The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has announced the schedule for the Group 1 Main Examination 2025. This exam is the next stage for candidates who successfully cleared the TNPSC Group 1 Preliminary Exam held on June 15, 2025, for recruitment to prestigious Group 1 posts, including Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Assistant Commissioner, and other key administrative positions. The commission has officially released the Group 1 preliminary examination results on August 28 on its official website, tnpsc.gov.in.
TNPSC 2025 Group 1 Mains Exam Dates
The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has announced key details regarding the Group 1 Mains Examination 2025, following the completion of the Preliminary Exam held on June 15, 2025.
As per the official notification, 1,843 candidates have been provisionally admitted to the Main examination. The TNPSC Group 1 Mains will be held from December 1 to 4, 2025, at the Chennai centre only.
TNPSC Group 1 Mains Exam Pattern and Syllabus
Candidates who qualify in the Preliminary exam will be eligible to appear for the Mains exam. As per the commission’s guidelines, the number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be 20 times the number of candidates to be recruited. This highlights the competitive nature of the TNPSC Group 1 Examination. The table below provides key information regarding the pattern and syllabus of the TNPSC Group 1 Mains Examination.
| Paper No. | Subject | Standard | Marks | Duration | Nature of Exam |
| Paper I | Tamil Eligibility Test | SSLC | 100 | 3 hours | Descriptive (Qualifying) |
| Paper II | General Studies I | Degree | 250 | 3 hours | Descriptive |
| Paper III | General Studies II | Degree | 250 | 3 hours | Descriptive |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | Degree | 250 | 3 hours | Descriptive |
Candidates must note that Paper I is a qualifying paper focusing on Tamil language proficiency at SSLC level. Papers II, III, and IV cover a wide range of topics, including Indian polity, economics, history, geography, science and technology, current affairs, and social issues relevant to Tamil Nadu and India.
The questions on General Studies will be set both in Tamil and English. The Main Examination answer sheets of Paper II, Paper III, and Paper IV will be evaluated only if the candidate secures the minimum qualifying marks in Paper I.
TNPSC 2025 Group 1 Rank Determination
The final rank of candidates will be based on the combined marks obtained in Papers II, III, and IV of the Mains exam and the interview. The interview carries 100 marks and is the final stage after the Mains examination.
- Qualifying in Paper I is mandatory for the evaluation of other papers.
- The interview assesses the candidate’s personality, suitability, and knowledge relevant to the post.
- The total marks considered for ranking will be the aggregate of Mains written exam marks (750 marks) plus interview marks (100 marks), totaling 850 marks.
- Candidates will be ranked category-wise and merit-wise based on this aggregate score.
It is important to note that appearance in all the papers of the Main Examination and the Interview is compulsory. Candidates who have not appeared for any one or more papers of the Main Examination shall not be considered for selection, even if they secure the minimum qualifying marks for selection.
The Mains exam will be held only for candidates who qualify the Preliminary exam. This stage marks a crucial phase in the recruitment process of prestigious Group 1 services in Tamil Nadu.
