This page collects what candidates most often look for about the TNPSC Group 4 examination. TNPSC Group 4 recruits for Village Administrative Officer, Junior Assistant, Typist, Bill Collector and Forest Guard posts. Figures and dates on this page describe how the examination has been conducted in recent cycles; always confirm the current position against the official notification before you rely on it for a decision.

What a TNPSC Group 4 cut-off actually tells you

A cut-off is the mark of the last candidate selected in a given category in a given year. It is an outcome, not a target set in advance. It moves with the number of vacancies announced, the number of candidates who sat the paper, and how hard that year’s question paper turned out to be. A cut-off that falls by ten marks usually means the paper was harder or the vacancy count went up, not that the standard dropped.

The practical use of past cut-offs is to set a working target for your own preparation. Take the highest recent cut-off for your category, add a clear margin on top, and treat that as the score you are preparing to beat. Preparing to exactly match last year’s number leaves you no room for a harder paper.

Why your category matters

Cut-offs are published separately for each reservation category, and the gap between them can be substantial. Check the figure for the category you will actually be assessed under, not the general figure, and remember that candidates who qualify under a reserved category but score above the general cut-off are usually counted against the general list.

Related pages

TNPSC Group 4 complete guide · TNPSC Group 1 preparation guide · TNPSC exam calendar · Recommended books · Samacheer quiz library

The TNPSC Group 4 cut off is the minimum aggregate mark needed to be shortlisted for the next stage or the final merit list of Group 4 (CCSE-IV). It is not fixed in advance — the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission derives it every cycle from the number of vacancies, the number of candidates, the difficulty of the paper and your reservation category. This page explains the indicative category-wise trend and, more importantly, how to score comfortably above it.

Indicative TNPSC Group 4 cut-off (category-wise)

Note: Cut-off marks, dates and post lists change every recruitment cycle. The figures on this page are indicative, based on previous cycles. Always confirm the exact numbers in the official notification and result at tnpsc.gov.in.

How the TNPSC cut-off is calculated

• Vacancies — more posts generally means a lower cut-off.
• Number of applicants — heavy competition pushes the cut-off up.
• Paper difficulty — an easier paper raises the cut-off for everyone.
• Category — OC usually has the highest cut-off; BC/MBC/SC/ST are progressively lower.
• Normalisation — where multiple sessions are held, scores are normalised before the cut-off is fixed.

Exam pattern behind the marks

Group 4 uses a single objective paper of 200 questions for 300 marks in 3 hours (100 questions of Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring + 75 General Studies + 25 Aptitude), with no interview. Knowing the section weights tells you where the cut-off marks are easiest to earn.

How to score above the cut-off

1. Lock the scoring blocks first — General Tamil and static General Studies are the most predictable marks.
2. Solve previous year papers to calibrate your current score against the trend above.
3. Take full-length timed mock tests and review every mistake.
4. Keep general studies current — it is the swing factor near the cut-off.

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Updated: September 2026