The best TNPSC Group 4 books are free: the Tamil Nadu state board (Samacheer Kalvi) school textbooks from Class 6 to Class 10, plus a few Class 11 and 12 books for the heaviest units. The Group 4 paper is set at SSLC (Class 10) standard, and TNPSC's 2026 notification says outright that the Tamil literature unit is based on school textbooks up to SSLC standard.
Below is a unit-by-unit book list for the 2026 exam, where to download or buy the books, and when a paid guide book is worth having.
Why school textbooks are the core TNPSC Group 4 books
The paper is pitched at Class 10. Every part of the 2026 paper (Part A Tamil, Part B General Studies, Part C Aptitude and Mental Ability) is listed at SSLC standard. The state board books are written for exactly that level.
They cover Tamil Nadu. Two General Studies units of 20 questions each are about Tamil Nadu wholly or in part: its history, culture and reform movements, and the Indian economy with development administration in Tamil Nadu. Central (NCERT) books don't cover this.
They come in both languages. Every book is printed in Tamil and English medium. Parts B and C are set in both languages, so read them in the language you think in. Part A is in Tamil only, so everyone needs the Tamil textbooks.
What the books have to cover in 2026
TNPSC's 2026 notification (Annexure III) splits the 200 questions like this:
Part | Unit | Questions |
|---|---|---|
A | Tamil Eligibility-cum-Scoring Test (seven units) | 100 |
B | General Science | 5 |
B | Geography | 5 |
B | History, Culture of India and Indian National Movement | 10 |
B | Indian Polity | 15 |
B | Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu | 20 |
B | History, Culture, Heritage and Socio-Political Movements of Tamil Nadu | 20 |
C | Aptitude | 15 |
C | Reasoning | 10 |
TNPSC calls these per-unit counts indicative and may move a few questions between units. The full topic list for each unit is on our TNPSC Group 4 syllabus page.
TNPSC Group 4 books for each unit
Read the first column fully. The second is for when the basics are done and you have time left.
Unit (questions) | Samacheer Kalvi books to read | Add if you have time |
|---|---|---|
Part A Tamil (100) | Tamil, Class 6–10 | Tamil, Class 11–12; see our General Tamil guide |
General Science (5) | Science, Class 6–10 | Nothing more: five questions don't justify Class 11–12 science |
Geography (5) | Social Science, Class 6–10 (Geography) | A school atlas for India and Tamil Nadu maps |
History of India and National Movement (10) | Social Science, Class 6–10 (History) | History, Class 11–12 |
Indian Polity (15) | Social Science, Class 6–10 (Civics) | Political Science, Class 11–12 |
Economy and Development Administration in TN (20) | Social Science, Class 6–10 (Economics) | Economics, Class 11–12; Tamil Nadu schemes from the news |
History, Culture and Movements of Tamil Nadu (20) | Social Science, Class 6–10 (History); Tamil, Class 6–10, for Thirukkural | History, Class 11–12 |
Aptitude (15) | Mathematics, Class 6–10 | Previous papers for speed |
Reasoning (10) | No textbook covers it well | Daily question practice |
A few notes on the table:
Classes 6 and 7 come as term-wise volumes, so count all the term books for those classes.
Thirukkural is in both Part A and Part B. Part A asks about 20 named chapters (அதிகாரங்கள்); Part B Unit VI asks about its significance and values. The Tamil textbooks cover both angles.
Aptitude is Class 6–10 maths: simplification, percentage, HCF and LCM, ratio and proportion, simple and compound interest, area, volume, and time and work. Work the textbook exercises before moving to shortcut books.
How to read the books for Group 4
Start with the heavy units. Part A carries half the marks and decides whether Parts B and C are marked at all, so begin there. Then do the two 20-question units and Polity (15). Science and Geography are five questions each: read them, but don't spend weeks there.
Go class by class within a subject, Class 6 up to Class 10. Each class repeats and builds on the last, and the repetition is what makes facts stick.
Mark what TNPSC likes to ask: names, dates, "first" and "largest", Articles of the Constitution, schemes, and places in Tamil Nadu. Keep one notebook per unit.
Test yourself as soon as you finish a unit. A test right after a chapter shows whether you learnt it or only turned the pages. Thervu's Group 4 tests, in Tamil and English, are marked the moment you submit and show the topics that cost you marks, and the questions you get wrong come back in your revision queue. Free accounts get daily mock tests; picking a single topic or subject to test is on the Pro plan.
Re-read rather than re-buy. A second reading of the same textbook does more than a new guide book.
For a day-by-day schedule built on these books, see our Group 4 study plan.
Where to get Samacheer Kalvi books, free or printed
Free PDF, Tamil and English medium: the textbooks are published by the Tamil Nadu government. Look for the free downloads on the official sites: the School Education Department's tnschools.gov.in and the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation site.
The old address has gone. textbooksonline.tn.nic.in, which many older guides still give, no longer opens (checked 11 October 2026).
Printed copies: the Textbook Corporation sells the books at its regional offices and at district book fairs; its sales site is textbookcorp.in.
Check the edition. The books are revised from time to time. Prefer the official download to old copies passed around on unofficial sites or messaging groups.
When a guide book helps
Several Tamil Nadu publishers sell popular Group 4 guides. A good one is useful for three things:
Compact revision: the textbook content condensed into notes you can revise in the last weeks.
Previous question papers with answers, which show how TNPSC phrases its questions.
Current-affairs compilations, monthly or yearly.
What a guide can't do is replace the textbooks: a summary drops details, and in a four-option question the detail is often the whole point. Before you buy, check the edition date and that it follows the 2026 syllabus (seven Part A units, six General Studies units). "Free PDF" copies of paid guides are usually old editions.
Current affairs: the part no book covers
Current affairs is spread across four units in 2026, so you need it, but it doesn't come from a book. Keep it simple:
One daily newspaper, Tamil or English. Note national and Tamil Nadu news, schemes, awards, science and sports.
Tamil Nadu government press releases and the state budget for new schemes, which feed the Development Administration questions.
One monthly compilation to revise from. Cover roughly the 12 months before the exam.
Then check yourself with timed full-length mock tests. When you are ready to see where your reading stands, start here:
For the exam pattern, eligibility and selection process, see the TNPSC Group 4 exam guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which books are best for TNPSC Group 4?
The Tamil Nadu state board (Samacheer Kalvi) school textbooks from Class 6 to Class 10: Tamil for Part A, Science and Social Science for General Studies, and Mathematics for aptitude. Class 11 and 12 History, Political Science and Economics help for the heavier units.
Are Samacheer Kalvi books enough for TNPSC Group 4?
For the static portions, mostly yes, because the paper is set at SSLC standard. You still need current affairs from the news and plenty of timed practice, which no textbook gives you.
Where can I get TNPSC Group 4 books as a PDF in Tamil?
The school textbooks are published by the Tamil Nadu government and are available free in Tamil and English medium on the official School Education Department and Textbook Corporation websites. Printed copies are sold by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation.
Do I need NCERT books for TNPSC Group 4?
No. The state board books cover the same SSLC-level ground and also cover Tamil Nadu history, culture and administration, which carry a large share of the General Studies questions. NCERT books don't.
Should I buy a TNPSC Group 4 guide book?
Only as a supplement, for compact revision notes, previous question papers and current-affairs compilations. Check that it follows the 2026 notification's syllabus and read the textbooks first.
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