TNPSC Group 4:
which topics actually repeat?
We read every General Studies & Aptitude question paper from 2012 to 2025 and counted what TNPSC asks again and again, mapped against the latest 2026 syllabus. Study the repeating topics first.
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How the 100 marks are split
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Topics TNPSC started asking more
The new syllabus added these. They barely appeared before — now they're regulars. Don't skip them.
Every subject, topic by topic
Longer bar = asked more often. Start from the top of each list.
Topic-wise breakdown, unit by unit
The same data behind the charts above, written out in full — useful for screen readers and quick scanning.
Tamil Nadu History & Culture — 20 marks
Tamil Nadu History & Culture (Unit VI) carries 20 of the 100 marks — the single highest-weighted unit in the Group 4 GS paper. Across the 9 papers from 2012 to 2025, Tamil literature and authors were the most repeated topic (13 questions across 5 papers), followed by social reformers such as Periyar and Muthulakshmi Ammaiyar (10 questions, 5 papers). Thirukkural is this unit's standout riser — zero questions before 2022, then 10 in the three papers since, making it a near-certain topic every year now. TN freedom fighters such as Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Velu Nachiyar, V.O. Chidambaram Pillai and the Marudhu Brothers also feature heavily in 2022–2025 papers.
- Tamil literature & authors13 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- Social reformers (Periyar, Muthulakshmi…)10 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- ThirukkuralRISING10 questions · 3 of 9 papers
- Tamil society & excavations (Keezhadi)9 questions · 6 of 9 papers
- TN freedom fighters (Kattabomman, VOC…)RISING8 questions · 4 of 9 papers
- TN politics & Dravidian movement6 questions · 5 of 9 papers
Indian Economy & TN Development — 20 marks
Indian Economy & TN Development (Unit V) also carries 20 marks. Five Year Plans and NITI Aayog questions appear in 8 of the 9 papers (15 questions total) — the most consistently-asked topic in this unit. But TN government schemes and development is the fastest-growing topic: just 1 question in 2012, rising to 7 in the 2024 paper alone, for 16 questions total across 5 papers — the biggest jump of any topic on this page. Tax/GST/RBI/banking and poverty-population-education each contribute 11 questions across 7 papers, with industry, economy basics (10 each) and agriculture/land reforms (9) rounding out the unit.
- TN schemes & developmentRISING16 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- Five Year Plans, NITI Aayog15 questions · 8 of 9 papers
- Tax, GST, RBI, banking11 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- Poverty, population, education11 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- Industry & policy10 questions · 6 of 9 papers
- Economy basics10 questions · 6 of 9 papers
- Agriculture & land reforms9 questions · 4 of 9 papers
Indian Polity — 15 marks
Indian Polity (Unit IV) carries 15 marks. Constitution basics — the Preamble, salient features and amendments — is the clear leader with 15 questions across 6 papers. Union executive topics (President, PM, Attorney General) and Centre-State relations are tied at 10 questions each, with Centre-State relations spread across 7 of the 9 papers — the widest spread in the unit. Judiciary questions appear in 8 of 9 papers (9 questions), Fundamental Rights in 5 papers (9 questions), and local government / Panchayat Raj rounds out the top six with 8 questions across 4 papers.
- Constitution, Preamble, amendments15 questions · 6 of 9 papers
- President, PM, Union executive10 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- Centre–State, Finance Commission10 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- Judiciary & courts9 questions · 8 of 9 papers
- Fundamental Rights9 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- Local govt & Panchayat Raj8 questions · 4 of 9 papers
History & Freedom Movement — 10 marks
History, Culture of India & the Indian National Movement (Unit III) carries 10 marks but has the densest topic spread on this page. Medieval India — Mughals, Marathas, the Delhi Sultanate and Vijayanagar — leads with 20 questions across 7 papers, just ahead of the freedom movement / Congress (17 questions, 7 papers) and ancient India (Mauryas, Guptas — also 17 questions, 7 papers). Indian culture appears in all 9 papers (16 questions) — the most consistent topic of any unit — and national leaders contribute 15 questions across 6 papers. Indus Valley Civilization is the rising topic here: 7 questions across 6 papers, with several appearing only since the syllabus revision.
- Medieval India (Mughals, Marathas)20 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- Freedom movement & Congress17 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- Ancient India (Mauryas, Guptas)17 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- Indian culture16 questions · 9 of 9 papers
- National leaders15 questions · 6 of 9 papers
- Indus ValleyRISING7 questions · 6 of 9 papers
General Science — 5 marks
General Science (Unit I) carries only 5 marks but is the single largest topic pool — 183 questions across the 9 papers. Biology of the human body (blood, hormones, organs, genetics) is the single most-repeated topic on this entire page: 38 questions, asked in every one of the 9 papers. Chemistry (31 questions) and Physics (26 questions) are also asked in all 9 papers. Plant biology — photosynthesis, classification, reproduction — adds 24 questions across 8 papers, and space/ISRO questions appear 19 times across 8 papers, reflecting TNPSC's steady interest in India's space programme.
- Biology — human body38 questions · 9 of 9 papers
- Chemistry31 questions · 9 of 9 papers
- Physics26 questions · 9 of 9 papers
- Biology — plants24 questions · 8 of 9 papers
- Space & ISRO19 questions · 8 of 9 papers
Geography — 5 marks
Geography (Unit II) carries 5 marks. Transport and communication — ports, railways, highways, metro — is the leading topic with 10 questions across 5 papers. World geography and earth location (latitudes, longitudes, continents) follow with 8 questions across 4 papers, and Tamil Nadu-specific geography (windfarms, hills, sanctuaries, forest cover) accounts for 6 questions across 4 papers. Forests & wildlife sanctuaries (6 questions, 5 papers) and rivers & water resources (5 questions, 4 papers) complete the top five.
- Transport — ports, railways10 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- World & earth location8 questions · 4 of 9 papers
- Tamil Nadu geography6 questions · 4 of 9 papers
- Forests & wildlife6 questions · 5 of 9 papers
- Rivers & water5 questions · 4 of 9 papers
Aptitude & Reasoning — 25 marks
Aptitude & Reasoning (Part B) carries 25 marks — a quarter of the whole paper, and the single largest mark allocation of any unit. HCF & LCM (22 questions, 8 of 9 papers) and area/volume/mensuration (22 questions, 7 papers) are the most reliable topics. Interest — simple and compound combined — adds another 22 questions across 8 papers. Ratio & proportion (19 questions, 8 papers), simplification (16 questions, 6 papers) and number series (15 questions, 6 papers) round out the most-repeated topics. Because the question types repeat closely year to year, this unit rewards daily practice more than any other.
- Area & volume (mensuration)22 questions · 7 of 9 papers
- HCF & LCM22 questions · 8 of 9 papers
- Interest (Simple + Compound)22 questions · 8 of 9 papers
- Ratio & proportion19 questions · 8 of 9 papers
- Simplification16 questions · 6 of 9 papers
- Number series15 questions · 6 of 9 papers
Frequently asked questions
Biology of the human body (blood, hormones, organs, genetics, nutrition) is the single most-repeated topic — 38 questions across all 9 papers analyzed (2012–2025), all within the General Science unit.
Yes. Thirukkural sits in Unit VI (Tamil Nadu History & Culture) and is a rising topic — 0 questions before 2022, then 10 questions across the 2022, 2024 and 2025 papers. It's now asked almost every year.
Aptitude & Reasoning (Part B) carries 25 of the 100 marks — the single largest mark allocation in the exam, ahead of TN History & Culture and Economy (20 marks each).
Based on the 2012–2025 papers, the fastest-growing topics are Thirukkural, Tamil Nadu freedom fighters (Kattabomman, Velu Nachiyar, VOC), Tamil Nadu government schemes, and the latest TN Economic Survey data and schemes — all barely asked before 2022 but regular since.