TNPSC Group 2, 2A Prelims 2026: Hall Ticket, exam rules and expected cut-offs

The preliminary examination is scheduled for November 1, 2026 (Sunday), from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm. Candidates have been advised to reach the examination venue one hour before the scheduled commencement of the examination to facilitate identity verification and other procedures.

The gates of the examination venue will be closed 30 minutes before the examination begins. Therefore, candidates arriving after the stipulated time will not be permitted to enter the venue.

The hall ticket, officially called the Memorandum of Admission, will be made available online through the TNPSC examination portal. It will not be sent to candidates by post.

The Commission has stated that eligible candidates will have to download the memorandum of admission from its website and comply with the instructions printed on it. The hall ticket should be retained carefully after the examination as TNPSC may require it at later stages.

Once the hall ticket link is activated, candidates can log in through the TNPSC examination/OTR portal and access the memorandum of admission. In previous TNPSC hall-ticket releases, candidates have been allowed to download the document through the One-Time Registration (OTR) dashboard using their application number and date of birth.

After downloading it, candidates should carefully check their name, photograph, register number, examination date, reporting time, examination centre and venue address. Any discrepancy should be brought to the Commission's notice immediately.

The 2026 notification currently does not specify a separate release date for the preliminary examination hall ticket, so candidates should regularly check the TNPSC website rather than rely on unofficial links.

Candidates must carry the printed hall ticket and a photocopy of any one valid identity proof. TNPSC has listed Aadhaar card, passport, driving licence, PAN card and voter ID card among the accepted identity proofs.

Inside the examination room, candidates are permitted to carry only the black-ink ballpoint pen, photocopy of the identity proof and hall ticket. Candidates should therefore avoid carrying unnecessary belongings to the venue.

The preliminary examination will be conducted through an OMR-based objective test. A personalised OMR answer sheet containing the candidate's photograph, name, register number, examination centre and other details will be provided.

Candidates must first verify that the OMR sheet belongs to them and that the printed details are correct. Any error or defect must be reported to the invigilator immediately. Once the sheet has been used, it will not be replaced.

For every question, candidates must shade only one answer bubble. If more than one bubble is shaded, that answer will not be evaluated. Candidates should not leave answer bubbles blank; TNPSC has provided an Option E for cases where the candidate does not know the answer. Candidates must also sign the OMR sheet and affix their left-hand thumb impression at the designated places.

Candidates will have to undergo identity verification at the examination venue. The Commission's instructions provide for frisking, if required, and candidates have to cooperate with the officials.

TNPSC's examination instructions also provide for biometric authentication as part of the examination process. In addition, candidates' photographs and register numbers may be captured through videography during the examination. Candidates should therefore ensure that the photograph and personal details on their hall ticket and identity proof are clear.

Candidates are not permitted to carry mobile phones, pagers, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, cameras, programmable devices, storage media, watches with memory, communication equipment or similar electronic devices.

Non-electronic materials such as books, notes, loose sheets, guides, mathematical or drawing instruments, log tables, stencils, slide rules and handbags are also prohibited.

TNPSC has warned that candidates found carrying prohibited items may be prevented from writing the examination and could face invalidation of their answer sheet, rejection of candidature or debarment. The Commission also says arrangements for keeping banned items at the venue cannot be assured.

The Group II and IIA preliminary examination will have one paper with 200 questions, carrying a total of 300 marks, with a duration of three hours.

The paper will comprise:

- General Tamil or General English: 100 questions

- General Studies: 75 questions

- Aptitude and Mental Ability: 25 questions

The General Studies section is at degree level, while Aptitude and Mental Ability is at SSLC level. The language section is also at SSLC level. The minimum qualifying mark for the preliminary examination is 90 marks for all communities.

No. The Tamil Eligibility Test is part of the Main Examination, not the preliminary examination.

For Group II and Group IIA services, the Main Examination includes a Tamil Eligibility Test carrying 100 marks. For Group II, Paper II is General Studies for 300 marks. For Group IIA, Paper II is an objective examination comprising General Studies and General Intelligence and Reasoning.

Therefore, candidates appearing for the November 1 preliminary examination will face the 200-question, 300-mark OMR paper described above.

TNPSC has not announced any 2026 category-wise cut-off. The Commission's official notification specifies the minimum qualifying mark of 90, but the actual shortlisting level can be much higher depending on the number of candidates, vacancies, difficulty level and overall performance.

Based on previous trend-based estimates published by examination-preparation platforms, the likely competitive range could be around 150-160 marks for BC, 150-155 for MBC, 145-155 for SC and around 140-150 for ST.

Some previous estimates have placed the general-category range at around 158-165 marks. These are only indicative ranges and should not be treated as TNPSC's official cut-offs.

A separate reliable 2026 PWD-specific cut-off cannot be fixed before the examination. The actual shortlisting level can vary depending on the post, reservation category, number of vacancies and the candidates competing under the relevant reservation.

Therefore, candidates with benchmark disabilities should not treat a single unofficial PWD figure as a guaranteed cut-off. The safest approach is to target a score comfortably above the expected competitive range and wait for TNPSC's official shortlisting criteria and results.

Candidates should reach the venue at least one hour before 9.30 am, carry the printed hall ticket and a photocopy of a valid photo ID, and use only a black-ink ballpoint pen for the OMR examination. They should verify the personalised OMR sheet before marking answers, darken only one option for each question, and carefully follow the instructions printed on the answer sheet. Mobile phones, smart watches, books, notes, bags and other prohibited items should be left at home.