The TNPSC Group 1 Preliminary Examination (CCSE – I) was held on Saturday, 27 September 2026. The full question paper — booklet code CCSEI-P26, all 200 questions in English and Tamil — is available below as a free PDF download.
தமிழ்நாடு அரசுப் பணியாளர் தேர்வாணையத்தின் குரூப் 1 முதல்நிலைத் தேர்வு 2026 செப்டம்பர் 27ஆம் தேதி நடைபெற்றது. முழு வினாத்தாளையும் (200 வினாக்கள், ஆங்கிலம் மற்றும் தமிழ்) கீழே இலவசமாகப் பதிவிறக்கம் செய்யலாம்.
Free PDF Download · இலவச பதிவிறக்கம்
TNPSC Group 1 Prelims 2026 — Original Question Paper
Booklet Code CCSEI-P26 · 200 questions · 90 pages · English + Tamil · 916 KB
Exam at a glance · தேர்வு விவரம்
| Detail | Group 1 Prelims 2026 |
|---|---|
| Examination | Combined Civil Services Examination – I (Group I Services) |
| Date of exam | 27 September 2026 |
| Booklet code | CCSEI-P26 |
| Total questions | 200 objective questions |
| Total marks | 300 marks |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Composition | General Studies (Degree standard) — 175 questions Aptitude & Mental Ability (SSLC standard) — 25 questions |
| Medium | Bilingual — every question printed in English and Tamil |
| Options | Five — (A) to (D) plus (E) Answer not known |
| Minimum qualifying marks | 90 — SC, SC(A), ST, MBC/DC, BC(OBCM), BCM 120 — Others |
| Counts towards rank? | No — prelims is a qualifying round only. The Mains decides the rank. |
Answer key · விடைக்குறிப்பு
Free PDF Download · விடைக்குறிப்பு — இலவசப் பதிவிறக்கம்
All 200 Answers with Explanations
Every question answered, each with a short explanation of why that answer is right. Every arithmetic and reasoning question is worked out in full rather than just looked up. English and Tamil throughout, with a one-page answer index at the end.
200 வினாக்களுக்கான விடைகளும் விளக்கங்களும் அடங்கிய முழு விடைக்குறிப்பு இப்போது இலவசமாகப் பதிவிறக்கம் செய்யலாம்.
118 pages · English + Tamil · 2.4 MB
Official key · 6 October 2026
TNPSC has published its tentative answer key
The Commission hosted the tentative key for this exam on 6 October 2026. The correct answer is tick-marked (✓) inside a specimen question booklet on the TNPSC website — there is no separate list of answers. We have typed all 200 of them out further down this page.
Objections close at 5.45 PM on 13 October 2026. They are accepted online only, through tnpsc.gov.in. Anything sent by post or email gets no attention, and so does anything submitted after that time. The final key follows only after the whole selection process is over.
தேர்வாணையத்தின் தற்காலிக விடைக்குறிப்பு 2026 அக்டோபர் 6 அன்று வெளியிடப்பட்டது. ஆட்சேபணைகளை 2026 அக்டோபர் 13 மாலை 5.45 மணிக்கு முன் இணையதளம் வழியாக மட்டுமே சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டும்.
Official Tentative Key (TNPSC) Submit an objection · tnpsc.gov.in
Quote the specimen booklet’s question numbers, not your own. TNPSC states that whatever code was printed on the booklet you wrote — ours is CCSEI-P26 — an objection must cite the question number as it appears in the Commission’s specimen booklet. The question order is not the same. Match your question by its wording before you quote a number.
About our answer key above. It was prepared before the Commission released anything, so those are our answers, with a short explanation under each one — which the official scan does not give you. TNPSC’s tentative key is now the authority. We have now read the Commission’s booklet end to end: 185 of the 200 answers match ours, and 15 do not. Both lists are set out further down this page, with what each disagreement turns on.
ஆட்சேபணை அளிக்கும்போது தேர்வாணையத்தின் மாதிரி வினாத்தாளில் உள்ள வினா எண்ணையே குறிப்பிட வேண்டும் — உங்கள் வினாத்தாள் குறியீட்டின் எண் அல்ல. வினாவின் வாக்கியத்தைப் பார்த்து சரிபார்த்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்.
TNPSC official tentative key — all 200 answers
The Commission publishes its key only as a 176-page scan with a tick beside the right option — there is no list. We read every page and set the answers out here, in order. The 15 marked in maroon• are the ones where the official answer differs from ours.
தேர்வாணையம் வெளியிட்ட 200 வினாக்களுக்கான தற்காலிக விடைகள் கீழே பட்டியலாகக் கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. சிவப்பு நிறத்தில் உள்ள விடைகள் எங்கள் விடைக்குறிப்பிலிருந்து மாறுபடுகின்றன.
| Q | Ans | Q | Ans | Q | Ans | Q | Ans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | 51 | B• | 101 | A• | 151 | A |
| 2 | B | 52 | D | 102 | A | 152 | D |
| 3 | A | 53 | D | 103 | C | 153 | A |
| 4 | B | 54 | A | 104 | B | 154 | B |
| 5 | C• | 55 | D | 105 | D | 155 | B |
| 6 | A | 56 | A | 106 | B | 156 | C |
| 7 | B | 57 | C | 107 | C | 157 | A |
| 8 | B | 58 | B | 108 | A | 158 | C |
| 9 | A | 59 | D | 109 | B | 159 | C |
| 10 | B | 60 | B | 110 | B | 160 | B |
| 11 | A | 61 | C | 111 | C | 161 | C |
| 12 | D | 62 | D | 112 | A | 162 | B |
| 13 | A | 63 | B | 113 | D | 163 | B |
| 14 | B | 64 | D• | 114 | C | 164 | B |
| 15 | B | 65 | C | 115 | D | 165 | B |
| 16 | C | 66 | C | 116 | D• | 166 | B |
| 17 | C | 67 | D | 117 | A | 167 | D• |
| 18 | C | 68 | D | 118 | D | 168 | D |
| 19 | C | 69 | D• | 119 | D• | 169 | C |
| 20 | A | 70 | A | 120 | B | 170 | A• |
| 21 | B | 71 | C | 121 | D | 171 | C |
| 22 | D | 72 | C | 122 | B | 172 | D |
| 23 | B | 73 | B | 123 | C• | 173 | B |
| 24 | A | 74 | D | 124 | B | 174 | C |
| 25 | A | 75 | C | 125 | A | 175 | D |
| 26 | C | 76 | D | 126 | B | 176 | A |
| 27 | A | 77 | B | 127 | B | 177 | B• |
| 28 | A | 78 | B | 128 | C | 178 | A |
| 29 | B | 79 | B | 129 | C | 179 | A |
| 30 | D | 80 | C | 130 | B | 180 | B |
| 31 | D | 81 | C | 131 | D | 181 | B |
| 32 | D | 82 | A | 132 | D | 182 | A |
| 33 | B | 83 | A | 133 | B | 183 | C |
| 34 | C | 84 | B• | 134 | B | 184 | A |
| 35 | B | 85 | C | 135 | A | 185 | B |
| 36 | C | 86 | C | 136 | A | 186 | A |
| 37 | D | 87 | C | 137 | C | 187 | D |
| 38 | C | 88 | B• | 138 | D | 188 | D |
| 39 | C | 89 | C | 139 | A | 189 | D |
| 40 | C | 90 | D | 140 | C | 190 | B |
| 41 | C | 91 | C | 141 | A | 191 | D |
| 42 | A | 92 | D | 142 | C | 192 | D |
| 43 | C | 93 | C | 143 | A | 193 | B |
| 44 | C | 94 | D | 144 | C | 194 | B |
| 45 | B | 95 | D | 145 | D | 195 | B |
| 46 | B | 96 | B | 146 | C• | 196 | B |
| 47 | B | 97 | C | 147 | B | 197 | A |
| 48 | A | 98 | C | 148 | B | 198 | C |
| 49 | B | 99 | C | 149 | A | 199 | C |
| 50 | A | 100 | B | 150 | A | 200 | A• |
Read from the Commission’s specimen booklet (code CCSEI-P26, the same booklet reproduced on this page), question by question. If you spot a transcription slip, tell us on WhatsApp and we will correct it the same day.
The 15 where we read it differently
185 of the 200 official answers match the key we published on 28 September. These fifteen do not. Each one below gives the Commission’s answer, ours, and what the argument turns on — so you can decide whether it is worth an objection. Objections close at 5.45 PM on 13 October 2026, online only, quoting the question number as printed in the specimen booklet.
கீழ்க்கண்ட 15 வினாக்களில் தேர்வாணையத்தின் விடையும் எங்கள் விடையும் வேறுபடுகின்றன. ஆட்சேபணை அளிக்க விரும்பினால் அக்டோபர் 13 மாலை 5.45 மணிக்குள் இணையதளம் வழியாக அளிக்கவும்.
Question 5 TNPSC: C Ours: B Iron ore — assertion and reason
The key marks [A] true and [R] false. [R] says magnetite is black and has 60% pure iron; magnetite is normally given as the richest iron ore at around 70% iron, so the reason’s figure is what makes it false. Our key read the pair the other way.
Question 51 TNPSC: B Ours: D Births and deaths registration
Both statements are true either way. The key treats the National Population Policy goal as the explanation for registration under the 1969 Act; the Act predates the Policy by three decades, which is the ground for arguing it is not the explanation.
Question 64 TNPSC: D Ours: B Bharathi Young Poet Award prize
The key gives Rs. One lakh. Check the Tamil Development Department’s own announcement for the current amount before objecting — the figure was revised.
Question 69 TNPSC: D Ours: A South Indian Liberal Federation, 1917
The key gives Political Advancement. The Non-Brahmin Manifesto is usually described as seeking political representation, so the key has a solid basis; our key had read it as social advancement.
Question 84 TNPSC: B Ours: A “Thiran Therinthu Therapadum”
The key gives Aram, Porul, Inbam, Uyiracham. The standard four-fold division taught everywhere is Aram, Porul, Inbam, Veedu(peru). This is the difference most worth putting before the committee, with a printed Thirukkural edition as evidence.
Question 88 TNPSC: B Ours: A Nandi Kalambagam line
The key attributes the line to Moodhumozhi Venba — Somaicher rather than to Nandi Kalambagam itself. Worth checking against a printed edition before objecting.
Question 101 TNPSC: A Ours: B Jasmine syllogism
The key marks the third statement True. From “all jasmine are white” and “some flowers are jasmine” nothing follows about the other flowers, so Uncertain is the textbook answer and our key said False. A clean logic objection either way.
Question 116 TNPSC: D Ours: B Ambedkar on Buddhism
Both statements are true. The key says the Colombo speech does not explain the observation; the speech is where the comparison was made, which is the argument the other way.
Question 119 TNPSC: D Ours: C Allasani Peddana
Both statements are true. The dispute is only whether mixing Telugu and Sanskrit explains why he was renowned at Krishnadeva Raya’s court.
Question 123 TNPSC: C Ours: B Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court
The key accepts only statement (iii). Statement (i) gives 24 June 2004; the Bench began functioning on 24 July 2004, which is exactly why (i) fails — so the key looks right and our key was wrong to include it.
Question 146 TNPSC: C Ours: D Education and productivity
Watch the option order on this one — (C) and (D) are printed in the reverse of the usual sequence. The key marks (C), that [R] does not explain [A]. Higher spending → higher knowledge → higher productivity is a direct chain, which is the objection.
Question 167 TNPSC: D Ours: B Thirukkural on non-killing
Both statements are true. The key says the reason does not explain the assertion, though the kural quoted in [R] is the one that establishes [A]. Strong candidate, with the Thirukkural text as evidence.
Question 170 TNPSC: A Ours: C Disciples of Pattinathar
The key accepts Pathirakiriyar only. Our key also counted Agappei Siddhar. Tamil literary sources differ on this, so bring a named source if you object.
Question 177 TNPSC: B Ours: A Tamil Nadu Harijan Sevak Sangh
The key makes T.S.S. Rajan President and Rajagopalachari a Member. Rajaji is widely recorded as having led the Sangh in the province, which is the ground for objecting.
Question 200 TNPSC: A Ours: D Dice unfolding
A figure question — the key gives (A), our key gave (D). Work the three views again before deciding; there is no documentary evidence to attach to an objection like this one.
An objection is only worth filing with evidence attached — a printed textbook page, a government order, a departmental website. The Commission places every representation before its Expert Committee, and the final key is published after the whole selection process.
How much of this paper had our students already seen?
We read all 200 questions and checked each one by hand against nine sets — the TN SCERT maths textbooks, past TNPSC papers, our own Home Test Batch, our Maths Book, our Aptitude Question Bank, every daily current affairs post we published before exam day, our Policy Notes and New Government Schemes books, the Unit 9 book, and our Unit 6 test papers.
58 of 200
questions a student working through our material would already have met — 8 word for word and 50 as the same question re-worded, or the same sum with new numbers. That is 29% of the paper.
A further 92 questions sat on ground we had covered with a different fact tested, leaving 50 with nothing comparable in any of the nine sets.
| Verdict | Questions | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Word for word | 8 | Same question, same data |
| Same question | 50 | Re-worded, or the same sum re-numbered |
| Same ground | 92 | Area we had covered, a different fact tested |
| Not seen | 50 | Nothing comparable in our material |
Full breakdown
We have published every one of the 58 matches — the question, where it had already appeared, and what exactly was the same — along with the nine source sets, the material that carried the most, and how each match was graded.
58 வினாக்களின் முழு விவரம் — ஒவ்வொரு வினாவும், அது ஏற்கெனவே எங்கு வந்தது என்பதும் தனிப் பக்கத்தில் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.
Two answers the old papers hand you outright
Two of the word-for-word repeats reproduce their source question so closely, options included, that the earlier paper’s own key carries straight across. The remaining matches were re-worded or re-numbered, so their keys do not transfer — those were worked out from scratch, and all 200 are in the answer key above.
Question 45 → (B) Bank Rate
Repeated from Assistant Director of Co-operative Audit 2022, Q193, stem and options unchanged. That paper’s key gives Bank Rate — consistent with the economics, since bank rate is a monetary-policy instrument while taxation, public expenditure and public debt are all fiscal.
Question 173 → (B) Colonel Robert Rollo Gillespie
A word-for-word repeat of Combined Engineering Services 2022, Q177, with the same four names. That paper’s key gives Rollo Gillespie, the general who suppressed the Vellore Mutiny.
Aptitude section — the strongest result on this paper
16 of the 26 aptitude questions were already in our maths material — 4 of them word for word.
Across the whole paper the figure is 58 of 200. In the Aptitude and Mental Ability section alone (Q90–101 and Q187–200) it is 62%. The full question-by-question breakdown, with every source, is in its own post.
கணித திறன் பகுதியில் 26இல் 16 வினாக்கள் எங்கள் பயிற்சிப் பொருட்களில் ஏற்கெனவே இடம்பெற்றன.
What to do next · அடுத்த கட்டம்
Work through the paper with the booklet open beside you, mark the questions you were unsure of, and wait for the key before counting anything. Prelims is only a qualifying round — the Mains is where the rank is decided. And whichever way this one goes, the next two exams are already close — Group 2 prelims on 1 November 2026 and Group 4 in December 2026. New batches for both are open now.
முதல்நிலைத் தேர்வு தகுதித் தேர்வு மட்டுமே. தரவரிசையை முதன்மைத் தேர்வுதான் தீர்மானிக்கிறது. எனவே தயாரிப்பை இங்கே நிறுத்த வேண்டாம். அடுத்த தேர்வுகள் அருகில் உள்ளன — குரூப் 2 முதல்நிலைத் தேர்வு 2026 நவம்பர் 1, குரூப் 4 தேர்வு டிசம்பரில். புதிய தொகுதிகள் தொடங்கியுள்ளன.
TNPSC Book Sets — Shop Group 2 & Group 4 Batch — Enquire
Source: TNPSC Combined Civil Services Examination – I (Group I Services), Preliminary Examination question paper, booklet code CCSEI-P26, 27 September 2026. The PDF is shared for study purposes. The Commission’s own notification and answer key remain the only authority. The match figures above come from our own question-bank audit, read and graded question by question.
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