The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has released the provisional answer key for the Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group 2 and 2A) Preliminary Exam on 10 November 2026. The exam was held under Advt. No. 07/2026 on Sunday, 1 November 2026, in pen-and-paper (OMR) mode.
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TNPSC has published separate answer keys for General Studies, General Tamil and General English. Candidates can download the subject they attempted from the official website, tnpsc.gov.in, and compare it with the answers they marked.
The scoring is simple. Every correct answer earns 1.5 marks and there is no negative marking, so a candidate’s raw score is just the number of correct answers multiplied by 1.5. Candidates need at least 90 out of 300 to qualify for the Mains. This guide covers the download steps, objection process, score calculation and what comes next.
TNPSC Group 2 Answer Key 2026: Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Commission | Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) |
| Exam | Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group 2 and 2A) – Preliminary |
| Advt. No. | 07/2026 |
| Exam date | 1 November 2026 (Sunday), 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Exam mode | Offline (OMR) |
| Answer key released | 10 November 2026 |
| Answer keys published | General Studies, General Tamil, General English |
| Marks per question | 1.5 |
| Negative marking | No |
| Minimum qualifying marks | 90 out of 300 |
| Prelims result | Expected in December 2026 |
| Official website | tnpsc.gov.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Last date to apply | 9 September 2026 |
| Application correction window | 13 – 15 September 2026 |
| Prelims exam | 1 November 2026 |
| Provisional answer key | 10 November 2026 |
| Objection window | As notified on the TNPSC website |
| Prelims result | December 2026 (expected) |
| Mains exam | To be announced |
How to Download TNPSC Group 2 Answer Key 2026
- Go to the official TNPSC website, tnpsc.gov.in.
- Open the Recruitment section and click Question Papers / Answer Keys, then Objective Type with Answer Keys.
- Look for “Combined Civil Services Examination – II (Group II / Group IIA Services)”.
- Open the answer key for your subject: General Studies, General Tamil or General English.
- The PDF opens with the question paper and the correct answers.
- Compare it with your marked answers, then download and save it.
Tip: Keep your copy of the question paper booklet or a note of your answers. Since the exam was on OMR, there is no online response sheet to check.
How to Raise Objections
TNPSC allows candidates to challenge answers they believe are wrong. Objections are accepted online only, through the answer key challenge link on the TNPSC website, within the deadline set by the Commission.
- Log in to the TNPSC portal with your One Time Registration (OTR) details.
- Open the answer key challenge link for the Group 2/2A prelims.
- Select the subject and question number.
- Enter the answer you believe is correct, with your reasoning.
- Upload or cite valid proof, such as a standard textbook or official source.
- Submit before the closing date.
Objections without proper evidence, or sent by email or post, will not be considered. The final answer key will be prepared after the Commission reviews all valid objections.
TNPSC Group 2 Prelims Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
The prelims had 200 objective questions carrying 300 marks in total, at 1.5 marks per question.
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | General Studies | 75 | 112.5 |
| B | Aptitude and Mental Ability | 25 | 37.5 |
| C | General Tamil or General English | 100 | 150 |
| Total | 200 | 300 |
- Correct answer: +1.5 marks
- Wrong answer: No deduction
- Unattempted: No marks
- Duration: 3 hours
How to Calculate Your Score
Because there is no negative marking, the formula is:
Expected score = Number of correct answers × 1.5
| Correct answers | Expected score (out of 300) |
|---|---|
| 60 | 90 (minimum qualifying mark) |
| 100 | 150 |
| 120 | 180 |
| 140 | 210 |
| 160 | 240 |
For example, if you got 120 questions right, your expected score is 120 × 1.5 = 180 marks. Wrong or skipped answers don’t change the total.
TNPSC Group 2 Minimum Qualifying Marks
| Particulars | Marks |
|---|---|
| Maximum marks | 300 |
| Minimum qualifying marks | 90 |
You need at least 60 correct answers to reach the 90-mark minimum. Note that 90 is only the eligibility floor. The actual cut-off for Mains selection is decided by the number of vacancies and category-wise competition, and is usually much higher.
Also Read: RRB JE Answer Key 04/2026 Out: Download CBT-1 Response Sheet, Raise Objections till 17 November
What Happens After the Answer Key?
- Final answer key: Published after TNPSC reviews objections.
- Prelims result: Expected in December 2026. Candidates will be shortlisted for the Mains on the basis of prelims marks.
- Mains exam: Paper I is a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test, and Paper II (General Studies) decides the final rank. Prelims marks are not added to the final merit.
- Certificate verification and counselling for selected candidates.
FAQs: TNPSC Group 2 Answer Key 2026
Q1. When was the TNPSC Group 2 answer key 2026 released?
TNPSC released the provisional answer key on 10 November 2026.
Q2. When was the TNPSC Group 2/2A prelims exam held?
The prelims exam was held on Sunday, 1 November 2026, under Advt. No. 07/2026.
Q3. Has TNPSC released separate answer keys for each subject?
Yes. Separate keys are available for General Studies, General Tamil and General English.
Q4. How many marks does each question carry?
Each question carries 1.5 marks, for a total of 300 marks across 200 questions.
Q5. Is there negative marking in TNPSC Group 2 prelims?
No. Wrong answers carry no penalty.
Q6. How do I calculate my TNPSC Group 2 score?
Multiply the number of correct answers by 1.5. For example, 120 correct answers give 180 marks.
Q7. What is the minimum qualifying mark?
Candidates need at least 90 out of 300, which means 60 correct answers.
Q8. Can I raise objections to the answer key?
Yes. Objections can be submitted online with valid proof within the deadline set by TNPSC.
Q9. When will the TNPSC Group 2 prelims result be declared?
The result is expected in December 2026.
Q10. Are prelims marks counted in the final merit list?
No. The prelims is a screening test. The final rank depends on the Mains General Studies paper.
