CHENNAI: The decision by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) to include general Tamil or general English paper in the preliminary exams for group II and IIA posts has received stiff resistance from a section of job aspirants.
While many said they have been preparing for general studies paper for group II and IIA posts as per the syllabus revised in 2019, the sudden inclusion of general Tamil came as a rude shock for the job aspirants. Currently, exams for group II and II A posts have got a preliminary paper on general studies and aptitude for 300 marks and a main paper.
According to the revised notification released by TNPSC, candidates taking up examinations for TNPSC Group I, II and IIA posts have to score a minimum of 40 marks out of 100 in the mandatory Tamil language paper in the main examination.
From now onwards, aspirants of group I posts will have four main examinations and group II and II A candidates will have two main examinations in the second stage. “The main examination papers will be corrected only if the candidate passed in the language paper,” said an official note.
Incidentally, the TNPSC also included general Tamil or general English for 75 marks in the preliminary examination of group II and IIA posts. The syllabus for general Tamil paper comprises Tamil literary works and poems.
“When the mandatory Tamil paper (descriptive) had been included in the second stage (main exams), what’s necessary to include general Tamil in the preliminary stage as well,” questioned job aspirant Krishnakanth of Perambalur.
“General Tamil paper contains syllabus from Tamil literature and poems. The majority of job aspirants, including engineering graduates, invested a lot of time preparing for general studies as its common syllabus for all posts of TNPSC and UPSC exams. Now, group II and IIA post aspirants are facing a lot of mental agony as we have to prepare for the general Tamil paper as well,” explained Krishnakanth.
Echoing a similar view, another aspirant, S Kannan of Kolathur said, “Lakhs of candidates have been preparing for the general studies paper as per the syllabus issued in 2019. The sudden inclusion of general Tamil in the preliminary stage caused a lot of confusion. It’s unfair to make such changes a few months before issuing examination notification,”
Three weeks ago, the State government passed a G.O making passing in Tamil language paper mandatory for securing jobs in government and government undertakings. TNPSC officials could not be reached for comments.
At a glance
Old examination pattern
Group I: Preliminary: General studies and aptitude paper for 300 marks
Main: Three papers on general studies
Group II & IIA: Preliminary: General studies and aptitude paper for 300 marks
Main: One paper for 300 marks (Tamil to English translation, precise writing, comprehension, hints development, essay writing on Thirukkural and others)
Revised pattern
(Effective from December 25)
Group I: Preliminary: General studies and aptitude paper for 300 marks
Main: Three exams on general studies + qualifying paper on Tamil for 100 marks
Group II & IIA: Preliminary: General studies, general Tamil or general English and aptitude paper for 300 marks
Main: One paper for 300 marks + qualifying paper on Tamil for 100 marks