TNPSC Group 1 (Combined Civil Services Examination-I) is the highest-level state civil services exam in Tamil Nadu, conducted annually by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC). It recruits Group A officers such as Deputy Collector, DSP, Assistant Commissioner and District Registrar at Pay Level 22, basic pay ₹56,100, with ₹72,000–₹85,000 in hand. Selection runs through Prelims, Mains and an interview; any graduate aged 21–32 (with category relaxations) can apply, and there is no limit on attempts within the age window.
Worth knowing
Salary range
₹56k – ₹206k
7th Pay · in-hand / month
Posts per cycle
6
Across Group 1 services
Frequency
Annually
Conducted by TNPSC
Next exam
6 Sept 2026
Notification: 23 Jun 2026
Every TNPSC Group 1 topic in one place, notification, eligibility, syllabus, cut-off, salary, hall ticket and more.
Four hard requirements. Miss any one and the application is rejected at scrutiny.
Prelims screen the field. Mains decides the merit list. The interview tunes it.
Marks
300
Questions
200
Duration
3 hours
General Studies + Aptitude
120 marks (40%) for OC/BC/MBC; 90 marks (30%) for SC/ST
Marks
500
Questions
-
Duration
3 hours per paper
3 Papers - GS I, GS II, Tamil/English
As per notification
Marks
120
Questions
-
Duration
~30 minutes
Personality & aptitude assessment
Combined with Mains
What happens from prelim day to final posting.
Preliminary Examination (screening only - marks not counted for final merit)
Main Written Examination (3 descriptive papers)
Oral Test / Interview
Document Verification & Counselling
The complete TNPSC Group 1 syllabus, subject by subject, with the approximate weightage of each section and the key topics it covers. Use it as a checklist while you prepare.
| Post | Pay level | Basic pay | In-hand (incl. allowances) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Collector | Level 22 | ₹56,100 | ₹72,000 - ₹85,000 |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) | Level 22 | ₹56,100 | ₹72,000 - ₹85,000 |
| Assistant Commissioner (CT) | Level 22 | ₹56,100 | ₹72,000 - ₹85,000 |
| District Registrar | Level 22 | ₹56,100 | ₹72,000 - ₹85,000 |
| Assistant Director (Industries) | Level 22 | ₹56,100 | ₹72,000 - ₹85,000 |
| District Employment Officer | Level 22 | ₹56,100 | ₹72,000 - ₹85,000 |
On top of basic pay, these push the in-hand figure up considerably.
Dearness Allowance (DA)
22% of Basic Pay
House Rent Allowance (HRA)
8% - 16% of Basic Pay
Travel Allowance (TA)
As per government norms
Medical Allowance
As per government norms
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Salary, cut-off and eligibility figures on this page are compiled from official TNPSC sources. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: June 2026.
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