Tamil Nadu’s Class 12 public examinations will begin on 3 March 2027 and the Class 10 (SSLC) examinations on 17 March 2027. School Education Minister A. Rajmohan released the 2026-27 timetable at a Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE) event in Chennai on 14 October, DT Next reported. Practical exams come first, in February.
The dates are out, but several other things are not. Hall tickets, the instructions for private candidates and the exam-centre lists have not been published yet. This guide separates what has been announced from what is still to come, so Chennai families can plan revision and holidays without relying on rumours.
What has been announced
According to the DT Next report, about 7.90 lakh students are expected to write the Class 10 exams and about 8.70 lakh the Class 12 exams. The Class 11 public exam is being held only for arrear candidates this time, meaning students from earlier batches who still have papers to clear.
| Item | Class 12 | Class 10 (SSLC) |
|---|---|---|
| Practical exams | 8 to 18 February 2027 | 19 to 26 February 2027 |
| First theory paper | 3 March (Language Part I) | 17 March (Language Part I) |
| Last theory paper | 29 March | 12 April (Optional Language) |
| Results (tentative) | 7 May 2027 | 20 May 2027 |
The Class 11 arrear exams run from 5 March to 1 April 2027. DT Next says papers start at 10 am, with ten minutes for reading the question paper, and finish at 1.15 pm.
Class 10 subject dates
The SSLC schedule has gaps of four to eight days between papers, which gives time to revise between subjects:
- 17 March: Tamil and other first languages
- 25 March: English
- 31 March: Mathematics
- 5 April: Science
- 9 April: Social Science
- 12 April: Optional language
The Class 10 dates are the same in every report we checked, apart from one typo in the Science date.
Class 12 subject dates, and a word of caution
The Class 12 timetable has many subject groups, and media reports do not all match. The version that DT Next and CareerIndia agree on is:
- 3 March: Language Part I
- 8 March: English
- 12 March: Chemistry, Accountancy, Geography
- 15 March: Computer Science, Computer Applications, Communicative English, Biochemistry, Advanced Tamil, Home Science, Political Science, Statistics and some vocational papers
- 19 March: Biology, Botany, History, Business Mathematics and Statistics, and several vocational engineering papers
- 23 March: Physics, Economics, Employability Skills
- 29 March: Mathematics, Zoology, Commerce, Microbiology and related subjects
A Daily Jagran report gave different dates for several of these subjects. Do not book anything around a Class 12 paper until you have seen the stream-wise timetable PDF on the DGE website, or the copy your school puts up on its notice board. Schools usually get the official copy first.
What is still awaited
- Hall tickets. No download date has been announced. DT Next reported that schools are still preparing nominal rolls, the lists of candidate details that hall tickets are printed from. Check that your name, initial, date of birth and photograph are correct in the school’s records now, because fixing errors becomes harder later.
- Private candidates. If you are writing as a private candidate, wait for the DGE’s separate notice on applications, fees and centres. These details are not part of the timetable announcement.
- Practical exam schedules. The DGE has given the windows; each school decides the exact day and batch for its students within them.
- Result dates. The May dates are tentative and can move.
Planning tips for Chennai families
The Class 12 practical window (8 to 18 February) leaves about two weeks before the first theory paper, so finish record notebooks before January ends. The SSLC exams run until 12 April, later than many families expect, so plan any summer travel for after that date.
March is outside the northeast monsoon season, so rain rarely disrupts exam days. Still, if there is any change to an exam day, it will come from the DGE and be passed on by schools. Do not trust forwarded messages that do not have a DGE circular attached.
If the DGE timetable and something you read online do not match, the DGE version is the one that counts. Keep the school’s printed timetable on the wall at home and tick off each paper as it is done.
Quick answers
When does the Tamil Nadu Class 12 exam start in 2027?
On 3 March 2027 with the language paper. Practicals run from 8 to 18 February 2027.
When is the SSLC exam in 2027?
From 17 March to 12 April 2027. SSLC practicals are from 19 to 26 February.
Are hall tickets out?
Not yet. The DGE has not announced a date, and schools are still preparing candidate details.
When are the results?
The tentative dates are 7 May 2027 for Class 12 and 20 May 2027 for Class 10.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- TN Class 12 public exams to begin on March 3, Class 10 exams from March 17 (DT Next)
- Tamil Nadu Board Exam Timetable 2027 Released for Classes 10 and 12 (CareerIndia)
- DGE TN 10th, 12th public exam time table 2027 out (Daily Jagran)
- Directorate of Government Examinations, Tamil Nadu (official portal)
