# 10 common TNPSC Group 4 mistakes, from the application to the exam hall

> You can lose your application or marks through small, avoidable mistakes. Apply only on the official site. The last date is 05.11.2026, 11.59 PM (page 1). The fee concession Yes/No choice cannot be changed after you submit (page 28). On the OMR sheet, darken E if you do not know; a blank costs 0.5 mark (pages 68, 72).

Last updated: 2026-10-28 · By TNPSC Guide editorial team
URL: https://www.tnpscguide.com/guides/group-4-common-mistakes

**TNPSC Guide is not the official TNPSC website.** Apply only on the official portal.

Checked on: 28.10.2026. On that day tnpsc.gov.in listed no addendum or corrigendum to this notification.

In Group 4, small mistakes can cost you your application or your marks, and all are avoidable. Here are ten, each with the reason it hurts, the fix and the page.

Page numbers are from the English PDF of Notification 11/2026, which is final in case of doubt (para 6.5, page 21). For the key dates in one place, see [the Group 4 exam page](/exams/group-4).

## What are the ten mistakes? At a glance

**Table: mistake, effect, fix** (source: Notification 11/2026, English PDF)

| Mistake | Effect | How to avoid it | Where in the notification |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Entering your details on an unofficial site | Not an application to the Commission | Use apply.tnpscexams.in only | para 1.3.1, page 1 |
| 2. Waiting until the last day | A last-minute rush | Submit before 05.11.2026, 11.59 PM | para 1.2, page 1 |
| 3. Registering on One Time Registration (OTR) a second time | Against the register-once rule | Use your old OTR; ask the helpline | paras 2.1 and 2.5, page 23; paras 9.1 and 9.2, page 21 |
| 4. Not checking the SSLC details in your OTR | Rejection after due process | Check each number against your certificate | paras 2.6.1 and 2.6.3, page 23 |
| 5. Leaving out date-of-birth or age-concession documents | Rejection after due process | Upload proof for every claim | paras 4.1.6.1 and 4.1.6.2, page 8 |
| 6. Choosing the fee concession Yes/No without thinking | Cannot be changed after you submit | Read para 3.9.2 and Annexure II first | para 3.9.4, page 28 |
| 7. Not knowing about the proof of Tamil knowledge | A language test to pass after joining | Upload the proof when asked | paras 4.4.2 and 4.4.3, page 16 |
| 8. Missing the correction window | No change after it closes | Check your form 09.11.2026 to 11.11.2026 | paras 1.2 and 1.3.2, page 1 |
| 9. Underrating Part A Tamil | Below 60, Parts B and C are not evaluated | Study Tamil every day | para 6.1, page 20 |
| 10. Leaving an OMR answer blank | 0.5 mark lost for each blank | If unsure, darken option E | Annexure IV, para 1.6.2.5, page 68; para 1.10.2.2, page 72 |

## Which mistakes should I avoid when applying?

Mistakes 1 to 8 happen in the application; for the full walk-through, see [how to apply, step by step](/guides/group-4-how-to-apply).

### 1. Entering your details on an unofficial site

Applications are accepted online only, on the Commission's website only (para 1.3.1, page 1). The notification prints the address as www.tnpscexams.in. On 19.10.2026 and 21.10.2026 the application pages opened at apply.tnpscexams.in.

A form filled in anywhere else is not an application to the Commission, and your Aadhaar and mobile details may reach strangers. TNPSC Guide will never apply on your behalf, and we will never ask for your password or Aadhaar number.

### 2. Waiting until the last day

The last date is 05.11.2026, 11.59 PM (para 1.2, page 1). You have applied only when you press SUBMIT for the final submission (para 3.8.4, page 28).

In the last days the portal and the payment page may be slow. That is our advice, not a rule in the notification. Get your certificates ready and submit a few days ahead.

### 3. Registering on One Time Registration (OTR) a second time

Register on One Time Registration only once; it is valid for five years from the date of registration (Annexure I, para 2.1, page 23). Linking Aadhaar is mandatory to access or renew an existing OTR (para 2.5, page 23).

If you cannot log in to your old OTR, do not create a new one; ask the Commission. Toll-free: 1800 419 0958, on working days from 10.00 AM to 5.45 PM (para 9.1, page 21). E-mail: helpdesk@tnpscexams.in (para 9.2, page 21).

### 4. Not checking the SSLC details in your OTR

Your OTR details are the basis of every later application (para 2.6.3, page 23). If any SSLC detail is wrong, the application will be rejected after due process (para 2.6.1, page 23).

Check your name, date of birth and every number against your SSLC certificate, one by one.

### 5. Leaving out date-of-birth or age-concession documents

Your date of birth is checked against your SSLC or HSC mark sheet (para 4.1.6.1, page 8). If you claim an age concession and its document is missing, the candidature is rejected after due process (para 4.1.6.2, page 8).

For the certificates that are accepted, see [Group 4 eligibility: age and proof of Tamil](/guides/group-4-eligibility-age-limit).

### 6. Choosing the fee concession Yes/No without thinking

In the application you choose "Yes" or "No" for the fee concession. That choice cannot be modified or edited after you submit (para 3.9.4, page 28).

Who is eligible for a fee exemption is set out in para 3.9.2 and Annexure II. Lists online do not agree with each other, so do not rely on them; read those two places yourself. Keep your own count of how often you have used the concession (para 3.9.4).

### 7. Not knowing about the proof of Tamil knowledge

This rule is separate from Part A of the paper. Upload the mark sheets or the test certificate when the Commission asks (para 4.4.2, page 16).

Without that proof, you must pass the Second Class Language Test (Full Test) in Tamil, conducted by TNPSC, within two years of appointment, or be discharged from service (para 4.4.3, page 16).

### 8. Missing the correction window

You can edit all the details of a submitted application until the last date, 05.11.2026 (Annexure I, para 3.11.1, page 29). After that, the Application Correction Window is open from 09.11.2026, 12.01 AM to 11.11.2026, 11.59 PM. After that, no change is allowed (paras 1.2 and 1.3.2, page 1). A claim added after you submit is not entertained (para 1.3.5, page 2).

Read your submitted copy again, note any mistake and fix it in the window. We cannot promise that any correction will be accepted. Filling the form correctly the first time is safest.

## Which mistake should I avoid while studying?

### 9. Underrating Part A Tamil

The paper has 200 questions for 300 marks (para 6, page 20). Part A, the Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test, has 100 questions for 150 marks. Part B General Studies (75 questions) and Part C Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions) are evaluated only if you score at least 60 in Part A (para 6.1, page 20).

Below 60 in Part A, even good General Studies marks are never counted. So do not leave Tamil for the end; give it time every day. We explain the seven units in [how to study Part A Tamil](/guides/group-4-tamil-part-a-guide).

**A note on what you read online.** Websites disagree about the age limit, the fee and the marking, and some PDF files spread wrong figures. Only Notification 11/2026 is final, so check every figure on its page there, in [English](https://tnpsc.gov.in/document/english/group_english.pdf) or [Tamil](https://tnpsc.gov.in/document/tamil/group4_tamil.pdf).

## Which mistake should I avoid in the exam hall?

### 10. Leaving an OMR answer blank

The OMR answer sheet rules are in Annexure IV of the notification. Do not leave any question blank. If you do not know the answer, darken option E (para 1.6.2.5, page 68). For each question left blank, 0.5 mark is deducted from your total (para 1.10.2.2, page 72).

Simple arithmetic: leave 6 questions blank and you lose 3 marks. That sum is ours.

In mock tests, practise shading an OMR sheet, and check for blanks before you hand it in. On whether a wrong answer costs marks, see the FAQ below.

For the other rules, read [exam pattern and OMR rules](/guides/group-4-exam-pattern) and the [TNPSC OMR guidelines](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/omr-guidelines.html) page.

## Practical steps

1. Today, log in to your OTR and check your SSLC details and your Aadhaar link.
2. Put your date-of-birth, age-concession and Tamil-knowledge certificates in one folder.
3. Before you choose Yes or No for the fee concession, read para 3.9.2 and Annexure II.
4. Submit before 05.11.2026, 11.59 PM, not on the last day, and save a copy.
5. If you find a mistake, fix it in the correction window, 09.11.2026 to 11.11.2026.
6. Give Part A Tamil time every day, and note your Part A score on its own in every practice test.

## Read next

- [Exam pattern and OMR rules](/guides/group-4-exam-pattern)
- [How to apply, step by step](/guides/group-4-how-to-apply)
- [Group 4 eligibility: age and proof of Tamil](/guides/group-4-eligibility-age-limit)

You do not need our app to use this guide. If you would like a daily lesson to follow, read about [our 30-day programme](/programme). The TNPSC Guide app has a free 3-day period in which the plan's Day 1–3 lessons, the full question bank and one sectional test are open. After that, the free parts stay open.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there negative marking in Group 4?**

When we read the English version of Notification 11/2026 on 19.10.2026, we found no rule that deducts marks for a wrong answer. A blank answer does cost marks: 0.5 is deducted from your total for each question left blank (Annexure IV, para 1.10.2.2, page 72). If you do not know the answer, darken option E (para 1.6.2.5, page 68). Before you trust a site that gives another figure, read these two pages yourself.

**Can I leave a question blank?**

No. If you do not know the answer, darken option E (Annexure IV, para 1.6.2.5, page 68). Each question left blank costs 0.5 mark from your total (para 1.10.2.2, page 72).

**Can I fix a mistake in my application?**

You can edit the details until the last date, 05.11.2026 (Annexure I, para 3.11.1, page 29). After that, only in the Application Correction Window: 09.11.2026, 12.01 AM to 11.11.2026, 11.59 PM. After that, no change is allowed (paras 1.2 and 1.3.2, page 1). A claim added after you submit is not entertained (para 1.3.5, page 2). We cannot promise that any correction will be accepted.

**Who is exempt from the exam fee?**

Who is eligible for a fee exemption is set out in para 3.9.2 and Annexure II of the notification (page 28). Do not rely on lists online; read those two places yourself. The fee concession Yes/No choice cannot be changed after you submit (para 3.9.4, page 28).

**If I score the qualifying 90 marks, do I get a job?**

Not necessarily. 90 out of 300 is only the minimum qualifying mark for all communities (page 20). Selection depends on the ranking by total marks (para 6.1, page 20).

## Sources

- [TNPSC Notification 11/2026, English PDF: page 1 (paras 1.2, 1.3.1, 1.3.2), page 2 (1.3.5), page 8 (4.1.6), page 16 (4.4.2, 4.4.3), page 20 (6, 6.1), page 21 (6.5, 9.1, 9.2), page 23 (Annexure I, 2.1-2.6), page 28 (3.8.4, 3.9), page 29 (3.11.1), pages 68 and 72 (Annexure IV)](https://tnpsc.gov.in/document/english/group_english.pdf)
- [TNPSC Notification 11/2026, Tamil PDF: page 1](https://tnpsc.gov.in/document/tamil/group4_tamil.pdf)
- [TNPSC online application portal (apply.tnpscexams.in), opened 28.10.2026](https://apply.tnpscexams.in)
- [TNPSC OMR guidelines (Guidelines / Instructions), opened 28.10.2026](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/omr-guidelines.html)
- [TNPSC official website (tnpsc.gov.in), checked 28.10.2026](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in)