Single paper consisting of General Studies (Degree Std) – 75 Questions, Aptitude & Mental Ability (SSLC Std) – 25 Questions, and Language (General Tamil or General English – SSLC Std) – 100 Questions. Examination Code: 495. Total: 200 Questions.
Total Questions
200
GS 75 + Aptitude 25 + Language 100
Major Weight
Language 50%
100 / 200
GS Emphasis
37.5%
75 / 200
Aptitude Share
12.5%
25 / 200
Overall Distribution (Code 495)
Half the paper is Language (Tamil/English); GS contributes 37.5%, Aptitude 12.5%.
Quick Facts
Degree Std: General Studies
SSLC Std: Aptitude & Reasoning
SSLC Std: General Tamil / General English
Code: 495
CCSE–II (Group II & IIA)
Sub-topic wordings, counts and prescribed texts mirror the official notification.
Part A — General Studies (Degree Standard) — 75 Questions
| Unit | Questions | % of Total | Scope / Sub-Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit I: General Science | 5 | 2.5% | Scientific knowledge & temper; reasoning; rote vs conceptual; science for past–present–future; nature of universe; general laws; mechanics; properties of matter; force, motion & energy; everyday applications of electricity & magnetism, light, sound, heat, nuclear physics, laser; electronics & communications; chemistry—elements/compounds, acids/bases/salts; petroleum products; fertilizers; pesticides; life science—classification, evolution, genetics, physiology, nutrition, health & hygiene, human diseases; environment & ecology; inventions; current affairs. |
| Unit II: Geography of India | 5 | 2.5% | Location; physical features; monsoon, rainfall, weather & climate; water resources; rivers; soil, minerals & natural resources; forests & wildlife; agricultural patterns; transport & communication; social geography—population density & distribution; racial/linguistic groups & major tribes; natural calamities & disaster management; environmental pollution—reasons & prevention; climate change; green energy; geographical landmarks; current affairs. |
| Unit III: History, Culture & National Movement | 10 | 5% | Indus Valley; Guptas; Delhi Sultans; Mughals; Marathas; Vijayanagara & Bahmani; South Indian History; National Renaissance; early uprisings; Indian National Congress; leaders—Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Bharathiar, V.O.C., Nehru, Kamarajar, Gandhi, Maulana Azad, Thanthai Periyar, Rajaji, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, etc.; growth of Satyagraha & militant movements; communalism & partition; socio-cultural change & continuity; Indian culture—unity in diversity; secularism; social harmony; prominent personalities (arts, science, literature, philosophy). |
| Unit IV: Indian Polity | 15 | 7.5% | Constitution—Preamble; salient features; Union, State & UT; citizenship; Fundamental Rights, Duties, DPSP; Union & State Executive/Legislature; Local Governments & Panchayat Raj; federal spirit & Centre–State relations; election; judiciary; rule of law; corruption & anti-corruption measures—Lokpal/Lokayukta; Right to Information; empowerment of women; Consumer Forums; Human Rights Charter; political parties & political system; current affairs. |
| Unit V: Indian Economy & Development Administration (TN) | 20 | 10% | Indian economy; Five-Year Plans (assessment); Planning Commission & NITI Aayog; sources of revenue; RBI; fiscal & monetary policy; Finance Commission; Union–State resource sharing; GST; structure & employment; land reforms; agriculture & S&T; industrial growth; rural welfare programmes; social problems—population, education, health, employment, poverty; Tamil Nadu: HDI & comparisons; impact of social reform movements; political parties & welfare schemes; reservation rationale & access to social resources; economic trends; role/impact of welfare schemes; social justice & harmony; education & health systems; geography & growth; achievements; e-governance; public awareness & general administration; welfare schemes & utility; issues in public delivery; current socio-economic issues; current affairs. |
| Unit VI: History, Culture, Heritage & Socio-Political Movements (TN) | 20 | 10% | History of Tamil society; archaeological discoveries; Tamil literature from Sangam to present; Thirukkural—secular significance, everyday relevance, universal values, socio-politico-economic relevance, philosophical content; Tamil Nadu in freedom struggle—early agitations & role of women; 19th–20th century movements—Justice Party, growth of rationalism, Self-Respect & Dravidian movements; contributions of Thanthai Periyar & Perarignar Anna. |
GS unit counts sum to 75; Unit V & VI together carry 40/75 within GS.
Part B — Aptitude & Mental Ability (SSLC Standard) — 25 Questions
| Component | Questions | % of Total | Scope / Sub-Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aptitude | 15 | 7.5% | Simplification; Percentage; HCF; LCM; Ratio & Proportion; Simple & Compound Interest; Area; Volume; Time & Work. |
| Reasoning | 10 | 5% | Logical reasoning; Puzzles; Dice; Visual reasoning; Alpha-numeric reasoning; Number series. |
Part C — Language (SSLC Standard) — 100 Questions
General Tamil
| Unit | Questions | Brief Scope |
|---|---|---|
| General Tamil — Unit I (இலக்கணம்) | 25 | Orthography; sandhi; short/long vowels; consonant distinctions; morphology; suffixes; errors; plural forms. |
| General Tamil — Unit II (சொல்லகராதி) | 15 | Antonyms/synonyms; dictionary order; appropriate usage; colloquial vs. standard; error corrections. |
| General Tamil — Unit III (எழுதும் திறன்) | 15 | Sentence ordering; grammar variants; gender/number/tense usage; punctuation. |
| General Tamil — Unit IV (தொழில்ச் சொற்கள்) | 10 | Technical/admin/media/IT/medical terminology — Tamil equivalents. |
| General Tamil — Unit V (வாசித்தல்–புரிதல்) | 15 | Reading comprehension—news, government docs; idioms/proverbs; inference. |
| General Tamil — Unit VI (எளிய மொழிபெயர்ப்பு) | 5 | Word/sentence translation; tense/voice; forms & letters. |
| General Tamil — Unit VII (இலக்கியம் & தமிழ்த்தொண்டு) | 15 | Thirukkural; classical/modern authors; selected didactic works; Tamil luminaries. |
General English
| General English — Unit | Questions | Coverage / Prescribed Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Unit I — Grammar | 25 | Parts of speech; Concord; Tense; Voice; Sentence types; Transformations; Main/Auxiliary verbs; Infinitives; Gerunds; Participles; Question tags; Sentence patterns; Simple/Compound/Complex; Phrases & clauses; Degrees of comparison; Direct↔Indirect; Synthesis; Punctuations. |
| Unit II — Vocabulary | 15 | Synonyms; Antonyms; Homonyms; Homophones; Collocations; Idioms & Phrases; Phrasal verbs; Spelling; Usage; One-word substitution; Word creation; Singular/Plural (incl. zero plural); Derivatives; Abbreviations; BrE vs AmE; Compound words; Figures of speech. |
| Unit III — Writing Skills | 10 | Letter writing (MCQ); Jumbled sentences; Ordering; Making queries; Inferences; Blanks; Substitutions. |
| Unit IV — Technical Terms | 10 | Administrative/Departmental/General & Official terms; Official correspondence (basics). |
| Unit V — Reading Comprehension | 20 | Unseen passages (news/editorials/government); strong/weak questions; matching; sentence completion; ascertainment of facts; best response. |
| Unit VI — Translation | 5 | Word & sentence translation; tense/voice-related tasks. |
| Unit VII — Literary Works | 15 |
Figures of Speech; appreciation & analysis of poetry/prose; lines of significance. Indicative Poems: I Dream of Spices; The Crocodile; Teamwork; From a Railway Carriage; Sea Fever; Courage; Wandering Singers; The Listeners; Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening; Leisure; A Poison Tree; The Spider and the Fly; etc. Indicative Prose/Drama/Biographies: His First Flight; The Night the Ghost Got In; The Last Lesson; The Dying Detective; Learning the Game; I Can’t Climb Trees Anymore; Water—The Elixir of Life; From Zero to Infinity; The Nose Jewel; The Tempest (Tales); etc. (SSLC syllabus selections) |
General Studies — Unit-wise Questions
Relative emphasis: Economy & TN Administration (20), TN History & Movements (20), Polity (15).
Language Distribution — Tamil vs English (by Units)
Both tracks total 100; Tamil emphasizes Writing (Unit III) slightly more (15) than English (10).
Trends & Preparation Signals
- Language drives 50% of the paper — command over either Tamil or English is decisive.
- Within GS, TN-centric components (Unit V & VI) account for 40/75 questions — state economy, welfare, movements, and history/heritage are high-yield.
- Polity remains a core pillar (15/75) spanning constitutional basics → institutions → accountability/rights.
- Aptitude is compact (25/200) but predictable—arithmetic basics + patterns/visuals; build speed with timed drills.
Syllabus and unit counts mirror the official Group II / IIA notification (Code 495).