Chennai, Nov 1 — Nearly 4.90 lakh candidates are appearing for the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission’s (TNPSC) Group 2 and Group 2A preliminary examination on Sunday, with around 579 aspirants competing for each of the 846 vacancies in state government departments.
The examination will be held as scheduled at 1,647 centres across Tamil Nadu. A total of 4,89,885 candidates have applied and been authorised to take the test, reflecting the intense competition for recruitment to the two categories of government posts.
Chennai alone accounts for 51,721 candidates, with 173 examination centres designated in the city. This represents more than a tenth of the total number of aspirants permitted to appear statewide.
The three-hour examination will begin at 9.30 a.m. and conclude at 12.30 p.m. Candidates will answer 200 multiple-choice questions carrying a maximum of 300 marks. The question paper will comprise three components, covering general knowledge, aptitude and language proficiency. Of the 200 questions, 75 will be from general knowledge and 25 from aptitude. The remaining 100 questions will be from General Tamil or General English.
The language component thus accounts for half the questions in the preliminary examination, while general knowledge and aptitude together make up the other half. Candidates will have to complete all sections within the stipulated three-hour period.
The recruitment exercise seeks to fill a combined total of 846 vacancies under the Group 2 and Group 2A categories across various departments of the Tamil Nadu government. The large applicant pool places the average competition at approximately 579 candidates for every available position. Candidates can download their hall tickets from the commission’s official website, www.tnpsc.gov.in. They have been advised to reach their allotted examination centres on time and carry their hall tickets along with all other required documents.
With the examination beginning at 9.30 a.m., aspirants should plan their travel accordingly and check the location of the centre allotted to them. The hall ticket provides the details needed to identify the venue and attend the examination.
For candidates across the state, Sunday’s preliminary test marks a key stage in the recruitment process for the advertised government vacancies. The commission has reiterated that the examination will proceed according to the announced schedule, with candidates expected to follow the instructions issued for their appearance at their respective centres.