# Reading the newspaper: news, editorial and government notice > These study notes explain Newspapers, editorials and government news for the Group 4 / VAO (Combined Civil Services Examination-IV) exam in plain language: the same reviewed notes the TNPSC Guide app shows, published by our editors with their source. Read the key points first, then practise the unit's questions. For exam facts such as dates and vacancies, always check tnpsc.gov.in. Last updated: 2026-11-02 · By TNPSC Guide editorial team URL: https://www.tnpscguide.com/exams/group-4/notes/tamil-reading-news ## Why the exam asks this The 2025 paper gave a government news item on improvement works at Courtallam and asked a question on it. The answer was in the item. So there is no need to memorise newspaper news. What you need is the habit of reading an item and taking in its content at once. ## Why read a newspaper Education is not gained only in school or college. The Standard 11 book says learners also gain practical knowledge from journals. The editors of journals set out lessons that society needs. A fine journalist is a good teacher. **Parts of a newspaper** | | | | --- | --- | | News item | Says what happened | | Headline | Gives a short summary above the item | | Editorial | An article by the editor | | Cartoon | Gives an opinion as a picture | ## What an editorial is The Tamil Lexicon gives தலையங்கம் as an article the editor writes at the front of a paper. A news item says what happened; an editorial is an article by the editor. The dictionary also gives a second sense, a headline placed above an item. The syllabus names தலையங்கம் and front-page news separately, so here it has the first sense. ## How to read a news item A news item usually says what is happening, where, when, for whom and how much. A Standard 9 exercise asks you to turn a passage into a notice; it gives a book release, 21 June, 3:00 in the afternoon and the hall of the Maruthur school, which is the event, date, time and place. A Standard 12 exercise asks you to turn an advertisement into a news item; it gives the 42nd Chennai book fair, 4 to 20 January 2019, Nandanam. Separate every item this way. **Example: An item with many numbers** Rs 3,500 crore was announced to build one lakh more new houses in rural areas. Rs 600 crore was announced to rebuild 25,000 damaged houses. How much is for the new houses? 1. The item has four numbers. 2. Look at the line with the words new houses. 3. Rs 600 crore belongs to rebuilding. Answer: Rs 3,500 crore. **Example: A sum or a count** 10 Thozhi hostels will be built at Rs 77 crore so that 800 women benefit. How many hostels? 1. If the question asks how many women, it is 800; how much money, Rs 77 crore. 2. All three appear in the options; choose by the question word. Answer: 10. **Example: Two places in one item** Rs 11,721 crore for pumped storage hydro stations of 1,100 megawatts at Vellimalai and 1,800 megawatts at Aliyar. What is the capacity at Aliyar? 1. Look for the word Aliyar. 2. The same way works for other items: in 1,125 electric buses and 700 diesel buses, look for the word diesel. 3. In 6 beaches and Rs 24 crore, how many is 6. Answer: 1,800 megawatts. **Example: A headline for an item** Rs 400 crore for river front works in the corporations of Tiruchi, Madurai, Erode, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli. Which headline fits this item? 1. A headline must carry the whole item. 2. Rs 400 crore in Tiruchi does not fit, because the sum is for all five. Answer: River fronts improved in five corporations. ## Bharathi and journalism Bharathi took up the post of assistant editor at Swadesamitran. In those days papers wrote a headline in English with a Tamil one below it. Bharathi led the way in Tamil headlines. He called headline-making மகுடமிடல். He was also the first to bring cartoons into Tamil journalism. He brought out India on red paper; red stood for revolution and freedom. He held that writing should run the way one speaks, whatever the subject. ## Rumour and confirmed news In a disaster people should act on the cyclone and rain information the weather research centre issues. They must not believe or spread rumours. When you read a news item, also see which body it came from. **Key facts** | | | | --- | --- | | தலையங்கம் | An article the editor writes at the front of a paper | | மகுடமிடல் | Bharathi's word for headline-making | | சித்திராவளி | The cartoon paper Bharathi wished to run, which did not happen | | Papers that carried his cartoons | India, Vijaya | | Paper of the India journal | Red | | Year, month and day in Tamil | Bharathi first marked them in journals | > **Exam tip:** Memory hooks Separate what, where, when and how much in an item. Choose the number by the question word. A headline must fit the whole item. **Easy to confuse** | | | | --- | --- | | News item, editorial | A news item says what happened; an editorial is an article by the editor | | Editorial, headline | In the syllabus தலையங்கம் is the article; the dictionary also gives headline | | சித்திராவளி, India | சித்திராவளி did not happen; the cartoons appeared in India and Vijaya | | Sum, count | Money, places and people are different numbers; see what the question word asks | Source: Notification 11/2026 (Advertisement No. 747), Combined Civil Services Examination-IV (Group IV Services), Tamil version (11ஆம் வகுப்பு, இயல் 4 இதழாளர் பாரதி, பக்கம் 102-105; 12ஆம் வகுப்பு, இயல் 2, பக்கம் 28, இயல் 7, பக்கம் 185; 9ஆம் வகுப்பு, இயல் 1, பக்கம் 27; குடிமக்களுக்கான கையேடு 2025-2026, பக்கம் 14-19) ## Sources - [Official syllabus page](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/english/syllabus.html) - [Notifications](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/Notification.aspx)