Is there a TNPSC Group 3 exam? What tnpsc.gov.in lists in 2026

TNPSC Guide is not the official TNPSC site. For official information, use tnpsc.gov.in only.

Checked on: 25.10.2026. On that day we opened and read the four official pages below.

Many people search for "TNPSC Group 3". You may have heard the name from friends or in a video. But today the TNPSC site lists no exam by that name. This article shows which pages we checked, which exams exist now, and which exam is likely to fit you.

Is there a TNPSC Group 3 exam?

No. On 25.10.2026 we checked four pages of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC):

1. Scheme of Examination: the papers and marks of each exam.
2. Syllabus: the syllabus PDF files of each exam.
3. Exam Dashboard: the notifications published in 2026.
4. TNPSC Annual Planner 2026: the exams planned for this year.

None of the four lists a "Group III" exam, and none uses the name "Combined Civil Services Examination - III". On the Scheme of Examination the civil services exams run in this order: Group I; Group IA, IB, IC, VI; Group II, IIA; Group IV; Group V-A. There is no Group III in that list.

This article reports today's official pages only. We make no claim about exams of earlier years. The exams we cover are listed on our exams page.

Which exams does TNPSC list today?

The Scheme of Examination groups the exams under two headings: Civil Services and Technical Services. The table below sums them up.

The group numbers are only TNPSC's labels. These pages do not say why there is no number 3, and we do not guess.

Which notifications came out in 2026?

On 25.10.2026 the Exam Dashboard showed seven notifications for 2026. None of them is for Group 3.

The TNPSC Annual Planner 2026 was published on 03.12.2025. It has six exams: three Combined Technical Services Examinations, Group 1, Group 2/2A and Group 4. There is no Group 3 in it either. On 25.10.2026 that page showed only the 2026 planner.

This article gives no exam dates. The date of each exam is in its notification.

Which exam is a "Group 3" searcher probably looking for?

We think most people who search "Group 3" want one of two things: an SSLC-standard exam or a degree-standard exam. That is our reading, not TNPSC information. The "Standard" column on the Scheme of Examination gives the standard of each paper.

This "standard" describes the level of the questions. It is not the qualification rule. Check the qualification for each post in its notification.

SSLC standard: Group 4

The Scheme of Examination gives the Group 4 General Studies paper the "SSLC" standard. Group 4 is one written exam: 200 questions, 300 marks, with no interview. Its syllabus PDF code is 496.

The 2026 notification for Group 4 is 11/2026. The Village Administrative Officer (VAO) post is filled through this exam too; read VAO and Group 4: what is different? for the details. The key dates are on our Group 4 exam page. TNPSC Guide teaches this exam only, for now.

Degree standard: Group 2/2A and Group 1

The Scheme of Examination gives the General Studies paper the "Degree" standard in both the Group 2/2A preliminary and the Group 1 preliminary. Both have a preliminary exam followed by a main exam.

• Group 2/2A: syllabus codes 495 (preliminary), 469 (Group 2 main), 583 (Group 2A main). The 2026 notification is 07/2026. Our page on this exam: Group 2/2A. We do not teach this exam yet.
• Group 1: syllabus codes 497 (preliminary), 498 (main). The 2026 notification is 05/2026. Our page on this exam: Group 1. We do not teach this exam yet either.

Technical posts

Posts for engineering, diploma and ITI holders come under the Combined Technical Services Examination (CTSE) headings. Three CTSE notifications came out in 2026: 04/2026, 06/2026 and 08/2026. Each post in these exams has its own syllabus file; find them on the syllabus page. TNPSC Guide does not teach these exams.

How would I know if a Group 3 exam is ever notified?

We do not predict which exam will come when. Only TNPSC announces a new exam, and TNPSC publishes its exams on the Exam Dashboard and the Annual Planner at tnpsc.gov.in.

• We keep checking these four pages. If TNPSC ever notifies such an exam, we will update this page with the official link.
• If someone sends you a "Group 3 notification", check tnpsc.gov.in first. Do not trust a notification that is not there.
• Do not give your details or money on any site that is not official.
• We do not run an alert service. For news, check this page and tnpsc.gov.in.

Practical steps

1. Look at your qualification: SSLC or a degree?
2. If you want an SSLC-standard exam, download the Group 4 syllabus (code 496) from the syllabus page.
3. If you want a degree-standard exam, download the Group 2/2A preliminary syllabus (code 495).
4. Before you apply for any post, read the age and qualification rules in its notification.
5. Check any news about a new exam on tnpsc.gov.in only.

Read next

• VAO and Group 4: is it the same exam?
• Group 4 syllabus explained unit by unit
• Group 4 exam pattern: 200 questions, 300 marks

You do not need any app to use this guide. If you would like a daily Group 4 lesson to follow, read about our 30-day programme; in the TNPSC Guide app's free 3-day period only the Day 1–3 lessons are open.