The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has released Advertisement No. 740 / Notification No. 07/2026, dated 11 August 2026, for the Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group II and Group IIA Services). This notification covers 821 vacancies across administrative, executive, and supervisory roles in various Tamil Nadu Government departments. It’s one of the state’s most sought-after recruitment drives, combining interview-based Group II posts with non-interview Group IIA posts under a single application. This article covers the complete details — vacancy breakup, eligibility, exam pattern, salary, fee, and how to apply.
1. Recruitment Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) |
| Examination Name | Combined Civil Services Examination-II (CCSE-II) |
| Advertisement Number | 740 / Notification No. 07/2026, dated 11.08.2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 821 |
| Group II Vacancies (Interview posts) | 41 |
| Group IIA Vacancies (Non-interview posts) | 780 |
| Mode of Application | Online only |
| Official Website | tnpsc.gov.in |
2. Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification release date | 11 August 2026 |
| Online application start | 11 August 2026 |
| Online application close | 9 September 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Application correction window | 13 – 15 September 2026 |
| Age reckoning date | 1 July 2026 |
| Qualification reckoning date | 11 August 2026 (date of notification) |
| Preliminary Examination | 1 November 2026, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Main Examination | To be announced after the Preliminary Exam result |
3. Vacancy Details
Total Vacancies: 821 (Group II: 41 + Group IIA: 780)
Group II Services (Interview posts) — some notified posts include:
- Assistant Inspector
- Deputy Commercial Tax Officer
- Junior Employment Officer
- Probation Officer
- Sub-Registrar Grade-II
- Jailor
- Special Assistant
- Special Branch Assistant
- Assistant Section Officer
- Assistant Section Officer cum Programmer
Group IIA Services (Non-interview posts): These cover a much larger set of Assistant, Clerk, and similar posts spread across multiple Tamil Nadu Government departments, including Revenue, Commercial Taxes, Registration, and Co-operatives.
The complete post-wise and department-wise vacancy list, along with post codes, is detailed in the official notification. Candidates should check the exact number of seats available for their preferred post before applying.
4. Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
- General requirement: A Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a UGC-recognised university.
- Specific posts require specific qualifications — for example, B.Com for Audit/Accounts-related posts, B.L. (Bachelor of Law) for Probation Officer, and M.Sc/MCA for Assistant Section Officer cum Programmer.
- Your educational qualifications must have been obtained in the correct sequence — SSLC, followed by HSC/Diploma, followed by Degree.
- Candidates must possess the required qualification as on the date of notification (11 August 2026). Final-year students may apply provisionally in most cases, subject to producing proof of having passed by the time of document verification.
Tamil Language Requirement
- Candidates must have adequate knowledge of Tamil, at least up to SSLC level.
- Candidates who don’t meet this requirement at the time of application must pass the TNPSC Tamil Language Test within 2 years of appointment.
Age Limit (as on 1 July 2026)
Age requirements vary significantly by post:
| Post/Category | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Most Group IIA posts | Minimum 18 years |
| Sub-Registrar Grade-II | Minimum 20 years |
| Probation Officer, Municipal Commissioner | Minimum 21 years |
| Deputy Commercial Tax Officer | Maximum 37 years (39 years for Law graduates) |
| Most other posts | No upper age limit specified, but candidates must not have completed 60 years as on 1 July 2026 |
| SC/ST/MBC/BC candidates (for several posts) | No maximum age limit |
Since age limits genuinely differ from post to post, candidates should carefully check the exact age criteria for their specific chosen post in the official notification.
PSTM (Tamil Medium) Reservation
A 20% horizontal reservation is available for candidates who completed their education in Tamil Medium (Persons Studied in Tamil Medium).
5. Selection Process
Selection differs depending on whether you’re applying for a Group II or Group IIA post:
Group II (Interview posts): Preliminary Exam → Main Exam → Interview → Document Verification/Counselling
Group IIA (Non-interview posts): Preliminary Exam → Main Exam → Document Verification/Counselling
Candidates must qualify each stage in order to move to the next. Both Group II and Group IIA candidates take the same combined Preliminary Examination.
Preliminary Examination Pattern
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | General Tamil (SSLC Standard) OR General English (SSLC Standard) | 100 | — |
| Part B | General Studies (Degree Standard) | 75 | — |
| Part C | Aptitude and Mental Ability Test (SSLC Standard) | 25 | — |
| Total | 200 | 300 |
- Duration: 3 hours
- Mode: Offline, OMR-based
- Language: Bilingual — questions appear in both English and Tamil
- Negative Marking: None
- Minimum Qualifying Marks: 90 out of 300 (this can vary slightly by category — check the official notification for exact category-wise cutoffs)
Main Examination
- Format: Descriptive, conducted separately for Group II and Group IIA services.
- Common component: A Tamil Eligibility Test and General Studies paper.
- Group II Mains also includes components such as Translation (English to Tamil and Tamil to English), Précis Writing, Comprehension, Hints Development, an Essay on Socio-Economic Issues of Tamil Nadu, and Official Letter Writing.
- The exact date for the Main Examination will be announced only after Preliminary Exam results are declared.
Interview (Group II only)
Candidates who qualify the Group II Main Examination are called for a personal interview, followed by document verification and counselling based on final merit.
6. Salary & Pay Structure
Pay for TNPSC Group II and Group IIA posts is based on the Tamil Nadu Government Pay Matrix, with posts falling under Pay Levels 8 to 19, depending on the specific role and department.
- Starting basic pay begins from approximately ₹37,200 per month for many posts (exact starting pay depends on the specific Pay Level assigned to each post).
- In addition to basic pay, selected candidates receive Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and other benefits admissible under Tamil Nadu Government service rules, along with pension benefits and long-term career progression.
7. Application Fee
| Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| One-Time Registration (OTR) | ₹150 (valid for 5 years, if not already registered) |
| Preliminary Examination fee | ₹100 |
| Main Examination fee (paid later, only by shortlisted candidates) | ₹150 (₹300 if appearing for both Group II and Group IIA Main papers) |
| SC / ST / PwBD candidates | Exempted from examination fees |
- Fee payment is accepted via Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, or UPI.
- Candidates with a valid, unexpired One-Time Registration (OTR) don’t need to register again — they can proceed directly with the application.
8. How to Apply
- Visit the official TNPSC website: tnpsc.gov.in, and go to the Careers page.
- If you don’t already have a valid One-Time Registration (OTR), complete it first.
- Log in to the TNPSC recruitment portal using your registered credentials.
- Select the Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group II and IIA Services) notification.
- Choose the appropriate post/service options you wish to apply for.
- Fill in the online application form with accurate personal, educational, and other required details.
- Upload your photograph, signature, and any supporting documents wherever applicable.
- Pay the prescribed examination fee through the available online payment methods, unless you qualify for a fee exemption.
- Carefully preview your application and correct any errors before final submission.
- Submit your application before 9 September 2026, 11:59 PM.
- Save or download your submitted application/confirmation page for future reference.
Note: TNPSC allows a correction window from 13 to 15 September 2026, during which candidates can edit specific details in their submitted application. Use this window carefully to fix any genuine errors, since further corrections after this period will not be possible.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
821 vacancies — 41 under Group II Services (interview posts) and 780 under Group IIA Services (non-interview posts).
9 September 2026, 11:59 PM. The application window opened on 11 August 2026.
Generally, a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a UGC-recognised university, though certain posts require specific qualifications like B.Com, B.L., or M.Sc/MCA.
1 November 2026, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
200 questions for 300 marks, covering General Tamil/English, General Studies, and Aptitude & Mental Ability, in a 3-hour, bilingual, OMR-based test with no negative marking.
₹150 for One-Time Registration (if not already done), ₹100 for the Preliminary Exam, and ₹150 for the Main Exam (payable later by shortlisted candidates). SC/ST/PwBD candidates are exempted.
Only for Group II posts. Group IIA posts do not involve an interview — selection is based on Preliminary and Main Exam performance, followed by document verification.
Age limits vary by post — generally starting from 18 years, with several posts having no upper age limit (subject to not exceeding 60 years) and others having specific caps like 37 years for Deputy Commercial Tax Officer.
Yes, candidates need SSLC-level Tamil knowledge, or must pass the TNPSC Tamil Language Test within 2 years of appointment if they don’t already meet this at the time of application.
Pay Levels 8 to 19 depending on the post, with starting basic pay from around ₹37,200 per month, plus DA, HRA, and other government allowances.
10. Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Notification – TNPSC Group 2 & 2A Recruitment 2026 | Download PDF |
| Online Application Portal | Apply Online |
| Official TNPSC Website | tnpsc.gov.in |
Read the complete official notification carefully to confirm the exact eligibility, age limit, and vacancy details for your chosen post, since these vary considerably across the many posts covered under this combined notification.
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