TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus 2026: Ultimate Guide + Download PDF
Important Update: As per the official TNPSC Annual Planner 2026, the Group 5A exam is not scheduled for this year. This page contains the latest official syllabus and exam pattern for reference, allowing serious candidates to begin their early preparation for future recruitment cycles.
The TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus is not just a document; it is your precise roadmap to success in one of Tamil Nadu’s most significant government examinations. The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) conducts the Combined Civil Services Examination for Group 5A services, offering a key opportunity for administrative roles.
A thorough understanding of the official syllabus and the exam pattern is the first and most crucial step in your preparation journey. This definitive guide provides a detailed breakdown of the descriptive exam structure and proven strategies to help you craft an effective study plan.
TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus 2025: Key Highlights
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Combined Civil Services Examination - Group 5A Services |
| Exam Type | Descriptive (Written Examination) |
| Total Marks | 200 Marks |
| Papers | Paper-I: General Tamil & Paper-II: General English |
| Duration | 3 Hours for each paper |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks | 120 out of 200 (60%) for all communities |
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Combined Civil Services Examination - Group 5A Services |
| Exam Type | Descriptive (Written Examination) |
| Total Marks | 200 Marks |
| Papers | Paper-I: General Tamil & Paper-II: General English |
| Duration | 3 Hours for each paper |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks | 120 out of 200 (60%) for all communities |
TNPSC Group 5A Exam Pattern 2026
The TNPSC Group 5A exam is a single written examination consisting of two descriptive papers. Understanding the pattern is paramount for a strategic time and attempt management plan. Appearance in both papers is compulsory; failure to appear for any one paper will result in disqualification.
- Type of Examination: Descriptive (written, essay/answer format, not multiple-choice).
- Total Marks: 200 marks
- Total Papers: Two (Paper-I: General Tamil & Paper-II: General English)
- Duration: 3 hours for each paper
- Minimum Qualifying Marks: 60% (i.e., 120 out of 200 marks) for all communities.
Note: Appearance in both papers is compulsory. Failure to appear for any one paper will result in disqualification.
Marks Distribution
| Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Tamil (Degree Standard) | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper II | General English (Degree Standard) | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Total | 200 Marks |
Detailed TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus 2026
For seamless offline preparation, download the complete, officially compiled syllabus for both papers right here. Keep these PDFs on your devices for easy reference anytime.
Paper-I: General Tamil (Degree Standard)
The Tamil paper is descriptive and divided into seven units, each focusing on essential language and administrative skills.
| Unit | Topic | Marks Alloted | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essay Writing | 10 | Write an essay on general topics like Tamil culture, environmental issues, social justice, media, etc. |
| 2 | Comprehension | 10 | Provide clear, correct, and concise answers to questions from a given passage. |
| 3 | Precis Writing | 15 | Summarize a given passage to one-third of its original length. |
| 4 | Expansion of Hints | 5 | Develop given hints or points into a detailed, readable passage. |
| 5 | Translation | 15 | Translate an English passage into Tamil, focusing on clarity and conceptual richness. |
| 6 | Official Correspondence | 15 | Demonstrate skills in writing official letters, reports, project assessment reports, and proposals. |
| 7 | Language Proficiency | 30 | Tests core language skills including sentence formation, synonyms, alphabetical ordering, error correction, and technical Tamil terms. |
தமிழ்நாடு அரசுப்பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையம் - பொதுத்தமிழ் (பட்டப்படிப்புத் தரம்)
General Tamil Syllabus
பாடத்திட்டம்
(விரிந்துரைக்கும் வகை)
தொகுதி – 5A / குறியீடு.389
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அலகு-1 (10 மதிப்பெண்கள்): கட்டுரை எழுதும் திறன்
- தமிழக விடுதலை வீரர்கள் / தமிழர் பண்பாடு
- அச்சு ஊடகம் / மின்னணு ஊடகங்கள்
- சுற்றுச்சூழல் / உணவும் உடல் நலமும்
- மனித உரிமைகள் / பாலினச் சமத்துவம் / சமூக நீதி வரலாறு
- அலகு-2 (10 மதிப்பெண்கள்): கொடுக்கப்பட்ட பகுதியிலிருந்து கேட்கப்பட்ட வினாக்களுக்குத் தெளிவான, சரியான, சுருக்கமான விடை தருதல்.
- அலகு-3 (15 மதிப்பெண்கள்): கொடுக்கப்பட்ட பகுதியை மூன்றில் ஒரு பங்காகச் சுருக்கி எழுதும் திறனை வெளிப்படுத்துதல்.
- அலகு-4 (5 மதிப்பெண்கள்): கொடுக்கப்பட்ட சுருக்கக் குறிப்புகளிலிருந்து விரிவாக்கம் செய்து எழுதும் திறனைக் கண்டறிதல்.
- அலகு-5 (15 மதிப்பெண்கள்): மொழிபெயர்ப்பு
- ஆங்கிலப் பகுதியைத் தமிழில் மொழிபெயர்ப்பு செய்தல். கருத்துச் செறிவும் தெளிவும் வெளிப்படும் வகையில் அமைதல் வேண்டும்.
- அலகு-6 (15 மதிப்பெண்கள்): அலுவலகக் கடிதம்
- அறிக்கை எழுதும் திறன் வெளிப்படல்
- திட்ட மதிப்பீட்டறிக்கை உருவாக்கல்
- கருத்துரு (Proposal) எழுதும் திறன் வெளிப்படல்
- அலகு-7 (30 மதிப்பெண்கள்): மொழித்திறன் கண்டறிதல்
- அ) வாக்கியத்தில் அமைத்து எழுதுதல்
- ஆ) இணைச்சொற்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி ஒரே தொடரமைத்தல்
- இ) அகர வரிசைப்படுத்துதல் (உயிர், உயிர்மெய், கலந்த சொற்கள்)
- ஈ) பிழை நீக்கி எழுதுதல் (எழுத்துப்பிழை, ஒற்றுப்பிழை, தொடர்ப்பிழை, கருத்துப்பிழை)
- உ) கலைச் சொல்லாக்கம் (தமிழக அரசின் ஆட்சித்தமிழ் அகராதியை மையமிட்டு துறைசார் சொற்களை எழுதுதல்).
Paper-II: General English (Degree Standard)
The English paper evaluates your command of the language, writing clarity, and official drafting skills.
| Unit | Topic | Marks Alloted | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essay Writing | 10 | 300 words. Types: Argumentative, Descriptive, Narrative, Critical, Expository, Persuasive. |
| 2 | Letter Writing | 10 | Draft formal letters: enquiry, order, response, and demands. |
| 3 | Precis Writing | 15 | Condense a 200-word passage into a 70-word summary. |
| 4 | Reading Comprehension | 10 | Answer questions on a 200-word passage based on Barrett’s Taxonomy (inferential, analytical, critical). |
| 5 | Translation | 15 | Translate Govt Orders/Circulars (Tamil to English) and news articles/complex sentences (English to Tamil). |
| 6 | Hints Development | 5 | Develop given hints into a coherent passage. |
| 7 | Notification Drafting | 20 | Draft announcements, advertisements, explanations, and circulars. |
| 8 | Grammar | 15 | Active/Passive voice, Direct/Indirect speech, sentence transformation, homophones, prepositions, error correction. |
PAPER -II GENERAL ENGLISH
TAMIL NADU PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
SYLLABUS
(Descriptive Type)
Group-5A / Code: 390
General English (Degree Standard)
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Unit I. Essay Writing in 300 words (10 Marks)
- Argumentative Essay
- Descriptive Essay
- Narrative Essay
- Critical Essay
- Expository Essay
- Persuasive Essay
Unit II. Letter Writing (10 Marks)
- Letter expressing demands / needs
- Enquiry letter
- Order letter
- Letter responding to Enquiries
Unit III. Precis Writing (15 Marks)
- An unseen passage in 200 words is to be given.
- It has to be briefed in around 70 words.
Unit IV. Reading Comprehension (10 Marks)
- An unseen passage in 200 words is to be given.
- Questions are to framed following K 5 Model Barrett’s Taxonomy
- Understanding Question
- Appreciation Question
- Interpretative Question
- Analytical Question
- Organising Question
- Inferential Question
- Critical Question
- Explanatory Question
- Descriptive Question
- Creative Question
Unit V. Translation (15 Marks)
(a) From Tamil to English Government Order/ circular and
(b) From English to Tamil News articles / 5 sentences of complex structure
Unit VI. Hints Development (5 Marks)
Developing the hints into a readable passage
Unit VII. Notification (20 Marks)
Drafting Announcements / Advertisements and Writing Explanations / Circulars
Unit VIII. Grammar (15 Marks)
- Active to Passive.
- Passive to Active.
- Direct to Indirect Speech.
- Indirect to Direct Speech.
- Rewrite Compound Sentence as Simple sentence.
- Rewrite Simple Sentence as Complex sentence.
- Transform statement into a strong question.
- Transform statement into a weak question.
- Transform assertive sentence into a negative sentence.
- Add a suitable question tag.
- Use the homophones in meaningful sentence.
- Use the right adverb.
- Fill in the blank with right preposition.
- Rewrite the sentence in comparative degree.
- Rewrite the sentence in past tense.
- Change the underlined phrase into clause.
- Change the underlined clause into phrase.
- Identify the pattern of the given sentence.
- Fill in the blanks with a suitable Article.
- Rewrite the sentence correcting the error.
Expert Preparation Strategy for TNPSC Group 5A
Your preparation for this descriptive exam must focus on consistent writing practice and accuracy, not just rote memorisation.
- Deep Syllabus Analysis: Go through the official TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus 2026 again. Identify high-weightage topics (like Translation and Grammar).
- Practice Descriptive Writing: This is a descriptive exam. Dedicate 60% of your study time to writing essays, précis, and reports under timed conditions.
- Master Translation: Daily practice of translating official documents (Tamil to English and vice-versa) is non-negotiable for the 30 marks allocated.
- Refer to Quality Material: Use reliable textbooks, online resources, and previous year question papers.
- Time Management: Practice time management during your mock tests. Focus on allocating time based on the marks distribution of each question.
Remember, consistent effort and a well-structured study plan are the indisputable keys to success in the TNPSC Group 5A Exam.
Download Official PDFs & Question Papers
General Tamil Syllabus
General English Syllabus
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Important Links
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The TNPSC Group 5A exam is a descriptive (written) examination, not an objective (MCQ) test. Candidates must write answers, essays, précis, and translations.
The exam is for a total of 200 marks, with 100 marks allocated to Paper-I (General Tamil) and 100 marks to Paper-II (General English). The minimum qualifying mark is 60% (120 marks) for all communities.
You can download the official TNPSC Group 5A Syllabus 2025 PDFs for both General Tamil and General English from the designated download section of this post or the official TNPSC website.