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TNPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Group 1, 2, 3, 4, and Other Posts

Harsh Tiwari

Apr 14, 2026

TNPSC conducts a wide range of examinations throughout the year for the recruitment of various posts under the state government. The educational qualification and age limit vary post-wise. For most of the posts, the minimum educational qualification requirement is a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised university. If you belong to any reserved category, then you have age relaxation in the upper age limit. Candidates who are looking for Tamil Nadu Government Jobs must give a look at the eligibility criteria and requirements by the commission to make sure they fulfil the TNPSC Exam Eligibility Criteria.

Eligibility

TNPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Various Posts

Each government job post requires individuals with different knowledge and capabilities. Therefore, the eligibility criteria, such as educational requirements and age limit, are different for different TNPSC Class I, II, III, and IV posts.

Here, the candidates can find complete details about the educational requirements and age criteria for the TNPSC Exams. But, before that, let’s have a look at the general eligibility criteria for TNPSC Exams 2026.

  • Candidates applying for the TNPSC Exams must be citizens of India.
  • The applicant must be well-versed in the Tamil language.
  • Also, the candidate must have obtained the required qualifications from a recognised university.
Group-wise

TNPSC Eligibility 2026: Required Educational Qualifications & Age Limit

Here are the required educational qualifications and upper age limit for various TNPSC Exams. Also, the candidates can find details about the relaxed age limit for the reserved categories.

TNPSC Group 1 Eligibility Criteria 2026

Group 1 TNPSC Exams are conducted for the recruitment of Group A posts in the state government. The posts are highly reputed, and the candidates must be at least a graduate in any discipline to apply for this exam.

TNPSC Group 1 Age Limit 2026

The age limit to apply for TNPSC Group 1for general candidates is 32 years, while an age relaxation of 5 years is given to the candidates belonging to the SC / ST / OBC category. Provided below is the complete TNPSC Group 1 Exam eligibility criteria.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC Group 1 exam
Required Qualifications Graduation
Upper Age Limit (General) 32 Years
Relaxations in the Age Limit SC / ST / OBC - 37 Years

Also, in the case of the posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.S.P.) and District Fire and Rescue Operations Officer, special physical requirements are required.

TNPSC Group 2 Eligibility Criteria 2026

Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) Group 2 Exam is conducted for the recruitment of Group B officers in the Tamil Nadu State government. It is a graduate-level exam, and the upper age limit for the general candidates is 30 years. However, there is no age limit for the candidates belonging to the ST, SC, SC (A), Destitute Widows, Most Backwards Classes, Backwards Classes (Muslims), and other Denotified Communities.

TNPSC Group 2 Age Limit

Details about the TNPSC Group 2 Exam Eligibility Criteria are summarised below in the table.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC Group 2 exam
Required Qualifications Graduation
Upper Age Limit (General) 30 Years
Relaxations in the Age Limit No Age Limit for Reserved Candidates

TNPSC Group 3 Eligibility Criteria 2026

Graduate candidates below 42 years of age are eligible for the Tamil Nadu PSC Group 3 Exams. These are the Group III posts in the Tamil Nadu Government. The TNPSC Group 3 Eligibility Criteria are summarised below in the table.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC Group 3 exam
Required Qualifications Graduation
Upper Age Limit (General) 42 Years

TNPSC Group 4 Eligibility Criteria 2026

TNPSC Group 4 posts are the lowest-level posts in any organisation. Candidates having matriculation passed can apply for these vacancies; however, there is 30 years of age limit for the General candidates, while that for the SC/ST/Destitute Widows is 35 years. Provided below is the eligibility criteria for the Tamil Nadu Group D Recruitment Exam. Moreover, there can be physical requirements as per the nature of the post.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC Group 4 exam
Required Qualifications S.S.L.C.
Upper Age Limit (General) 30 Years
Relaxations in the Age Limit MBC / Denotified Communities / BC - 32 Years SC / ST / Destitute Widows - 35 Years

TNPSC Combined Engineering Services Eligibility Criteria 2026

Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission conducts the Engineering Services Exam ESE for the recruitment of Group B (Class-II) engineers in the state government departments and ministries. Candidates bearing engineering degrees in the relevant field from a recognised university or institute and falling under the age criteria are eligible to apply for this decent-paying govt job exam. Moreover, there is no age limit to apply for the Engineering Services Exam for candidates belonging to the ST, SC, SC (A), Destitute Widows, Most Backwards Classes, Backwards Classes (Muslims), and other Denotified Communities.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC Combined Engineering Services exam
Required Qualifications B.E. or B.Tech degree
Upper Age Limit (General) 30 Years
Relaxations in the Age Limit No Age Limit for Reserved Candidates

TNPSC Assistant Engineer Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates aspiring for the Tamil Nadu Assistant Engineer (ASE) posts must go through the eligibility criteria set by the TNPSC. Generally, candidates aged less than 30 years of age having completed their graduation in the relevant engineering field are eligible to apply for the Assistant Engineer posts. Moreover, 3 years of relaxation in the upper age limit is granted to the candidates belonging to the SC/ST/Destitute Widow category. The provided table depicts the general requirements for the TNPSC Assistant Engineer posts.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC Assistant Engineer exam
Required Qualifications B.E. or B.Tech degree
Upper Age Limit (General) 30 Years
Relaxations in the Age Limit MBC / Denotified Communities / BC - 32 Years SC / ST / Destitute Widows - 35 Years

TNPSC District Education Officer Eligibility Criteria 2026

To become a District Education Officer (DEO) in Tamil Nadu, candidates must appear for the TNPSC DEO Exam 2026. The educational requirement for the same is Master’s Degree in any relevant subject with B.Ed course from a government-recognised university or institute. Here are the complete details about the TNPSC District Education Officer Exam Eligibility Criteria.

Particular Details
Exam Name TNPSC District Educational Officer exam
Required Qualifications Master’s degree, a B.T., or a B.Ed. Degree
Upper Age Limit (General) 48 Years
Relaxations in the Age Limit No Age Limit for Reserved Candidates

Aspiring candidates must note that these eligibility criteria are as per the previous years’ notifications by the commission. The candidates are advised to check the relevant TNPSC Notification for more details about the eligibility criteria.

FAQs

TNPSC Exam Eligibility Criteria 2026 FAQs

Ques. What is the eligibility for TNPSC Group 1 Exam?

Ans. The candidates must have a graduation degree in any field to apply for the TNPSC Group 1 Exam. For more details about age criteria, refer to the detailed eligibility criteria provided here.

Ques. Can the 12th pass apply for TNPSC?

Ans. Yes, the 12th pass can apply for the TNPSC Group 4 exam, which is a matriculation-level exam conducted for Group D posts.

Ques. How many attempts are there for TNPSC?

Ans. TNPSC allows any number of attempts in its examinations, provided that the candidate fulfils the eligibility criteria and age norms.

Ques. What are the Tnpsc exams?

Ans. Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) releases recruitment notifications every year for various exams. Provided below is the list of various TNPSC Exams for the year 2026.

  • Combined Civil Services Examination – I (Group 1 Services)
  • Combined Engineering Subordinate Services Examination
  • Combined Library and Information Services Examination
  • Combined Geology Service Examination
  • Combined Statistics Service Examination
  • Combined Civil Services Examination – II (Group-II And Group-II A Services
  • Combined Civil Services Examination-III (Group-III Services)
  • Combined Civil Services Examination-IV (Group-IV Services & VAO)

Ques. What are the passing marks in TNPSC Group 4?

Ans. To qualify for the TNPSC Group 4 Exam, the candidates need to clear the exam with marks equal to or greater than the category-wise cut-offs. However, the candidates also need to score the minimum required passing marks in the exam, which is 90 out of 300.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
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