignments.
Paper II: General English (Degree Standard)
Essay writing on socio-economic themes, precise translation from Tamil to English, precis structure development, letter writing (official and business layouts), letter drafting for secretarial communication, and English grammar/comprehension evaluation.
Prepare for Group 5A
Key Subjects
Official Resources
Group 5A — Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about eligibility, exam pattern, application, and results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only candidates already serving as regular Junior Assistants or Assistants within the Tamil Nadu Ministerial Service or Tamil Nadu Judicial Ministerial Service with the required years of commercial drafting experience can apply. Open market freshers are not eligible. [1]
The examination is completely descriptive. Candidates must write comprehensive analytical answers, essays, translations, and formal letters across two distinct language papers.
Candidates across all communities must score a minimum of 60 marks total out of 200 across both papers combined to qualify for the certificate verification list.
No. Direct selections are processed entirely on the base parameters of total descriptive written marks coupled with successful service document clearance during the counseling sessions.