TNPSC Group 4 previous year question papers and answer keys: official links by year

TNPSC Guide is not the official TNPSC website. Download question papers and answer keys only from tnpsc.gov.in.

Checked on: 25.10.2026

We do not re-upload any question paper on this page. Every link below goes to tnpsc.gov.in.

What are the official links, year by year?

TNPSC keeps one row per exam on its answer-keys page. Each row links the question paper and the answer key. The table below lists the three Group 4 exams held under the current scheme.

Source: TNPSC answer-keys page, checked on 25.10.2026. We opened all four PDFs above on that day.

• The Tentative column of that page links each year's question paper and tentative key.
• The same page also lists older Group 4 exams. They were held under an earlier scheme, so we have left them out of this table.
• You can also find these three years in the Group 4 papers section of our exam page.

Where do the recent papers sit?

There is one main link: question papers with answer keys. On TNPSC's Tamil home page, the same page is labelled «முந்தைய ஆண்டு வினாத்தாட்கள்».

Papers from recent exams also sit in the Archives section and on the Exam Dashboard of the TNPSC site. On the Tamil home page, look for the link «தேர்வுப்பலகை».

TNPSC also has a page called "Previous Year Question Papers". It holds only old papers: 2007-2012 papers only. Do not rely on it for recent years.

Tentative key vs final key: what is the difference?

TNPSC publishes two kinds of answer key for each exam.

The tentative key is only the first version. Some answers can change in the final key. So once a final key is out, use that one. Do not settle your score from the tentative key alone. All three years in the table above have a final key.

How do I use a past paper?

Sit an old paper as if it were the real exam. The current exam is one paper: 200 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours (Notification 11/2026, English PDF, p20).

• Set a timer and write the whole paper in 3 hours.
• Answer Part A (Tamil) first. Parts B and C are evaluated only if you score at least 60 out of 150 in Part A (p20, para 6.1).
• If you do not know an answer, shade bubble E on the OMR sheet (Notification 11/2026, English PDF, p68).
• If you leave a question blank, 0.5 mark is deducted from your total (English PDF, p72).
• Mark your paper with the final key.
• Write the questions you got wrong in a notebook, grouped by unit (Grammar, Geography, Aptitude and so on).

These OMR rules come from Notification 11/2026. An old paper's instructions may differ, so follow the current rules when you practise. For the parts and the OMR rules in full, read our guide to the exam pattern and OMR rules.

In the last month before the exam, one full paper a week is a good habit. To decide what to study each week, see how to study week by week until the exam.

Worked example: marking your own paper

300 marks divided by 200 questions gives 1.5 marks per question. That is our own arithmetic; the notification does not print this figure. The numbers below are made up.

In other words, you need at least 40 correct answers in Part A (our arithmetic). This holds only if you shaded an option for every question. If your practice score is below that, give Tamil more time.

How do I avoid fake PDFs?

Many sites share files called "question paper with answers PDF". These files can carry wrong answers. If you learn a wrong answer as right, you will repeat the mistake in the exam.

• Check that the web address says tnpsc.gov.in. Every official link on this page does.
• Do not download PDFs from other sites.
• Do not trust "with answers" files forwarded on WhatsApp.
• Do not pay anyone for a question paper. They are free on the official site.

Are old papers still useful?

Yes, if you use them with care. The current Group 4 syllabus is dated 12.12.2024 (syllabus PDF, p4). Exams held before that date may have followed an older syllabus. That is our inference, not an official statement.

So use old papers for practice only. Do not use them to predict "the questions coming this year". Nobody can say for certain which question will repeat.

An old paper may also carry a question that is no longer in the current syllabus. Do not spend long on it. Give your time to the units in the current syllabus; the official syllabus PDF lists them unit by unit.

Practical steps

1. Open the TNPSC answer-keys page and find the Group 4 rows.
2. Download one year's question paper and its final key.
3. Set a 3-hour timer and start with Part A.
4. Mark it with the final key: 1.5 × correct answers (our arithmetic).
5. List your wrong answers by unit, and study those units the next week.
6. In the last month, keep to one paper a week.

Read next

• The exam pattern and OMR rules
• How to study week by week until the exam
• The Group 4 syllabus, explained simply

Want daily guidance on what to study? Read about our 30-day programme. It comes with a free 3-day trial. Even if you never install the app, the official links on this page are all you need to practise.