TNPSC Group 2 Prelims Answer Key 2026 – Official Key Awaited, Unofficial Keys Out | Score Calculator, Objection Guide & Result Outlook
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| Prelims Held 1 November 2026 | Official Tentative Key Expected Within 6 Working Days | 200 Questions, 300 Marks | 1.5 Marks per Correct Answer | No Negative Marking | Minimum 90 |
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| Particulars |
Details |
| Conducting Body |
Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) |
| Exam Name |
Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group II and Group IIA Services) – Preliminary Examination |
| Notification Number |
07/2026 |
| Prelims Exam Date |
1 November 2026 (Sunday), 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Vacancies |
821 in the original notification. 846 after Addendum 7A/2026 (see the note below) |
| Exam Pattern |
200 objective questions, 300 marks, 3 hours |
| Marks per Correct Answer |
1.5 |
| Negative Marking |
None |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks |
90 out of 300 (all communities) |
| Official Tentative Answer Key |
Not released yet (as of 4 November 2026) |
| Unofficial Keys |
Available from coaching websites such as Adda247 and Prepp |
| Official Website |
tnpsc.gov.in |
Read This First – Four Important Points
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- The official TNPSC answer key has not been released yet. Reports say it will come “in the first week of November”. The notification says the tentative key will be put on the website within six working days of the exam.
- Unofficial keys by coaching institutes are available. They are not issued by TNPSC and can have mistakes.
- Vacancy numbers differ across websites: 821 (original) and 846 (after Addendum 7A/2026 dated 3 September 2026).
- The Prelims is reported to be an OMR-based paper exam. So there is no online response sheet to download. Use your question booklet and your marked answers to calculate your marks.
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Note: Do not take any decision on the basis of unofficial keys. Wait for the official tentative key and the result.
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TNPSC Group 2 Prelims Answer Key 2026 in Simple Words
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TNPSC held the Preliminary Examination for Group II and Group IIA services on 1 November 2026. It was a single paper of 200 multiple-choice questions for 300 marks, and every candidate could choose General Tamil or General English for the first 100 questions.
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After the exam, TNPSC puts a tentative answer key on its website. Candidates can compare their answers with it and send objections if they find a mistake. After the objections are checked, the commission publishes the final key and then the result. Until the official key arrives, many candidates use the unofficial keys of coaching websites for a rough idea of their marks.
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This page gives you the facts about the key, a simple score calculator, a safe way to use unofficial keys, and a guide to raising objections.
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Click Here – TNPSC Official Website (Answer Key Will Be Published Here)
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Important Dates – TNPSC Group 2 / 2A 2026
- Notification and Online Application Start: 11 August 2026
- Last Date to Apply: 9 September 2026
- Application Correction Window: 13 to 15 September 2026
- Addendum 7A/2026 (extra posts): 3 September 2026, as reported
- Preliminary Exam: 1 November 2026
- Unofficial Keys: Available from the exam evening
- Official Tentative Answer Key: Awaited. As per the notification, within six working days of the exam (about 7 to 9 November, our calculation)
- Objection Window: As announced with the key
- Prelims Result: Reported as expected in December 2026 (not confirmed)
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Exam Pattern and Marks – Part-Wise
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| Part |
Subject |
Questions |
Marks (1.5 each) |
| A |
General Tamil or General English (your choice) |
100 |
150 |
| B |
General Studies |
75 |
112.5 |
| C |
Aptitude and Mental Ability |
25 |
37.5 |
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TOTAL |
200 |
300 |
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- Time: 3 hours (9:30 AM to 12:30 PM).
- Negative marking: None. A wrong or blank answer gets 0 marks.
- Minimum qualifying marks: 90 out of 300 for all communities. That is 60 correct answers (60 x 1.5 = 90).
- The part-wise marks above are our calculation from the 1.5 marks per question.
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How to Calculate Your TNPSC Group 2 Prelims Score
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- Take your question booklet and your marked answers. If you did not mark the booklet, use your memory or rough notes carefully.
- Use the answer key of the exact language and question booklet series you got. Tamil and English medium papers can have different questions in Part A.
- Count the number of correct answers.
- Multiply by 1.5. Total Marks = Correct Answers x 1.5.
- Do not cut any marks for wrong or blank answers.
- Compare your score with 90.
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| Correct Answers |
Expected Marks (out of 300) |
| 40 |
60 |
| 60 |
90 |
| 80 |
120 |
| 100 |
150 |
| 120 |
180 |
| 140 |
210 |
| 160 |
240 |
| 180 |
270 |
| 200 |
300 |
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Part-wise check: if you have 70 correct answers in Part A, 50 in Part B and 20 in Part C, your total correct is 140 and your score is 140 x 1.5 = 210.
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Note: These are simple calculations for understanding. Your final result depends on the official key.
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Using Unofficial Answer Keys Safely
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- Unofficial keys are available from Adda247, Prepp (General English paper with solutions), CareerPower and others. They were made on the exam day.
- Compare at least two keys for the same question. If they differ, mark that question as doubtful.
- Count the doubtful questions in a separate column. Your marks can be a little higher or lower, depending on them.
- Do not stop preparing for Mains because of an unofficial score.
- Do not pay money to any group that sells “official key” or “sure result”.
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How to Download the Official TNPSC Group 2 Answer Key (After Release)
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- Open the official website tnpsc.gov.in.
- Go to the Recruitment section and look for “Question Papers and Answer Keys”.
- Open the list of objective type papers with answer keys.
- Select Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group II and Group IIA Services), Preliminary.
- Open the tentative answer key PDF for your language and question booklet series.
- Compare it with your marked answers and save a copy.
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Note: Download only from the official site. Keep your hall ticket and question booklet ready.
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How to Raise Objections to the Tentative Key
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- Read the notice that comes with the tentative key. It will give the last date, the method and the format for objections.
- Raise objections only for the questions where you are sure.
- Support each objection with a reference from a standard textbook or an official source. Adda247 reports that objections should include supporting references.
- Submit within the deadline. Late objections are not usually accepted.
- Keep a copy of your objection and the acknowledgement.
- TNPSC publishes the final key after expert review. The result follows the final key.
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Note: The exact objection steps for 2026 will be in the official notice. The source report lists tnpscexams.in as the online application portal, but does not say that objections will be taken there.
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Vacancy Numbers – 821 or 846?
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| Stage |
Group II |
Group IIA |
Total |
| Original Notification 07/2026 |
41 |
780 |
821 |
| After Addendum 7A/2026 (3 September 2026), as reported |
43 |
803 |
846 |
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- The FreeJobAlert report and many pages use 821.
- Several education websites say that Addendum 7A/2026 added 25 posts, and the new total is 846.
- Vacancies are tentative and can change until the Prelims result.
- Please check the official addendum on tnpsc.gov.in.
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What Happens After the Prelims?
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- The Prelims is the first screening stage. The minimum qualifying marks are 90 out of 300.
- Scoring above 90 does not by itself guarantee a Mains call. The number called for Mains depends on vacancies and the commission’s rules, which are not given in the source we used.
- The next stage is the Main Examination. As reported by one education website, Paper I is a Tamil eligibility paper, and Paper II is a Computer Based Test of 200 objective questions with 90 as the minimum qualifying marks, and only Paper II marks count in the final rank for the posts it covers.
- Please read the notification for the exact Main exam rules for Group II (interview posts) and Group IIA (non-interview posts).
- The Prelims result is reported to be expected in December 2026. This is not confirmed by TNPSC.
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If You Are Close to 90 Marks – Smart Steps
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- List your doubtful questions and check them in the official key as soon as it comes.
- If you are close to the minimum, an objection that is correct may help, so keep your proofs ready.
- Do not assume that the minimum marks are enough to get into Mains. Aim to cross it by a safe margin.
- Start Mains preparation early, because the Mains date can come soon after the result.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
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- Treating an unofficial key as the official key.
- Using the key of the wrong language (Tamil or English) or the wrong booklet series.
- Subtracting marks for wrong answers. There is no negative marking.
- Missing the objection window.
- Believing that 90 marks guarantees a Mains call.
- Ignoring the vacancy changes in the addendum.
- Trusting rumours about cutoff on social media.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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- Q1. Is the TNPSC Group 2 Prelims official answer key 2026 released?
Not yet. It is expected in the first week of November 2026. The notification says within six working days of the exam.
- Q2. When was the Prelims held?
On 1 November 2026, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
- Q3. Where will the official key be published?
On the official website, tnpsc.gov.in.
- Q4. Are unofficial keys available?
Yes, from coaching websites such as Adda247 and Prepp. They are not issued by TNPSC.
- Q5. How many marks does a correct answer carry?
1.5 marks.
- Q6. Is there negative marking?
No.
- Q7. What are the minimum qualifying marks?
90 out of 300 for all communities. That means 60 correct answers.
- Q8. How many vacancies are there?
821 in the original notification. 846 after Addendum 7A/2026, as reported.
- Q9. How do I calculate my score?
Multiply the number of correct answers by 1.5.
- Q10. When will the result come?
It is reported to be expected in December 2026, but TNPSC has not confirmed it.
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Source of Information
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The exam date and time, 200 questions, 300 marks, 1.5 marks per correct answer, no negative marking, minimum 90 marks, steps to download the key and the application dates are taken from the FreeJobAlert report dated 4 November 2026 and match Adda247, CareerPower, Prepp and Physics Wallah. The “within six working days” rule and the OMR mode are from Adda247. The vacancy addendum (846 posts) is from Examdetail, Testbook and Arivark. The Mains details are from one education website. The part-wise marks, score table, date estimate and tips are written for this page. The official key had not been released at the time of writing, and we could not open the TNPSC notification or addendum. Please confirm everything on tnpsc.gov.in.
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important links
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| TNPSC Official Website (Official Key Will Come Here) |
click here |
| TNPSC Online Application Portal |
click here |
| Unofficial Key (Adda247) – Not Official |
click here |
| Unofficial General English Key with Solutions (Prepp) – Not Official |
click here |
| Unofficial Key Page (CareerPower) – Not Official |
click here |
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