Tamil Language

TNPSC Tamil Paper and 20% PSTM Quota: Rules for Chennai Aspirants

The 40 per cent Tamil paper and the 20 per cent Tamil medium quota are separate rules. What each requires, and how Chennai aspirants get PSTM certificates.

31 October 2026

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To get a Tamil Nadu government job through TNPSC, you must first pass a Tamil paper of Class 10 standard with at least 40 per cent marks. If you fail it, the commission does not evaluate your other papers at all. That rule, printed in the TNPSC scheme of examinations revised in December 2021, applies to Group I, II and IV exams and most other direct recruitment.

Language also decides a separate benefit. Twenty per cent of posts filled through state recruitment go to candidates who studied in Tamil medium, known as PSTM (Persons Studied in Tamil Medium). For aspirants preparing in Chennai, these are two different rules with different paperwork. This guide separates them.

The Tamil eligibility paper

The Human Resource Management Department ordered the change in December 2021. Its main points, as The News Minute reported:

A Tamil language paper at SSLC (Class 10) level replaced General English in Part A of the exams.
Candidates need at least 40 per cent in it to qualify.
An older concession, which let recruits who failed the Tamil test clear it within two years of joining service, was withdrawn.
Similar Tamil requirements were to cover the Teachers Recruitment Board, the Medical Services Recruitment Board, the Uniformed Services Recruitment Board and forest uniformed services recruitment.

The format depends on the exam, according to the TNPSC scheme:

Exams	Tamil paper format
Group III, IV, VI, VII-A, VII-B, VIII, technical posts	Part A: 100 objective questions, 150 marks
Group I, II, Assistant Public Prosecutor, Civil Judge	Descriptive paper, 100 marks, 3 hours

For a 150-mark Part A, 40 per cent works out to 60 marks. The Madras High Court upheld the rule for Group IV in May 2024 in S. Nitesh v. State of Tamil Nadu. Justice G.R. Swaminathan noted that it matches section 21A of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants (Conditions of Service) Act, 2016, and that Group IV staff deal directly with the public, according to SCC Online. The same report notes that differently abled candidates who studied English in a board or university may opt for a General English test of SSLC standard instead.

The 20 per cent PSTM quota

The quota comes from the State of Persons Studied in Tamil Medium Act, 2010. An amendment passed by the Assembly in March 2020 received the Governor’s assent, with a gazette notification dated 7 December 2020, The News Minute reported. The amendment tightened who counts as Tamil medium:

If the qualifying exam is SSLC, you must have studied up to SSLC in Tamil medium.
If the qualification is HSC, both SSLC and HSC must be in Tamil medium.
Where the qualification combines SSLC, HSC and a diploma, the same rule applies to each stage. TNPSC’s separate formats for diploma, degree and PG levels show that higher qualifications are also checked.

In short, the quota rewards Tamil medium study at every stage up to the qualification a post asks for, not just the final course.

Getting PSTM certificates

TNPSC publishes the formats on its candidate formats page. According to the PSTM format document:

School level: signed by the headmaster or principal, or by a District or Chief Educational Officer, or the District Adi Dravidar Welfare Officer. It records the classes and years studied in Tamil medium.
One per school: if you studied in more than one school between Class 1 and Class 10 or 12, get a separate certificate from each.
Higher education: diploma, degree and PG certificates are signed by the registrar, principal, controller of examinations or head of the institution.
Scholarship line: each certificate states whether you received a scholarship meant for Tamil medium students.
The signatory must base it on verifiable records, so start early if your old school has merged or closed.

Upload the certificates when you claim PSTM in the online application. A wrong claim is a common reason for rejection at certificate verification.

Tips for Chennai aspirants

English medium candidates still need 40 per cent in Tamil. Practise grammar, comprehension and Thirukkural-based questions from Class 6 to 10 state board Tamil textbooks.
Check each notification: the format of the Tamil paper and the posts covered are listed in it.
Keep originals and copies of every school’s PSTM certificate in one folder; you will need them at each recruitment you apply to.

Quick answers

What is the pass mark in the TNPSC Tamil paper?

40 per cent. In Group IV’s 150-mark Part A, that is 60 marks.

Does the Tamil paper count towards rank?

The TNPSC scheme says other papers are evaluated only if you secure 40 per cent in the Tamil test. Check each notification for whether its marks count in ranking.

Who issues a PSTM certificate?

The head of each school or college where you studied in Tamil medium, in TNPSC’s format.

Can I claim PSTM if only my degree was in Tamil medium?

The 2020 amendment requires Tamil medium study at the lower levels too, such as SSLC and HSC, so a Tamil medium degree alone is unlikely to be enough. Check the notification.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.