TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026: Download PDF, Raise Objections & Check Latest Updates

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has released the TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026 on its official website, tnpsc.gov.in, giving lakhs of candidates who appeared for the Combined Civil Services Examination–I (Group I & Group I-A) their first real chance to estimate their score before the official result. This detailed guide covers everything you need — the direct download process, the specimen answer key PDF, the objection/challenge procedure, important dates, the marking scheme, and the latest updates on what happens next.

TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026 – Attaching the Official PDF

The TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026 official PDF is attached below for candidates to download and check their answers. Use the PDF to compare your responses and estimate your expected score.

TNPSC releases answer keys and response sheets in stages — provisional key, response sheet, and finally the confirmed key after the objection review. Always cross-check the version you are looking at (Provisional/Final) and the question-booklet code mentioned on your own answer sheet.

TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026 – Overview

(Update the release date and exact deadline in this table to match the live notification on the site at the time of publishing, since TNPSC runs more than one Group 1 cycle in parallel — see the “Latest Update” section below.)

How to Download TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026 PDF

Follow these steps to download your answer key from the official TNPSC portal:

1. Visit the official TNPSC website: tnpsc.gov.in.
2. On the homepage, look under the “What’s New” section or go directly to the Answer Keys tab in the English or Tamil menu.
3. Click on the link that reads “Answer Key for Combined Civil Services Examination – I (Group I & Group I-A Services)”.
4. Choose your paper and, where applicable, log in with your registration/application number and date of birth or password.
5. The specimen question booklet with the correct answers will open as a PDF.
6. Download the PDF and save it to your device — do not rely only on the on-screen view, since TNPSC pages can be updated or moved once the final key is published.

Important Guidelines Candidates Must Follow

TNPSC has laid out a clear, strict process for how the answer key can be used and challenged. Here’s what every candidate needs to know, in simple terms:

• The correct answer for every question is tick-marked in the specimen question booklet published on the Commission’s website — this is the master reference copy, not the individual booklet you received in the exam hall.
• Regardless of which question-booklet code (A/B/C/D) you were given during the exam, objections must be raised using the question numbers exactly as they appear in this specimen booklet — not the numbering on your own booklet.
• Every objection submitted with supporting evidence is reviewed by an Expert Committee before the answer key is finalised.
• Objections or representations can be submitted only in online mode, through the official website tnpsc.gov.in, and only within seven days of the answer key being released.
• Objections sent by post or email are not considered under any circumstances.
• Submissions made online after the cut-off time on the last date (TNPSC has specified 5.45 PM as the closing time in recent cycles) are also not entertained — so don’t wait until the last minute.
• The final answer key is published only after the entire selection process for that examination is complete, not immediately after the objection window closes.

Given how strict the cut-off and format rules are, it’s worth downloading the PDF, cross-checking every answer against your response sheet, and filing any objection well before the deadline rather than on the final day.

How to Raise an Objection Against the TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026

If you believe an answer marked in the specimen booklet is incorrect, here is how to formally challenge it:

1. Log in to the TNPSC website using your registration credentials.
2. Navigate to the objection/representation link provided alongside the answer key.
3. Select the relevant question number as per the specimen booklet, not your own booklet code.
4. Enter your reasoning for the objection clearly and concisely.
5. Attach valid supporting evidence — textbook references, official documents, or authoritative sources — since unsupported objections are unlikely to be accepted by the Expert Committee.
6. Submit the form online before the deadline. Save a copy or screenshot of your submission for your own records.

TNPSC Group 1 Prelims Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme 2026

Use the downloaded answer key alongside your saved/downloaded response sheet to count your correct answers and get a fair estimate of your prelims score before the official result is announced.

TNPSC Group 1 Provisional Answer Key vs Final Answer Key

Latest Update on TNPSC Group 1 2026

TNPSC’s Group 1 cycle for 2026 has moved through several stages, and candidates often confuse which stage applies to them:

• The provisional answer key for the Group I & I-A prelims was hosted on tnpsc.gov.in, with the online objection window closing seven days later at 5.45 PM as per the Commission’s notice.
• More recently, TNPSC has released the prelims response sheet and scorecard for this recruitment cycle on the official website, letting candidates cross-check their submitted responses against the answer key.
• Separately, TNPSC has also notified a fresh Group 1 & 1A prelims exam for 46 vacancies, scheduled for 27 September 2026 — this is a different recruitment cycle from the one above, with its own upcoming answer key timeline. Keep an eye on this page for updates once that answer key is released.

(Confirm and update the exact dates above against the live tnpsc.gov.in answer key page before publishing, since TNPSC updates this page frequently and dates can shift.)

What to Do After Checking the Answer Key

• Calculate your estimated score using the answer key and your saved response sheet.
• Compare your expected score against the previous year’s TNPSC Group 1 cut-off marks for your category to gauge your chances.
• Keep checking tnpsc.gov.in and this page for the prelims result and Mains exam schedule.
• If you plan to appear for the Mains, start preparation for Paper I, II, III and IV without waiting for the final result, since the gap between prelims result and Mains is often short.

Stay tuned to this page and the Entri app for real-time updates on the TNPSC Group 1 Answer Key 2026, response sheet, result, and Mains exam schedule.